My own episode of "CHOPPED"

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.

As you know, I've been more adventurous with my cooking over the past few months, always looking to try a new recipe, ingredient, or technique. Once in a while, I veer off the path of "this recipe looks good, there are 357 comments that it is good, I'll go for it" to "I wonder why I can't find a good taco pizza recipe? I better make one up".

Um, I'm guessing I can't find one, because it's not a good idea. This is my thought while on my way to the store the other night to purchase ingredients for said pizza.

So I switch gears. BBQ chicken pizza, now that sounds good. So I need to pick up chicken, BBQ sauce, green pepper, red onion, gouda, monterey jack, and fresh pizza dough. For various reasons (out of this, that's ridiculously expensive), here is what I end up with: ground beef, BBQ sauce, red pepper, red onion, a tomato, mozzarella, jalapeno jack, and a Boboli ready made crust. Well, this is a far cry from taco pizza, and BBQ chicken pizza, but now I've committed myself, and it's time to "make one up". I feel like I'm starring in my own episode of Chopped: Here's a banana, enchilada sauce, and a turnip-- you have 30 minutes to make a pizza. GO!!!!

Here's the amazing part-- the pizza turned out fantastic. Ground beef on a pizza is unconventional, but it really is good. I got into the idea with a favorite recipe from Martha Stewart's everyday food mag: ground beef and grape tomato pizza. Give it a try!! Or sub in your own favorite ingredients, pizza is a tough one to mess up!!


So here's my made-up recipe: 

BBQ Pizza

  • 1 Boboli ready made pizza crust (original) 1/2 lb extra lean ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 3/4 cup shredded jalapeno jack cheese
  • Chopped italian parsley or cilantro
Preheat oven to 450. Cook ground beef in a hot skillet with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Top pizza crust with BBQ sauce, then a thin layer of mozzarella cheese. Next add ground beef, then bell pepper, onion, and remaining cheeses on top. Top pizza with diced tomato and a sprinkling of fresh ground pepper. Bake in oven for approx. 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly, and edges of crust are golden. Garnish with italian parsley or cilantro and serve with a side garden salad.

Ora che ' buona torta di pizza dello S.A.!

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