Pizza Bites and Meatball Bites

 

Pizza Bites

recipe and photo from Food, Folks and Fun via HodgePodge

1 tube of pizza dough (found in your grocer’s refrigerator section)
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed (about 20-24 pieces)
Sliced pepperoni
Olive oil
Italian seasoning
Grated Parmesan cheese
Pizza sauce for dipping

Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate or cake pan. Divide the pizza dough into 20-24 roughly equal sized pieces. Take one of the dough pieces, top with a cube of cheese and a slice or two of pepperoni. Pull the edges of the dough around the fillings and pinch closed. Place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.

Lightly brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Serve warm, with dipping sauce as desired.  Serves 4.

Here they are, made into a caterpillar.

Meatball Bites

You can also make Meatball Bites. You can make these from the pizza dough, but I usually use biscuits in a tube instead.

1 can  biscuits

10 frozen fully cooked Italian-style meatballs - thawed and cut in half 

5 sticks string cheese - cut each into 4 pieces each 

grated Parmesan cheese 

Italian Spice Mix or dried basil, dried oregano, garlic powder, cracked black pepper and salt

marinara sauce, for dipping

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut each meatball in half. Add one meatball "half" and one string cheese "piece" to each biscuit. Wrap the dough around it and seat the edges. Place the seam side down on a baking pan. I find that it works best to but the meatball first with the cut side UP, then the cheese. This will put the rounded part of the meatball on the top when it's all said and done. Season the "buns" with pepper, basil, oregano, garlic powder, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F until golden brown. These are great dipped into a bowl of warm marinara sauce.

source: Menu Musings of a Modern American Mom