| Just about any time is a good time for kids | | | | crust. Your child can sprinkle mozzarella, |
| to make pizza, don't you think? Here are | | | | or experiment with provolone, feta, |
| some steps to help create a positive | | | | gorgonzola, or parmesan. |
| pizza-making experience for you and your | | | | |
| children. | | | | Don't forget the all-important toppings. |
| | | | Kids have their standard favorites but let |
| Plan it out ahead of time and talk it over | | | | them know there are more toppings available |
| with your kids. Give them options - kids | | | | and they can taste pretty good! Again, they |
| love choices. What exactly do they want | | | | can use their wonderful imaginations. |
| their pizza to be? What do they want on it? | | | | |
| Do they want it baked on a cookie sheet and | | | | Here are some ideas for toppings: |
| cut in squares? There's no one type of pizza, | | | | |
| and they may even want to make a couple of | | | | Vegetables green onions, garlic, red |
| different ones. Maybe they'll invent their | | | | peppers, potato chunks, asparagus tips, red |
| own signature pizza! | | | | onion slices, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, |
| | | | sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, red onion |
| Start with the crust. There are simple | | | | slices |
| recipes for crusts in your favorite cookbook | | | | |
| that kids can easily do, but if that seems | | | | Herbs oregano, basil, rosemary, cilantro, |
| like too much, grab a ready-made crust from | | | | dill, parsley, sage, thyme |
| the supermarket. Help may be needed to get | | | | |
| the dough spread out evenly with the homemade | | | | Meats hamburger, sausage, pepperoni, |
| crusts. The kids will get better at it the | | | | grilled chicken, Canadian bacon, breakfast |
| more they do it. There are some tricks to | | | | bacon, ham, taco meat |
| help them such as greasing or flouring their | | | | |
| hands first, and letting the dough rest | | | | Help your child be successful with the |
| halfway through the stretching-it-out | | | | pizza-making process by assembling all the |
| process. | | | | ingredients before they start. Depending on |
| | | | their abilities in the kitchen, plan on |
| The next step is the sauce. It doesn't have | | | | helping with the washing, chopping, and |
| to be from scratch, nor does it have to be | | | | cheese shredding. |
| traditional pizza sauce. It can be a bottled | | | | |
| pizza sauce, alfredo sauce, barbeque sauce, | | | | Before they know it, the pizza will be out of |
| pesto sauce, or olive oil glaze. Let your | | | | the oven and on the table ready to be |
| child decide. | | | | devoured. Your kids will be proud to serve |
| | | | up their signature creations. Maybe every |
| Third in line is the cheese. It's like the | | | | other Friday will become pizza night at your |
| glue that holds the toppings onto the saucy | | | | house. |