Day in D.C.

This past Saturday, DH and I went on a day trip to Washington, D.C. We had been to the area several times, each trip crossing off a few items from among the hundreds of things to see and do, including Arlington Cemetery, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. This trip we decided to take in a game at Nationals Park. I myself have not ventured far from Camden Yards, so i was very excited to take in a new venue.

When presented with the choice to walk around the city or take the metro, one glance to DH and he knew we were walking. The weather was gorgeous and this was the first opportunity to get some exercise since my stress fracture healed. On a side note...I hate the metro! :-) After a brief visit to the National Archives, we were off to the ballpark.

Nationals Park is the first major stadium to become certified as a green ballpark. It includes energy saving lights and plumbing fixtures to conserve water. All food and beverage containers we received were made with recycled materials. Fans are also encouraged to use the recycling centers that are available throughout the concourse. The ballpark is nice and open. I can't imagine any seat being a bad one in this stadium.

The Presidents Race

On this night, it was the Nationals vs. the Baltimore, Orioles. DH is a big O's fan. I'm not a big baseball fan, but I do enjoy the atmosphere. Among the fan favorites is the Presidents Race. During the fourth inning, the four presidents found on Mount Rushmore (George, Abe, Tom, and Teddy) race along the warning track, up the first base foul line to finish near the Washington Nationals’ home dugout. As I quickly learned, Teddy has never won a race! During this race, he appeared to have revenge on his mind as he abandon the race and tackled the Oriole's mascot at first base. I'm told this was to be expected after The Bird took him out of the race during a previous meeting of these bitter rivals.

You can learn more about Teddy's plight at http://blog.letteddywin.com/. The site includes standings, race videos and disqualifications. Hint: a segway may have been involved.

After a 6-1 Oriole's lead, the Nationals came back to make it a nail-biter. In the end the O's won 6-5. DH was happy and we were headed for home. On the way back to the parking garage we stopped to take one last picture. DC is even more beautiful at night. Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I did not go the traditional route to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, although Margarita's were involved! I have been obsessed lately with making pizza on the grill. The weather was so beautiful today, why spoil it by heating up the kitchen! I have been doing a lot of research in my quest to make the perfect thin crust pizza with a crispy crust and smoky flavor. It's a creation that you just can't duplicate in the oven. Today's attempt.....BBQ Chicken Pizza.

The Recipe....

Pizza Crust

This is a recipe that came with my bread machine. It yields 2 Lbs of dough or enough for 2 medium sized pizzas, depending on how thin you roll the dough.  Adjustments may be needed when mixing the dough by hand.

(all ingredients should be room temperature)

9-11 ounces Water

3/4 teaspoon Salt

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

4 cups All-Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast or Bread Machine Yeast

1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour (for rolling dough)

1/8 cup Cornmeal (for dusting pizza peel or cutting board)

Combine all ingredients into the bread pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select Dough setting. Add water or flour as needed to obtain a smooth, elastic ball of dough. When cycle is complete, remove dough to a flat floured surface or cutting board. Punch down, separate dough into two balls and refrigerate or freeze one ball for later. If making a larger or deep dish pizza, use the entire piece of dough. Roll dough to a 1/4" thick and transfer to a pizza peel or cutting board dusted with enough cornmeal so that it will slide freely onto the grill.

Lay a pizza stone on top of cold grill grates. Preheat grill to about 500 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Toppings

Olive Oil (for drizzling)

1/4 cup your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Bull's Eye)

8 ounces shredded Mozzarella Cheese

4-5 ounces cooked Chicken, cubed (I used half of a 9 oz pkg of Perdue Short Cuts)

1/2 large onion, cut in half and sliced thinly

Drizzle olive oil on your pizza crust and spread to the edges with a pastry brush. Prick crust with a fork to prevent bubbling. Spread evenly with BBQ sauce and top with mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle on the cubed chicken, sliced onion and any seasonings to taste.

Slide pizza onto heated pizza stone and grill for 10-15 minutes, checking after every 5 minutes. Pizza is done when the bottom of the crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Remove pizza from stone and let the stone on the grill to cool before handling. Allow pizza to stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

The Results....

The pizza dough turned out great! It was smooth, pliable and easy to work with. I did have some problems transferring it from my butcher block table to the cutting board. Once that was accomplished, the pizza slid easily onto the grill. Five minutes was enough grill time, as I quickly realized the grill was too high and I burned the bottom of the crust. When DH looked at the temperature on the grill, it was over 600 degrees!  The pizza was still tasty and after a classic frozen margarita or two, you hardly noticed the burnt flavor! :-D

Things to try next time....

1. Roll out the pizza dough onto cornmeal instead of flour.

2. Prick the crust to prevent bubbling (I forgot).

3. Reduce the grill to medium or low.

4. Sneak green peppers on pizza when DH is not looking. Hide under cheese if necessary. 

Are you an expert at grilling pizza?  I'd love to hear your tips and topping ideas!