Sometimes you gotta work on your game before you can entertain. Which is why this Opening Day I chose not to invite the usual panel of eaters and focus on the pizza. I understand it's anti-social but recipe development often gets lost in a pizza party. I don't like trying new things when I got critics in the yard, and there were a couple variables at play. I used a different dough recipe, a mixer for the first time, and had my entire work station set up outside.

The new recipe kicked out a nice hole structure and using a mixer definitely produced a smoother dough.  Note to any soon-to-be husband: let your future wife register for the Kitchenaid mixer...forget the CrockPot.  Not only did it help the recipe, but it kept the kitchen clean too.  Mixing by hand is a mess!

Would-be eaters, I'm not trying to rub it in, but I made 14 pizzas for only five people.  There were a lot of leftovers.  Don't worry though, you're the ones who reap the benefits of these study sessions.