Name: Lunch Box Mini Pita Pizzas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8 mini pizzas (about 4 lunch-box servings)
Ingredients: 8 whole wheat mini pitas (about 4-inch rounds); 1/2 cup pizza sauce or basil pesto; 1 cup chopped toppings of choice, such as diced ham, bell pepper, mushrooms, olives or pineapple; 1 cup shredded mozzarella or other melting cheese (about 4 oz / 115 g); 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt; 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley; 1/4 teaspoon dried dill; 1/8 teaspoon onion powder; 1/8 teaspoon celery salt; Salt and black pepper, to taste; Raw vegetables for dipping, such as carrot sticks, cucumber slices and snap peas

These little pizzas use whole wheat mini pitas as a ready-made crust, so there is no dough to make and no waiting. Spread on a spoonful of sauce or pesto, add whatever toppings your family likes, finish with cheese and give them a short, hot bake. They come from a back-to-school lunch box series in the KitchenSimplicity archive.

They taste good straight from the oven and just as good cold a few hours later, which makes them easy to bake the night before and pack in the morning. Kids can assemble their own, and a small tub of creamy dill dip turns the rest of the lunch box into a veggie snack.

Tips

Make-ahead: bake the pizzas the evening before, cool completely and refrigerate in a covered container. Pack them in the morning with an ice pack, or pack them warm in an insulated container.
Let kids build their own by setting out small bowls of sauce, toppings and cheese; it is an easy first cooking job.
Keep toppings fairly dry (pat pineapple or roasted peppers with a paper towel) so the pitas do not go soggy when eaten cold.
Pack the dip in a small lidded container with an ice pack; it keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Lunch Box Mini Pita Pizzas

Prep

10 min

Cook

10 min

Total

25 min

Yield

8 mini pizzas (about 4 lunch-box servings)

Ingredients

For the pizzas:
8 whole wheat mini pitas (about 4-inch rounds)
1/2 cup pizza sauce or basil pesto
1 cup chopped toppings of choice, such as diced ham, bell pepper, mushrooms, olives or pineapple
1 cup shredded mozzarella or other melting cheese (about 4 oz / 115 g)
For the quick veggie dip (optional):
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Raw vegetables for dipping, such as carrot sticks, cucumber slices and snap peas

Steps

Heat the oven to 450°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange the mini pitas on the sheet in a single layer. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of sauce or pesto onto each one and spread it almost to the edge.
Scatter the toppings over the sauce, then cover with the cheese so it holds everything in place as it melts.
Bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the pita edges are crisp.
Let the pizzas cool on the sheet for at least 5 minutes. Eat warm, or cool completely before packing so they stay crisp in a lunch box.
For the dip, stir the mayonnaise, yogurt, parsley, dill, onion powder and celery salt together in a small bowl until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate until packing. It makes about 1/2 cup.