Parking Lot Pizza: Why not?

Nothing goes better with sports than pizza (okay, maybe beer. But we're talking food here.) So why not serve up some slices at your next tailgate party? Not Dominos or your local delivery, but really tasty personal pies cooked up right on the grill.

You don't need an oven, or special equipment. Any grill will do; charcoal, pellet or gas. Just make sure you keep control of the temperature. Pizzas are easy and quick to make, plus you can cover a crowd of people with different tastes. And, since you don't see pizzas in the parking lot every day, they are very impressive. I suggest building a make-your-own pizza bar by setting out a variety of sliced, diced, and prepared toppings, and letting everyone create their own culinary masterpiece.

There are a couple of easy ways to make the crusts that are just perfect for tailgating. One of our favorites uses a handy little product from Sante called a Skookie. These cast iron mini-skillets are made for baking cookies on the grill, but they also work great for personal pan pizzas. Just roll out ready-made dough onto the Skookie, top with your favorite ingredients, and grill. Couldn't be easier! Or, if you don’t have enough pans to go around, try using already baked focaccia bread for your crust. Experiment with different flavors and add a whole new layer to your pizzas. You can place the pizzas directly on the grill grids, and just heat them up until the toppings are warm and bubbly.

Starting Line Skillet Pizzas

This is a family favorite during our months on the road for our tailgate tours. We make individual pizzas using store bought dough on the BBQ grill. Everyone gets to choose their own toppings, and you can get as elaborate as you want. Stick to the basics; pepperoni, olives, sausage, peppers, sauce and cheese. Or for something a little different, try these tasty chicken and sausage pizzas we debuted this month at our PIR tailgate. The cast iron skillets distribute the heat evenly and make for a crispy, chewy crust. Yum!

INGREDIENTS (4-6 servings)
Crust:
3 cans Pillsbury Pizza Crusts
(refrigerated section)
Olive Oil
Toppings:
2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped fine
2 fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
1/2 white onion, chopped fine
16 oz goat cheese, shredded
2 lbs ground Italian sausage, cooked
1 lb chicken, cooked and diced small
hot sauce, to taste

PREPARATION
Heat grill to 400 degrees. Unroll dough and cut into four equal parts. Place each square over the skillet and shape to fit inside the edges. Use squeeze bottle or mister to coat crust with olive oil. Add toppings and place on grill for 10-12 minutes. Watch the edges of the crust. You don't want to burn the crust, but you want it nice a crispy. Enjoy! Makes 12 personal pizzas.

Checkered Flag Focaccia Pies

For this recipe we used focaccias from the landmark Kermanig bakery in L.A. Their awesome Mediterranean Focaccias are perfect if you want to add a little gourmet touch to your tailgate. Since they're ready-to-eat, it only takes a few minutes on the grill until the toppings melt and your "crust" is crispy! They come in six varieties, with 3 in a package. We tried the Cheese & Garlic, Spinach & Cheese, Veggie, and Pepper Paste and they all worked great. You can find them in Costco or order online at www.kermanig.com.

INGREDIENTS
Crust:
4 pkgs. of your favorite flavor of focaccias
Toppings:
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
3/4 c. banana pepper rings
12 oz. pkg. salami, sliced and cut
into small pieces
4 c. shredded Mozzarella

PREPARATION
Heat grill to 325 degrees. Brown sausage in skillet. Add pepper rings and mix in, cooking just until warm. Put sausage, peppers, and salami on focaccia. Top with mozzarella. Place pizzas directly on grill and cook for about 3 minutes, or until cheese starts to melt. Makes 12 personal pizzas.