pizza bites

I had to use the website photo ~ mine were gone before I could snap one!

Remember me mentioning that I was going to try out freezer meals this month?  Well, here’s the first installment.  The recipe says it makes 48, so I thought I’d have some leftovers to freeze.  Nope.  These were snarffed up so fast I barely managed to grab a couple for my own dinner.  I’m going to have to make a quadruple batch next time ~ while I’m home alone ~ so I can get some into the freezer!  Here’s the recipe:

Pizza Bites

makes 48

source: chaos in the kitchen.com

2 recipes pizza dough (or 2 cans refrigerated pizza dough)

8 ounces block mozzarella cheese

4 ounces thin sliced pepperoni

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (combine oregano, basil, parsley, and garlic)

¼ cup olive oil

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

pizza or marinara sauce

Prepare pizza dough and roughly chop pepperoni.  Cut block of mozzarella into 48 cubes.

If you are going to bake some (or all!) right away preheat oven to 400°.  Grease 3 pie pans.

If using refrigerated pizza dough: roll one dough out into a large rectangle and cut into 24 pieces.  Repeat with 2nd pizza dough.  If using homemade dough just pinch off walnut sized pieces as you go.

In each dough piece place a couple pieces of chopped pepperoni and a cube of cheese.  Seal dough around meat and cheese and place seam side down in pie pan.  Repeat, placing approximately 16 dough balls in each pie plate.

Once assembled, combine oil and spices and brush over the dough.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Now you can cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze or you can bake right away.

When ready to bake: bake at 400° for 16-20 minutes.  Serve with warm pizza or marinara sauce.

This was all I managed to snap a photo of...

I thought about making my own pizza dough, but it was an “I’m in a hurry” day, so I used Pillsbury dough instead.  And although the recipe says to roll it out and cut it, I just “pinched” off pieces instead.  My bites didn’t turn out exactly all the same size, but no one seemed to mind.  I also used mini pepperoni rather than chop it up, and they turned out to be the perfect size.  And I used shredded mozzarella/provolone.  Next time I’m definitely going to use slices though, it was rather difficult to get enough cheese in, trying to stuff the little sticky-out bits into the dough.  Still, no one seemed to mind.  Mmm, pizza bites!