Gnocchi Pizza Poppers- Snack Idea for Kids
Perfect March Break Snack-tivity
Our very first March break is coming up! While I dream future breaks will be spent in a warmer climate soaking in the sun (wearing SPF of course), this year we are sticking around our house. Which means we will be searching for all the activities to entertain the littles over March Break.
When I am home with the kids for multiple days, it is only a matter of time before they start asking for snacks every 0.3 seconds. Ok, it usually happens within the first few hours! As I was brainstorming home activities, I came up with a fun snack which doubles as an activity….a term I want to coin as SNACK-TIVITY! Parents will understand this one. Parents need snacks, and not just any snacks. We need quick and easy snacks that not only keep our hangry friends satisfied, but we need to simultaneously entertain them. Keeping their little minds occupied so that everyone remains smiling. I am excited to share we will be cooking Gnocchi Pizza Poppers. The prep work for these delicious crispy bites is minimal. With a few groceries and easy instructions, your family can enjoy Gnocci Pizza Poppers in no time.
This blog post is sponsored by Olivieri Skillet Gnocchi, and while I have been an Olivieri partner for the last year, the thoughts and recipe are my own honest opinion.
We used Olivieri’s Skillet Gnocchi as the feature ingredient for this snack. I went with the real cheese and bacon filling options as this pairs nicely with the pizza theme. Skillet Gnocchi are available at your local Metro in the refrigerator section and are generously filled with Cheddar, Mozzarella, Emmental, and Comte cheeses. Skillet Gnocchi only take 5 minutes to panfry. Once they are cooked, they are crispy out the outside while being soft and creamy on the inside. This snack-tivity is perfect for children as they are made with fresh ingredients and zero artificial colours or flavours.
For this recipe, have your kids help pick which pizza toppings they want for their popper sides! I love giving kids a choice, having them lead the activity. If you have any kid friendly cutting tools, pull them out as we want our kids to be involved with all aspects of the snack-tivity. It truly is empowering having them help with the preparation.
Ingredients:
1 family size Olivieri Skillet Gnocchi in the Real Cheese or Bacon Cheddar flavour or two regular sized bags.
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Pinch of Salt & pepper to taste
Tomatoes
Basil
Onions
Mushrooms
Peppers
Mozzarella Cheese
Pizza Sauce (either homemade, from your Nonna, or store bought will work!)
Instructions:
Cooking the gnocchi
Panfry your Olivieri Skillet Gnocchi following instructions, until they are crispy on the outside. There is no need to boil these Gnocchi, simply panfry for approximately 5 minutes until they begin to turn golden. Set aside.
Cooking the toppings
1) Place your pizza sauce in a pan and reduce it by cooking the sauce on low for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl for dipping.
2) Prepare your sides! First, wash all vegetables and pat dry. Grate some fresh mozzarella, slice your peppers, cut your tomato’s and lay out some basil. I used a large platter for serving as I wanted this to be a family sized treat. If you don’t have any large platters, a regular plate will do just fine!
3) For the vegetables you wish to enjoy cooked, reuse the same pan you cooked your Gnocchi’s on and sauté your vegetables (onions, mushrooms etc).
The set up
Once everything is cooked and prepared, you are ready to set up. If you have older kids, they definitely can be apart of the cooking and prepping. Otherwise simply arrange all the ingredients charchuterie style and you are ready for the activity. Watch your kids dip their Gnocchi, grabbing different toppings along the way. I like to encourage my kids to try different flavours and see how the taste changes. My son loved to dip his Gnocchi straight into the sauce while my daughter was more adventurous with her flavours.
I hope this snack-tivity is a hit with your family as much as we enjoyed them. If you try these easy Skillet Gnocchi Pizza Poppers, TAG me on Instagram and let’s see your little ones enjoying this snack-tivity over March break.
@unstoppable.mama
