Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

My kids always seem to be STARVING when they get home from school in the afternoon, and my question to them is always, "Did you eat lunch today?"  And they reply, "Yes!"  Okay, so, guess I better come up with some filling snack recipes, huh?  This recipe would also double well as a cold lunch option.  I found this recipe on the Rachael Ray Magazine website.  They were so simple to throw together, and they freeze great.  My husband even said they were "really good", and coming from him, that's got to mean they're good.  I usually have to ask him what he thought of a recipe, and he offered up his opinion voluntarily as he was popping the fourth or fifth one of these!

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/budget-recipes/pepperoni-pizza-puffs

Right outta the oven!

A little dippin' sauce on the side..

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 4 ounces pepperoni, cut into small cubes (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup store-bought pizza sauce
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

Frozen Assets
Freeze the baked puffs in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. To reheat, bake the frozen puffs on a baking sheet in a 350° oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through, then stir in 1 tablespoon basil. Sprinkle the puffs with the remaining 1 tablespoon basil. Serve the puffs and red pepper slices with the pizza sauce for dipping.