Budget-Friendly Christmas Tree Pizzas: Leftovers Kids Will Eat

Here's a festive way to encourage kids to eat leftovers; Christmas Tree Pizzas! When I was growing up, mini pizzas made on English Muffins were a popular way to serve left-over meatballs. Today, things have changed.

No More English Muffins in the Budget

Somewhere along the way, English Muffins became an expensive item in the bread aisle of the local grocery store, costing between $3 and $4 at the local Big Y. Occasionally grocery stores will have a BOGO (buy-one-get-one-free deal), and Walmart has a lower price on English Muffins. If you want to buy the multi-grain, whole wheat you will pay even more. Due to their increased cost, for a mere six muffins, which three growing children can easily consume in one breakfast, English Muffins are no longer a budget-friendly choice for making leftover mini pizzas.

Budget-Friendly Christmas Tree Pizzas: Leftovers Kids Will Eat

Before you Start: Turn the oven to 350 degrees.

1. Make Tree-Shaped Bread

In an effort to make my leftover meatballs more appealing, I wanted to do what my mom did: make the leftovers into something fun. I only had square bread left and what fun is that? I dug out the Christmas tree cookie cutter and pressed the shapes into the bread.

I used regular plastic cookie cutters, pressed down firmly and popped the bread out. Now, before you think I would waste those crusts, I cut them up and toasted them to use as croutons in a salad.

You can use any shape of cookie cutter that you like, although the larger cookie cutter shapes work best. The tree was ideal because it already has a triangle shape, similar to a traditional slice of pizza.

2. Spread the Layer of Sauce

With a butter knife I smeared a thin layer of leftover spaghetti sauce on the bread.

3. Cut the Meatballs

I sliced up the cold meatballs on a cutting board using a knife. I made the slices thin and used the two edges as Christmas tree toppers.

4. Add the Cheese

We always have American cheese in the house (the real stuff, not cheese food), and I cut a slice into strips and placed the strips on the tree.

5. Optional Toppings

Feel free to add diced red or green peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives, pepperoni or any other colorful pizza toppings you know your kids will eat. I made my plain. You can let the kids "decorate" their own trees.

Heat the Christmas tree pizzas in the oven until the meatballs are hot and the cheese is melted. If you don't like to use the broil setting, bake works too. These can also be made in a toaster oven.

Serving the Budget-Friendly Christmas Tree Pizzas

Let the cheese cool before serving to kids. The size of the Christmas Tree Pizzas make them easy to eat without utensils. Serve the Christmas tree pizzas with a mini salad of baby greens or fresh green string beans.