Kid-Friendly Meals
With summer in full swing, it gets harder to keep snacks and quick meals on hand for your family members.
This week, we feature some kid-friendly (and kids at heart) quick grab and pre-prep ideas. And as an extra bonus...many are ideas that kids can help with!
Easy Overnight Oats
Prep Time: 5 min.
Additional Time: 8 hrs.
Total Time: 8 hrs. 5 min.
Servings: 1
1/3 C. milk
1/4 C. Greek yogurt
1/4 C. rolled oats
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. chia seeds
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon or more to taste
1/4 C. fresh blueberries
Combine milk, yogurt, oats, honey, chia seeds, and cinnamon in a 1/2-pint jar with a lid; cover and shake until combined. Fold in blueberries.
Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
Bacon Breakfast Pizza
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 15 min.
Servings: 8
1 tube (13.8 oz.) refrigerated pizza crust
2 T. olive oil, divided
6 lg. eggs
2 T. water
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 400°. Unroll and press dough onto bottom and 1/2 in. up sides of a greased 15x10x1-in. pan. Prick thoroughly with a fork; brush with 1 T. oil. Bake until lightly browned, 7-8 min.
Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and water. In a nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 T. oil over medium heat. Add eggs; cook and stir just until thickened and no liquid egg remains. Spoon over crust. Sprinkle with bacon and cheeses.
Bake until cheese is melted, 5-7 min.
Peanut Butter Granola Pinwheels
Prep Time: 10 min.
Servings: 16 pinwheels
4 T. creamy peanut butter
2 flour tortillas (8 in.)
2 tsp. honey
1/2 C. granola without raisins
Spread peanut butter over each tortilla; drizzle with honey and sprinkle with granola. Roll up; cut into slices.
Energy Balls
Prep Time: 10 min.
Additional Time: 30 min.
Total Time: 40 min.
Servings: 20
1 C. old-fashioned oats
1/2 C. peanut butter
1/2 C. ground flax seed
1/2 C. chocolate chips
1/3 C. honey
1 T. chia seeds (opt.)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Combine oats, peanut butter, ground flaxseed, chocolate chips, honey, chia seeds, and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator; roll into twenty 1-inch diameter balls.
Pizza Sandwiches
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 10 min.
Servings: 4
8 slices Italian bread (3/4” thick)
8 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese
8 slices tomato
4 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
24 slices pepperoni
1/4 C. butter, softened
Pizza sauce, warmed
On four slices of bread, layer one slice of mozzarella, two slices of tomato, 1 tsp. Parmesan cheese, a dash of garlic salt and six slices pepperoni. Top with remaining mozzarella and bread. Spread outside of sandwiches with butter.
On a hot griddle, toast sandwiches until golden brown, 3-4 min. on each side. Serve with pizza sauce.
Muffin-Tin Lasagna Cups
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 20 min.
Servings: 6
1 lg. egg, lightly beaten
1 carton (15 oz.) part-skim ricotta cheese
2 C. shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
1 T. olive oil
24 wonton wrappers
1 jar (24 oz.) pasta sauce
Minced fresh parsley, optional
Preheat oven to 375°. In a bowl, mix egg, ricotta cheese and 1-1/4 C. Italian cheese blend.
Generously grease 12 muffin cups with oil; line each with a wonton wrapper. Fill each with 1 T. ricotta mixture and 1-1/2 T. pasta sauce. Top each with a second wrapper, rotating corners and pressing down centers. Repeat ricotta and sauce layers. Sprinkle with remaining cheese blend.
Bake until cheese is melted, 20-25 min. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.
Lunch Box Pizzas
Total Time: 20 min.
Servings: 10
1 tube (7-1/2 oz.) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 biscuits)
1/4 C. tomato sauce
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
10 slices pepperoni
3/4 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Flatten each biscuit into a 3-in. circle and press into a greased muffin cup. Combine the tomato sauce and Italian seasoning; spoon 1 teaspoonful into each cup. Top each with a slice of pepperoni and about 1 tablespoon of cheese.
Bake at 425° until golden brown, 10-15 min. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.
Mini S’mores
Prep Time: 50 min.
Cook Time: 5 min.
Servings: About 4 dozen
2 C. milk chocolate chips
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
1 pkg. (14.4 oz.) graham crackers, quartered
1 C. marshmallow creme
2 cartons (7 oz. each) milk chocolate for dipping
Place chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; stir with a whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature or until mixture reaches a spreading consistency, about 10 min.
Spread chocolate mixture over half of the graham crackers. Spread marshmallow creme over remaining graham crackers; place over chocolate-covered crackers, pressing to adhere.
Melt dipping chocolate according to package directions. Dip each s’more halfway into dipping chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets; let stand until dipping chocolate is set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 2 min.
Total Time: 7 min.
Servings: 1
1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. white sugar
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
3 T. milk
2 T. canola oil
1 T. water
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large microwave-safe mug; stir in milk, canola oil, water, and vanilla extract.
Cook in the microwave until cake is done in the middle, about 1 min. 45 seconds.
Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 10 min.
Servings: about 5 doz.
1 C. butter, softened
1 C. sugar
1 C. packed brown sugar
2 lg. eggs, room temperature
1 T. molasses
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C. all-purpose flour
2 C. quick-cooking oats
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. each raisins and chopped pecans
1 C. semisweet chocolate chips
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 min. Add the eggs, molasses and vanilla; beat well.
Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the raisins, pecans and chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 9-10 min. or until lightly browned. Cool on pans for 2 min. before removing to wire racks.
Apple Pie Bites
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 15 min.
Servings: 16
1/2 C. sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 sheets refrigerated pie crust
3 T. butter, melted, divided
2 med. tart apples
Caramel sauce, optional
Preheat oven to 425°. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon; reserve 1 T. On a lightly floured surface, unroll pie crusts; roll and trim each to an 8-in. square. Brush with 2 T. butter; sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Cut each square into eight 1-in. strips.
Peel and cut each apple into 8 wedges; wrap 1 strip of pastry around each wedge, placing sugared side of pastry against the apple.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with remaining butter; sprinkle with reserved sugar mixture. Bake 13-15 min. or until pastry is golden brown. Serve warm, with caramel sauce if desired.
Cereal & Milk Ice Cream Sandwiches
Prep Time: 10 min.
Servings: 4
2 T. Cap’n Crunch® cereal
2 T. Froot Loops® cereal
2 T. Fruity Pebbles® cereal
3/4 C. dulce de leche ice cream, softened
4 Rice Krispies® treats (2.2 oz. each), halved lengthwise
1 T. hot caramel ice cream topping, warmed
In a shallow bowl, combine cereals. Spread ice cream onto the bottom half of each Rice Krispies® treat. Drizzle with ice cream topping. Replace top half of Rice Krispies® treat. Roll sides in cereal mixture. Place on a baking sheet; freeze for at least 1 hour.
Quote of the Week:
“Flowers don’t worry about how they’re going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light, and that makes them beautiful.”
~ Jim Carrey
