Prepare the Pizza Stone

1. Put the room-temperature stone into a cold oven.

2. Heat the stone in a 475-degree oven for one hour. Remove carefully.

3. Add the dough and cook according to recipe instructions.

4. Remove with the pizza paddle or oven mitts.

Cool and Clean the Stone

1. Brush any large pieces of food off of the stone and place it back into the oven.

2. Turn oven off and let the stone come back to room temperature.

3. Wash the cold stone in warm water with no soap.

4. Allow the stone to dry completely, and store in a cabinet or in the oven if desired.