Make-Your-Own-Pizza Night

Fire up the grill and cook your pizza outside tonight! The kids will love having control of the toppings, and they'll enjoy decorating the pies with their own designs. And you'll love the taste of pizza on the grill -- and keeping all that heat out of your kitchen. To keep the kids busy while you're grilling, we've included a little "just like Mom's doing" activity for them.

What you'll need:

• 1 recipe for Pizza Dough (or store-bought dough)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• Your family's favorite pizza toppings
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Kitchen tongs
• Large cutting board
• Yellow, red and white play dough or clay

What you'll do:

Make the dough (or buy it from the grocery store -- many supermarkets carry it in the frozen foods section) as directed in the above recipe. When ready to prepare dinner, heat grill to medium high. While the grill is heating, form 4 12-inch rounds from the dough, and apply 1 teaspoon olive oil to one side. When grill is ready, transfer dough rounds, olive oil side down, and grill for about 5 minutes. Set cutting board up on a table or clean work area near your grill. Brush top of dough with an additional 1 teaspoon olive oil. Flip dough using kitchen tongs, and grill for additional 5 minutes. Remove dough to a cutting board or other heat-free surface. Divide cheese and tomatoes evenly between the four rounds, and then apply toppings as each family member desires. Return dough to grill, and grill until cheese is melted. Remove from grill, and cut each pizza into quarters.

To keep young kids busy while you're rolling out the dough and cooking, let them set up their own "pizza shop" at the table -- they can make mini faux-pizzas out of the clay. They'll stay happily engaged and feel part of the action -- and you'll be able to keep your cool by the grill.

Source: parenting.ivillage.com