Even though Kenya has no idea what a Mummy is, he absolutely loved these hot dogs wrapped in whole wheat pizza dough. I put one in his school lunch the other day with sides of ketchup and mustard to dip it in and he was in heaven! These are probably a better Halloween treat for bigger kids who really get what Mummies are, but they taste great and are fun to eat no matter what. So if you are looking for a fun meal to serve at a party this holiday weekend, or just a fun way to liven up your hot dogs, this is a perfect recipe!

Mummy Dogs (Serves

8 Hot Dogs or Veggie Dogs
1 Package Whole Wheat Pizza Dough or Weelicious Pizza Dough
Mustard and Ketchup

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray.
3. Cut the pizza dough into 8 even strips using a pizza cutter or knife.
4. Stretch each piece of the pizza dough until it’s about 4 times the length of the hot dog.
5. Starting at the top, wrap the pizza dough around the hot dog until it’s completely covered allowing a small space for the face.
6. Place the wrapped hot dogs on the cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
7. When the hot dogs are cool, dot the ketchup and/or mustard with a toothpick for the eyes.
8. Serve.

I love childhood food memories. When I was a kid, we would go to this amazing pizza place called Mr. Gatti’s. Looking back, it probably wasn’t as amazing as I thought it was at the time, but to a kid, it was heaven. One of my favorite things they made there were pizza dough sticks. They were crusty on the outside and chewy inside. They were perfect for dipping in tomato sauce another one of my favorites. I could eat 100 of them in one sitting (and I probably tried to on many occasions!). I’m all about making homemade pizza dough because it’s so rewarding, but these days stores such as Trader Joe’s (it stinks that they don’t have one in every city — petition the management to open one near you) carry really good dough, some times in different flavors, so you have a lot of options.

With very little effort involved (except for the fun that kids will have helping you make them), cheesy pizza dough straws are a treat you can always have without going to the local pizza parlor. And just think of the great new memories your kids will have making and eating them!

Cheesy Pizza Dough Straws

1 Package Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (you can also use, white or herb pizza dough)
1/2 Cup Asiago Cheese, grated
Tomato Sauce for dipping

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Roll pizza dough on a lightly floured surface into a large square.
3. Cut into long 1/2 sticks using a knife or pizza cutter.
4. Place the cheese on a large plate and roll the pizza dough in the cheese as you twist the dough.
5. Place the twisted pizza dough on a silpat or parchment paper cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
7. Serve.

*Freeze after step 5 on baking sheets for 30 minutes then place in ziploc bags, label and freeze for up to 4 months. When ready, pop them in the oven and bake at 450 adding an additional 2-3 min cooking time.

We used these to make this recipe:

Silpat 11-5/8-by-16-1/2-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat

Oxo Good Grips Box Grater

What’s a calzone you ask? A delicious pizza pocket filled with all kinds of delicious treats. Making fresh Spinach and Prosciutto Calzones is so easy and you and your kids will love the surprise inside. If you’re vegetarian you can easily substitute the prosciutto for another vegetable or food you crave. You can make these for lunch or dinner and all of your family will think you’re a gourmet chef!

Have you ever met anyone who DIDN’T like pizza? I have come across a lot of picky eaters in my time and I can’t remember one who has an aversion to this king of all dishes. It’s kind of a no-brainer: yummy toppings on top of a crispy bread crust, baked until bubbly and delicious. The best part is that you can very simply make a slew of variations on the original theme so that everyone in your family is happy.

For any pizza aficionado, the true sign of great pizza is the crust. It all starts and ends there. In my experience, whole wheat pizza dough can either be delicious or as heavy and dense as a rock. This recipe uses half wheat and half white flours, so it has some added nutrition while also staying light and airy. I usually make a batch and then keep it around for whenever my family is in the mood — what’s better then having frozen pizza dough in the freezer that’s ready to be topped with all your favorite goodies?

On Monday I made one for my and Kenya’s lunch with simple red sauce and veggies, last night I made one for my husband with pesto and mozzarella and I still have 2 servings of dough left for whenever we need or want more. No dialing out for dinner, no wasting money on delivery or takeout, just healthy, homemade pizza that you can enjoy any time, AND it doesn’t come out of a box from the freezer section!

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (Makes Four 8 inch Pizza Dough Disks)

1 package dry yeast
1 1/3 cups lukewarm water
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for greasing bowl and brushing on pizza crusts
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

*Pizza toppings: Marinara Sauce, Pesto, Olive Oil, Mozzarella Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, Veggies and more.

1. Combine yeast and water in a bowl and allow to stand until foamy, about 5 minutes (Make sure to check the expiration date on the yeast. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast may be old and you will need to buy fresh yeast).
2. Stir the flour and salt in a bowl or a bowl of a standing mixer (using a dough hook attachment).
3. Add the olive oil and honey to the yeast mixture and stir to combine.
4. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients mix on low for 3 minutes or until smooth and elastic (you could also combine the liquid with the flours in a bowl and knead the dough on a clean surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic). You want the dough to be smooth and bounce back when you press it.
5. Transfer ball to an oiled bowl and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
7. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 15 seconds. Cut into 4 equal balls and form each into rounds and flatten with your hands into a disk. Let the 4 disks rest for 5 minutes.
8. Take a disk and pull and stretch the dough until it is approximately 9 inches across. You want the dough to be thin so it will get really crispy.
9. Bake the pizza dough for 5 minutes, remove and top with sauce, cheese and veggies and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
10. Serve.

*Freezing: Place one round disk on a parchment lined plate or cookie sheet and layer the rest of the disks on top with parchment in between. Freeze for one hour and then transfer the stack of chilled pizza disks to a freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
*When ready: remove the disks from the freezer and let them defrost in the fridge for 24 hours. Then, let them come to room temperature and continue to follow steps 8-10.