Best Kids Can Make Pizza Popcorn Recipes

PIZZA POPCORN

Steps:

• In a food processor, puree the butter, tomatoes and garlic until it forms a smooth paste. Heat a small saute pan over medium heat and add the butter mixture. Heat the butter until melted down and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Keep warm.
• Heat a large saucepan over high heat. Once hot, add the popcorn kernels and oil, and shake the pan to coat the kernels in the oil. Cover and continue to cook over high heat until the kernels begin to pop. Shake the pan once again and reduce the heat to medium-high. Continue to cook until the popping slows dramatically, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour the popped popcorn into a large bowl. While still warm, add the flavored butter, cheese, oregano and salt. Toss to coat, and then serve.

PIZZA POPCORN

Steps:

• Place popcorn in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Melt butter in a small saucepan; add the remaining ingredients. Pour over popcorn and mix well. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15 minutes.

KIDS CAN MAKE: PIZZA SKEWERS

Steps:

• Soak eight 12-inch wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. Prepare a grill for medium heat. Cut a 12-inch-square piece of aluminum foil.
• Stir together the oil, Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
• Dust a work surface with flour. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 11 by 6 by 1/4 inches. Using a pizza wheel or a knife, cut the dough into 1-inch strips, then into 1-inch squares. Add the dough squares, tomatoes and sausage to the seasoned oil, and toss gently to coat.
• Working quickly to keep the dough from getting warm, thread the skewers, alternating sausage pieces (skewer them through the casings), tomatoes and dough squares (skewer them through opposite sides of each square, keeping them as flat as possible so they cook through). Leave 1/2 inch of the skewer at both ends empty. Each skewer should have 4 pieces each of sausage and dough and about 3 tomatoes.
• Grill the skewers, covered, until the tomatoes have dark grill lines and the dough squares have started to puff, 2 to 3 minutes. Put the prepared foil square on the grill, and transfer the skewers onto the foil cooked-side up, so that they are almost touching. Top with the mozzarella, and grill, covered, until the tomatoes are soft, the dough squares have doubled in size and the mozzarella has melted, 3 minutes more.
• Divide the skewers among 4 plates. Tear the basil leaves over the tops. Serve with the marinara sauce, for dipping, and pass the Parmesan and red pepper flakes.

KIDS CAN MAKE: HEALTHY TACO POPCORN

Steps:

• Make the Spice Mix: Put half the tomato strips in a single layer on a microwavable plate. Microwave in 30-second increments, checking the texture in between, until they begin to harden but are still red and slightly pliable, 1 to 2 minutes. (They may begin to brown and taste bitter if cooked too long.) Let sit until cool and completely hardened, about 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tomato strips.
• Transfer the cooled tomato strips to a spice grinder, and grind to a powder. Discard any pieces that won't grind. Add the nutritional yeast, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt, and grind to a fine powder.
• Make the taco popcorn: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the popcorn kernels. When one pops, cover the pot, and cook, shaking the pot constantly, until the popping subsides to 1 pop every 20 seconds. Pour in the melted butter, and toss to coat. Add 2 heaping tablespoons of taco spice and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and toss again to coat.
• Store the remaining taco spice blend at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. (You'll have enough to make 3 more batches of popcorn.)