Browsed by
Category: Child Friendly

Crispy Pepperoni Chips

Crispy Pepperoni Chips

6 ounces pepperoni, thinly sliced

chip

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lay the pepperoni slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and soak up the excess grease by pressing paper towels against the pepperoni chips. Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 2 to 4 minutes, until the pepperoni slices are very crispy. Serve as a snack anytime or use in place of crackers for dipping or for topping with your favorite cheese! They’ll stay fresh and crispy for 1 to 2 days if you store them in an airtight container.

 

Yield: 4 servings

Calories: 211

Fat: 19g

Fiber: 0g

 

 

Secret Message Decoder Cookies

Secret Message Decoder Cookies

Cookies with a twist! Red candy melted in the center of each cookie acts as a decoder on your handwritten valentines. On white paper simply write your secret message with a light-blue fine point marker. Then, using orange, red, and pink markers, doodle shapes, scribbles, or words over the rest of the paper. Go ahead and doodle right over your secret message because your decoder cookie will only reveal your secret message and everything else will disappear!

1 cup buttersooooofun602870870401_C_Detail

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

5 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. soda

1/4 cup milk

Red, hard, transparent candies/crushed to fine pieces

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together with mixer. Add vanilla. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. In separate bowl add flour, salt, soda, and baking powder. Stir together. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with milk and stir until dough is smooth. Chill until dough is stiff. Prepare baking sheet by covering with a sheet of foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Don’t skip this step–you need the foil or the candy will stick to the pan! On floured surface roll a portion of the dough to 1/4″ thick. Cut out with large heart cookie cutter (approx. 4″) and place 1″ apart on baking sheet. Cut center with a slightly smaller heart cutter and remove dough. Using a small teaspoon carefully fill center with crushed candy. Bake for 10-12 min. or until lightly golden on edges. Cool completely before removing cookies. Store in an airtight container or individual cellophane bags and attach paper valentine.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Luscious Lunch on a Stick

Luscious Lunch on a Stick

luscious-lunch-on-a-stick-recipe-photo-260-ak-0001You can make up “Kebabs” with many different foods, using straws instead of skewers. They are quick to put together and easy to pack in the lunch box. Add a container of ketchup or a dip for extra flavour. Here are some ideas for you to try, but feel free to make up your own combinations, choosing healthy foods that your child enjoys. There is plenty of scope for your children to help with this task.

Slices of ham or turkey rolled up and interspersed with cubes of cheese and wedges of pineapple

Cherry tomatoes and chunks of cucumber mozzarella cheese

Slices of cooked sausage and gherkin

Pieces of carrot, celery, cucumber, bell pepper, and baby corn

Squares of Spanish omelette

Salami, cubes of mozzarella cheese, and cherry tomatoes

 

Skewer any combination above for a perfect lunch or finger food snack for the kids.

 

From Lunch Boxes and Snacks

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Philly Soft Pretzels

Philly Soft Pretzels

1 T. dry yeast

1 1/4 C. warm water

3-4 C. flour

2 tsp. salt

4 tsp. baking soda

kosher or margarita salt

 

Dissolve yeast thoroughly in 1/4 C. warm water. Mix 3 C. flour and salt in large bowl. Add yeast with remaining 1 C. water. Add enough additional flour to make dough stiff. Knead 10 minutes or till dough feels elastic. Form into ball. Place in bowl and spread with butter. Cover with towel and let rise till doubled, about 45 minutes. Divide dough into 12 small balls and roll between hands (or on counter) to form a rope. Form into pretzel shapes, wetting and pinching ends firmly. Dissolve baking soda in 4 C. water and bring to a boil. Drop pretzels, a few at a time, in water and boil till they float to the top, about 1 minute. Remove and drain. Place on buttered baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and bake at 475 for 15-20 minutes or till golden brown. Place on rack to cool.

Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

Source: The Gastrokid Cookbook

 

1 whole boneless skinless chicken breast (2 halves of 1 breast)

1 cup grated cheese

1 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

salt

1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper

1 large egg

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

Cut the chicken breasts into two thin cutlets. Combine the Parmesan through pepper in a bowl. Mix it together, then spread on a plate (I kept it in a shallow bowl and that worked fine. Also didn’t dirty another dish). In a separate bowl, beat the egg. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil. Once the butter has foamed and subsided, the butter-oil is smoking, start cooking. One at a time, dip the chicken into the egg, then dip in the bread crumbs and press to coat both sides. Carefully, place the chicken into the hot skillet and fry for several minutes on each side. Do not crowd the pan, and cook in batches if you need to. Set on paper towels to drain before serving.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Lemon-Lime Soda Pop

Lemon-Lime Soda Pop

Lemon-Lime Soda Pop2 T. lemon juice

1 T. lime juice

1/4 C. plus 1 T. thawed apple juice concentrate

3 ice cubes

1 C. soda water

Combine everything in a glass and stir. Add more ice if desired.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Frozen Banana Rolls

Frozen Banana Rolls

1 tortilla (I use La Tortilla wholegrain low-carb, so flexible!)

1 banana (I’ve found the ones slightly past their prime are best)

your favorite brand of peanut butter

a dinner plate covered in plastic wrap

a good, sharp chef’s knife.

 

Lay the tortilla on the wrap-covered plate. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter evenly over the entire top surface, right to the edges. A couple of inches away from the edge lay the peeled banana directly onto the peanut butter. Bring the smaller edge of the tortilla up over the banana and roll it VERY TIGHTLY into a tube. If you don’t roll it tight, it’ll fall apart when you cut it. Release the plastic wrap from around the plate and roll it up around the tortilla-tube to keep everything in place. Pop in the freezer for a couple of hours. You don’t want it frozen solid, but firm enough so that it slices well. When the tube is frozen, bring it back out onto the plate, cut the ends off with the chef’s knife- you might have to use a slight sawing motion. If the tube feels squishy, put it back in the freezer. Cut the tube into 1″ slices and serve.

 

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Critter Crunch

Critter Crunch

1 C. animal crackers

1 C. teddy bear-shaped chocolate or honey-flavored graham cracker

1 C. small pretzel twists

1 C. yogurt-covered raisins

1 C. candy-coated chocolate candies

10 colorful ice-cream cones , if desired

 

Mix all ingredients except ice-cream cones. Serve snack in cones. Store in covered container.

critter crunch

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Italian Pancake Dunkers

Italian Pancake Dunkers

Pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce

2 C. Original Bisquick® mix

1 C. milk

2 eggs

1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese (2 oz.)

1/2 C. finely chopped pepperoni

1/4 C. finely chopped green bell pepper

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 small tomato, finely chopped (1/2 C.)

 

Heat pizza sauce until warm; keep warm. Stir Bisquick, milk and eggs until blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon batter by T. onto hot griddle; spread slightly. Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden. To serve, dunk pancakes into sauce.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Campfire Cocoa Mix

Campfire Cocoa Mix

1 9.6oz. pkg. powdered Dry Milk

1 1/4 C. Chocolate Quick

3/4 C. Non-Dairy Creamer

1/3 C. Powdered Sugar

Dash Salt

Mix all ingredients in re-sealable container or bag. For each serving mix 3-4 tablespoons dry mix in a mug. Fill with one cup boiling water.

Jello Aquarium

Jello Aquarium

1 3 oz. package Berry Blue jello

3/4 cup boiling water

1/2 cup cold water

4 Gummy fish or other gelatinized aquatic life

Blue m&ms

Dissolve gelatin completely in boiling water. Combine cold water and ice cubes to make 1 1/4 cups ice and water. Add to gelatin, stirring until slightly thickened. Remove any unmelted ice. (If mixture is still thin, refrigerate until slightly thickened.) Pour gelatin into dessert glasses. Place gummy fish in gelatin. Push in candies to make “bubbles” Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

7820412312_e5d4542b20

 

 

Easy Peasy Cupcakes

Easy Peasy Cupcakes

2 large eggs, cracked open
1 tsp. vanilla essence
4oz caster sugar
4oz soft margarine
4oz self-rising flour

To decorate (optional)
tubes of writing icing
marshmallows, white and colored
food coloring, for icing
colored sweets

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat them together until the mixture is smooth and slightly lighter in color. Line a bun tin or cupcake tin with paper cake cases and half-fill each case with the cake mixture. Cook the cakes for 18-20 minutes. You can tell they are done when they have risen up, are golden in color, and spring back into shape when lightly pressed. The cupcakes can be decorated using a basic icing, plus marshmallows, writing icing, food coloring and colored sweets. You can even make a cupcake farm with animals such as sheep, piglets and dogs.

5 pig cupcakes2

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Chocolate Peanut Grahams

Chocolate Peanut Grahams

4 cinnamon graham crackers, broken into quarters

1/4 C. creamy peanut butter

1 C. semisweet chocolate chips

3 tsp. shortening

 

Spread half of the graham cracker quarters with peanut butter; top with remaining crackers. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip the crackers into chocolate; place on a waxed paper-lined pan. Refrigerate until set.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

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:

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 breadcrumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the breadcrumbs. 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.