anniversary pizza

one year ago today, i was sitting at my desk at work thinking that it would be really cool to be able to post my recipes online somewhere so that my family and friends could grab them whenever they wanted to...and the practical gourmet was born. publishing my recipes has been fun and cathartic for me, also, it's forced me to think of new and exciting ways to explore cooking. i've even begun a 'cookbook' at home, which is really just a moleskin in which i write everything related to cooking and recipes. as fun as it's been to cook and to share, it's been even better to read the comments left for me by you, the readers. i appreciate you stopping into my little corner of the web...it means the world to me, really!

it should come and no surprise to my regular readers that my one year anniversary recipe is for pizza. most of you should know by now that it's an all time favorite of mine. this one is comforting because of it's ties to childhood, and an overall yummy flavor. i hope you enjoy it!

sloppy joe pizza

ingredients:
pizza crust recipe (which can be found here, here, or here)
1# ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 small can tomato paste
1 small can tomato sauce
1 package (or 2-3 cups) cheddar cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper

directions:
prepare the pizza dough per the recipe, and while it is rising, heat a large non stick pan on medium high and add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. once hot, add the onions and sautee until they start to become transparent. Then add the beef, breaking it up with your spoon, and sautee until browned.
meanwhile, combine half of the tomato paste and half of the tomato sauce in one small bowl, and then the other half of each in another. whisk to bring together. you can add herbs or spices at this point...i didn't put any in the first time, though in retrospect, something would have been nice.
drain the meat and onion mixture, and then add the first bowl of the tomato mixture and combine. Turn off the heat and set aside.
once the dough has risen, shape it into the baking sheet, and then spread one the other bowl of tomato mixture onto the crust evenly. top with the meat and then the cheese and bake for 15 minutes in a 425 degree oven.
enjoy!

notes: this is, as i stated above, comfort food. if you want it to be even quicker you can get the mamwich sauce and just prepare it as if it were going on sandwiches, and then top the pizza...either way i'm sure that parents and kids alike will enjoy this pizza.