By Memorial Day weekend. Megan and I have been dating for about a month and I still can't believe she keeps saying yes when I ask to see her. She came to a cookout at my buddy Ryan's place on Saturday — first time she's met any of my friends. Ryan lives in a duplex in Walker's Point with a backyard the size of a postage stamp and a grill he treats like a sports car. I brought brats and potato salad. Megan brought a six-pack of Spotted Cow and an energy that made everyone immediately like her.
She fit in. That's the thing. She sat in a lawn chair and talked to Ryan's girlfriend about teaching and then turned around and argued with Ryan about whether the Brewers have a shot this year and held her own. She didn't try to be impressive. She was just herself. I watched her from the grill and thought, this is a person I could build a life around. That's a big thought for a month of dating. I kept it to myself.
The brats were good. I've been grilling brats since Tom taught me when I was thirteen. The rules are simple: never pierce the casing, low heat, patience. You want the skin to snap when you bite into it. You want the juice to run down your hand. You put it on a hard roll with brown mustard and sauerkraut and you eat it standing up because that's how you eat a bratwurst in Wisconsin. Megan ate two. She put ketchup on the first one. I didn't say anything. Ketchup on a bratwurst is wrong — objectively, morally, spiritually wrong — but I am choosing my battles.
At the brewery, summer production is in full swing. The summer lager is kegged and heading to bars across Milwaukee. I'm proud of this one — it's the kind of beer that doesn't try to be fancy, just tries to be cold and good on a hot day. Sometimes the best thing you can make is the simplest.
Called Tom on Sunday. He was pressure-washing the deck, which is his annual Memorial Day tradition. We talked about the cookout. I mentioned a girl. He said, "Oh yeah?" I said, "Yeah." He said, "Good." That was the entire conversation about Megan. I love this man.
That cookout reminded me that the best food—like the best people—doesn’t try too hard. Megan put ketchup on a bratwurst and I kept my mouth shut, which means I’m growing as a person. But when we got together the following weekend and I wanted something easy, no-fuss, and guaranteed to disappear fast, I went with this Quick Hawaiian Pizza: sweet, salty, done in under thirty minutes, and just controversial enough to start a friendly argument. Felt right.
Quick Hawaiian Pizza
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pre-made pizza crust (12-inch, store-bought or refrigerated dough)
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup diced cooked ham
- 1/2 cup pineapple tidbits, drained and patted dry
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat. Heat oven to 425°F. Place the pizza crust on a lightly greased baking sheet or pizza stone.
- Build the base. Brush the crust lightly with olive oil, then spread pizza sauce evenly to within 1/2 inch of the edge.
- Add cheese. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the sauce. Dust with garlic powder and dried oregano.
- Top it. Scatter the diced ham evenly across the pizza, then distribute the pineapple tidbits over the top.
- Bake. Bake for 12—15 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned at the edges.
- Slice and serve. Let rest for 2 minutes before slicing. Serve hot. Eat standing up if you want—no judgment.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 390 | Protein: 18g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 46g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 780mg