Browsed by
Category: Child Friendly

Honey Nut Chicken Sticks

Honey Nut Chicken Sticks

2 lb. chicken tenders
Salt and pepper
1 C.  All-purpose flour
3 eggs
A splash milk
2 C. honey nut flavored cereal (recommended: Honey Nut Corn Flakes)
1 C.  Bread crumbs
1 T. sweet paprika
1 T. poultry seasoning
2 T. grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Seasoning)
1/4 C.  Vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Season chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Place flour in a large shallow dish. Coat chicken in flour. Beat eggs and milk in a shallow dish. Combine cereal, bread crumbs, paprika, poultry seasoning, grill seasoning and vegetable oil in food processor. Transfer breading to a shallow dish. Place a nonstick baking sheet near chicken breading station. In batches, take flour coated chicken and coat in eggs then in breading and place on nonstick cookie sheet. When all the chicken has been coated, transfer to oven and bake 15 minutes, until evenly brown and cooked through. Cool and serve, or pack up for a picnic! This chicken may be served hot or cold.

 Honey Nut Chicken Sticks

Yields:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Corn Dog Mini Muffins

Corn Dog Mini Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Hot dogs

corn dog mini muffin

Mix together dry ingredients. Then add the liquid ingredients. Stir until mixed thoroughly. Scoop into a greased mini muffin pan, filling the cups about 2/3’s of the way full. Take hotdogs and cut into 1 inch pieces. Stick into the muffin mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until the cornbread is a nice golden color. They make the perfect dipping size for kids as well as a great appetizer.

 

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Cow Bento

Cow Bento

I didn’t make it, so I don’t know what all is in there.  Looks like a Onigiri Rice Ball, deocrated with nori, cheese, ham and carrot.  Cherry tomato, apple, broccoli, japanese rolled omelet with cheese.  I just can’t identify the frightening looking organ intestinesque item on the right!


Banana Snake Bento

Banana Snake Bento

Hard Boiled Eggs

Pepper Stars

Broccoli

Mozzarella Balls

Lemon Pepper

Strawberries

Banana, Apricot Fruit Roll Up

Sweet Bread / Pound Cake / Sandwich

 

Frog in a Bog Muffins

Frog in a Bog Muffins

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened

¼ cup light brown sugar

1 cup milk

2 large eggs

1 cup frozen corn, thawed (or fresh blanched corn)

12 oz. turkey sausage, cut into 12 equal pieces

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease (or line with paper cups) a 12-cup muffin tin. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and light brown sugar and mix 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Add the milk, eggs, and corn, and mix on low speed until combined. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin tin and press a piece of sausage into the center of each muffin. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden-brown and a toothpick inserted into their centers comes out clean. Let cool slightly before serving.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Fairy Bread

Fairy Bread

fairy breadBread slices (white bread is best)

Sprinkles (also known as 100s and 1000s)

Butter or margarine

Take out white bread, cut off the crusts. Or, leave them on. The fairy bread looks and tastes better when you use white bread, but any kind is okay.  Spread some butter. Margarine can be used as a substitute but butter tastes better to many people.  Put sprinkles on top.  Cut the bread into different shapes. Triangles are traditional for fairy bread shapes.  Serve on a pretty plate. You can also substitute the butter for nutella. It gives it a lovely chocolate taste.

Arctic Oranges

Arctic Oranges

4 oranges

4 cups orange juice

4 cherries

 

Cut the tops off the oranges in a zigzag pattern. Hollow out the insides, remove the seeds and combine in a blender with the juice. Set the rinds in a muffin tin and fill with the mixture. Drop a cherry inside each orange. Freeze for 2 to 3 hours. Soften the treats for 5 minutes, then serve.

Zucchini Boats

Zucchini Boats

4 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise and seeds removed

1/2 lb. lean Italian sausage

4 oz. light cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 C. shredded Pepper Jack cheese

1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese

1 T. fresh or 1 tsp. dried chives

 

Using a spoon, scoop seeds and part of the pulp from center of zucchini slices, leaving ¼ to ½-inch wall. Combine cooked and drained sausage, cream cheese, Jack cheese, Parmesan cheese and chives in a bowl and mix well. With a spoon, stuff zucchini boats with cheese mixture. Place boats on a lightly greased baking dish and bake until heated thru and cheese is melted, about 8 minutes.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Marble Potatoes

Marble Potatoes

1 can whole potatoes, well drained

1 tsp. Olive oil

1 tsp. Butter

1 Garlic clove, chopped finely

Kosher salt

Black pepper, freshly cracked

Parsley, chopped finely

 

Using a melon baller, make rounded balls from the potatoes. They can be made the day before, covered and refrigerated. When ready to cook the potato balls, heat skillet on medium heat, add an equal amount of olive oil and butter. Sauté the potato balls in a large frying pan until done, shaking the pan periodically (this takes about 5 to 10 minutes). Add chopped garlic, salt and pepper to taste. DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC. Remove from heat, plate up on each individual plate, add parsley leaves and serve.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Fairy Bread

Fairy Bread


Bread slices (white bread is best)

Sprinkles

Butter or margarine

 

Take out white bread, cut off the crusts. Or, leave them on. The fairy bread looks and tastes better when you use white bread, but any kind is okay.  Spread some butter. Margarine can be used as a substitute but butter tastes better to many people.  Put sprinkles on top.  Cut the bread into different shapes. Triangles are traditional for fairy bread shapes.  Serve on a pretty plate. You can also substitute the butter for nutella. It gives it a lovely chocolate taste.

Appley-Yogurt Dip

Appley-Yogurt Dip

 

1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup Natural applesauce

 

Mix yogurt and applesauce and dip in your favorite fruits – some Toddlers even love this for dipping veggies!

Applesauce Pancakes

Applesauce Pancakes

 

2 C. dry pancake Mix

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 eggs

1 C. applesauce

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 C. milk

 

In a large bowl, stir together pancake Mix and cinnamon. Make a well in the center of the pancake Mix. Add the eggs, applesauce, lemon juice and milk; stir until smooth.  Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 C. for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Applesauce Gel Squares

Applesauce Gel Squares

 

1/8 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

1 C. unsweetened applesauce

2 C. apple juice

3 small packages unflavored gelatin*

 

In a small bowl, mix cinnamon into applesauce and set aside. Pour 1 C. cold apple juice in 8×8 pan and sprinkle gelatin on top. Heat remaining 1 C. of apple juice in the microwave for 3 minutes or until boiling. Stir boiling juice into the gelatin and cold apple juice. Stir in applesauce. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour and then stir to keep applesauce evenly distributed. If you omit this step the applesauce settles to the bottom, but it still tastes great! Refrigerate for an additional 2 1/2 hours or until firm.  Cut into squares with a knife, or use cookie cutters to cut into shapes, and serve. * Unflavored gelatin can be found near the jello at a grocery store. It is great to have on hand for making finger jello from juice. One envelope (7 grams) gels one C. of liquid.

Andrea’s Alphabet Soup

Andrea’s Alphabet Soup

 

2 tsp. olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 garlic clove, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 C. carrots, diced

2 14-oz. cans tomatoes, peeled with liquid

1 pint tomato juice

kosher salt and pepper

3 oz. alphabet pasta

10 oz. box frozen petit peas, or 1 C. frozen edamame (out of the pod)

 

Chop onion, garlic and celery. Heat oil in a large saucepan and cook onion, garlic and celery over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until soft and transparent but not browned. Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Chop carrots and add them, tomato juice and seasoning. Bring to boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. In a hand blender or food processor, blend a third of soup until smooth, then return it to pan. Heat to boiling, then add pasta and cook over medium heat for another 10 minutes, until pasta is cooked. During last three minutes of cooking, add frozen peas or edamame.

Alton Brown’s Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Alton Brown’s Baked Macaroni and Cheese

 

1/2 pound elbow macaroni

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon powdered mustard

3 cups milk

1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 large egg

12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh black pepper

Topping:

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup panko bread crumbs

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.  While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it’s free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.  Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.  Melt the butter in a sauté pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.  Remember to save leftovers for fried Macaroni and Cheese.

Alton Brown’s Next Day Mac and Cheese “Toast”

Alton Brown’s Next Day Mac and Cheese “Toast”

 

Leftover baked macaroni and cheese, refrigerated for at least overnight

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 egg beaten with 2 ounces water

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Oil for deep frying, preheated to 375 degrees

 

Cut refrigerated macaroni and cheese into slices or bite size pieces.  Season the flour with salt, pepper and cayenne. Dredge each piece through the flour and gently tap off excess. Dip in the egg wash and then coat with the bread crumbs. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes so the crust can set. Very carefully drop into the oil and fry until golden brown. Remove to a baking sheet fitted with a rack and rest for 2 minutes before serving.

A Square Breakfast

A Square Breakfast

 

8 slices bread, crusts removed

4 slices Ham

4 slices Cheddar Cheese

1 small Anaheim pepper, cut into thin strips

Butter

2 C. whole milk or 1/2 & 1/2

1 large egg

Salt and pepper to taste

Butter bread on both sides. Arrange four slices in a lightly buttered 8×8-in baking dish. Place ham and cheese on each bread slice in dish, sprinkle pepper on top of cheese and top each with second slice of buttered bread. Combine milk and egg in a bowl and whisk to blend. Whisk in salt and pepper to taste.  Pour milk mixture over sandwiches and allow to soak up to 1 hour. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for about 45 minutes. To serve, cut into 4 pieces with a spatula or knife and lift each sandwich onto a plate. Serve with Tabasco and orange wedges or chunky salsa.

A Collection of Tea Sandwiches

A Collection of Tea Sandwiches

Curried chicken salad

 

2 C. diced chicken

3/4 C. Mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. Curry powder

1/2 tsp. Lemon juice

1/2 tsp. Chutney

 

Mix ingredients together and spread over bread.  Use cookie cutters to trim into fun shapes.  Decorate with edible flowers, berries, or springs of herbs.

 

 

Chili Pepper-Cilantro Butter:

 

1 stick salted butter, softened

1 red chili pepper, finely chopped

1 tsp. cilantro

1 1/2 tsp. lime juice

 

Mash butter and mix in remaining ingredients. Spread over bread.  Use cookie cutters to trim into fun shapes.  Decorate with edible flowers, berries, or springs of herbs.

 

 

Rosemary-Garlic Butter

 

1 stick salted butter, softened

1 T. fresh rosemary

1 clove garlic, minced

 

Mash butter and mix in remaining ingredients. Spread over bread.  Use cookie cutters to trim into fun shapes.  Decorate with edible flowers, berries, or springs of herbs.

 

 

Scallion-Ginger Butter

 

1 stick salted butter, softened

1 T. minced scallions

1 1/2 tsp. grated gingerroot

1 tsp. rice-wine vinegar

 

Mash butter and mix in remaining ingredients. Spread over bread.  Use cookie cutters to trim into fun shapes.  Decorate with edible flowers, berries, or springs of herbs.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

 

 

 

20 Uses for Kool-Aid

20 Uses for Kool-Aid

 

1. Make Easy Flavored Kool-Aid Frosting

Stir a package of Kool-Aid into a can of vanilla frosting.

 

2. Frosting for a Jello Cake

Fold in a pack of Kool-Aid into a container of thawed whipped topping. If the frosting tastes a little too sour, add in a little sweetener to taste.

 

3. Make Kool-Aid Lip Gloss

To make a fruity lip gloss put a small amount of petroleum jelly into a microwave-safe bowl. Stir some Kool-Aid in, enough to make it the color you desire. Add a little sugar, then, place the bowl in a microwave oven for about five or six seconds, just enough to soften it.

 

4. Make Sand Art With Kool-Aid

Draw pictures on paper, spread a thin layer of Elmer’s glue over one part of the picture. It’s better to start at the top of the picture and work down. Sprinkle Kool-Aid over the glue and press it down gently. Shake off the excess powder off, and go on to the next color.

 

5. Temporarily Dye Your Hair With Kool-Aid

In a glass bowl mix a packet of Kool-Aid with a teaspoon of corn starch and just enough water to make a paste. Apply the paste to clean, dry hair and let set for five minutes, rinse the paste out.

 

6. Make Spooky Party Decorations

Just place some dry ice- don’t touch it with your hands!- into a glass, and pour a packet of any flavor Kool-Aid into it. Kids will watch with fascination as the dry ice and Kool-Aid bubbles and mists.

 

7. Make Kool-Aid Clay for the Kids

Mix together 1 cup of flour, a 1/4 cup of salt, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar and a pack of Kool-Aid in a pan. Stir in 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat stirring until the mixture thickens, remove from heat and let it cool. Knead the Kool-Aid clay until smooth. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator until use.

 

8. Remove Chlorine From Your Hair

Use Lemonade flavored Kool-Aid. Pour a little Kool-Aid in your hand, then add shampoo and lather up. Let the Kool-Aid/shampoo set on your hair for fifteen minutes before you rinse it and then shampoo out well. (and we drink this??)

 

9. Kool-Aid Water Colors

Pour Kool-Aid into ice cube tray, one compartment per color. Stir 1 tablespoon of water into each compartment; stir until the powders are completely dissolved.

 

10. Tie Dye with Kool-Aid

You can dye any cotton item such as tee shirts, socks, bed sheets, towels, as long as it is cotton. The article you want to tie dye must be clean and dry. Pour each color package of Kool-Aid into an individual glass bowl. Stir an ¼ cup of white vinegar into each bowl; make sure the powders dissolve completely. Gather the fabric up in several places and secure with several rubber bands. Dip each bunch into a bowl of Kool-Aid. Leave the rubber bands in place and set aside to dry. Once dry, remove the rubber bands and spread it out so it can completely dry. Put it in the clothes dryer by itself and dry on high for 15 minutes to set the colors in.

 

11. Use Kool-Aid to Check for Toilet Tank Leaks (this is funny to me)

Lift the lid off the toilet tank and pour Kool-Aid into the tank. The darker colors work the best. Don’t flush the toilet! Just watch the toilet bowl, if you see the Kool-Aid float through from the tank, then you have a leak. The test can take fro 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the leak.

 

12. Removing Rust Stains

Remove rust stains on your driveway by mixing unsweetened lemon Kool-Aid with just a little water and scrub. (see #8)

 

13. Cleaning the Inside of your Dishwasher

Dump a packet of unsweetened lemon Kool-Aid into the soap dispenser, run the wash cycle. Removes stains and hard water deposits.

 

14. Dyes for Easter Eggs

Mix a packet of Kool-Aid in a cup with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and ½ cup of water

 

15. Kool-Aid Stands

Send the kids out to sell and play–they can sugar up other people’s kids.:)

 

16. Decorating Cookies

Use in place of colored sugars, just sprinkle a little across the top

 

17. Science Project with Plants

Place a stalk of celery in water with Kool-Aid in it to demonstrate how the Kool-Aid is drawn up into the stalk with the water.

 

18. Coloring Flowers

Place carnations, daisies or any white flower in water with Kool-Aid in it and watch the flowers turn colors.

 

19. Demonstrate a Non-Newtonian Substance

Mix equal parts cornstarch and water that has been colored with a pack of Kool-aid. Mix with fingers and observe that this substance fluctuates between solid and liquid.

 

20. Shower Prank (look out, Gourmet Dad!)

This is a simple prank. All you have to do remove the shower head from your shower and pour in the kool-aid packet into the shower head. NOTE: Make sure you are not the next one to take a shower.:)

 

As a side note:

A dab of toothpaste on a damp paper towel cleans up stubborn Kool-Aid stains off both skin and countertops.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Touchdown Taco Pockets

Touchdown Taco Pockets

 

4 cans refrigerator biscuits (any kind)

1 lb. ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

Water

Shredded cheese

Optional garnishes: lettuce, sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown ground beef in a medium skillet. Add taco seasoning and water as directed on package. Cook as directed. Remove from heat. On a cutting board, place 2 biscuits together and roll out into an oval with a rolling pin. Repeat with another 2 biscuits. Place a spoonful of taco meat and a spoonful of shredded cheese on one of the rolled out biscuits and place the other oval on top. Using a fork, press around edges to seal. Take a sharp knife and cut out a football shape. Make “laces” on top of the football with the scraps (see video tutorial). Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 8-12 minutes until done. Serve up with your favorite taco fixins’.

Carrot and Cheese Muffins

Carrot and Cheese Muffins

¾ C. Self-Rising Flour

¼ tsp. Baking Soda

Pinch Salt

Pinch Paprika

1/3 C. grated Cheddar

1/3 C. freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for topping

2 T. Milk

2 T. Canola Oil

¼ C. plain Yogurt

1 T. Maple Syrup

1 Egg

1 Medium Carrot, finely grated

1 tsp. snipped Chives (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350.  Line mini muffin pan with 18 paper cups or standard muffin pan with 6 cups.  Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, paprika and cheeses together in a bowl.  Beat milk, oil, yogurt, maple syrup and egg together in another bowl.  Stir wet mixture into dry mixture, just enough to combine, then stir in carrot and chives.  Fill muffin cups almost to the top.  Sprinkle on a little extra parmesan cheese.  Bake mini muffins 14-16 minutes or regular muffins 25-30 minutes.  Muffins should rise and turn golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

From Top 100 Finger Foods

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Puff Pastry Pizza Roll

Puff Pastry Pizza Roll

1 sheet of  Puff Pastry (thawed)

Pizza Sauce

Pepperoni

Mozzarella Provolone Cheese

1 egg (lightly beaten)

Dried basil

Heat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Top your puff pastry sheet with pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni. Fold over one edge and carefully roll the puff pastry and toppings into a log. Brush a little egg over the top and sprinkle on some dried basil.  Using a very sharp knife cut the pizza roll into slices that are about 3/4 inch thick.   Lay the slices on one side on the parchment paper and bake for about 15 minutes.

puff pastry pizza rolls

Crispy Cheese Stars

Crispy Cheese Stars

Crispy Cheese StarsFlour tortillas

Sliced cheese (cheddar, provolone, or mozzarella)

Chili powder or paprika

2 Star Cookie Cutters, in graduated size

 

Heat the oven to 350°. Use the larger cookie cutter to cut out stars from flour tortillas (about 5 per 10-inch tortilla). It’s easy for kids to do if you use a rolling pin to roll back and forth over the cutter. Bake the stars on a foil-covered cookie sheet for 5 minutes.  Use the smaller cookie cutter to cut out an equal number of cheese stars from the sliced cheese and place them atop the tortilla ones. Bake the stars for 2 more minutes or so until the cheese melts.  Sprinkle the stars with chili powder or paprika and let them cool before serving.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Braised Beef with Carrot, Parsnip and Potato

Braised Beef with Carrot, Parsnip and Potato

2 tbsp butter

1 cup leeks, sliced

6oz lean stew beef cut into cubes

1 1/2 cup sliced carrots

1 cup peeled and chopped parsnips

1/2 lb potatoes chopped

2 cups unsalted beef stock or chicken stock

 

Preheat oven to 350. Heat the butter in a flame proof casserole, add the leeks, and sauté for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the beef and sauté until browned. Add the carrots, parsnips, and potatoes, cover with stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Transfer the casserole to the preheated oven and cook for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until the meat is soft. Blend to a puree to the desired consistency.

 

6-9 months

Monster Mouth Pasta Shells

Monster Mouth Pasta Shells

 

1 tsp. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 pound ground beef

2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

4 slices American cheese, chopped

1/2 package (12 ounces) jumbo pasta shells (about 18 shells), cooked and drained

baby carrots, olives, red bell pepper, small pickles and cheese slices for decoration

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 13×9 inch baking dish.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bacon. Cook until onion is tender. Add beef, then cook and stir about 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Stir in tomatoes, cheese, salt and black pepper. Spoon mixture into cooked shells, then place in prepared baking dish.  Cut carrots into very thin strips. Cut small slit in each olive and poke one end of thin carrot strip into each olive for “eye.” Cut red bell pepper into fang shapes. Slice pickle lengthwise to make tongue shape. Cut cheese slice into zigzag pattern for teeth.  Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until hot and remove from oven.  Decorate as desired with olive and carrot eyes, bell pepper fangs, pickle tongue and cheese teeth. Serve immediately.

Frankenstein Tamale Pie

Frankenstein Tamale Pie

1 T. vegetable oil

1/2 C. chopped onion

1/3 C. chopped red bell pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 pound ground turkey

3/4 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) Mexican type stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 can (15 ounces) chili beans in mild chili sauce, undrained

1 C. corn

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 package (8 1/2 ounces) corn muffin mix plus ingredients to prepare mix

2 C. Taco flavored shredded cheese, divided

green and red bell pepper, pickle slices, pimiento pieces, chopped onion, chopped black olives and carrots for decoration

 

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper, then cook until crisp tender. Stir in garlic. Add turkey and cook until turkey is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Stir in chili powder and oregano. Add tomatoes with juice and cook for 2 minutes, breaking up tomatoes with spoon while stirring. Stir in beans with sauce, corn and black pepper, then simmer 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about half.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish. Prepare corn muffin mix according to package directions and stir in 1/2 C. cheese. Spread half of turkey mixture in prepared casserole; sprinkle with 3/4 C. cheese. Top with remaining turkey mixture and 3/4 C. cheese. Top with corn muffin batter. Decorate with assorted vegetables to make monster face.  Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until light golden brown.  NOTE: If desired, you can make this pie cute instead of creepy by creating a simple Jack O Lantern face with bell pepper cutouts.

Applesauce with Dried Cranberries

Applesauce with Dried Cranberries

2 1/4 lb. large McIntosh apples-peeled, quartered and cored

2 T. fresh lemon juice

Three 1-by-3-inch strips of lemon zest

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. sparkling apple cider

1/2 C. dried cranberries

 

In a large saucepan, bring the apples, lemon juice and zest, sugar, sparkling cider and cranberries to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat until the apples soften, 20 minutes; stir to break up the apples slightly. Transfer to a bowl; discard the lemon zest. Serve warm or at room temperature. Make Ahead: The applesauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Applesauce on a Stick

Applesauce on a Stick

1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

3 medium apples unpeeled cored and cut up

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup dark raisins

1 tablespoon sugar or to taste

Popsicle sticks

 

Process apples, juice, cinnamon and raisins in blender or food processor until smooth; add sugar to taste. It will taste less sweet when frozen. Spoon into 3-4 ounce paper or plastic cups or frozen sucker molds. Place in freezer. When partially frozen, insert a stick in each cup and finish freezing.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Apple Smiles

Apple Smiles

1 red apple

1/4 to 1/3 C. soft cheese, Tillamook® Cheese spread or peanut butter

jicama (about 32 1⁄2 inch cubes)

Using two slices of apple, spread cheese or peanut butter on one side of each apple slice. Place four jicama cubes on the cheese side. Put the other apple slice, cheese side down, on top of the jicama cubes. The peelings should both face the same way, making the lips. The jicama cubes are the teeth.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber: