It’s almost universal, kids love pizza. It’s tasty, messy, and fun to eat with your hands. So when it comes time to have your kids help make dinner, making pizza is always a hit.

Now I realize not everyone wants to make pizza crust from scratch, but you should really give it a try. Honestly, it’s not difficult, but like all yeast breads, it does take a bit of time. And if you have any dietary restrictions (gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, etc), making your own pizza from scratch makes perfect sense. There are, however, numerous mixes, doughs, and prepared crusts available at grocery stores, so that’s always an option.

For younger kids, helping top the pizza is a lot of fun. I let me 4 year old “cut” olives with a table knife and a small cutting board and she was beyond pleased with herself. We actually tried with a plastic knife, but it just smashed the olives.

My older daughter, Hailey, made the crust by herself; I just stood by making sure it all went well. Hailey has a lot of food allergies so I think it’s particularly important she learns to cook things like breads from scratch as she’ll need this skill if she wants to eat well as an adult, when Mom isn’t around

We make our own pizza sauce, it’s really easy and tasty too. Here is the post with the recipe.

Making pizza with two kids in the kitchen was messy. I found sauce on the cupboards and cheese all over the floor. As I surveyed the damage I pondered how nice it would be to have a dog right now, but oh well. The kids had fun and dinner was great, so the small mess was worth it.

*Although today’s recipe is for a gluten-free crust, for years I made this regular pizza crust. It’s super easy and quick, perfect for the kids. And it doesn’t require a stand mixer, just a bowl and a wooden spoon.

Hailey measuring dry ingredients.

Add 1 cup of dry to the yeast/water mixture.

The yeast mixture all bubbly & ready.

Adding the yeast mixture to dry ingredients.

The sticky dough after mixing.

The kids spreading the dough: a messy job!

My youngest learning to cut olives!

Topping the partially baked pizza carefully, it's hot!

All that hard work paid off-PIZZA!

Gluten Free Pizza

Makes 2 12-inch pizza crusts

You’ll notice in the pictures we tried to use a foil-lined pizza pan; I don’t advise you do this, it didn’t work so well.

• 3 cups  brown rice flour blend
• 1/4 cup buttermilk powder or nonfat dry milk powder
• 2 tablespoon sugar or honey
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 3 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 cup warm water (about 100 F)
• 1/4 cup olive oil (for dough)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (for pans)
• about 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• pepperoni, sliced olives, grated cheese, or desired toppings

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine all the dry ingredients except yeast. Stir to combine.
2. In a small bowl combine yeast, water and oil; stir to combine. Add about 1 cup of the dry mixture and stir to mix (it will be very lumpy, that’s okay). Allow the mixture to rest for about 15 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and smells yeasty.
3. Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed (about 4 on a Kitchenaid stand mixer) for 4 minutes. The mixture will be very thick and sticky (much like a cake batter). Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rise for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 425. Generously grease 2 baking sheets or 12″ pizza pans, leaving a puddle (about 1/2 tablespoon) of oil in the middle.
5. Scoop out approximately half of the batter and gently place on the puddle of oil. Using generously “floured” or oiled hands, gently press the dough into approximately a 12″ circle. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
6. Let dough rest, uncovered, 10-15 minutes. (If you are really impatient you can skip this final rest). Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and top partially baked crust with pizza sauce and toppings as desired. Return to oven and finish baking; about 10-15 minutes, depending on toppings. The crust should be browned and the cheese should be melted and bubbling. If you want a crisp crust, remove the pizza from the pan and bake directly on the oven rack for the final 2-3 minutes of baking.
8. Remove from oven and cut into wedges; serve warm.

 

 

Cooking With Kids, Kids Cook Monday, Main Dishes gluten-ree pizza

I already have two other pizza crusts posted, but I kept trying recipes, and I must admit my family has a new favorite that I thought I should share.

The recipe is based on a King Arthur Flour recipe. I have used multiple different brown rice flour blends (all without gums) and they have all worked beautifully in this recipe. All-Purpose GF Flour and Brown Rice Flour Blend are both posted if you need a blend recipe. I don’t worry about using a superfine brown rice flour for pizza crust, I think the coarseness actually adds to the texture; but I know a lot of people disagree

You will need a stand mixer to make this dough, I am not sure mixing it by hand would really work and he dough is really soft, almost like cake batter, which doesn’t make it super fun to handle (and impossible to knead). Oil on the pan and plenty of flour blend or cornstarch on your hands really helps though.

It also takes a while to make as it has the traditional rest times before baking, but I think this really creates the authentic pizza crust flavor and texture lacking in so many gluten-free crusts.

The recipe makes 2 crusts, enough to feed a family or freeze a crust for later; but you could certainly halve the recipe if desired.

A slice of carmelized onion pizza!

Gluten Free Pizza Crust III

Makes 2 12-inch pizza crusts

• 3 cups  brown rice flour blend
• 1/4 cup buttermilk powder or nonfat dry milk powder
• 2 tablespoon sugar or honey
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 3 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 cup warm water (about 100 F)
• 1/4 cup olive oil (for dough)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (for pans)

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine all the dry ingredients except yeast. Stir to combine.
2. In a small bowl combine yeast, water and oil; stir to combine. Add about 1 cup of the dry mixture and stir to mix (it will be very lumpy, that’s okay). Allow the mixture to rest for about 15 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and smells yeasty.
3. Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed (about 4 on a Kitchenaid stand mixer) for 4 minutes. The mixture will be very thick and sticky (much like a cake batter). Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rise for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 425. Generously grease 2 baking sheets or 12″ pizza pans, leaving a puddle (about 1/2 tablespoon) of oil in the middle.
5. Scoop out approximately half of the batter and gently place on the puddle of oil. Using generously “floured” or oiled hands, gently press the dough into approximately a 12″ circle. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
6. Let dough rest, uncovered, 10-15 minutes. (If you are really impatient you can skip this final rest). Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and top partially baked crust as desired. Return to oven and finish baking; about 10-15 minutes, depending on toppings. The crust should be browned and the cheese should be melted and bubbling. If you want a crisp crust, remove the pizza from the pan and bake directly on the oven rack for the final 2-3 minutes of baking.
8. Remove from oven and cut into wedges; serve warm.

Breads, Main Dishes gluten-free pizza crust

Pizza, it’s a family favorite across the country. But for some reason, my family typically eats the very meat laden versions. You know the kind: sausage, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, BBQ chicken, etc.

So I thought it was time to make a meatless pizza. My family already eats spinach without much complaint, so it seemed like an obvious choice.

Here is our version of Spinach Ricotta Pizza, based on a King Arthur Flour recipe. It is really good and a nice change from our typical pizza toppings; it actually reminded me of the filling to a spinach ravioli. However, I must admit my 4 year old was less than impressed and refused to eat anything other than the crust. Some flavors like cooked spinach and ricotta are probably best suited for an older crowd I guess.

I chose to just wilt the spinach, but you could chop it if desired.

I know gluten-free crusts are readily available in the freezer section of most grocery stores, but I have a couple gluten-free pizza crusts posted if you need a recipe (Easy Pizza Crust and Thick Crust Pizza). And tomorrow I am posting yet another one. I know, I know. But we have a new favorite that I just have to share Besides, everyone has a different interpretation of “perfect crust” so it’s nice to have some variety.

Spinach Ricotta Pizza

Spinach Ricotta Pizza (topping)

• Your favorite 12-inch pizza crust
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 teaspoons pizza seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 ounces baby spinach
• dash of salt

1. Preheat oven and grease 1 pizza pan. Prepare the dough and let rise while you make topping (for gluten-free crust I highly suggest partially baking it for 10 minutes before topping).
2. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, cheese and pizza seasoning; stir until well mixed.
3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add spinach and dash of salt and cook until just wilted. Transfer to a strainer to drain off any excess moisture.
4. Brush crust with olive oil and evenly spread the ricotta mixture over crust; top with spinach and bake in oven until browned and crisp (about 10-12 more minutes for a partially baked crust). Slice into wedges and serve warm.

 

Main Dishes, Meatless Monday gluten-free pizza

I am happy to be participating in The Kids Cook Monday campaign. The idea is simple, set one night a week (preferably Monday) to cook with your kids and eat together at the table as a family.

Although my kids are always in the kitchen with me, The Kids Cook Monday has really given my oldest daughter the opportunity to help plan and create a meal she really wants to.

If your kids are new to cooking, patience is really the key ingredient needed Kids can be kind of messy and not exactly accurate with measuring, so choosing recipes that are forgiving is important. (Baking is much more of an exact science than cooking, so starting with dinner recipes is a smart choice. This will hopefully lead to some initial successes that will in turn build confidence in the kitchen so they can create more complicated dishes in the future).

If you have apprehensive children, allowing them to look through cookbooks, cooking magazines, or food blogs will really help. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine what a dish will be, so seeing a colorful photo and a list of ingredients helps. I think this is true for most adults as well; I am a sucker for those cookbooks with beautiful, glossy food photos. The library is a great resource for cookbooks and most children’s sections have at least a few titles that are especially targeted for children.

This week we cooked Chili Cheese Fries. Although I made the oven fries from scratch, if you want to keep this simple, buying a bag of your favorite frozen french fries will work great too! This recipe has some chopping, grating, browning, and stirring required; so there are lot of opportunities for an older child or teen to practice their cooking skills.

My kids aren’t too fond of spicy foods, so we kept this chili super kid-friendly and mild. If you prefer more kick to you chili, adding some chili powder or passing the hot sauce around the table would be options.

Although there is a long list of ingredients, the chili is simple to make. For the best flavor, this chili should simmer for about an hour, giving you plenty of time to make a salad, get the fries ready, and set the table.

Chili Cheese Fries…messy, tasty, and always a hit with the kids!

The Chili simmering.

Hailey cutting green onions.

Hailey grating cheese.

Mom prepared the oven fries.

Add it all together and you have awesome Chili Cheese Fries!

Chili

This chili is really mild, adding a couple tablespoons of chili powder and a dash of cayenne would definitely add some spice.

• 1 pound lean ground beef (ground turkey would work too)
• 1 (29 ounce) can chunky tomato sauce
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 (15 ounce) can chili beans

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned and no pink remains (drain if needed and return to pan). Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 hour.

Chili Cheese Fries

• 1 package frozen french fries, cooked according to package or homemade oven fries, cooked
• chili
• grated cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, for topping, optional

1. Carefully remove fries from the baking sheet and place on a large platter or individual plates. Pour chili over fries and garnish with desired toppings.

 

Kids Cook Monday, Main Dishes chili cheese fries, gluten-free chili, the kids cook monday

It’s no secret that my two kids (ages 4 and 15) are always in the kitchen with me. My youngest really enjoys measuring, stirring, sifting and making a mess; she’s ready with her favorite spoon whenever she hears we are baking a dessert. On the other hand, my teenager enjoys grating, chopping and sauteing, basically she wants to use knives and hear food sizzle.

Regardless of your children’s ages, I really think families can create meals together. Planning meals, selecting recipes, cooking, and actually eating together as a family is really fun and a great way to make memories. Even if the food isn’t perfect, the process can be really enjoyable. You don’t have to be an excellent cook, nor do your children, to have fun in the kitchen together.

We’ve made it a priority to sit at the table and eat dinner together on a nightly basis; and while I realize this isn’t always practical for all families, I think setting aside as much time as possible to cook and eat together is really important. This is why I am excited to be part of The Kids Cook Monday campaign.

Here is a brief summary directly from the Kids Cook Monday website

The Kids Cook Monday initiative encourages families to set aside the first night of every week for cooking and eating together as a family. The Kids Cook Monday provides examples of family friendly recipes and video demonstrations along with a free starter family dinner toolkit- making it easy for families to cook and eat together every Monday.

When kids pitch in making meals, they’re empowered to consider the portions, the vitamins and the nutrients of what they’re eating. And since the family that cooks together eats together, parents can check in with their children during dinner.

Evidence links family dinners to healthier life choices:

• Research from Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse suggests that kids who eat family dinners get better grades in school, develop communication schools and are less likely to try drugs.
• The American Dietetic Association found women who cook regularly consume a more nutritious diet than those who ate out often.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics found kids who ate dinner with their family regularly were less likely to be obese.

Cooking also reinforces skills to help kids succeed like math, teamwork and following instructions. So start your week off right and make Monday family night!

The Kids Cook Monday is a project of The Monday Campaigns. The Monday Campaigns is in association with the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Syracuse Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Although I actually have lots of kid-friendly recipes on my site already, every Monday I plan on posting a recipe that my kids actually helped prepare. I am going to try to keep these practical, family-friendly dinner ideas, with the occasional dessert or breakfast item (since kids especially love to prepare these!).

This week’s recipe is Enchilada Casserole. My oldest daughter, Hailey, and I made this together; it’s a great recipe for an older child or teenager to help with, as there’s grating, chopping, and using the stove top and oven. However, even a young child will enjoy smashing the tortilla chips and topping the casserole with cheese.

We like to make our own baked tortilla chips using corn tortillas; they are super easy to make and a healthy alternative to the store-bought variety. Instead of cutting into triangles, strips are easier for soups and casseroles like this one.

I hope you’ll start your week off right and make Monday family night!

Hailey chopping scallions.

Hailey stirring the beef mixture.

Beef mixture, chips, & cheese layered.

Top with remaining beef mixture, sour cream, & chips.

Top with cheese, scallions, & olives...ready to bake.

All baked & ready to eat!

Enchilada Casserole

The casserole bakes for about 30 minutes in the oven; this is a great time to make a salad and set the table.

• 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup your favorite salsa
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans or black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup corn frozen corn (canned corn, drained could be used)
• 1 cup sour cream (light is fine)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 3 cups broken tortilla chips, divided
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese (Colby-Jack, Pepper-Jack, etc would work too), divided
• 3 scallions, chopped (white and light green parts only), optional
• 1/2 cup black olives, sliced, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and find a 9×13 pan or large casserole dish.
2. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, brown the beef, onion, and garlic until the beef is cooked through (no longer pink) and the onion is softened; this takes about 8-10 minutes and you’ll want to stir frequently. Add tomato sauce, salsa, beans, and corn; reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
3. In a small bowl, blend together sour cream, cilantro and cumin.
4. Spoon half (about 2 cups) the meat mixture into the bottom of the pan. Top with 2 cups of the broken chips and 1 cup of the cheese. Cover with the remaining meat mixture; spoon the sour cream mixture on top and spread to cover. Sprinkle with the remaining chips and cheese. Top with scallions and olives if desired. (And don’t worry if the layers aren’t perfect, it’ll still taste great!)
   
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 20- 30 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted. Using hot pads, remove from oven and carefully lift off foil. Serve hot.

Kids Cook Monday, Main Dishes kids cooking gluten-free