Sometimes you just need a new spin on an old classic, no? Funny Face Pizza Sticks are a great way for kids to play with their food. They still get all the flavors of pizza, just presented in a new way. I fixed this easy, kid-friendly snack-a-roo for Santa’s little helpers, and served it up with some warm marinara on the side. I won’t tell you about all the different kinds of dough I went through to find the right thickness and consistency! In the end, store bought pizza dough was the best. Slightly sweet, easy to handle, and who doesn’t love a shortcut every now and then?

You will need:

• 1 can pizza dough (not thin crust)

• 1 TBS olive oil

• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1 cup shredded, part-skim mozzarella

• Sliced black or green olives

• Mini-pepperoni

• Sliced orange or yellow bell pepper

Preheat the oven to 400. On a floured surface, slightly roll out the dough to 8×10 rectangle. With a pizza cutter, cut vertically down the middle. Next cut the dough horizontally into 4 or 5 strips, so you have 8 or ten strips of dough.

Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.

When the strips are cool enough to handle, (feel free to trim them up if desired!) drizzle each with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and the mozzarella.

Get your kiddos involved and add little faces and buttons! Pop them back in the oven for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted and barely browned. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping!