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Make pizza on the grill

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When it comes to the grill, thoughts of marinated or sauce-laden meats often come to mind first. But the grill also is a great place to make all types of pizza. This works for weeknights with premade dough, weekends with homemade dough, or parties where you let each guest make their own.

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Individual Grilled Veggie Pizzas

  • 1 large portobello mushroom, sliced
  • 1 small zucchini, sliced
  • 1/4 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup bite-size broccoli florets
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 ounces refrigerated pizza crust
  • 1/4 cup pesto
  • 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese
  • 1/4 cup fontina cheese, cubed

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Place the mushrooms, zucchini, squash, broccoli, and onion in a grill pan, and brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Grill until tender when pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes. Remove from grill and set aside.

Roll out pizza dough on a floured surface to make two 8-inch circles 1/4 inch thick. Place onto pizza pans. Brush tops with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill until browned, turning once, about 3 minutes each side. Remove from grill and spread with pesto. Top with cooked vegetables. Sprinkle with blue and fontina cheeses. Return to grill, cover, and cook until cheese melts, about 3 minutes. Makes 2 servings.

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Barbeque Chicken Grilled Pizza

  • 1 cup chopped cooked chicken
  • 1/2 cup barbeque sauce, divided
  • 1 13.8-ounce package refrigerated pizza dough
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
  • 1 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes, or to taste

Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. In a bowl, mix chicken and 2 tablespoons barbeque sauce together until evenly coated.
Roll out pizza dough onto a work surface and cut in half to form 2 rectangles. Brush the top of each rectangle with olive oil. Place dough, oil-side down, onto the grill; cook until bottom of dough is browned and top is bubbling up, about 5 minutes. Brush the tops of each dough with oil and flip.

Spread the remaining barbeque sauce over each crust; top with chicken, Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, and tomatoes. Close the lid of the grill and cook pizza until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Remove pizza from grill and cool before slicing, about 3 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

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Pantry Pointers

If you like a crispy pizza crust, make sure your grill is preheated. Coals take about 30 minutes and gas takes about 15 minutes to preheat.

Flip over cake mixes

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Upside-down cakes have a certain appeal, thanks to their sweet, sticky toppings that bake along with the cake. Since many recipes start with a cake mix, this dessert is easy to make. While pineapple is the most familiar version, other fruits — and some vegetables — work well too.

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Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

1 18.25-ounce package yellow cake mix
6 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup granulated sugar
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch pan. Place chopped rhubarb on the bottom of greased 9×13 inch pan. Sprinkle sugar evenly over rhubarb. Sprinkle marshmallows over rhubarb and sugar.
Prepare cake mix according to instructions on package. Pour over rhubarb and marshmallows in pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto serving dish so that rhubarb is on top. Makes 24 servings.

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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 20-ounce can sliced pineapple
10 maraschino cherries
1 18.25-ounce package white cake mix

Melt the butter over medium high heat in the iron skillet. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly to cover the butter. Next, arrange pineapple rings around the bottom of the pan, one layer deep. Place a maraschino cherry into the center of each pineapple ring. Prepare cake mix according to instructions on package, substituting some of the pineapple juice for some of the liquid in the directions. Pour the batter over the pineapple layer. Bake according to instructions on package. Cool for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a plate. Makes 12 servings.

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Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake

1 29-ounce can pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Salt to taste
1-3/4 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 18.25-ounce package yellow cake mix with pudding
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, blend pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, salt, sugar, eggs and milk. Pour mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle dry cake mix and nuts over the batter. Pour melted butter over the cake. Bake1 hour and then let cool. The cake will be “liquidy” at first, but will solidify as it cools. Once cooled, carefully turn out onto a plate. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

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Pantry Pointers

When making an upside-down cake, remember not to let it cool too much or it will be stuck to the pan.