• 1 package Dry Yeast, 1 unbeaten egg, 1 cup tomato sauce, 3 tbsp melted shortening, 1 tbsp sugar, Flour, Salt and Pepper, Top Chili Powder, 1 pound Beef, Cumin, Chopped Onion, Velveeta

1. Empty 1 package Dry Yeast in 1/4 C. warm water.
2. Let stand for five minutes.
3. Blend 1 unbeaten egg, 1/4 C. tomato sauce, 3 tbsp melted shortening, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp top Chili Powder.
4. Add Yeast Mixture, stir, and add 2 C. flour.
5. Knead, cover, and let set in a warm place. Pre-heat oven to 425.
6. Brown 1 Pound ground beef and 1/2 C. Chopped Onion.
7. After it is browned, add 3/4 C. Tomato Sauce, 1 tbsp Chili Powder, 1 tbsp Cumin, and Salt and Pepper to taste.
8. Pre-bake the pizza crust on a pizza stone or if doubling the recipe, pre-bake on a large cookie sheet.
9. While sauce is simmering, bake the crust for 10-12 minutes.
10. Then top with sauce and American Cheese.
11. (For Best Results, Use Original Velveeta). Bake for another 6-8 minutes and let cool and enjoy!

My mom, Jeanine Crouch, was born in Great Falls, Montana on May 5, 1966. When she was four years old, she moved to Portland, Oregon, with her mom, Janice Sundquist. Jeanine, her mom, and two sisters, Becky and Terry, lived in Portland for ten years. Most of the time Jeanine spent growing up in Portland, her mom was an alcoholic. Her mom would only prepare meals for Jeanine, Becky, and Terry on sober days. Instead of prepared meals, their family got a lot of food boxes delivered. These boxes had things like ramen noodles, dried cereal, canned food, rice, and boxed meals. Jeanine, at a young age, learned to prepare basic meals out of these items to serve as dinner for her and her sisters. The school system provided breakfast and lunch free of charge.

When Jeanine's mom did cook, she remembered that dinner was things like tacos with fried corn shells; Jeanine always put catsup on her tacos. She also remembered beef stew with rutabagas, but she always picked out the rutabagas. When money was scarce, her mom would cook liver and onions for dinner; Jeanine would also smother this in catsup and could barely eat it. She remembers liver and onions vividly to this day and has never eaten it in her adult life. Towards the end of the month, when money was gone, her mom would cook a lot of French fries, and Jeanine thought they were the best things in the world. And for breakfast, when her mom was sober, she would make her children cream of wheat or poached eggs.

When Jeanine's mom did cook, she remembered that dinner was things like tacos with fried corn shells; Jeanine always put catsup on her tacos. She also remembered beef stew with rutabagas, but she always picked out the rutabagas. When money was scarce, her mom would cook liver and onions for dinner; Jeanine would also smother this in catsup and could barely eat it. She remembers liver and onions vividly to this day and has never eaten it in her adult life. Towards the end of the month, when money was gone, her mom would cook a lot of French fries, and Jeanine thought they were the best things in the world. And for breakfast, when her mom was sober, she would make her children cream of wheat or poached eggs.

After being in Portland for ten years, Jeanine moved to Great Falls, Montana. She married Charlie Crouch and had three sons. During this time, her mom sobered up for about five years. She learned that her mom was a good cook, and she learned how to make certain dishes from her. But it was her Grandmother, Inez, who taught her the most. Inez was from the generation where everything was home-cooked. She made bread and cinnamon rolls from scratch. Gravy was always from scratch. Dinner was always at five o'clock and nothing came out of a box. Jeanine spent a lot of time watching her cook when she was a young adult. She learned to try different kinds of food from her mom and grandmother; her mother cooked things like sweet and sour chicken, fajitas, Greek chicken, and other meals from different cuisines. Interestingly, Jeanine's Grandma would not measure any of her bread recipes. She did everything by feel. Jeanine remembers trying to write down all of her recipes from just watching her make things. Jeanine's American Pizza Recipe came into existence because she carefully watched her grandmother make it, while she wrote down estimates of her ingredients. American Pizza is special because it is unique in flavor and color. When her grandmother would make it, all her family members would come over for pizza that evening; it is a very socially significant dish.

After being in Portland for ten years, Jeanine moved to Great Falls, Montana. She married Charlie Crouch and had three sons. During this time, her mom sobered up for about five years. She learned that her mom was a good cook, and she learned how to make certain dishes from her. But it was her Grandmother, Inez, who taught her the most. Inez was from the generation where everything was home-cooked. She made bread and cinnamon rolls from scratch. Gravy was always from scratch. Dinner was always at five o'clock and nothing came out of a box. Jeanine spent a lot of time watching her cook when she was a young adult. She learned to try different kinds of food from her mom and grandmother; her mother cooked things like sweet and sour chicken, fajitas, Greek chicken, and other meals from different cuisines. Interestingly, Jeanine's Grandma would not measure any of her bread recipes. She did everything by feel. Jeanine remembers trying to write down all of her recipes from just watching her make things. Jeanine's American Pizza Recipe came into existence because she carefully watched her grandmother make it, while she wrote down estimates of her ingredients. American Pizza is special because it is unique in flavor and color. When her grandmother would make it, all her family members would come over for pizza that evening; it is a very socially significant dish.