LOADED Caribbean CARROT CAKE with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

This dessert has so much inside you can almost pretend it is healthy (well, until you taste the frosting, but the cake sure is loaded with Caribbean fruits and flavors).

The usual Carrot Cake ingredients... Carrots, walnuts and cake are complimented with banana, coconut and pineapple and then sweetened with an amazing cream cheese/butter pineapple flavored frosting topped with more chunks of pineapple and made pretty with some orange zest!

Since it is served chilled it is a wonderful dessert to serve at an outdoor BBQ party.

Enjoy Indeed!!!

OK... Here's what I did...

LOADED Caribbean CARROT CAKE

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 Cups Flour
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 3/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1-1/2 Cups grated Carrots
• 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
• 1 Ripe Banana, mashed
• 1 Cup Canned Crushed Pineapple, (include all but 2 TBS of the juice... Reserve the 2 TBS for the frosting)
• 1/2 Cup shredded sweetened Coconut
• 1 tsp Cointreau, Orange Liquor... can substitute Vanilla)
• 2 tsp Cinnamon

Cooking Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients
3. Add one egg and the oil... Whisk, add the second egg, whisk
4. Add the walnuts, carrots, banana, Coconut and pineapple Mix
5. Add the Cointreau and cinnamon.. Mix
6. oil and flour the bottom of two cake pans
7. fill each pan 1 inch of the batter
8. bake for @40 minutes (use the toothpick method to check that the center of the cake is done, you all know that trick)
9. Cool Completely (Chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours) before icing

Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 2 (8 Oz) Packages Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 Cup Butter softened to room temperature
• 2 TBS pineapple juice from the can of crushed pineapple used in the cake
• 1/4 Cup Crushed Pineapple, drained
• 1 TBS Cointreau (WHY NOT AGAIN??? You can sub Vanilla Extract)
• 2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar
• Orange Zest for accent

Cooking Directions

1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese
2. Add the pineapple and the juice and Cointreau and cream again
3. Slowly add the sugar and continue to cream
4. Add additional Sugar if the frosting is too thin
5. Let the cake cool completely before you frost
6. Garnish with Orange Zest
7. Refrigerate for several hours before serving... Serve CHILLED and ENJOY!

Good enough for a brave husband to serve to his wife's friends and neighbors (see the last couple of  posts for the story of my grilling dinner for the neighborhood book club)!

And for the complete 5 course dinner menu and recipes, look over the last 5 posts!!!  Appetizer,Dinner, Dessert and lots and lots of booze and a good time was had by all!

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This simple recipe has been added to my growing list of "52 Cakes and Pies at Home"!

These are the desserts you make for your family.  No fancy amazing wedding cakes, just the rustic beauty of the classics.  From pumpkin pie to cheesecakes to layer cakes, these are what your family craves for dessert.  You may even see a few unusual crusts and frosting ideas to try.

You get the idea. These recipes are simple, delicious and will have your family wanting dessert first...

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Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following.  If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write)  Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2... 

1. In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.
2. And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only.  If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work,  If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites...
   Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Spiral Stuffed Spinach Pork Loin... Slow Smoked on a Grill

There is so much going on here... The stuffing is absolutely delicious.  It is a cooked cheesy baby spinach dish that would stand alone at any meal.  There is a flavorful Mustard rub seasoned with Cajun spices  Combine this with the cooking method that wraps pork around the stuffing, insuring the moisture of the stuffing helps to keep the pork fork tender and helps add flavors.  Lots going on, but in steps his is easy and any home griller can do this

By spiral cutting the loin (easier than it sounds), you also put a fork full of stuffing with each fork full of pork... The illusive One Wonderful bite!

 There are two tricks to this dish.  First is to do the spiral cutting.All you do is take a SHARP SHARP SHARP knife (I like to use a long thin boning knife) and start slicing 1 inch into loin.  Continue to roll the loin out as you continue to cut keeping the roll the same 1 inch width.  It does look, sound and appear intimidating, but really once you get the hang of it, it is very easy.

Once the loin is stuffed and rolled, time to tie it up so it does not unravel.  They make specialty rubber bands that are grill and oven safe that make this very easy.  But if you do not have them, ask your butcher for a length of "Butcher's Twine" and tie this up.  There are certainly correct ways, but as long as you do tie the ends, there really is not a wrong way.

BUT THERE IS A WRONG WAY TO TIE THE ENDS... And this photo shows the wrong way.  The ends need to be tied TIGHT so the stuffing does not ooze out.  Unfortunately I got involved and I do not have a photo of this bad boy trussed properly.  I used one of those specialty rubber bands and doubled wrapped it so it was sealed.  The ends are not pretty enough to serve to guests, but were great for a leftover Fritatta.

And the rest are simple grilling techniques giving you the best opportunity for success...

• I did Brine the pork prior to spiral slicing and serving.
• I set my grill up for indirect grilling, meaning I left one set of burners off in a gas grill and positioned the meat between the burners that are on.  This allows hot air to circulate around the meat without a concentration of heat on the bottom (which would force turning frequently for even cooking).  Of course this is just as easy with a coal grill, just make two piles of coal pushed to the sides.
• Slow and low is a smoker's/griller's term we like to use... Slow cooking (long time) using low temperatures.  In a smoker I would cook this at about 250 degrees for about 3 hours, reaching an internal temperature of 145 degrees.  When I cook on a grill I set the temp just a bit higher, about 300 degrees.  It took right at 1 hour 15 minutes for this to reach proper temperature.
• Best to use a remote probe grilling thermometer so you do not have to open the grill lid.  You are using your grill as an oven.  Same as baking cookies, if you open the oven, you lose your heat and your cookies take longer to cook and actually cook unevenly. 
• BUT, if you must open the grill to check temperature, check the internal temperature of the meat every 15 minutes.
• Once internal temp of 145 is reached, remove the meat from the grill and allow the dish to "rest" undisturbed for 10 minutes prior to cutting.
• And a cutting trick... Have a friend hold a small plate on each end as you cut from the center.  This helps preserve the look of the spiral cut and keeps the stuffing inside.  Cut all slices with the friend holding the meat together providing pressure on the plates before you plate the slices.

And that's it... you can do this!!!

OK... Here's what I did...

Spiral Stuffed Spinach Pork Loin

Ingredients

• For the Brine...
• 4 Cups Water PLUS 2 Cups ICE
• 1 Cup Salt
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 4 Pound Pork Loin
• For the Stuffing...
• 1 Pound Spinach, stems removed
• 4 TBS Butter
• 4 TBS Flour
• 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
• 1 Medium Red Onion, small dice
• 1/2 Cup Half and Half
• 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 6 Slices Provolone Cheese
• For the Mustard Cajun Spice Rub
• 4 TBS Cajun Spice Mix
• 4 TBS Whole grain Mustard
• Top of a PineaTo create whiffs of smoke during Grilling

Cooking Directions

1. First, brine the pork loin... In a large soup pot, bring 4 cups water to a gentle simmer.
2. Add the Salt and Sugar and stir to mix.
3. Remove this from the heat and add the ice to cool.
4. Add the pork making sure that the pork is covered by the brine water. Add additional water if needed.
5. Set this covered in the refrigerator for 4 hours, up to overnight.
6. Rinse the brine off the pork. Allow to air dry while you prepare the spinach stuffing.
7. For the Stuffing... In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat
8. Add the flour and stir until combined and heated. Be careful to stir constantly, do not let the butter mixture burn.
9. Add the Onions and walnuts and continue to stir until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
10. Add the spinach and stir until all the spinach has wilted
11. Add the Half and Half and stir to mix
12. Add the Parmesan Cheese and Nutmeg and stir again until the sauce has thickened, another 3-5 minutes.
13. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes while you spiral cut the pork loin.
14. See notes above on how to spiral cut the loin.
15. Once cut, line the pork with slices of Provolone Cheese, leaving a 1 inch space all around the 4 edges.
16. Spread the stuffing mix on top of the provolone.
17. Gently roll up the loin, being careful to not press hard or the stuffing comes out the sides.
18. Truss the loin, tie the loin so it does not unravel while cooking. Gentile tension in the center, but twice the tension on the ends so the stuffing does not ooze out. Some will, just continue to push it back in as you truss.
19. For the Rub, combine the Mustard and Cajun Spices and rub this around the outside.
20. Grill using indirect heat until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees (see helpful tips above).
21. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing, again, see helpful tips above on slicing instructions.
22. Serve Warm and ENJOY!!!

Good enough for a brave husband to serve to his wife's friends and neighbors (see the last couple of  posts for the story of my grilling dinner for the neighborhood book club)!

And come back tomorrow to see the final course, a dessert worthy of the girls!!!

*************************************************************************

So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of  "52 Grilling Time Secret Extras" or "52 Ways to Cook BBQ and Grilling Recipes"!!!

Well over 52 recipes actually as I just can't stop... Over 100 in one grilling season (I love to grill!). But not just leat... Drinks, Condiments (LOTS of different BBQ sauces), Drinks, Desserts... even specialty items like GRILLED Pizza, and fun shaped Watermelons.  Easy and these ideas will make you the MASTER of your Backyard Domain!

****************************PINTEREST**************************

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following.  If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write)  Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2... 

1. In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.
2. And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only.  If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work,  If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites...
   Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Grilling Time (Side Dish) - Snow Peas, Cherry Tomatoes, Parmesan AND GARLIC

A new favorite grilling side dish... cooks in minutes (about the same time as it takes your meat to "Rest" before cutting and serving)... Beautiful colors that glow and brighten when cooked... Perfect for grilling as there are so few ingredients (except for Olive Oil, all of the ingredients are in the title)...  And as to taste well - OH MY GOD is this FANTASTIC!

To the right you can see the only thing you need out of the ordinary... A frying pan with holes in it (commonly called a grill pan).  The holes are small enough that the veggies do not fall through, yet big enough to all ow the char and grill flavors to get into the the flavor of the dish!

There is nothing like heated tomatoes.  The term bursting with flavor is literal here as the tomatoes will split and ooze sweet juices to flavor the peas.  Tomatoes have a natural sweetness that heating brings out and intensifies.

Unlike anything you can make on a stovetop!  And perfect side dish to serve next to some whipped potatoes and delicious PINEAPPLE JERK Grilled Chicken Thighs (Come back tomorrow for that recipe).

Good enough for a brave husband to serve to his wife's friends and neighbors (see the last couple of  posts for the story of my grilling dinner for the neighborhood book club)!

And come back tomorrow to see more of the now legendary neighborhood dinner!!!

OK... Here's what I did...

Garlic Snow Peas, Cherry Tomatoes, Parmesan AND GARLIC

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 5 Cloves Garlic, crushed and copped
• 1 Package (8 Oz.) Snow Peas, trim ends
• 1 Package (10 Oz.) Cherry Tomatoes, check to be sure stems are removed
• Shaved Parmesan Cheese For garnish

Cooking Directions

1. In a small sauce pan, heat the Olive Oil over a low flame.
2. Add the Garlic to the oil and slow heat for about 20 minutes to break the garlic oil into the olive oil. Be careful to not heat to high. Warm is enough
3. In a large bowl, add the tomatoes and snow peas and coat with the warm garlic oil. Stir to coat completely.
4. Move out to the grill, spray the grill pan with non-stick spray and set the grill pan directly over the hottest part of the grill
5. Add the Tomatoes/snow peas and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Just as the tomatoes start to split open, remove from heat and serve. This only take a few minutes, so watch carefully.
7. Serve HOT and ENJOY!

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So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of  "52 Ways to Cook Side Dish Recipes"!!!

Sure the meat gets all the glory but real cooks know it's the spread... the specialty Side Dishes that makes a meal rise or fall. Here's a few of my favorite recipes that will help to create that illusive COMPLETE MENU!

LOTS of Potato Sides, Vegetable Sides, Specialty Salads, Bread and MORE!

****************************PINTEREST**************************

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following.  If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write)  Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2... 

1. In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.
2. And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only.  If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work,  If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites...
   Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Grilling Time (Side Dish) - Massaged Kale Salad

This became my very favorite salad recently... And a perfect dish to serve up table side for an outdoor meal. Just assemble the ingredients (Mise en Place bowls), massage your Kale in advance and mix at the table while you listen to the ooohs and aaahs.

Raw Kale... Really??? Doesn't that sound... well, doesn't that sound harsh?  Something that would taste rough and gritty going down.

Well, I was just introduced to a technique that turns normally rough greens into something soft and especially tasty.  the trick is to aggressively massage the kale.  Do this by hand and you can actually feel the texture of the greens turn from rough  to soft.  From something you would refer not to eat to something special.

The Massaged Kale does retain it's shape, even when rubbed with oil and lemon juice.  The leaves absorb the oil, keeping this salad clinging wet with the simple dressing without having it pool into the bottom of the bowl.  And of course, as you can tell from the photos, the delicious fresh bold green color and contrasting yellow from the mandarin oranges makes this simply stunning salad something special to serve!

This raw salad deserves a specialty Olive Oil.  Here in god's Country (Kansas City), we are fortunate enough to have a specialty Olive Oil store called The Tasteful Olive....

Welcome! We are a unique olive oil and vinegar store where you can sample over 60 fresh unflavored, fused, and infused olive oils from around the world and aged/naturally flavored balsamic vinegars, and browse many other accessory gourmet products. "For the love of good health!" 

The store is a delight to shop at.  It is near a Penzey's Spice specialty store, sharing a block with one of the area's best Farmer's markets, so a foodie heaven!

Well, the Tasteful Olive stocks an amazing Blood Orange Olive Oil that is wonderful when drizzled on (or in this case massaged into) raw vegetables and salads.

Just a tip on raw veggies and salads, these are the times to break out the slightly better quality of Olive Oil and dressings.  The nature of the premium oils is enhanced because you do not cook with them... just the pure taste of the oil.  This will work and taste just fine with "normal" Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  But if you have a chance to add a premium oil like the one from The Tasteful Olive....you will be rewarded with something special.

there are a couple of extras, Mandarin Oranges, Lemon Zest, toasted pine nuts and some fantastic sweet dried cranberries.  I added some fresh grated Parmesan and my new FAVORITE salad was born!

OK, Here's what I did...

Massaged Kale Salad

Ingredients

• 1 Large Bunch Kale, torn into bite size bits and massaged until tender
• 1/4 Cup Premium Olive Oil, I used Blood Orange Infused EVOO
• 1 Lemon Zested and juiced
• 1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
• 1/3 Cup Pine Nuts, toasted
• 1 Cup Mandarin Oranges (canned, drained)
• 1/2 Cup Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Small Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Small Kumato Tomato or Plum Tomato, thinly sliced

Cooking Directions

1. In a large bowl, drizzle the Olive Oil over the Kale pieces. Begin to massage the kale vigorously to break down the rough texture. You can feel the kale release and become much more tender... Note: This is a KEY STEP.
2. Add the Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice from the single large lemon (or two small ones)
3. Add the remaining ingredients, toss and...
4. Serve COLD or room Temperature and ENJOY

Be brave, massage your kale... you will be thrilled you did!

Good enough for a brave husband to serve to his wife's friends and neighbors (see the last couple of  posts for the story of my grilling dinner for the neighborhood book club)!

And come back tomorrow to see more of the now legendary neighborhood dinner!!!

*************************************************************************

So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of  "52 Grilling Time Secret Extras" or "52 Ways to Cook BBQ and Grilling Recipes"!!!

Well over 52 recipes actually as I just can't stop... Over 100 in one grilling season (I love to grill!). But not just leat... Drinks, Condiments (LOTS of different BBQ sauces), Drinks, Desserts... even specialty items like GRILLED Pizza, and fun shaped Watermelons.  Easy and these ideas will make you the MASTER of your Backyard Domain!

*************************************************************************

So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of  "52 Specialty Salad Recipes"!!!

Sometimes they are the main course, sometimes a lunch and sometimes they are the side dish... And if you count Jell-o salad you can even make a dessert of a salad.  Here are a few of my favorite salads that get far more Ooohs and Aaahs than that simple chopped head of lettuce.

Links include Potato Salads, Cole Slaws, and Plenty of greens and fixins' Salads... And more than a few matching FRESH MADE Jam Jar make it yourself Salad Dressings!

****************************PINTEREST**************************

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following.  If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write)  Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2... 

1. In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.
2. And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only.  If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work,  If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites...
   Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Grilling Time - GRILLED Flat Bread with Sea Salt, Pepper and Parmesan Cheese

This is something I need to do more often... Not quite a grilled pizza, instead it is thick enough to be a nice thick slice of bread (think Texas Toast thick), but thin enough that you can cook this on the grill, just about 3 minutes per side.  Long enough to get a nice char (pretty pretty, and adds a layer of taste).  Also long enough that the high heat from the grill will cook the dough all the way through.

One caution is to resist the urge to add lots of toppings.  You are making toast, not a pizza.  No need for sauce and meats, extra veggies or lots of cheese.  Just the bread and  select few toppings.

Like this with a layer of extra Olive Oil, Coarse Ground Sea Salt Fresh Ground Pepper and a few shavings of Parmesan Cheese...

A perfect "Toast" to serve along with a salad...


Keep scrolling down for this easy to follow recipe (Along with how to photos)...

OK, this is very easy ...

If this is your first time cooking bread dough on a grill, you might want to look over my post on Pizzeria Pizza at Home... Lots of tips there that will help.  Also taking a look at a past post on a grilled pizza will give even more specific tips for grillers.

Here's all you need...

1 Ball of Pizza Dough (A "Regular" bread dough can be used (I especially like to make an oil rich Focaccia Bread recipe on the grill, but a pizza dough ball works perfectly fine as well, and something I always have around my fridge or can make up quickly when needed).
Drizzle of Extra Virgin Oilive Oil
2 Large Pinches of Coarse Grind Sea Salt
Several twists of a Pepper Grinder
Several shavings of Parmesan Cheese...

1. Hand form the dough into aflat shape... roughly half the diameter of a pizza, which is obviously thicker
2. Slap this on the grill over direct high heat.  Allow to cook with the grill lid closed for 3 minutes
3. Flip the dough, top with the drizzle of oil, Salt, Pepper and Cheese shavings, close the lid and cook for another 3 minutes
4. And that's it... Remove from the grill, allow to rest for a couple of minutes to allow the internal temperature to finish cooking the dough al the way through, slice while still warm and ENJOY!!!

And it turns out chewy, soft, FILLED WITH FLAVOR, a perfect compliment to a Massaged Kale Salad (tomorrow's post) and good enough for a brave husband to serve to his wife's friends and neighbors (see yesterday's post for the story of my grilling dinner for the neighborhood book club)!

*************************************************************************

So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of  "52 Grilling Time Secret Extras" or "52 Ways to Cook BBQ and Grilling Recipes"!!!

Well over 52 recipes actually as I just can't stop... Over 100 in one grilling season (I love to grill!). But not just leat... Drinks, Condiments (LOTS of different BBQ sauces), Drinks, Desserts... even specialty items like GRILLED Pizza, and fun shaped Watermelons.  Easy and these ideas will make you the MASTER of your Backyard Domain!

*************************************************************************

So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of  "52 Appetizers Recipes"!!!

From Dips and Salsas to everyone's favorite, Deviled Eggs; Appetizers will set the mood for something special. And make enough different ones and you have a Tapas Meal!

Links include Dips (Take a Look at the WORLD's BEST Guacamole recipe (and world's easiest to make), Salsas, Grilled Bites, Watermelon Art, and of course something with a spectacular presentation and taste... Take a look, something to match any occasion...

****************************PINTEREST**************************

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following.  If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write)  Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2... 

In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.

And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only.  If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work,  If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites...
Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Pizza Party Pizza... Walnut, Goat Cheese, and Honey Pizza on the Grill

Pizzeria Pizza at Home...

A goal of mine (and an earlier blog post, double click the blue letters).  In that post I go into details about the best way to achieve the goal of a making a seemingly simple flat bread, topped with a sauce and cheese.  I have a never fail yeast pizza dough recipe, a deliciously fresh rich pizza sauce (from scratch) and a bit of history.

Once you learn the tricks of the trade, Pizzeria Pizza at home is simple and addictive.  My dough recipe makes 4 dough balls, so each time I make pizza I have 4 canvasses to create.  Generally I make a pizza Margherita (pictured to the right, sauce, cheese and basil).  The Margherita is recognized by many as the first and original version of the modern pizza.


BUT WAIT...

How would you like to be ... THAT GUY (or Gal) That can (and regularly does) do amazing things on a grill...

A Couple of weeks ago I went into detail on GRILLING a pizza on a standard backyard grill.  Easy, Fun, Spectacular.

This week was a bit of a celebration in the 'hood as our friend and neighbor celebrated the anniversary of her 29th Birthday!  Neighbor Jackie (as opposed to my wife Jackie, her with the inconvenient Day Job) and wife Jackie are part of the neighborhood book club.  The girls of the club decided that a dinner out, multi courses, cooked to perfection and served with style would be a perfect way to celebrate.  They also decided best spot in town was my back yard!

This pizza was what I served up as an appetizer for the group.  I decided I wanted to celebrate spring (finally) and grill the entire meal.  You can see the spiral stuffed pork loin in the back, resting while I cooked the appetizer pizza.

I will share the details of the pizza in a second... First, photos of the party...

Gotta have a drink table... Southern Sweet Tea, Wine and Margaritas

My wife Jackie (as opposed to neighbor Jackie) worked hard at making the table pretty for her friends... Notice the wrapped books for a center piece...

We even got out the good crystal for the party

And a good time was had by all...

I will be giving recipes and details about the 5 course meal served in future post this week... so now, back to the appetizer first course...

Goat Cheese, Honey and  Walnut Pizza on the Grill

And once you know the tricks, easy as could be...

Easy like taking a ball of dough, hand form the shape (always rustic on the grill, never a perfect circle, part of the charm), Grill the dough, add toppings and create something unusual and FANTASTIC!

This makes a great appetizer, side dish or main course....  And it is a real crowd pleaser!

Oh... And it is beyond easy...
Anyone can do this...   Anyone can be that GUY (or Gal) on the grill!

All you need for this...

1 Ball of Pizza Dough
drizzle of Olive Oil
4 OZ Goat Cheese broken up into small balls
1 Cup Walnut Pieces
Drizzle of Honey
Slivered slices of Basil for color and accent

The rest is all technique.  Read over the post on Pizzeria Pizza at Home, then try this...

Start with a Ball of Dough.  It's the same recipe I almost always use.  Cold rise, easy and never fail (does take about 4 hours of sitting around (or overnight) to make the dough, so plan ahead).  Or any store bought pizza dough would work as well.

Next is the only real trick... HOT!  Get your grill HOT.  If using coals, preheat the grill for at least 20-30 minutes or set your gas grill, all burners running on high for at least 10 minutes.

OK, The photo directly above is the dough after I formed a sort of circle.  Tossing in the air is not really how it's done, flattening between your two palms and then stretching along the edges all the way around, allowing gravity to pull down.  Once you get it evenly thin, slap it on the HOT grate.

It only takes about 3-4 minutes for the dough to start to bubble.  use a wide turner or tongs and test the doneness.

The bottom will be starting to crisp up...

And get grill marks.

Since it has started to crisp, the soft dough has started to cook and turn solid.  Easy to turn.  Since the grill grate was hot, it never sticks.

Time for toppings...

No sauce for this, so drizzle a bit of Olive Oil.

Since this is HOT, don't worry, the cheese will melt.  So, spread the handful of cheese around

Again, no design, stick with the rustic look.

Add the walnuts

And at the last minute... drizzle the honey and spread around the basil

And that's it!

Close the lid and let everything get really HOT for only another couple of minutes...  And here you are!

But as with most recipes, the basics can be learned in minutes; mastering the art will take a lifetime (or at least 52 tries).  You can achieve success with my Pizzeria 101 Link, a cookie sheet, standard oven and items in most every kitchen.  But... eventually you will want to try the toys of the trade  So if you want to dig deeper, I recommend these books and items...

Enjoy your Pizza making... Let me know what pizzas you are making and be sure to come take a look next Sunday to see what I come up with this week!

This is Pizza #6 in my list of 52 Pizza Party Pizzas...

Week #1 ...

A simple Salami Pizza (break free of the addiction to Pepperoni).  A classic example of the Italian belief that less is more... Allow a quality ingredient like the artisanal Dry cured sausage, the sauce and the cheese balance beautifully!

This Sausage pizza is Pizza #2 in my list of 52 Pizza Party Pizzas...

I made a fantastic HOT Sausage Pizza... Made with mini balls of sausage (there is a small trick) that also looks as dramatic as it is tasty!

Week #3

I was on the grill making a dessert or Appetizer FANTASTIC Honey - Goat Cheese - Arugula Pizza... Delicious and PERFECT if you want to WOW your friends with something unique on the GRILL!

Week #4

A Pizza from my youth, the (then) exotic sounding Canadian Bacon and Onion GRILLED pizza!  Loaded with color and the unique taste of the sweet juicy back bacon that became a legend back in Pekin, Illinois in the 70's.

Week #5

A fond memory of our time living in the islands... US Virgin Island, St Thomas had a fantastic little beach bar where you could get a Steak and Gorgonzola Pizza (and a bottle of wine) for just $25... one of the few bargains on the island and a darn fine PIZZA!



OK, be sure to come back next Sunday... I already have plans for next weeks' Za!

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So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of  "52 Grilling Time Secret Extras" or "52 Ways to Cook BBQ and Grilling Recipes"!!!

Well over 52 recipes actually as I just can't stop... Over 100 in one grilling season (I love to grill!). But not just leat... Drinks, Condiments (LOTS of different BBQ sauces), Drinks, Desserts... even specialty items like GRILLED Pizza, and fun shaped Watermelons.  Easy and these ideas will make you the MASTER of your Backyard Domain!

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So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of  "52 Appetizers Recipes"!!!

From Dips and Salsas to everyone's favorite, Deviled Eggs; Appetizers will set the mood for something special. And make enough different ones and you have a Tapas Meal!

Links include Dips (Take a Look at the WORLD's BEST Guacamole recipe (and world's easiest to make), Salsas, Grilled Bites, Watermelon Art, and of course something with a spectacular presentation and taste... Take a look, something to match any occasion...

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And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write)  Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2... 

In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.

And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only.  If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work,  If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites...
Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest