Introduction: Mini Bun Pizzas With Basil

About: I like to make crap out of other crap. It's exciting and therapeutic, but to pay the bills I teach math.

Individual size pizzas on a bun or a roll that taste just as good out of the oven as they do the next day in lunches!

Step 1: Prep

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Gather your tools:
Baking sheet
Aluminum foil (optional)
Basting brush or spoon
Slap chop or knife
Kitchen scissors

And your ingredients:
1 package of buns. Sesame seeds really add a nice flavor.
Olive oil. Mine is fancy garlic infused but regular works just fine.
Sauce. This one little jar is enough for the whole pack of 8 buns.
Fresh basil. This is what sets this pizza apart from the norm!
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Garlic (not pictured)
Toppings: I used pepperoni and olive but use what you like.

Step 2: Olive Oil

Open up the buns and place them flat side up on the foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil on each bun, then spread it around with a spoon or basting brush.

Step 3: Sauce

Spoon a heaping tablespoon of sauce onto each bun. I skimped a little on this batch not knowing if I'd have enough for the rest of the buns, but I needn't have. Spread it around all the way to the edges.

Step 4: Basil

I can't stress enough how important the basil is. I have made pizzas without it but I was very disappointed.

Chop it up with scissors or a knife and sprinkle it on the buns.

It's important that the basil be added before the cheese. If you use it as a topping it will dry out or even burn.

Step 5: Cheese

More is more here.

Be sure to "accidentally" drop some on the foil. After broiling this becomes a chookie, which is short for cheese cookie and is crispy and delicious!

Chop up some garlic; I use about one clove for 2 or 3 pizzas. 3 cloves did this batch of 9. I like adding the garlic in the cheese step instead of as a topping because the flavor melds nicely with the cheese.

Step 6: Toppings

Use what you like. I usually use 3 or 4 slices of pepperoni for each pizza. Sliced olives are convenient but they're more expensive and don't fit on your fingers as well. I buy whole olives and slice them myself.

Step 7: Bake

About 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Step 8: Broil

Until the cheese starts browning and the pepperoni sizzles, a couple of minutes maybe. Look at those beautiful chookies! This oven at my new house does not broil evenly so beware of hot spots if yours is lousy too.

Broiling is like 600 degrees or something so let these cool a bit before your kids dig in.

Enjoy!