Pizza Muffins

Pizza muffins are the after-school snack that has rescued countless weeknights. Split English muffins become individual pizza bases, each one toasted to a crispy platform under a layer of sauce, shredded cheese, and whatever toppings you have on hand. Ready in about five minutes under the broiler.

This Hawaiian-leaning version goes with diced ham and chunks of pineapple, but the real value is that it is a template. Pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, leftover roast chicken, last night’s sausage all work. It is one of those recipes worth teaching a kid because they can build their own and the broiler does the rest in under three minutes.

Kid-Friendly Tips

• Toast the muffins dry for a minute or two under the broiler before adding toppings. Crisping the cut side first prevents soggy bottoms when the sauce soaks in.
• Spread the sauce thin. Too much and the cheese slides off the edges. A tablespoon per half is plenty.
• Shred your own cheese if possible. Pre-shredded bags are coated with anti-caking starch that stops it from melting smoothly.
• Watch the broiler. Two to three minutes is all it takes to melt and brown; walk away and you get charcoal muffins.

Variations

• Classic pepperoni and mozzarella for the traditional version.
• Swap pineapple and ham for pesto and sliced cherry tomatoes for a margherita feel.
• Use bagels or split mini naan in place of English muffins for a chewier base.