GRILLED PIZZA - BBQ Turkey 'za with a Dessert Pizza

OK... An important question, anyone with the answer gets a virtual GOLD STAR...

Can you legally buy Cuban cigars in The American Virgin Islands???

Yesterday there was a 2% chance that I was going to move there for 6 months... Today there is an 8% chance that I will (and climbing)... will be keeping you informed, but I really need to know about the cigar thing...

BUT, Hey, LOOK... I am back on my beloved grill (and still using those turkey leftovers).

Grilled pizza... MUCH MUCH MUCH easier than it sounds, and MUCH MUCH MUCH tastier than you imagine... Here's what I did...

Oh wait... Here's WHY I did what I did...

Grilling pizza is fun. It is very easy, but does require constant attention. Unlike smoking (low and slow... cooking, not the aforementioned Cubans) where you only have to check about every 4 hours or so, or indirect grilling (my personal favorite form of grilling), where you can walk away for several minutes at a time, or even high temperatures and fast direct grilling, the item you are grilling is done... well, done fast. Unlike those methods, grilling pizza will, from start to finish, take about 20 minutes per pizza, one for me, one for the Mrs., one for a spare (lunch for her inconvenient job thing) and one desert pizza. Even with simultaneous cooking of two at the same time, I was going to be spending an hour at the grill non-stop. So, the real reason why... 2 nights ago, the temperature here in god's country (Kansas) was 60 degrees. Yesterday , the temperature may not get much above freezing, and is dropping. Looking at the long term forecast, and combining that with the Farmer's Almanac, this was going to be one of the last nights I was going to be able to spend quality time with my grill. I am not a fair weather griller, I will be outside cooking, even ankle deep in snow. But, I do so enjoy being comfortable when I can... I could!

First, being the Master Baker that I am (insert that tongue in cheek irony font), I was of course going to use a scratch pizza dough recipe. This dough is so easy to make, even a novice can't screw it up (living proof). I did decide to use whole wheat flower. A.) because it would be healthier for me, and B.) because I had just about enough, and I could clear out a corner of my pantry.

OK, VERY long readers of this blog will remember that I have already done a post on grilling pizza... Back on July 6th (Hot time, summer in the city). Since I had all of 6 readers back then, I am going to reprint the dough recipe...

6 Cups All purpose flour (I used whole wheat instead)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons sea salt
1 teaspoon yeast
2 cups room temperature water (very important, as the yeast will not work it's magic with cold water)
9 tablespoons olive oil (divided)

Mix the dry ingredients in your trusty Kitchenaid mixer (what would we do without it). Add water and 3 tablespoons of the oil. Mix at low to medium speed with the Captain Hook bread attachment, until dough forms a rough ball and the sides of the bowl are scrapped off. Should be about 5 minutes. You may need to add flour or water to get a good dough ball. Take out of the mixer and let it rest for about 20 minutes. OK, after the resting period, mix the dough once again for a couple minutes until the dough is smooth but not sticky. Now, take this dough and roll into an even tube, divide that in half, and then divide each half into three equal amounts, making six total equals. have six small ziplock bags open and ready. Then pour a little oil in your palm and form each dough into balls, making sure that the entire ball is oiled...repeat. Seal the bags and let sit for about an hour. Then Refrigerate each bag for at least three hours. About two hours before you are going to cook, let them return to room temp! These balls keep in the fridge for a couple weeks, and I have some in the freezer for whenever I get a bug up my butt to make these. Like I said earlier, they are perfect for left overs. Take a couple out of the fridge 3 hours before dinner time, and you have a great pizza in less than 30 minutes (better than Dominos).

OK... So, you need to plan ahead a bit, including incubation time in the fridge, it takes at least 4 and 1/2 hours to make the dough. Once the dough has sat refrigerated, at before you move outside, go ahead and make a stack of finished pizza dough flats. they are about the size of a dinner plate.

The master baker uses his hands.

OK... Now I got a tip that I rarely see when checking other "how to grill pizza" sites... Heat all your ingredients ahead of time. It will make melting the cheese MUCH easier. And guarantees a hot served pizza.

My sauce was simple... a can of tomato sauce, a can of tomato paste and 6 cloves of coarsely chopped garlic.

I also sauteed some red onions, some bell pepper and mushrooms. Making pizza is a great way to clear out some of those odd little bits left in your veggie drawer. I also had just a bit of bacon left, so I cooked that and ran it through the chopper. And finally, I chopped up what I had left of the turkey. I had a turkey breast, about the size of two of the master baker's fists (one of the master baker's fists is larger than the other... wonder why... Must be from kneeding the dough)...

But I digress...

Get all these things hot, and move the ingredients to the grill. I also had some sliced mozzarella and some sliced cherry tomatoes. I moved these to the side of the grill. Everything within reach...

Time to grill!!! Now, I was a little chilly, but I was in my sandals, T-shirt and shorts. I put the soundtrack to "Beach Blanket Bingo" (Frankie and Annette's BEST movie) on my iPod, and it was time for summer grilling in December...

Give both sides of the dough a nice coating of spray on canola oil, and slap on a pre-heated grill, direct high heat...

It takes about 2 songs, I listened to "Beach Blanket Bingo" and "Jo Jo the Dog Faced Boy" (Annette's BEST single), or about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Once the first side is cooked, start applying the stuff...

A layer of the sauce...

and a layer of the ingredients...

Red Onions
Yellow bell peppers
Mushrooms
Turkey... This is what I like, you can add whatever makes a great pizza to you. Individual taste...

then add some FRESH Mozzarella, thinly sliced. Sure, it is easier to use the bag of pre shredded cheese, but it would also be easier to order from Dominoes. In for a penny, in for a pound is what I say, do it right...

And finally, I added some of the cheery tomatoes and bacon bits...

But wait, as good as this looked, there is something better...

Remember a couple days ago, i told you about a wonderful new BBQ sauce I had found...


BRANDY MANDARIN - ORANGE Sauce from R.P.Hill Exotic Sauce CO. "Gourmet Sauce ~ With a Little Kick". Advertised as All Natural, NO FAT sauce, 2007 Flavor of Georgia Winner! The ingredient list is a joy to read... Almost no salt (a small amount in the Tomato Paste, but no additional salt added). And, very low sugar. I was very excited to give this a shot.

I just drizzled a bit of this over the top of the pizza... the BBQ sauce really made the whole thing snap. If you are gonna grill it... make it taste grilled/BBQed!

here's a good shot of my very busy grill... I had two hot spots on the grill, so I could cook two pizzas at once. I also had the shelf above to keep everything hot, and a warming spot where I could keep the sauce cooking...

What fun, as Annette's, "Pineapple Princess" came in the iPod!

And here's the final product...

But hey... How about a dessert pizza???

Make up a batch of cinnamon sugar (about a 5 to 1 ratio), or use some of that SWEET TREAT premix (with just a bit of vanilla added). I bought mine, and smuggled it back during my recent trip to New Orleans. The smuggling practice could come in handy with those possible Cubans, but I did walk funny... And there I go digressing again... If you are not able to find any of this SWEET TREAT, and want to give it a try, you should vacation in New Orleans and bring some back, or try ordering directly from CAJUNGROCER.COM. they do a bang up job mail order!

Generously sprinkle this on your pizza. One more tip, when i make a dessert pizza, i like a thicker dough. I simply used two of the balls of dough, so it comes out chewier. Cook just a shade longer on each side.

But wait... There's MORE!

If you looked real close at that shot of my busy grill, you may have noticed a bit of melted chocolate (I add just a tiny bit of milk so it is thinner)... Drizzle that over the dessert pizza!

A little rugged and ragged around the edges, but that's how we fire cookers swing!



That was my meal two days ago, summer grilling, listening to Annette Funicello and dressed in short sleeves and thong ...er I mean sandals... GOOD EATS

This morning, it was 10 degrees windchill. Grillers plan ahead, have more fun (and eat better for it).

OK... Advertisement...But, a give away... Below is a reprint of what I said a few days ago about a great idea for a gift... It also includes an opportunity to win a bottle of GREAT sauce. Just make a comment on this page to enter (and if you go back to the original page by clicking HERE, you can make another comment there (even if you already have, leave a second for another chance). Two over there, and one here... just for making comments, and god knows i give you plenty to comment on...
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And now...
A Cyber Monday (busiest on-line shopping day of the year)
gift giving idea for the griller in all of us...

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Suppose you love apples, but hate pears... In Fruit of the month, you still get a months worth of pears.
Suppose you love a pale ale, but you hate a stout... you still get that stout included in your package.
Suppose you love granny panties, but hate a thong... well, in that case, the panties aren't for you anyway... suck it up and wear em. Butt, you get the idea...

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I was lucky enough to get a gift of three months worth of of this deal. When I read the details, I set up a give away deal for you guys... Once a month, my gift keeps coming, but also, I will arrange a giveaway with these good folks for you. Just drop a comment and you could win a bottle of my monthly favorite! Butt also, consider giving the sauce of the month deal as a gift.

It's a close call whether I would rather have Jackie in fancy panties or me getting...

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