“Sexiness” and Pizza

 I am so hungover.  No, not the 20-something, had a great night out with beautiful people, at beautiful places with loud pumping base and a fuzzy taxi cab ride home hungover.  I am holiday hungover.  All that time off work and cozy moments with family and friends has left me feeling the winter blues as I trudge back to routine.  Anybody else get that in January?  It is awful.   

I am not one to wallow.  So I figured the best way out of the blues is to bring a little of that comfort of the holidays back into the house (only without the tinsel and gift wrapping mess).   And there is no better time to explore comfort foods than during the coldest months of winter. 

At this point, I am obligated to give a warning.  WARNING: the rest of this story contains references to certain meat eating practices that extreme animal sympathizers may find disturbing.  Here at the Lunch-Wagon we respect everyone’s right to choose (or not choose) the type of meat they eat (or don’t eat). This post represents one Lunch-Lady’s opinion.   

My husband is a bow-hunter and each year, during the designated season, hunts deer for the purpose of bringing home the meat.  Since the day I met him this is an activity he has been passionate about.  And for as long as I can remember, I have been loving deer meat.  I have the most wonderful sensory memories of my mother making biscuits to go with sautéed onions and fresh, pan fried tenderloin. 

Besides the flavor of the meat, which I find heavenly, there is a laundry list of benefits to eating deer meat.  One is the lack of nasty growth hormones.  There is also the cost benefit of filling the freezer with deer burger and deer sausage.  Deer has a lot less fat than beef or pork.  But on the top on my list is the “sexiness” factor.  Ladies, there is just something about my man, all dressed in his woodsy best, coming home in the cold night air with a handful of fresh tenderloin ready to be soaked in buttermilk.  Hmmm mmmm!  Irresistible. And the tenderloin is really good too!     

Many years ago my husband and I made a promise when it came to hunting; he could go as often as possible without my complaining if he filled our deep freezer with deer meat every winter.  Neither of us is 100% successful at keeping this promise but we both try real hard.  But by January of most years I have deer meat to cook.  

So this Friday night, when I would usually pick up the phone and order a pizza (yes, even the Lunch-Lady has a Pizza Night) I made the Cheeseburger Pizza below instead using some of this season’s game.  If the whole idea disgusts you, this pizza can be made with turkey or beef or pork or tofu; whatever floats your boat.        

 

Ingredients:

• 1 refrigerated pizza crust
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbs Italian seasonings
• 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey (I use deer burger)
• 1 can Sloppy Joe sauce
• 2 tbs minced onions
• 4-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I use a mix of Jack and cheddar)
• 4 thick slices of American cheese

Putting It All Together:

1. Unroll pizza crust on a large, lightly greased pizza pan.  (In my kitchen it is perfectly ok for the crust to be ugly with lumps and bumps.  Makes it more original.)
2. Combine olive oil and Italian seasonings in a small bowl and brush evenly over crust. 
3. Bake at 425 on top rack for 10 minutes or until golden, but not fully baked yet.
4. Remove from heat, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and set aside.
5. Combine ground beef and minced onions in large skillet.
6. Brown ground beef over medium high heat until no longer pink. 
7. Add Sloppy Joe sauce and reduce heat to medium; cook and stir until excess moisture is soaked up and mixture is thick.
8. Spread beef mixture evenly over crust.
9. Top with bacon pieces.
10. Tear each slice of American cheese into 4 strips. Spread strips evenly over beef mixture.
11. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. 
12. Bake at 425 for 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

by
by