This week marks the start of another round of voting for Blackstone’s Great Griddle Off 2025, and every year I’m reminded of just how much this contest means to me — and how much work it takes to pull it off.

Back in 2023, I was lucky enough to take home the Golden Spatula for my Blueberry & Brie Dessert Grilled Cheese. That recipe still holds a special place in my heart (and on my griddle) because it showed me what was possible when I pushed myself to be creative and bold with flavors. That win gave me the confidence to keep experimenting, to keep refining my cooking and my presentation, and to keep sharing my griddle creations with this amazing community.

But here’s the truth: even with that win under my belt, the Great Griddle Off is never easy. Coming up with the right recipes for each category is its own challenge — trying to balance creativity with something that will actually work on the griddle. And then once you land on the idea, you have to make it perfect. Every cook has to be just right, and every picture has to capture not just the food, but the flavor and the fun that makes this contest special. It’s exciting, but it’s also stressful — I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cooked, adjusted, re-shot, and re-plated just to get one entry across the finish line.

This year, I’m proud of the four entries I put forward, each one with its own twist and story:

Entrée Category – Meat Lovers Pizza Tacos

For this one, I wanted to mash up two of my favorites: pizza and tacos. I started with Aldi pizza dough, rolled it thin, cooked it on the Blackstone, and transformed it into mini cheese pizzas that doubled as taco shells. Then I loaded them with Italian sausage, bacon, mozzarella, and mini pepperonis — finished under the dome with steam to melt everything together. The end result? A taco that eats like a pizza, with all the indulgence of a meat lover’s pie wrapped in handheld form.

Camping Category – Stuffed Breakfast Pancakes

Camping food should be easy, fun, and portable, so I dreamed up stuffed pancakes filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese. I sealed the filling between two layers of pancake batter right on the griddle, creating golden handheld pockets of breakfast. No fork, no knife — just grab it and go. These were a blast to make because they remind me of why I love the griddle in the first place: you can create something totally unexpected with just a little creativity.

Breakfast Category – Breakfast Crostata

Here I leaned into something more elegant. I used the pizza dough technique again as a base, spread it with a creamy spinach mixture, and topped it with a cracked egg, parmesan, and bacon. Covered under the dome, the egg cooked to perfection while the yolk stayed runny. This recipe was my way of showing that the Blackstone isn’t just for burgers and bacon — it can handle something refined too.

Fusion Category – Reuben Potstickers

This one was pure fun — taking the deli classic Reuben sandwich and turning it into potstickers. I pulsed corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut into a filling, tucked it into dumpling wrappers, and crisped them on the griddle before steaming them to finish. Served with homemade Thousand Island dressing, they hit that perfect fusion sweet spot — familiar yet surprising, and seriously addictive.

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The Challenge and the Payoff

If you’ve never entered the Great Griddle Off, it’s hard to explain the pressure. It’s not just about cooking something delicious; it’s about capturing it in a way that makes people want to vote for you. The lighting has to be right, the plating has to pop, and the picture has to tell the story of the dish. Sometimes the stress of chasing that “perfect shot” feels tougher than the cooking itself!

But at the end of the day, that’s also what makes it rewarding. Every year, I walk away with new recipes I’m proud of, new skills I’ve sharpened, and memories of the grind that go into this contest. And of course, I get to share it all with you — whether you’re here for inspiration, for recipes, or just to cheer me on.

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As the 2025 voting kicks off, I’m throwing my hat in the ring once again with these four entries. Win or lose, I’m excited to see the creativity this community brings to the table and grateful to be part of it.

If you’ve got a favorite among my entries — Meat Lovers Pizza Tacos, Stuffed Breakfast Pancakes, Breakfast Crostata, or Reuben Potstickers — I’d love to hear it. Drop a comment, share the recipes, or better yet, try them out on your own Blackstone. And don’t forget to check out the voting this week for the Great Griddle Off 2025 — your support means the world!