I can’t believe it’s Friday already and what better time to make a pizza to celebrate the weekend than on a Friday night. This Double Cheeseburger Pizza is like an ode to Jimmy Buffett. It’s all about those delicious carnivorous habits. It’s a cheeseburger in paradise in pizza form, complete with sesame seed bun, er, I mean crust. Now I like mine with lettuce and tomato, a big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer. How about you? (I think you’re getting the idea I like Jimmy Buffett. 😊)

If you’ve never baked a pizza before, no worries, it’s super simple. Just by following a few easy steps you’ll be making homemade pizzas that are out of this world! In fact, you may never want to go out for pizza again! OK, that might be going just a bit too far.

I start with pizza dough that’s available from my local grocery store. I’ve made my own pizza dough before but the dough I get from the store is just as good and helps the pizza come together quickly. Which means less time in the kitchen and more time to have fun on a Friday night.

Now every cheeseburger needs a sesame seed bun, right? At first, I couldn’t decide how to add them to the pizza, because who wouldn’t choose a sesame seed bun if they had the chance. I decided to sprinkle them on the outside edge of the crust and the seeds lent just enough of that slightly toasty flavor to make them memorable. (see those delicious little sesame seeds just waiting to be eaten?!)

I also decided to add pickle pieces to the pizza and see what it tasted like. I know, pickles on a pizza!? It really is a surprising addition and adds a delicious flavor to the mix. If you’re hesitating about adding it, just go ahead and do it, you won’t be sorry. (Don’t you just want to drool over all those delicious toppings!)

When it comes to cooking, I recommend a pizza stone. I am head over heels in love with mine. I have found that using a stone makes the crust crisper and the pizza easier to handle. But don’t worry, if you don’t have a stone you can use a cookie sheet. It will still be amazing only with a softer crust.

From the beginning, this cheeseburger pizza was a big experiment. It was one of those nights where my husband couldn’t decide between hamburgers and pizza so I thought, why compromise, when we could have both. And let me tell you, it turned out so delicious that it’s now one of my husband’s favorite pizzas that I make. (Yay, a little pat on the back for me).

What a great way to start the weekend! Cheeseburger pizza in paradise and a cold draft beer, well, good god almighty which way do I steer!

DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER PIZZA

Prep: 30 minutes  Cook: 30 min  Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients: 

• Pizza dough (from bakery or refrigerated Pillsbury thin crust pizza dough)
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic or 1 garlic clove
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion, cut in half (I use a sweet onion but you could use a yellow or red one)
• 1-1/2 cups mozzarella, shredded
• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 large dill pickle, chopped small
• 3/4 cup favorite spaghetti sauce
• 3 Tablespoons barbecue sauce (or A1 sauce)
• 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Cornmeal
• Garnish: arugula

Directions:

1. Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
2. When ready to prepare, preheat oven to 500 degrees and place pizza stone in oven for 30 minutes. If you don’t have a pizza stone you can skip this step.
3. Cook ground beef with minced garlic until brown and cooked through.
4. Grate cheeses and mix together.
5. Chop tomatoes, onions and pickle.
6. Sprinkle a little cornmeal on counter and roll dough into a circle that fits your pizza stone or, if using a cookie sheet, roll into a rectangle to fit.
7. Sprinkle sesame seeds on outer edge of crust and gently tap into place.
8. To assemble: I like to make my pizza right on the pizza stone. I find it very difficult to move the assembled pizza onto the stone without losing some of the toppings. BE CAREFUL WHEN DOING IT THIS WAY AS THE PIZZA STONE IS VERY HOT.
9. Generously sprinkle the stone with cornmeal.
10. Place rolled dough directly on hot stone. If using a cookie sheet, sprinkle with cornmeal and place dough on sheet.
11. Spread with a little olive oil.
12. Mix spaghetti sauce and barbecue sauce and pour sauce on top, spreading to within 1/2″ of edge. You don’t want to get it too close or it will overflow onto your oven.
13. Place cooked ground beef on top of sauce followed by tomatoes, onion and pickle.
14. Sprinkle cheeses on top.
15. Place in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is crispy to the touch.
16. Remove carefully and slide onto wooden cutting board.
17. Sprinkle with arugula and serve.

Makes 1 pizza. Serves 4.

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