Hawaiian-Style Pizza with BBQ Pulled Pork

Oh the weather is finally changing! It feels like spring is here! We have been spending the last several days soaking in the sun and enjoying the sudden spike in temperature. Paul even got his first sunburn of the year - it's tough having a bald head when you're out under the beating sun. I might have to insist that he wear a hat in the future because his poor scalp is paying for it!

Emma has been loving being outdoors. The first time I took her for a walk this year, she loved it so much, she was positively giddy. However, I think she was a little angry with me for not taking her out sooner (as if it could be helped!). Whenever I made eye contact with her while we were out, she kept glaring accusingly as if to say: "How dare you keep this glorious new world hidden from me all this time!"

I'm trying not to get too excited about the weather. The forecast predicts more snow tomorrow. Still, the warmth and sunshine of the past few days have started to make us all crave summertime fare: salads, grilled burgers, and ice cream.

But, for now, we still have a ton of leftover pulled pork to eat...and that's where the pizza comes in.

When my siblings and I were little, my parents would often take us out to Pizza Hut following dance recitals and sports championships. Us kids always preferred the pizza with the most meat and cheese we could have packed on as possible. My favorite was always the meat lovers. Ham, Pepperoni, Sausage, Meatballs, AND bacon all together on one pizza!?! Heaven! However, our mother would always require that at least one of our pizzas be "Hawaiian style" with Canadian bacon and pineapple. We all vehemently protested her modest request, finding that combination to be "boring" or, to the more dramatic members of the family, "disgusting". Well, she usually got her way and other than Michael (who pretty much ate anything),the rest of us never stooped so low as to try a bite of that combination.

Fast forward about 15 years and I was dating a certain guy name Paul who happened to love Hawaiian pizza. While on a date, he insisted that I try that combination.

"What's so great about it? Pineapple on a pizza?" I skeptically asked him.
"It's just good! A little sweet, a little salty. It's amazing." was his reply.

I took my first bite and was hooked. Absolutely hooked. Ironically, it's pretty much the only way I like pizza now. That and BBQ Chicken pizza. I pretty much can't stand pepperoni or sausage anymore. Must be my old lady tastebuds kicking in!

Since we still have an abundant of leftover pulled pork, I decided cash in on our Sunday dispensation from our Lenten fasting and make pizza. Paul was oh-so-happy to hear that! I chose to combine my two favorite pizza combinations and make a Hawaiian-Style BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza. I tossed the pulled pork in our favorite BBQ sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's) and spread that evenly over our favorite pizza dough, then covered the entire surface with thinly sliced red onions, chopped fresh pineapple, shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese. It was a delicious combination that everyone loved. Even Matthew, the purist who normally insists that a pizza is not a pizza unless it is topped with pepperoni, loved it.

Hawaiian-Syle Pizza with BBQ Pulled Pork

1 recipe pizza dough
1-2 cups BBQ sauce (depends how saucy you like it)
3 cups leftover shredded pork
4 cups shredded cheese (we used a combination of cheddar and mozzarella)
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 ripe pineapple, cored and cut into small wedges

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone set on the middle rack.

Divide the pizza dough in two (if using my recipe- it makes enough for two pizzas). Roll out/stretch the pizza dough into a 12-inch circle. Place dough circle on a piece of parchment paper set on a large cutting board.

Combine the pork with the BBQ sauce. Spread half all over the surface of the pizza. Cover with half the onion, cheese, and pineapple. Carefully slide the piece of parchment from the cutting board onto the hot pizza stone in the oven. Bake the pizza for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining dough and toppings.

Let pizzas cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.