Perfect Pizza Dough

• While you can buy refrigerated pizza dough from the grocery store, it's simple to make your own. The ingredient list is short: flour, water, yeast and oil. Mix the ingredients well and knead for about 10 minutes. Let the dough rest covered in a warm place until it doubles in size. Punch the dough down with your fist and roll out in a circle or rectangle to fit your pizza pan. That's all there is to it.

Terrific Tomato Sauce

• Classic pizza wouldn't be pizza without the tomato sauce. Add some garlic, fennel seeds and oregano to give the sauce that rich Italian flavor. After the dough is rolled out, brush it lightly with the sauce. Don't drown the dough. Sprinkle on some crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of heat, if you like.

Other Sensational Sauces

• While tomato sauce is terrific, it's not the only sauce for pizza. Use other sauces, on the raw dough, for a new twist. Try pesto -- a combination of basil, pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan cheese whirled in the blender. Ranch dressing can be used as a pizza sauce and complements both shrimp and chicken. Try a sweet and spicy Caribbean jerk sauce for a taste of the islands. Top the pizza with shredded pork or bacon.

Top It Off

• The classic topping for pizza is mozzarella cheese and lots of it. Other toppings include raw vegetables, such as mushrooms, green peppers, onions and basil. Amp up the tomato flavor by adding slices of raw tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes. Cook meat before topping the pizza as it's only in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes and that's not long enough to cook it through. Italian sausage and pepperoni are traditional but don't stop there. Chicken, bacon, ham, shrimp and anchovies are other options. Keep in mind, if you weigh down the dough with too many toppings, the dough may not rise properly during baking and may become soggy.