Cooking for Kids: Hawaiian Pizza Puffs

Finley asked me to make pizza for dinner last night. I was happy for her input because it was about 4 p.m. and I still had no plan for the night. But I didn't feel like pulling out the big KitchenAid mixer to make homemade pizza dough. So I cheated and made these pizza puffs instead.

These are very simple and can really be made with whatever add-ins you'd like. I've made them with pepperoni and olives before. Next time I'd like to make a breakfast version with sausage and cheddar cheese. Or maybe some bacon. I do love my bacon!

Hawaiian Pizza Puffs (adapted from Rachael Ray's Pepperoni Pizza Puffs recipe)

• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup ham, chopped or cubed
• 1 cup pineapple tidbits
• 1 teaspoon pizza or italian seasoning

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a muffin tin. You can use a mini-muffin tin or a regular size one.

2. In a medium size bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and italian seasoning together.

3. Add the milk and egg and mix together.

4. Stir in the ham and pineapple. Let sit for 10 minutes.

5. Stir the mixture and divide among the muffin cups.

6. Serve with warmed marinara sauce or some ranch dressing.

7. Enjoy!

Cooking for Kids: Pizza Cups

I seem to start all my crafting and cooking posts with, "Sooooo, I saw this cool <fill in the blank> on Pinterest the other day..." Well, this one is no different.

I've been seeing these wonton wrapper recipes make a splash on Pinterest the last few months -- taco cups, breakfast cup, lasagna cups. So, I decided to use up some leftover wonton wrappers tonight and make some pizza cups. They're easy and fun and you can even get all the ingredients ready and let your kids help with the assembling.

Ingredients:

• Wonton wrappers (24 to make 12 pizza cups)
• Shredded mozzarella
• Sliced olives
• Marinara sauce
• Cilantro
• Cooking spray
• Cupcake pan

Preheat the oven to 350º. Then lightly spray the cupcake pan with oil. Place a wonton wrapper in each cup.

Add a spoonful of marinara, a few olive slices, a pinch of cilantro, and a sprinkle of cheese. I have no exact measurements here. Just add what looks good. You want to fill each cup about half full.

Gently press another wonton wrapper in each cup. 

Then repeat with the fillings. Bake for about 25 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Finley looked at them and said, "Those look extra, extra delicious!" Then she devoured about 4 of them. Grady loved them, too, and polished off a few. It always feels so good to put some effort into a meal and have your kids appreciate it.

You can turn these wonton cups into pretty much anything you want. Add some pepperoni or salami for a meat lovers pizza cup. Or sneak in some veggies. I've also used leftover chili and topped the little cups with sour cream and salsa.

Here's a fun recipe for Chicken Taco Cups that uses a mini muffin tin. And here's another for Lasagna Cups. Next time I think I might try a BBQ Bacon Chicken Cup with a little ranch dipping sauce on the side. Mmmmmm... bacon! The possibilities are endless!

Mukilteo Papa Murphys: Free Mini Pizza

I stopped by the Mukilteo Papa Murphys this afternoon for one of their Halloween Pumpkin Pizzas and noticed this in the store. I love PMs, so I love, love this little deal. Pick up one of their pumpkin coloring sheets, have your kid color it in and bring it back for a free mini pizza. Yum!

(I asked if this was going on at other locations and they said no.)

Details ---
Where: Mukilteo Papa Murphys (12721 Mukilteo Speedway Mukilteo, WA)
When: Through Monday, October 31st
Cost: Free!
More Info: Contact the store for more info - 425.353.0734