How to Grill Pizza

This was originally published on July 19, 2010 on Cooking for Seven.

Our family loves homemade pizza; but when the days grow more hot and humid, I just don’t feel like turning the oven to 500° for an hour or more. The solution: grilled pizza! Here’s the method I like to use.

Make sure you have all your toppings ready. Preheat your grill on high. Roll your dough out thinly. Grease a piece of aluminum foil that’s a little larger than your dough. Transfer your dough to the foil and place on a pizza peel.

Place the dough, foil side up, on the grill and carefully remove the foil. Close the grill, turn it down to medium-high, and cook until you have some nice grill marks, about 2-3 minutes. Flip the dough and cook just until set on the under side, about 30 seconds – 1 minute. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with any remaining dough.

Here’s a bit of magic: pressed garlic mixed with olive oil. It will make your pizza rock.

Place the dough, with grill marks facing up, on your pizza peel. Brush with garlic oil. Add your favorite toppings. We like BBQ chicken pizza.

Turn your grill down to medium. Carefully transfer the pizza to the grill. Shut the lid and cook until the toppings are hot and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Be sure to check the pizza often or it will burn.

Transfer to a pizza pan or peel. Cool slightly, cut, and serve.

Grilled Pizza

Printable Page

What You’ll Need:

• Pizza dough
• Your favorite toppings
• Aluminum foil
• Olive oil for greasing the foil
• Tongs for turning the dough
• Metal spatulas for transferring the dough to the grill
• Garlic and olive oil
• A pizza peel or pan

Directions:

1) Make sure you have all your toppings ready. Preheat your grill on high. Roll your dough out thinly. Grease a piece of aluminum foil a little larger than your dough. Transfer your dough to the foil and place on a pizza peel.

2) Place the dough, foil side up, on the grill and carefully remove the foil. Close the grill, turn in down to medium-high, and cook until you have some nice grill marks, about 2-3 minutes. Flip the dough and cook just until set on the under side, about 30 seconds – 1 minute. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with any remaining dough.

3) Place the dough, with grill marks facing up, on your pizza peel. Brush with garlic oil. Add your favorite toppings. We like BBQ chicken pizza.

4) Turn your grill down to medium. Carefully transfer the pizza to the grill. Shut the lid and cook until the toppings are hot and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Be sure to check the pizza often or it will burn. Transfer to a pizza pan or peel. Cool slightly, cut, and serve.

Guacamole

Does anyone else always think of the Rhett and Link song whenever they make guacamole? No? Just me? Well, it ensures that I will never misspell guacamole.

Guacamole wasn't something that I grew up on. I can't remember who first introduced us to the amazingly creamy and flavorful snack. Once I started making it, I was addicted. 

My recipe is pretty simple - no frills. I've been making the same one for over 5 years. If tomatoes are your thang, go ahead and add some. You can also customize the heat and other spices. If you aren't big on cilantro, cut back a bit. My point: taste as you go and make it your own.

By the by, I love my garlic twist. You can use it to mince small amounts of onion as well as garlic.

The Best Guacamole Recipe

makes about 6 servings | Printable Page

Ingredients:

• 3 medium, ripe avocados, preferably Haas
• 2 tablespoons finely minced onion
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1 small jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced (I usually leave this out since Reuben doesn't like heat)
• 2 tablespoons – 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1/4 – 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
• 1 – 2 tablespoons lime juice, or to taste

Directions:

1) Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and score with a knife in several places both lengthwise and crosswise. Use a spoon to remove the flesh into a medium-sized bowl.

2) Add the remaining ingredients to the avocados. Mash lightly with a potato masher or fork and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. For best flavor, allow the ingredients to meld: press a piece of plastic wrap onto the guacamole and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Serve cold or at room temperature.

And, just for fun, here is the neon-green photo I posted on Cooking for Seven 5 years ago, complete with watermark. Ha!

Note: Some links are affiliate. All opinions are my own and I would never share a product with you guys that I haven't already tested unless otherwise stated.

Grandma’s Cooking School: Homemade Bread & Sweet Rolls

This was originally posted on July 7, 2010 on Cooking for Seven. Because these lessons were such an important part of my life, I will be re-posting them here.

{Grandma’s Cooking School is my chronicles of the informal cooking lessons that my Grandma graciously decided to give us girls. Enjoy!}

I am at a loss for words to describe these delicious creations, so I’ll let the photos do (most of) the talking.

Grandma’s homemade bread. Light, flavorful, delicious.

I love Grandma’s flour/baking drawer.

And her cupboards.

Grandma showed us a different way to form loaves: folding!

Now, the cinnamon/sticky buns. Much butter is required.

Proofing and baked. Can it get any better than this?

**Next Time on Grandma’s Cooking School: Apple Strudel**

Part 1: Banana Cream Pie
Part 2: Chocolate Crepes
Part 3: Roast Beef Dinner
Part 4: Poppy Seed Torte