what if i'm stuck working late at the office how about a personal-sized frozen pizza
it's pizza night but if your cash and time are limited maybe it's a trip to the freezer
instead of a call to domino's so to help you avoid the pitfalls here are 10 big mistakes
everyone makes with frozen pizza don't under or overspend how much do you spend on food
incredibly the cost of frozen pizza has a range that doesn't seem possible for a single dish meal
there are frozen varieties that cost as little as a dollar fifty yes that is us dollars to nineteen
fifty yes also us dollars do you go to the bottom of the barrel to save some cash or do you splurge
because well you want the best thinking rationally and hopefully not on a totally empty stomach
do you really want an entire meal that only costs a dollar fifty that's for the whole pizza not just
a slice is it really made from honest to goodness food doesn't the packaging alone cost more than
that that's not possible okay let's consider the other end of the price range almost 20 dollars
more after you add tax for only one frozen pizza hmm is it topped with filet mignon and gold flakes
both ends of the price range seem extreme so shoot for the middle or upper middle if you're a pizza
enthusiast you want good quality food products without breaking the bank on average a frozen
pizza that costs between five dollars and six dollars will satisfy your craving without leaving
you penniless don't toss it in the oven frozen well this is frozen no one likes a soggy crust
unfortunately that's what you're likely to get if you put your pizza in the oven frozen that
little layer of frost on your still still-frozen pizza will turn to steam and soak your crust
and ingredients into a less than desirable mushy mess sure you're starving but letting your pizza
saw will ensure that you enjoy every bite you've been waiting for consider pizzas made from scratch
which you don't have time and patience for tonight they're not made with frozen ingredients cooking
time is based on room temperature to ensure optimal results good pizza yeah so if you put
a frozen pizza in the oven frozen it's already behind the game and being cooked the way it was
designed for your frozen pizza the drive home from the mega store may be enough time for it to thaw
or if you take it out of the freezer at home let it sit while you turn on the oven serve up drinks
assemble a side dish put the lunch dishes in the dishwasher or catch up on facebook and instagram
if you're not into multitasking just sit and relax for a few quiet moments an added benefit of pizza
night is to have some extra time to unwind don't put it in a preheating oven did i leave the oven
on or is that just you hot stuff while waiting for your pizza to saw this is the perfect time to
crank up the oven your pizza box will indicate the optimal temperature and it's usually pretty high
most brands recommend 450 degrees or even higher since the temperature needs to be so high
it will take a little longer than you're used to for your oven to preheat but this
is a vital step in making sure you're going to get your pizza perfectly cooked and the way you
want it if you're using a pizza stone or a cookie sheet preheat it as well coordinating
your oven and bakeware to the same and correct temperature guarantees your pizza
will be cooked at the proper temperature from the beginning right until that timer goes ding
cooking times will vary depending on the type of crust you have and the kind of toppings you choose
always check your pizza during cooking to be sure you were cooking it just enough for a softer crust
if that is what you like or a bit longer if you prefer a little crunch around the edge putting
the pizza in before everything is preheated might result in an undercooked meal and once the pizza
is out of the oven and cut there's no going back you've got to get it right the first time
don't cook it in the packaging no god please no no this may seem obvious to most but in today's world
of on the go easy prep food it might slip under your radar after all foods designed to be prepared
in the microwave are almost always cooked in the package if your pizza is meant to be heated in
the microwave carefully check the box for cooking instructions you may be able to use the oven if
you want a crispier crust if you do go with oven heating tossing the packaging is always your best
bet throw it away first of all it's just not safe to put a box in an oven cardboard extreme
heat and especially a flame and a gas oven are ingredients for fire you're not camping outdoors
nor do you want to turn your house into timber and that plastic wrap yes it is keeping the
frozen toppings on top where they belong but if you leave it on well plastic melts at even
moderate temperatures and it will be impossible to remove from your pizza even if you've opted for
the super easy prep and quick cooking microwave variety you'll have rendered it inedible so how
do you keep the ingredients on the pizza well that question conveniently leads us to our next entry
don't leave the ingredients just the way they are don't be afraid to improvise when you do
take the plastic wrapping off of the pizza the frozen toppings don't always stick in place and
usually fall off it's likely they have all fallen to one side during transport or storage you can
and should rearrange your toppings to evenly cover the top of your pizza it just wouldn't be fair for
all the pepperoni to be only on a slice or two if you leave the ingredients the way they are
when you unwrap your pizza planning to rearrange them after cooking you'll miss the gun at the
least you will have an arduous time removing the toppings that have now been sealed on their spot
with the melted cheese so much for a relaxing well-deserved pizza night it's too much it's too
much there's just no separating the cheese from the toppings at this point also if you leave the
toppings all huddled together at one edge of the pizza they probably won't cook thoroughly
for a little insurance and added protection once your toppings are perfectly arranged
try sprinkling a little extra cheese on top to hold them in place mozzarella is the traditional
go-to choice for pizza topping but if you want to be a little exotic try a different melting cheese
like cheddar or monterey jack in pizza theory there is a no such thing as too much cheese
don't pre-cut psychic don't cut it you're thinking you want to save some time once the pizza is out
of the oven or you remember the time you cut your pizza a little too soon after baking and the super
soft cheese and all the toppings got pulled off along with your knife what a disappointment and
there is no way to fix something like that but nothing that can't be fixed so you think aha i'll
just cut it before i bake it you find a cutting device sharp enough to cut through all the frozen
ingredients and away you go unfortunately when you take your pizza out of the oven you will probably
discover that the cheese as it has melted has slipped down the sides and dragged the ingredients
with it it seems to have found every little crack or crevice to seep down into half your pizza is a
near bear crust and the other half is a cheese blob totally not what you wanted leaving your
pizza whole while cooking it keeps everything neatly in its place and make sure it still comes
out looking like a pizza don't neglect the crust you can have my pizza crust not all crusts are
created equal the number of crust choices matches that of anything you could order in a restaurant
thin hand tossed rising stuffed homemade artisan deep dish deluxe french bread classic
and crisp cut are a few options and certainly not an extensive list consider how different some of
them are and think to yourself they shouldn't all be cooked the same way or for the same time
if you have a deep dish crust it should come out thick and soft if you have a thin or crisp
cut pizza the crust will be more well done and crispier they shouldn't be prepared alike to keep
a deep dish crust softer you might consider baking in a pan that covers the sides like a baking dish
preheated of course remember that this way the outer edge of the crust is not exposed to the
dry oven heat on the flip side if you want a firmer crust with a little crunch you will
probably want to cook it on a stone or directly on the oven rack and brush it with some olive
or other high smoking point oil the oil won't make the crust soggy if you apply it pre-baking
never apply it after baking even if the pizza is still hot all that will do is leave you with a
slippery greasy mess on your hands adding extras and keep it light let's keep it light adding some
extra ingredients to your frozen pizza is a great idea to dress it up a bit and make you feel like
you're really splurging can one ever have too much pepperoni certainly not if you're a pizza
connoisseur remember the earlier step make sure your pizza is thawed before baking it here you'll
want to remember to add room temperature meats and even cook the veggies a little bit before
sprinkling them atop your pie of course some people like a little crunch to their veggies
some like more tenderness when it comes to cooked vegetables the beauty of designing your own pizza
creation is you have an opportunity to prepare everything just the way you like it you may want
to dice up some peppers and onions and saute them for a couple of minutes just long enough to get
the cooking started if you want olives you can just drain them and add them right out of the can
how much should you add there's a bit of a delicate line here and it is better to remember
the old adage sometimes less is more less is more with me if you smother your pizza with extra
toppings you won't get that beautiful slightly browned cheese on top you'll also weigh it down
and everything will droop and fall off as soon as you lift the first slice to your mouth if you do
add some extra yummies go ahead and add some extra cheese too don't cut it right away be patient it's
hard to wait you've prepared everything from the oven to the crust to the extra toppings and your
pizza is finally done you've been waiting long enough but give it just two or three minutes more
and you won't regret it have another bite of that salad you made take a picture and send it to your
mom so she knows you're cooking and eating at home do whatever it takes to wait just a bit longer
while your pizza was cooking in the cranked up oven oh right turn the oven off now everything was
rising from the heat once out of that scorching environment the top beans and cheese need to
settle and solidify just a bit you took such care to put everything in perfect place before baking
now it all needs to stay put stay put cutting too soon will cause some ingredients to stick to your
pizza cutter or knife and drag them along the edges neither one of these catastrophes is what
you planned on additionally and equally important is to recollect previous experiences and remember
there's nothing more disappointing than burning your tongue and roof of your mouth with the first
bite of pizza that's too hot it ruins the rest of the meal and meals the next day for that matter
patience is a virtue and should be practiced when dealing with a hot pizza don't use a knife you're
gonna let me use this knife it seems like common sense to use a knife to cut something especially
if it's cooked food pizza though is in a class all by itself sure a knife will work but your perfect
frozen pizza deserves only the best if you'll be having frequent pizza nights and you've discovered
that you can easily make your own frozen variety at home invest in a pizza cutter for just a
few extra dollars and a one-time purchase the piesta resistance is that first perfectly cut
slice perfect it's absolutely perfect if you indulged in that extra cheese brush a scant
amount of olive oil on the blade for a seamless swipe from edge to edge if your crust is deep dish
and more soft or thin and extra crispy you'll want to put a little muscle into your cutting so your
cuts go clear through to the bottom impress the family with your swift precise cutting techniques
just like the professionals at the top italian restaurants they'll be completely dazzled at
how you've become a frozen pizza virtuoso it's okay to show off a little first time here then
leave us a comment and hit that subscribe button and for another great video just tap or click