Greek Flatbread Pizzas and Mini Snickers Cheesecakes

Make-your-own-pizza night is always a hit with the family.  But I like to throw in a curve ball once in awhile to add new flavors and nutrition.  Mixing it up is great for kids - how many times have you been to a restaurant and when the child tastes his meal, he says, "This doesn't taste like macaroni and cheese."  By mixing up recipes, ingredients, methods, kids will get used to variety.  Not a brand name.


When you make Greek Flatbread Pizzas, set out all the ingredients, have each family member top their own pizza.  Encourage sampling a little of everything.  Since I was at music class with the baby, my husband and oldest daughter assembled and baked the pizzas. I left a list of what I wanted on my pizza (everything!).  When I returned home to dinner on the table, I was pleasantly surprised to see our daughter had the exact same pilings. When she tasted the artichoke hearts she said they tasted weird.  But continued to eat them.  I guess weird to a 4-year-old is a good thing?  She also prepped the baby's pizza.  She loved everything on there and ate the black olives first, them wanted more.  


As a special treat, Mini Snickers Cheesecakes are a fun dessert.  Kids can mix the crust and shaped into the muffin tins.  Then they can pile on the snickers before baking. 

Greek Flatbread Pizzas

Serves 4

4 whole flatbread rounds (6 inches)

1 cup pizza sauce

1/2 cup water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and quartered

1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 small green pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup sliced black olives

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place flatbread rounds on an ungreased baking sheet.  Spread each flatbread with pizza sauce.  Top with remaining ingredients. 

Bake for 8-12 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Mini Snickers Cheesecakes (from Six Sisters' Stuff)

Serves 12

2 cups chopped Snickers Bars
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons melted butter
2 (8 ounces each) packages softened cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
3 tablespoon caramel sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place chopped Snickers Bars into a bowl, set aside. Place graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter into a mixing bowl to combine. 

Spoon a couple spoonfuls of crumbs into each section of the muffin pan and press down and up the sides. Bake for 5-6 minutes or just until browned. Remove from oven.

With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in eggs and vanilla until well combined, scraping sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in caramel sauce until well combined.

Pour about 1/4 cup of cheesecake mixture over each baked crust then top evenly with chopped Snickers. Bake for 23-26 minutes or until cheesecake edges are just starting to brown and centers are nearly set. Remove and let cool completely. While still warm, loosen all edges with a plastic knife to make for easier removal from pan. Refrigerate once cooled.