Thursday, November 7, 2013

Pizza - Cheeseburger in Paradise Pizza... really, Jimmy Buffett Fans, sing along - 52 Pizza Party Pizza

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Look Close, you know the words, sing along...


With apologies to Jimmy Buffett

Cheeseburger PIZZA
in paradise 

Medium rare with mustard 'be nice 
Heaven on earth with an onion slice

I'm just a cheeseburger 
PIZZA 

in paradise 

I like mine with lettuce and tomato 
Heinz 57 and French fried potatoes 
Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer 
Well good god almighty which way do I steer for my 

Chorus: 
Cheeseburger in 
PIZZA 
paradise (paradise) 
Makin' the best of every virtue and vice 
Worth every damn bit of sacrifice
To get a cheeseburger 
PIZZA 
in paradise 
To be a cheeseburger 
PIZZA 
in paradise 
I'm just a cheeseburger 
PIZZA 
in paradise 


And there you have it... All the song ingredients are here.  And, I must say this is a WONDERFUL pizza.  Really and truly does taste hamburger-ish.  The mix with the mustard and pickles is spot on with the hamburger.  I will admit, it started out as a goof, just a pizza challenge when I had a little extra time on my hand, but is now in my regular rotation.  Even planning a party around the idea now.

Highly recommended.

Here's what I did...



While I did indeed enjoy a "cold one" with the finished product, I decided this deserved a BEER BREAD PIZZA CRUST!  It's my goto recipe for a thick Chicago style pizza pie.  I also made this in a cast iron skillet.  The trick to all pizzas is HOT.  I had all my ingredients ready to assemble while I preheated the skillet to 500 degrees.  It lost a lot of heat during the less than 5 minutes it took to assemble the pizza (and I had to be careful to avoid burning my fingers while I spread out the dough, but it did what cast iron is famous for, retain the heat.  Thus, the crust had a crispness that I would not have gotten without a HOT skillet.


For the beer bread pizza dough recipe, go HERE.


Next, a very important step when making any Chicago thick pie, always line the bottom with cheese slices (in this case, provolone).  That helps to keep the crust from getting soggy.


And now, time to start singing the song... I like mine with Lettuce...


French Fried Potatoes


Really, fried some up ahead of time and lined the bottom.



The Hamburger was a no brainer, instead of an onion slice, I caramelized a few onion slices and mixed them with the burger.



I made a fast PIZZA marinara sauce from canned tomatoes.  Click HERE for that recipe.




Heinz 57
and
mustard 'be nice





Big kosher pickle (slices)



And what's a cheeseburger (pizza) without a little white Cheddar Cheese


Do all that quickly and get the cast iron skillet back in the 500 degree oven as quick as possible.  Now, it took about 15 minutes for the dough to cook.  I used my handy dandy instant read temperature probe.  Bread is done at 190 degrees.  Thick Chicago style pizza dough is ready at 190 degrees.


And for presentation purposes, Garnish with a hamburger bun top.


That may be one of the oddest things I have ever written here (and I try my best to write odd things just for fun, hoping one person sees the oddity).  So, let me repeat this...


The garnish is a HAMBURGER BUN!!!





I was in paradise... 


This is Pizza #26 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!

Week #6

We stayed out on the grill for a fun APPETIZER PIZZA of Goat Cheese, Honey and Walnuts!  Worked perfect to serve as guests arrive, the sweet honey, zippy goat cheese and the savory walnuts paired perfect for a fine welcome treat!

Week #7

HOW COOL IS THIS BREAKFAST PIZZA???  Ham and Eggs... Cheese and tomato sauce!  It is actually a classic Italian recipe for
Bacon and Egg Pizza (Uova e pancetta Pizza)And it is WONDERFUL!

Week #8

Was something really special for me, a chance to cook with another respected Food Blogger, Penny from Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen, AND to use her open fireplace cooking grate to cook over a live fire and make a pizza topped with Ina Garten's Guacamole Salad!  Fruit, Vegges, Black Beans... Makes a FANTASTIC Pizza!

Week #9

My beloved Rotisserie Chicken gets dressed up with Taco seasonings to help create a Taco Chicken and Pickled Red Onion Pizza!  A wonderfully colorful and spicy pizza.  Something you would expect at a California fancy pizzeria... or now at home!

Week #10

Cul de Sac Famous empty Nestors that we are, we were a bit intimidated with the idea of sitting for 7 (YES, SEVEN) of our nieces and nephews for a weekend.  I decided to make pizza one night, even more challenging I decided to offer each of the kids a chance to pick their own toppings... CHEESE PIZZA was by far the most requested.  But just because it is a simple cheese pizza is no excuse not to make it the best.  LOTS of tips to make yours better than a pizzeria!

Week #11

A new twist on the original classic pizza... A Basil Mint Pesto Margherita Pizza.  Pesto is loaded with fresh herbs (herbaceous), Pine Nuts (Nutty) and Garlic (you guessed it... garlicky!), making this pizza layers upon layers of flavors!  And pretty too!

Week #12

Another big change of pace that was HUGELY successful as an appetizer was this Black Bean and Quinoa Salad Pizza.  Lots of fresh grilled Corn and a sweet sauce of honey and mascarpone cheese.  Unusual combination of ingredients, sauce,cheese and a DELICIOUS Change of Pace!

Week #13

Fresh, Local, and best and SUMMERTIME!
Great produce is available at just about any street corner... And sometimes even your own garden.  Cherry tomatoes are easy to grow and work great in container gardens.  And they make a FANTASTIC... Cherry Tomato Margherita Pizza.  Colorful and Summertime fresh tasting!

Week #14

More fresh local And Best...
Seasonal Summer Pizzas are very simple.  You want the ingredients to shine.  The sauce, dough and cheese takes a back seat to fresh garden herbs.  This Fresh Herb Pizza tastes like summer in a garden!

Week #15

This pizza was a delicious trip to my back yard garden!  MY TOMATOES ARE IN MY TOMATOES ARE IN!!!  A Fresh Heirloom juicy sweet tomato pie!  This is what an Italian pizza ought to be... fresh local and loaded with flavors.  My favorite so far!

Week #16

This pizza is a stretch of leftovers.  I had grilled some wonderful Korean Style Short Ribs but only had a single serving left.  SO... Stretch those ingredients to make a wonderful pizza for two, A Korean Beef Short Rib Pizza for 2!

Week #17

I experimented with a new technique today when I made an Italian Brick Oven Style Pizza AT HOME. The trick is HOT HOT HOT, not only the oven but a Pizza Stone as well.  My first was this FANTASTIC White Sauced garlic and Tomato Naples style Pizza!

Week #18

I went a little more traditional American Pizzeria style this week with a sausage pizza.  In Fact, this got an Italian upgrade with a Spicy Italian Sausage and Tomato Slices Pizza.  Made Naples style in the HOTTEST OVEN Possible.

Week #19

I vary a bit from a traditional looking pizza with a simple BEER BREAD Crust, MARGHERITA TOPPED Pizza.  A bit unusual but fast and EASY to make and a great Bar Snack or Appetizer.

Week #20

I added a cooking with beer pizza.  I simmered Rotisserie Chicken in a combination of beer and Hot Sauce, PLUS used a Beer Pizza Dough recipe to make these appetizer Buffalo Pizza Sticks with Blue Cheese.  All the tastes of a bar snack, Buffalo Chicken Wings on a Pizza!

Week #21

I was feeling very California this week with a now new CLASSIC, my version of the pizza that made Wolfgang Puck famous, the Salmon, Goat Cheese and Shaved red Onions Specialty Pizza.  Delicious and exotic (especially for Kansas)!

Week #22

As everyone says (and every married man knows), Happy Wife... Happy Life!  And that counts for pizzas as well.  This is my wife's pizza of choice... Your basic Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza.  Basic, but the post has plenty of tips for Italian Brick Oven style at home!

Week #23

This is best when served along side a HOT bowl of soup.  Barely qualifying as a pizza, using garlic butter as a sauce, but this Cheesy Garlic Bread Pizza is just perfect for an open face toasted cheese sandwich for soup or just call it... Cheesy Garlic Bread Pizza!

Week #24

I go to Italian Roots and make a simple (with complex flavors, Poor Man's Pizza, the Bruschetta!  A delicious Garlic Bread topped with tomato and mixins.  A Restaurant specialty made easy at home!

Week #25

I just LOVE this idea... 16 mini pizza appetizers, all made easy with a CAN of refrigerator biscuits... Really!  Biscuit PIZZA Fast and Easy Quattro Stagioni, Italian 4 Seasons Pizza... Although the is=dea can be used for any flavor (Taco, Margherita, or how about a Meatball that would look like a daisy!


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



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