End of Challenge - Way Overdue!

End of Challenge

I am way overdue to finish this pizza challenge blog.  So here I am writing 7 months later after I finished the challenge.  Honestly, the challenge took a lot out of me and I think I was done with the blog.  Once I finished, I felt like I did not have any motivation for this post. So here I am, on June 15, 2016, thinking of what to say.  I hope you find this blog post interesting and helpful.  My goal was to help inspire others to create their own or challenge themselves to cook more outside the norm. 

Favorite Pizzas

When I think about my favorite pizzas, there are a couple that I really put a lot of work and effort into.  My goal was to find a dish that is popular in the state and make it a pizza.   Going through the challenge, some pizzas I thought were going to be boring actually surprised me and made my top favorites.  Here are my top 5 pizzas that I believe were outstanding.  

1^st - Maryland Old Bay Crab Dip Pizza -  The Maryland pizza was the best, because everything was from scratch except the Old Bay seasoning.  My dad and I handpicked the Maryland crabs.  There is a difference between Maryland crabs and Gulf crabs.  Maryland crabs are sweeter in taste than the ones in the gulf, due to the water source.  This pizza really blew me away and took the most time to make.

2^nd - Idaho Au Gratin Potato & Bacon Pizza - The one that I really did not think was going to be good, but actually blew me away was the Au Gratin pizza.   The flavors were amazing and powerful, but all worked together in taste.  If you liked scalloped potatoes and bacon, this pizza will have you singing for more. 

3^rd - West Virginia Mountaineer Chicken & Dumpling Pizza - I love me some chicken and dumplings, so on a cold winter night, this pizza is the best.  Comfort food is so good in the winter, which is the reason why this pizza made it to 3rd place. 

4^th - Kentucky Hot Brown Bourbon and Bacon Pizza - Bourbon glazed turkey with bacon, cheese, and tomatos made this pizza taste amazing.  How can you go wrong with these ingredients?

5^th - Vermont Maple & Pumpkin Breakfast Pizza - This is the 3rd bacon pizza to get into the top 5 and that's because bacon is an excellent topping for a pizza.  Add maple, pumpkin, eggs, and cheddar cheese to make it a breakfast hit.  

Honorable Mentions:  Philly Cheesesteak Pizza, New Jersey Trenton Tomato Pie, Chicago Deep Dish

  

What I Learned

The first thing I learned of taking on this challenge was that some pizzas will cost more than others.   One day I would spend less than $10 on a pizza and another time it may cost up to $30 to $40 to make one pizza.  Anytime there is seafood on a pizza, unless you are catching it yourself, it may cost you some money.  So in order to pay for these pizzas, sometimes I would do them on pay day or at a time when I could afford to spend extra money. 

Cooking Techniques

I also learned that you cannot cook avocado in the oven as well. 

Next Steps

Be on the lookout for 50 States on 50 Plates take 2!