Food Network's Thin Crust Pizza Dough

LOVE LOVE LOVEd this recipe.  Tasted just like Papa Murphy's, and we even made a chicken garlic pizza to go on it.

1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1/4 cup lard or vegetable shortening
3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil

In an electric mixing bowl, whisk the yeast, sugar, water and lard together to make a paste. Add the flour and salt and mix, using a dough hook, until the dough comes away from the sides and crawls up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the bowl. Grease the bowl with olive oil and place the dough back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide dough in half. Roll the dough into balls, cover, and let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes. The dough is ready to be shaped.

Yield: dough for 2 (12-inch) pizzas

We loved this thin crust pizza dough with my friend Krista's garlic chicken pizza (found HERE) and modified to our personal taste!

Garlic alfredo pizza sauce (recipe below)

2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup chicken, cooked and chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 tomato, seeded and chopped

Prepare pizza crust as directed. Spread 1/2 cup sauce on each pizza. Sprinkle with cheese, chicken, green onions, and tomatoes. Bake as directed.

Garlic Alfredo Pizza Sauce
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup half & half
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour and garlic powder. Slowly add cream. Stir until thickened and bubbly. Add salt and mix well.