Hot Pizza Dip Bites

We are starting to warm up around here so I thought I better share some recipes that need the oven before we move into the the "it's too hot and i'm not turning on the oven" phase at our house.

I hope we still have several more months but you never know with this weather!  My kids are playing outside right now and I have the house to myself.  It's just absolutely wonderful.

I've shared with you before that the hubs has a couple staple food items in his life.  One of them is cream cheese.   If I add cream cheese to anything he is in complete heaven. So I was intrigued by this idea of using cream cheese as a base for this pizza.  

OH.MY.WORD. He was in 7th heaven and had the hardest time not eating the whole batch.  He even loved them so much we made them for his work just a couple days later.  All the layers of cheese are delicious and they can be completely customized to your add taste buds. You can add veggies, ham, pineapple, really whatever you want. So yummy!

Hot Pizza Dip Bites

(click here for printable version)

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp fresh minced garlic
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup pizza sauce or good marinara sauce
Toppings: finely chopped pepperoni, sausage, pineapple, green peppers, ham, etc.
24 square wonton wrappers

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, oregano, basil and garlic until smooth. Set aside.

2. Lightly grease a mini-muffin tin pan with cooking spray and press one wonton wrapper gently into each muffin tin, carefully but firmly pressing it into the sides of the cups. Bake the wonton wrappers for 4-6 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove the pan from the oven, keeping the wonton wrappers in the mini cups.

3. Dollop a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of each wonton cup. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Top with a teaspoon of the pizza sauce, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and finally your chosen toppings. Bake for 10 more minutes or until the filling is bubbly and wonton edges are golden brown. Serve warm!

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe