After a long, stressful day at the office, it can be tempting to give in to temptation and order take out. Who feels like slaving over a hot stove, when you can have pizza delivered conveniently to your doorstep under 40 minutes? Even frugal old me used to be guilty of ordering takeout pizza on occasion, until I discovered how easy and cheap it was to make pizza at home. I haven’t ordered takeout pizza in nearly a decade. Why fork over $10 or more to the pizza delivery guy, when you can make your own pizza at home for $2?

Pizza Dough

When it comes to pizza dough you have two choices. You can buy pizza dough from the supermarket or make your own at home. If you’re looking for the healthier and less costly choice, you’re better off making it at home.

How do you make pizza dough at home? With a bread maker  – that’s right, bread makers don’t just bake bread, they’re great for pizza dough, too! You don’t have to spend a fortune on a bread maker – you can find quality models for under $100.

Bread makers make the perfect gift for special occasions. Who needs red roses when you could buy your hubby a bread maker instead? There’s no better way to say “I love you, honey” than a bread maker! With your bread maker in hand, it’s time to start making your pizza dough.

Pizza Dough Cost: $1

Making pizza dough with a bread maker is easy. Simply toss in the ingredients, select “dough,” and press “start.” Just make sure you don’t accidentally set the machine to bread – I’ve done that once or twice. 90 minutes later you’ll have fresh pizza dough! 90 minutes is a long time, so it’s best to put on in the morning or the night before. If you’d only like one pizza, use half the ingredients or freeze half the pizza dough and save it until next week.

Preparing and Baking Your Pizza

With your pizza dough in hand, here’s where the fun begins! Just follow each step below as shown.

Pizza Cost: $1 (can be more, depending on toppings)

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  Step One: Preheat your over to 425 °F. Grease your pizza pan with margarine or butter. Cover your pizza dough in flour so your rolling pin doesn’t stick. Roll out your pizza dough until it’s large enough to fit the pan.

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  Step Two: Place your already-rolled pizza dough in the pan and stretch until it fits perfectly. Roll around the edges of the dough to create a crust.

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  Step Three: Spread pizza sauce with a spoon or spatula on your pizza. Grate cheese with a cheese grater and toss evenly over your pizza. Add your favourite toppings like green peppers, mushrooms, and olives.

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  Step Four: Your oven should be preheated by now, so place your pizza inside and set your oven’s timer. 10 to 12 minutes should be enough for your pizza to fully cook.

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  Step Five: Take your pizza out of the oven, slice with  a pizza cutter, and enjoy!

Sean Cooper is the bestselling author of the book, Burn Your Mortgage: The Simple, Powerful Path to Financial Freedom for Canadians, available now on Amazon and at Chapters, Indigo and major bookstores, and as an Audiobook on Amazon, Audible and iTunes.