I'm not exactly sure why I grabbed a package of pre-made pizza dough when I was shopping at the Walmart in Flagstaff, Arizona, but I'm glad I did.

It's something I've never used before and I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do. Then, inspiration hit: I'd create a pizza "oven" using my beloved George Foreman Grill and cook a pie outdoors in our campsite at the fantastic Rancho Sedona RV Park. (Social distancing protocols firmly followed, both at the store and the campground, BTW.)

Initially, I considered using foil to try and keep in the heat, but it was slightly windy, so instead, I opted for the bottom of bin that the grill sits in. It worked quite well, though a little air was able to sneak in. 

After cranking the heat up to high and letting it get good and hot, I unrolled the pizza dough and laid it on the grill. After a few minutes, I check the progress and the underside of the crust had perfectly golden grill marks. So, I flipped it over and cooked a few more minutes before adding the toppings: sauteed mushrooms, mozzarella and Mama Lil's Pickled Peppers. (I used the last of those fiery pickled peppers that I found at a supermarket in Encinitas, Calif., and cursed myself for not buying an extra jar of the Portland-produced beauties.)

For the final bit of cooking, I turned down the heat and the cheese melted slowly. It wasn't molten hot when I cut into it, which is different than your average pizzeria pie. But it was something we decided we could live with. Especially because the crust was so good, crispy and light, though sturdy enough to pick up and shove into my piehole.   

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