Theme: Special Meals for Moms in Celebration of Mother’s Day

Weekly Meal Plan: Monday, May 7 – Sunday, May 13

Monday:

• Dinner Recipe: Tarragon Chicken Dinner from The Lovely Pantry
• Dinner Discussion Question: What do you love most about your Mom?
  

Tuesday:

• Dinner Recipe: Ligurian Pasta Trenette from The Shiksa in the Kitchen
• Dinner Discussion Question: What is your favorite thing to do with your Mom?

Wednesday:

• Dinner Recipe: Teriyaki Grilled Pork Chops from Budget Gourmet Mom
• Dinner Discussion Question: What is your favorite memory with your Mom?
  

Thursday:

• Dinner Recipe: Quinoa Pasta with Roasted Zucchini and Cheese from The Lovely Pantry
• Dinner Discussion Question: What is your favorite dish that your Mom prepares?

Friday:

• Dinner Recipe: Mushroom and Spinach Pizza from Bell’alimento
• Dinner Discussion Question: What is your Mom’s favorite flower?

Saturday:

• Dinner Recipe: Grilled Steak with Mushrooms from Ingredients, Inc.
• Dinner Discussion Question: What is your Mom’s favorite color?

Sunday:

• Dinner Recipe: Prime Rib Roast from Mom It Forward
• Dinner Discussion Question: What was your favorite part about Mother’s Day?

Dessert

Enough with the savory portion of the meal, bring on the dessert! We’re featuring Cookie Cake Pops for this week’s dessert!

Meal Plan and Grocery Shopping List Free Printable

Is your mouth watering yet? We can’t wait to give these recipes a try this week! If you’re interested in trying some or all of these recipes, be sure to fill out the Mom It Forward Meal Plan and Grocery Shopping List Free Printable before you head to the store!

Discussion Questions

Be sure to stop by the comments section of this post or on our Facebook page and let us know how your family members answered the discussion questions. We would love to hear what your family shared at the dinner table!

Share Your Side Dish Recipes!

Sometimes thinking of main entrees is the easy party…but what do you pair with your main dishes? We would love for you to share your ideas for side dish recipes!

Disclaimer: This post is part of our Weekly Meal Plan series. Each week, we share recipes and photos from bloggers around the web. We have been given permission to use all links and photos in this series. A huge thanks goes out to all of the bloggers who helped us create this delicious menu! If you have recipes on your site that you would like for us to feature, please be sure to fill out this form.

Top photo and featured photo courtesy of Flickr.

The morning meal doesn’t have to be fancy or require cooking each morning. Instead, think of easy foods that your family enjoys and ideally includes a few of the food groups: Grains, Fruit, Milk, Vegetables, and Meat. Try to include three food groups at breakfast for enough variety to stay satisfied until lunch and enough food to “break the fast” after what is easily 12 hours since the last meal.

Easy breakfast ideas that include three food groups:

The Customary Starter: Cereal with milk and a piece of fruit

The Works: Bagel topped with peanut butter and 100% juice

One for the Road: Egg and cheese mixed with salsa then wrapped in a whole-wheat tortilla

Stand-In Fancy Meal: Frozen whole-grain waffles topped with yogurt and sliced fruit

My kids love breakfast, but our mornings can be pretty busy. Starting the day with a full sink of dishes also does little to put me in the right mind set. To have the best of both worlds—breakfast without the early morning mess and rush—we love to have breakfast for dinner or “Brinner.” So in honor of state testing, here is a recipe that is Brinner perfect. It has three of the five food groups and encourages your kids to think outside the box for dinner. Who knows, maybe there will be pizza for breakfast the next day!

Make Breakfast for Dinner: Brinner!

Cottage Cheese Pancakes Recipe

• 1 Carton California Cottage Cheese (16oz)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons orange marmalade (for divided use)
• 4 Eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Butter
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 4 thin orange slices for garnish
• Mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Combine Cottage Cheese and 1/4 cup of the marmalade in a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Beat egg whites until they are stiff, but not dry. Transfer the beater to the yolks to save washing in between. Beat yolks until they are light in color. Beat in the cup of cottage cheese-marmalade mixture, reserving the remaining cup of the mixture for the topping. Add the flour and salt and continue beating until completely mixed. Carefully fold in the beaten egg whites.

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Wipe the butter out of the pan with a paper towel. Spoon the batter (1/3 cup for each pancake) into the hot pan. Cook pancakes over medium heat until golden brown on the first side.

Very carefully turn the pancakes over to brown the other side. While the pancakes are cooking, combine the maple syrup and remaining 2 tablespoons of marmalade; mix well and set aside.

To serve, place 3 pancakes on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1/4 cup of the reserved Cottage Cheese-marmalade mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the maple-marmalade mixture over the top of each serving. Garnish with twisted orange slices and a sprig of fresh mint, if desired.

Makes 12 pancakes.

Calories: 316 ; Total Fat: 7 g ; Saturated Fat: 3 g ; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8 g ; Carbohydrates: 43 g ; Protein: 21 g ; Vitamin A: 338 IU ; Vitamin C: 1 mg ; Calcium: 122 mg ; Sodium: 625 mg ; Iron: 1.7 mg ; Fiber: 0.5 g

Add your favorite fresh fruit, like sliced banana or strawberries or defrosted berries if off-season, to up the fruit in this recipe.

 What breakfast food do you like to serve for dinner?

Trina Robertson, MS, RD is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in sports nutrition. As a Meals Matter Mom, she shares her positive approach to healthy eating with the goal of inspiring others to prepare and enjoy foods. As a Project Manager with the Dairy Council of California, Trina develops, evaluates and promotes nutrition education materials for students and adults. At home she enjoys cooking and sharing meals with her family. Her most rewarding accomplishment is that her tween boys are good eaters and are learning to cook. Follow Trina on Twitter @TrinaR_RD.

This month we are having a cooking chat about making the perfect cookie. Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod will be joining the chat and sharing some of her tips and tricks to baking cookies. She has a new e-Cookbook out called “Cookie Cravings.” You can literally taste the cookies in the book. The pictures are spectacular and the recipes will make your mouth water.

Cooking Club Details

• What: Join us for an online live chat about making cookies. We’ll be sharing recipes and baking secrets.
• When: Wednesday, April 11, from 2-3 p.m. EST (1 p.m. CT, 12 p.m. MT, & 11 a.m. PT).
• Where: Party with us in our very own MomItForward Chat Room. (Click here to go to the MomItForward Chat Room.)

See you then!

Photo courtesy of flickr

Have you ever served ham as the main entrée? If not, now is the perfect time! Ham is a versatile protein that can be ideal for many meal occasions. Beyond its ease of preparation, the secret to preparing a tasty, flavorful ham is to choose the highest quality product, such as a Hormel Cure 81 Ham.

Hams are typically sold as a fully cooked product, so when preparing, all you need to do is heat it until it is hot throughout and serve warm. In other words, preparing and serving ham is super simple. What’s not to love?

Be sure to mark your calendar for Tuesday, April 3 and join us as we chat about spring cooking!

Party Topic

Join Hormel Cure 81 Ham and our online panel of experts as we discuss spring cooking. The party will be held on Tuesday, April 3 from 9-10 ET (8CT, 7MT, 6PT). Click here to see details about the giveaway and enter for a chance to win.

Party Details

• What: Girls’ Night Out (#gno) Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
• When: Tuesday, April 3 from 9-10 p.m. EST (8CT, 7 MT, & 6 PT)
• Where: Party with us on our very own Custom Tweetgrid! (Use hashtags #gno and #HormelHam.)
• Topic: Spring Cooking
• Who: Brand Panelists: @HormelFoods, Community Panelists: @2Wired2Tired @JoscelynRC @notasupermom @centraltexasmom @atimeout4mommy @livingthescream @aMusingFoodie @BudgetGourmetM @hoosierhomemade, Moderator(s): @jylmomIF @Dadventurous @troypattee and @MomItForward
• Party Favors: Please click here to see more information about the giveaway.

RT @MomItForward Join the @HormelFoods #gno Twitter party 4/3 (9-10 ET) on spring cooking http://bit.ly/GTFHtl #HormelHam PLS RT

Note: Mom It Forward accepts paid sponsorships for most #gno Twitter parties. During the parties, brand sponsors provide tips, techniques, expert advice, and information on party topics. Mom It Forward is grateful for the giveaway prizes, coupons, and discounts that sponsors also provide to the Mom It Forward community in conjunction with #gno Twitter parties.

DASH Eating

U.S. News & World Report recently rated the DASH eating pattern the healthiest eating plan in America. Balanced meals that follow DASH principals help parents and children develop an affinity for foods rich in nutrients.

DASH meals are:

• Plentiful in fruits and vegetables.
• Filled with low-fat and fat-free milk for kids and adults.
• High in fiber.
• Lower in salt.

I like to think of DASH as:

• Don’t skimp on fruits and vegetables.
• Allow for three servings of low-fat or fat-free milk every day if you’re over eight years old.
• Skip highly processed foods. Most dietary sodium comes from foods that do not taste salty like bread.
• High in fiber. Aim for at least three servings of whole grains each day.

Many people try to cut out foods to lower their sodium intake. Instead, including foods that are rich in potassium, a powerful nutrient that the DASH diet encourages, is more beneficial than merely reducing the salt in your diet. Potassium-rich foods include milk and yogurt, vegetables, (think baked potato rather than fried) and fruits like bananas. Adding potassium-rich foods is a much better-tasting way to good health than switching to a low sodium diet.

Add a DASH of flavor and heart health to your family’s menu this month with White Chili. This recipe is an excellent source of fiber and is a good source of calcium; both are important for heart health. You can find more heart-healthy recipes in the DASH cookbook on MealsMatter.org.

White Chili Recipe

Try this tasty, “lightened up” version of traditional chili that’s made with milk, chicken and hominy. It’s thickened with corn tortillas, which also contribute a rich corn flavor.

Servings: 8 servings; Preparation time: 30 minutes

• 6 Corn tortillas
• 1 tbsp Olive or canola oil
• 3/4 lb Boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
•  Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 Small red bell peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 Large onion, chopped
• 1 4-oz Can chopped green chilies, drained
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Chili powder
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 1 14-oz Can reduced-sodium chicken broth, defatted
• 2 cup Fat free skim or 1% low-fat milk
• 2 15-oz Cans white hominy, drained and rinsed OR white beans
•  Lime wedges for garnish
• 1/2 cup Chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place a tortilla directly on stove top burner (gas or electric), set at medium-low, and toast, turning frequently with tongs, until light golden and fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat with 3 more tortillas. Cut toasted tortillas into 1-inch-wide strips and set aside.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a deep sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add bell peppers and onion; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add chopped green chilies, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano; cook stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and milk to the pan and bring to a simmer, stirring. Stir in hominy, toasted tortilla strips and browned chicken.
4. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, toast remaining 2 tortillas as directed in step 1 for garnish.
5. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cilantro into chili. Taste and adjust seasonings. Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with remaining chopped cilantro, lime wedges if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition:

240 calories; 4 g fat; 0.5 saturated fat; 25 mg cholesterol; 16 g protein; 34 g carbohydrates; 5 g fiber; 460 mg sodium; 105 mg calcium.

What is your favorite heart healthy recipe?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Trina Robertson, MS, RD is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in sports nutrition. As a Meals Matter Mom she shares her positive approach to healthy eating with the goal of inspiring others to prepare and enjoy foods. As a Project Manager with the Dairy Council of California, Trina develops, evaluates and promotes nutrition education materials for students and adults. At home she enjoys cooking and sharing meals with her family. Her most rewarding accomplishment is that her tween boys are good eaters and are learning to cook. Follow Trina on Twitter @TrinaR_RD.

Theme: Foods That Express Love

Weekly Meal Plan: Monday, February 13 — Sunday, February 19

Monday (National Tortellini Day):

• Dinner Recipe: Veggie Tortellini Soup from Mildly Manic Mom
• Dinner Discussion Question: What is something that really makes you happy?

Tuesday:

• Dinner Recipe: Beef Wellington from Barbara Bakes
• Dinner Discussion Question: What do I do/say that makes you feel my love for you?

Wednesday:

• Dinner Recipe: Stuffed Chicken Parmesan from (a)Musing Foodie
• Dinner Discussion Question: What was the kindest thing ever done for you?

Thursday:

• Dinner Recipe: Rosemary Thyme Lamb Chops from The Lovely Pantry
• Dinner Discussion Question: If you could choose to be anyone else for a day, who would it be? Why?

Friday:

• Dinner Recipe: Grilled Steak with Mushrooms from Ingredients, Inc.
• Dinner Discussion Question: What are five words that best describe you?

Saturday:

• Dinner Recipe: Strawberry & Walnut Spinach Salad from Is This Really My Life?
• Dinner Discussion Question: What are the qualities that make a good friend?

Sunday:

• Dinner Recipe: Perfectly Simple Clam Pasta from Cheeky Kitchen
• Dinner Discussion Question: How much do you think moms/dads should hug/kiss?

Dessert

Meal Plan and Grocery Shopping List Free Printable

Is your mouth watering yet? We can’t wait to give these recipes a try this week! If you’re interested in trying some or all of these recipes, be sure to fill out the Mom It Forward Meal Plan and Grocery Shopping List Free Printable before you head to the store!

Discussion Questions

Be sure to stop by the comments section of this post or on our Facebook page and let us know how your family members answered the discussion questions. We would love to hear what your family shared at the dinner table!

Disclaimer: This post is part of our Weekly Meal Plan series. Each week, we share recipes and photos from bloggers around the web. We have been given permission to use all links and photos in this series. A huge thanks goes out to all of the bloggers who helped us create this delicious menu! If you have recipes on your site that you would like for us to feature, please be sure to fill out this form!

 What are some fun recipes you and your family enjoy eating during the holidays?

 

Top food photo courtesy of Flickr.

10 Ways To Say I Love You

Here are a few fresh ideas for showing your love this Valentine’s Day:

1.) Buy them a new coffee cup and coffee goodies such as a seasonal type of coffee, fancy syrups, and flavored biscotti. Every morning will be extra special and they can think about you with every sip. You can even take your gift giving one step further and purchase a coffee cup with a warmer for an extra special touch. Switch out the coffee goodies for tea if they aren’t into java.

2.) Make them homemade cookies instead of buying candy or sweets. No time for homemade? Buy pre-made dough at the store and bake them yourself. They will be just as tasty and enjoyable as homemade!

3.) Set up a date for a cooking class with your loved one. Better yet, try out a new recipe with your spouse at home and prepare it together. If cooking a full meal with your loved one isn’t an option, try a quick breakfast like these Saturday Morning German Pancakes.

4.) Clean the house, do laundry, and any other tedious household task that could give your loved one a boost for the day or week.

5.) Purchase a photo session gift certificate. Photos of your kids, family members, and loved ones are a timeless work of art that can be treasured for a lifetime and beyond. Many photographers offer gift certificates and seasonal specials for sessions.

6.) Buy a favorite book or magazine. Don’t know which one to buy? Get a gift card and stick it in a new pair of house shoes.

7.) Surprise your love with new pajamas. This could be added to number seven for a super Valentine’s Day gift.

8.) Have their car washed and detailed, or save a few bucks and do it yourself.

9.) Write them a love letter. With everything including books digitized now days, the handwritten letter has become more and more scarce. Taking time to pen a letter expressing your deepest love and why you are grateful for that love will send your loved one over the moon with appreciation and gratitude.

10.) Make homemade Valentine cards and/or decorations with your kids. Grab crayons, paints, pencils, and paper and let your kids create their own Valentine’s Day masterpieces for loved ones. Download a copy of this Love printable by clicking here.

 What are some creative ways you can say, “I love You”?

Tiffany is a mamma, photographer, blogger and writer. She has worked in the publishing industry and as a high school art and English teacher. She’s currently working on a Master’s degree in English in between playing Hot Wheels and craft time with her toddler son. Her blog Easie Peasie features crafts, photography tips and ideas, recipes and anything she likes, adores or finds interesting or inspiring.

Depending on the age of your child, there is plenty they can help with, as the recipes below show. For preschool kids, guide them through the measurements and they can watch from a distance as you put the baking in the oven. For older kids, narrate through the details, such as, “… and it has to go on the middle rack so the warm air reaches all over the pan” or “make sure you don’t sift it too much, or the cake will be too dry.” Younger kids just love the experience of seeing ingredients turn into yummy food. Older kids will be more curious as to why certain foods have to be made certain ways.

Kids love to feel like they are a part of things and if you can include them in this seemingly everyday task, it can not only lead to a fun tradition but also get them interested in healthy home cooking from an early age. So get out matching aprons and play some of your kids’ favorite music in the background for a bit of dancing during the preparation. This is a party that may be functional but will turn the task of cooking into something truly special. Let’s begin!

Sugar Cookie Recipe

As an adult you know that sugar cookies are one of the easiest things to bake. Even if you don’t have a true baker inside of you, this is easy enough to put together. This type of cookie makes for an excellent dessert to prepare with the kids. What child doesn’t love a good cookie?

Start with a simple sugar cookie recipe or if you really aren’t that talented in the baking department or are short on time, get a pre-mixed variety. Either way you want to put together the usual flour, sugar, baking soda, eggs, and oil. The kids will love mixing everything together.

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extra

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, have your child stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Together, roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Half the fun is decorating your sugar cookies and that’s where the party activity comes into play. Be sure to prepare and bake these early on so that they have time to cool while you tend to the other dishes.

Put out different colored and flavored frosting such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and rainbow chip. Have handy some sprinkles, M&M’s, cinnamon candies, little hearts, and some colored sugar decorations. Let the kids use their imagination and don’t limit them on how they can decorate these tasty treats.

Have a competition to see who can come up with the best design, the most “glitter”, or the funniest cookie face. You will capture some laughs and love how great it is to prepare and decorate these delectable goodies!

Turkey and Bean Soup Recipe

There’s nothing that offers more comfort and warmth on a cold winter day like a pot of soup. A good choice is a chicken soup or minestrone with fresh vegetables.

Let your child help you to peel carrots or potatoes, pour in the broth, and measure out the noodles. You can just use a simple chicken broth as the base and then add in some favorites like diced tomatoes and potatoes, chopped green beans, zucchini, and perhaps some broccoli. Let them help you to select and throw in the right seasonings and let the soup cook.

Here’s a great turkey and bean soup recipe. Mix together:

Ingredients:

• 2 Boxes of Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 Package of Ground Turkey, Browned
• 1 Can of Cannellini Beans, Drained
• 1/2 Package of Spinach, Washed and Sautéed
• 1/2 Acorn Squash, Cooked with Seeds Removed
• Blend of Mixed Veggies (zucchini, carrots, potatoes, green beans)
• 1 Cup of Macaroni

Directions:

1. Start with the chicken broth and gradually add all the ingredients, in the order listed. Cook until soft.

Cooking with Colors – Red Cooking Day

You can never go wrong when you cook with a color theme. Announce that today will be “red cooking day” and then go to work creating culinary dishes to match the color and the theme.

• Dessert — First, put together some strawberry muffins using a baking mix as the core. Then take turns putting in chopped fresh strawberries, baking soda, oil, eggs, and milk. Set aside and cool.

• Dinner — Prepare a favorite like spaghetti with some tasty tomato sauce. Do they have this all the time? Sure, but when they get to help you prepare it then it really makes for a fun party and a great way of bonding. Have them help you to pick which vegetables that you put into the tomato sauce, even if it’s the jarred variety. For an extra special party dish have them help you make some simple but extraordinary meatballs. Mix in a bit of diced tomatoes to give it something extra and to pay tribute to the color theme of the day.

• Salad — Try a fresh cherry tomato and mozzarella salad, but let your child make the ingredients into happy faces. On a bed of lettuce sprinkle some basil for the smile, the fresh tomatoes for the eyes, and a cute little mozzarella ball for the nose. (We did this for my youngest daughter’s Elmo birthday party last year, my eldest and I making salads in the likeness of his face.)

You can’t go wrong if you mix up a simple recipe that also happens to be fun to create together. That’s what a cooking party is all about—making something truly delicious together as a family but having a lot of fun doing it together!

Have the kids help in the kitchen! What yummy recipes will you be sharing with your children this month?

Top photo courtesy of Flickr.

Chris Molnar does most of the cooking in his family, so much that his wife bought him a 350 watt stand mixer one Christmas. His specialty is chicken paprikash, a Hungarian specialty that everybody loves (even his 2 year old, who right now will only eat chocolate chip cookies, rice, spaghetti and Cheez Whiz sandwiches.) Chris works at home and is editor of a themed party site for kids.

• muffins
• brownies
• cakes
• cookies
• pancakes
• waffles
• sweet bread
• soup
• chilli
• lasagna
• pizza
• smoothies
• ice cream
• lemonade
• fruit juice

The Benefits of Going Green by Cooking from Scratch

The following are the benefits of cooking from scratch:

• Eliminates the need to recycle, reuse and/or throw away hundreds of boxes, cans and plastic packages every year.
• Creates healthier meals by ensuring that there are no harmful additives and preservatives.
• Allows for moderation of calories, fat, sugar, carbohydrates, etc.
• Customizes recipes so that ingredients can be substituted to suit specific tastes and/or accommodate for food allergies.
• Saves money.
• Makes the food taste better.
• Creates family bonding because kids love to help

Pantry Checklist to Help You Cook From Scratch

The following is a pantry checklist for going green by cooking from scratch:

• flour (whole wheat flour is healthiest)
• sugar (or sugar substitute)
• brown sugar or molasses
• baking soda
• baking Powder
• yeast
• salt
• baking cocoa
• eggs (or egg replacer)
• Various spices and seasonings
• butter or butter substitute
• vegetable oil
• cooking spray
• chocolate chips
• rolled oats
• milk (cow’s milk. rice milk, soy milk etc)
• applesauce

Learning to cook and bake from scratch might seem terrifying at first. However, once you learn how to improvise and use substitutions for ingredients that you may not have on hand, everything starts to click and the fear suddenly turns into a sense of accomplishment.

The most important thing to remember is that cooking from scratch doesn’t happen overnight. Start small and before you know it, you’ll have a long list of things that you know how to whip up at a moment’s notice. I started with brownies. What will you start with?

 What foods do you love to cook from scratch?

Tracey Lenac is the founder, editor and publisher of Raising California, an online magazine that highlights elements of holistic, organic, GREEN lifestyle     choices along with homeschooling and spirituality.   She is also the founder of Soul Centered Kids in Los Angeles, California, where she teaches soul centered skills such as meditation, reiki and yoga to children of all ages and developmental abilities and the founder of The Souls of Boys, an online store specializing in non violent, non toxic, soul centered toys, books, media and resources for boys.  Tracey has a Master of Arts degree in Education and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She is also a registered Reiki Master/Teacher, organic gardener, the mom of two boys and a secular homeschooler.

When I came across this idea on Pinterest, I knew I had to try a Snowman Pizza as well. It was super easy to make and I had enough dough leftover to make a few small pizzas as well.

We decided to do three different flavors: the bottom pizza was a Hawaiian flavored pizza, the middle was a cheese pizza with ranch dressing as the sauce, and the top layer was a regular cheese pizza with regular pizza sauce. I made the crust myself using the same crust as mentioned here but, you can use premade, frozen or a dough mix.  Really, whatever you like. For the eyes, mouth, and buttons, I used olives and the nose is a carrot.

Snowman Pizza Recipe

Directions:

1. Make dough of choice (following instructions for preheating oven).
2. Roll dough out into three circles varying in size.
3. Prepare your cookie sheet with either a piece of parchment paper or cooking spray and sprinkle a bit of cornmeal on top (you can skip the cornmeal if you don’t have it on hand).
4. Place the largest circle of dough at the bottom of your pan and top with your choice of toppings.
5. Place the medium size circle on your pan and top with toppings of your choice. Make sure to overlap your bottom piece just a bit. Place your smallest size cirlcle on pan at the top. Again, overlap the medium circle just a bit.
6. Apply the toppings after all of your layers are in place. Sprinkle one more layer of cheese over your entire pizza. Feel free to use olives as your buttons, eyes, and mouth. I used three olives for the buttons and five for the mouth. Also, you can wash a carrot and cut to size to use as the nose.
7. Bake according to your dough instructions.

What is your favorite pizza topping?

Thumbnail image courtesy of Flickr.

 Brandi is the creator of The Creative Princess. She is a stay-at-home mom of two beautiful girls, avid couponer, crafter and a Pinterest addict.You will find awesome tutorials, creative couponing, cooking and crafting on her blog, she also takes you down her crazy journey of life around her small Oklahoma town.