What's for dinner: Sunday

Like most humans, I have many, many faults, but, one of my strengths is the fact that making meals, snacks and goodies is a *major* source of joy. Not so for many people I know; many get overwhelmed by the thought that plagues them day in day out: what's for dinner. In honour of them I will by posting simple, fun, delicious meal ideas, that will cost one tenth of what take out costs.

If you want to get your kids to enjoy these meals, include them in the food shopping, meal prep and serving. My son's been helping out in the kitchen since he was just over a year old; I know, it slows things down, and at times (often) is trying on one's nerves, but, long term the whole family will be cooking together and meals will become a wonderful way to spend time together.

PIZZA NIGHT!

Buy a ball of pizza dough, and cut it up into 4-6 smaller balls [a ball of pizza dough costs about $1.50 vs a take out pizza $20 -- mom and dad can use the extra cash for a delightful chianti!
Spread flour over a large area of your kitchen counter, or your table
Get the kids to roll the balls around in the dough; get them pounding the balls, then rolling them out
You'll have to do the rolling out
Grease up your baking trays, sprinkle with corn meal, then lay out your pizza dough; prick around the dough with a fork to remove air pockets
Bake pizza crust in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes; use either middle or top rack

While you wait for crust to bake, prep veggies (ask kids to wash & dry) and sauce
If you want to make your own sauce simply puree a can of tomatoes in you blender, and throw in generous pinches of salt, sugar, and one or two cloves of minced garlic; otherwise, just use a can of pizza sauce

Cut up as many veggies as you can (put some aside to serve with pizza), ask kids to take cut up veggies and place into separate bowels. Think: julienned red, green, orange and yellow peppers; grate carrots; cut up carrots into thin coins; cut up zucchini into thin coins etc; corn niblets etc. Key is to have fun and expose the kids to as many veggies as you can

Once the timer dings to say your pizza dough is ready, remove from oven, laddle out sauce, apply veggies and other toppings, and bake for another 7-11 minutes (until your cheese is bubbly or crust looks very golden)

Serve pizza on bamboo cutting boards (skip plates), serve along with extra veggies

For dessert think chocolate pudding, cut up fruit dipped in yogourt; a cocktail of raisins and chocolate chips; home baked treats

Happy Pizza Night!c