breakfast pizza on the grill: zucchini butter, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and eggs

While Lola was camping with her grandparents this weekend at the beach, Jake, Hudson and I had a uneventful weekend in Portland. On Friday I headed to NW 23rd where I window shopped and stopped by Salt & Straw. My choice: Honey Balsamic Strawberry with Cracked Pepper. It is some of the best ice cream I have ever had.

Later that day I visited my dear cousin Teresa while she made a batch of Toasted Sesame Seed Fig Jam. She has a beautiful fig tree in her back yard and lucky for me I got to take home some figs and jam! I can't wait to make some of her jam, but in the mean time, we put the figs on our pizza with bacon and goat cheese. Oh, and simply barbequed them with a little parmesan on top. Yum.

The weekend was spent at my in-laws where I was able to wake up every morning, pick a bucket of blueberries (with Bob and Hudson, my boys love their berries), and harvest their garden. Tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, zucchini, kale and lettuce. The afternoons were spent, napping, writing, barbequing with friends and cooking with all of my fresh fruits and vegetables.

I hope you had an enjoyable, relaxing weekend. Happy Monday!

Zucchini Butter:
(recipe adapted from Food52)

2 pounds of zucchini, grated
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and grate zucchini. Place in colander to drain excess water for 5 minutes (I also squeezed the zucchini with my hands). Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently so they do not burn. Add in grated zucchini and continue to stir. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the zucchini become easily spreadable. Cool and store.

Serve on pizza, in pasta, with fish, on toasted baguette with goat cheese, or straight out of the jar.

Breakfast Pizza on the grill:

Use your favorite pizza dough recipe. I love using this one, it is easy, fast, and always good.

1 pizza dough
1 large tomato
2-3 eggs
1/2 cup zucchini butter *recipe above
handful of freshly sliced mozzarella
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat up barbeque to high. Take a paper towel and pour a few tablespoons of olive oil onto it. Using tongs, rub the grates with the greased paper towel.

Using a cutting board, un-rimmed cookie sheet, or pizza stone, liberally sprinkle with flour or corn flour. Place rolled out pizza dough on floured surface. Using a large spatula, carefully slide dough onto hot oiled grates. (honestly, this is way easier than it sounds, I did 3 in a row with zero problems) Close the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Carefully flip the pizza dough over and place toppings on pizza (or, remove pizza, and place toppings on like I did and place back on grates). Spread the zucchini butter all over the pizza dough. Place large mozzarella slices overtop with tomatoes. Crack your eggs right on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

At this point lower your heat to low. You don't want the dough to burn before the eggs are cooked through. Once the pizza has all the toppings on and is back on the grates, close the lid and continue to cook for another 3-6 minutes. Remove once bottom is golden, cheese is melted, eggs are set, and you can't stand it anymore.

Let cool and slice.