ham and cheese calzonesMy son is a big ham-and-cheese-sandwich kind of guy, so I appreciated finding this new twist on an old favorite in the Recipes Kids Love group.

This one makes for a fast and easy lunch or a light dinner for those nights when you don't feel like "cooking" but you still want something warm in your little one's tummy.

It's from mother of 4 jaydenblu ...

You gotta be careful serving too much ham, though. It's high in fat and sodium. Some tasty low-sodium choices are often available at the deli counter. Once in a while, I splurge on a hormone and antibiotic free petite ham from Niman Ranch. They run about $15 for a couple of pounds, BUT you'd be surprised how far that goes. Ham is so flavorful and rich, you only need a little bit. We get several meals out of it, and I often freeze half for later.

Mini Ham and Cheese Calzones

Prep time: 10 mins.

Cook time: 15 mins.

You'll need:

1 (11 ounce) can refrigerated soft bread sticks

1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

12 slices sliced honey ham

2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Make it:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Unroll dough; separate into 12 bread sticks. Cut each bread stick crosswise in half; flatten dough to 2-inch width.

3. Spoon 1 tsp. cheese onto center of each ham piece. Fold ham over cheese to create a tight roll. Place ham roll near the end of each piece of bread stick dough, leaving a border. Fold dough over ham, pinching edges to seal. Repeat process for all ham pieces.

4. Place calzones on baking sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Makes 24 mini servings.

Check back next Thursday for another great recipe. Got a favorite toddler friendly meal or snack of your own to share with other idea-strapped mamas? Let me know about it and I may feature it here.

Past Toddler Meals:

Penne with Spinach Sauce

Soft Wraps Idea

Macaroni and Cheese Cupcakes

Breakfast Pizza

Peanut Noodles and Broccoli

Savory Cheddar Bread

Whatever's-in-the-Fridge Smoothies

Israeli Couscous Salad

Oscar's Gross Green Popsicles

Turkey Burgers with Sneaky Veggies

Red Noodles from the Hillbilly Housewife

Confetti Potatoes

Mini Meatloaves

Alex Guarnaschelli's Homemade Granola

Happy Face Baked Pancakes

Yogurt Fruit Salad

Fruit Salsa With Cinnamon Crisps

Sweet-and-Sour Chicken

Italian Goulash

Parmesan Risotto

Chicken Sausages

Barbecue Cups

Healthy Ketchup

Cinnamon Raisin Roll-Ups

Hot Dogs with Mashed Potatoes

Leftover Baby Food Idea