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Category: Child Friendly

French Toast Sticks

French Toast Sticks

French Toast Sticks

2 slices White Bread

1 T. Jam

1 T. Cream Cheese or Neufchatel

1 Egg

1 T. Cream or Milk

½ tsp. Sugar

2 drops Vanilla Extract

1 T. Butter, for frying

 

Roll bread with rolling pin to about half its original thickness and spread one slice with jam.  Spread second slice with cream cheese and sandwich together.  Trim off crusts.  Beat egg, cream, sugar and vanilla together in a shallow dish.  Melt butter in frying pan.  Dip sandwich into egg mixture and turn over to coat.  Place in frying pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until underside is golden.  Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes, then transfer to plate and carefully cut into sticks.  Allow to cool a bit before serving, the jam can become very hot.

 

From Top 100 Finger Foods

Valentine Cookie Pops

Valentine Cookie Pops

 

1 package (18 oz) Pillsbury® Ready To Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies

20 flat wooden sticks with round ends

1 1/4 C. vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting (from 1-lb container)

 Assorted small candies, or candy decors or nonpareils, if desired

10 yards red curling ribbon

 

Heat oven to 350°F. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cookie dough pieces 2 inches apart. Into side of each piece of dough, insert wooden stick 1 inch, overlapping wooden sticks as necessary.  Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.  Spread frosting on one side of each cookie; decorate with candies. Tie 18 inches of red ribbon into bow around each stick next to cookie.

 

Gelatin Boats

Gelatin Boats

Gelatin Boats

2 large oranges (halved)

4 oz. of packaged fruit gelatin (strawberry, orange, lime, etc.)

1 small mandarin orange segments (optional)

1 pint of fresh raspberries (optional)

8 small waxed paper triangles

8 party toothpicks

 

Squeeze the juice from the oranges (keep it to drink) without breaking the skin. Carefully scrap out the membrane and discard.     Make gelatin according to package directions, reducing the amount of water specified by a quarter if using fruit. Divide the fruit, if using b/w the orange halves, then fill with gelatin and refrigerate until set.     Take a wet knife and cut each orange half in half again. Thread a toothpick down the center of each waxed paper triangle, then set it in the gelatin

 

From First Meals

Pepperoni Rigatoni Bake

Pepperoni Rigatoni Bake

Pepperoni Rigatoni Bake

 

1 package(s) (16-ounce) rigatoni or penne pasta

2 large eggs

1 cup(s) whole milk

1 cup(s) (4 ounces ) shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

1 cup(s) (3 ounces ) grated Parmesan cheese

1 container(s) (15-ounce) part-skim ricotta cheese

4 ounce(s) (1 cup) sliced pepperoni, cut into slivers

1 package(s) (10-ounce) frozen peas

1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

1/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper

 

Heat large covered saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add rigatoni and cook as label directs. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 3- to 3 1/2-quart casserole (about 2 inches deep) or 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish. In large bowl, with wire whisk, lightly beat eggs. Stir in milk, mozzarella, Parmesan, ricotta, pepperoni, frozen peas, salt, and pepper until well combined. Drain rigatoni. Add rigatoni to cheese mixture and toss to coat. Transfer rigatoni mixture to prepared casserole. Bake, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are golden and center is almost set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 servings

Calories: 675

Fat: 26g
Fiber:

Peanut Butter and Raisin Porcupines

Peanut Butter and Raisin Porcupines

1/2 C. 100 percent bran cereal with extra fiber

1/4 C. raisins

2 T. fat-free milk powder

1/4 C. + 1 T. part-skim ricotta cheese

3 T. natural peanut butter

 

Place the cereal in a shallow dish. With your hands, crumble into smaller pieces. In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the raisins and milk powder. Process for about 2 minutes, or until the raisins are finely chopped. Remove to a bowl. Add the ricotta and peanut butter. Stir until smooth. Lightly oil your hands with vegetable oil spray. One at a time, shape the raisin mixture into small balls (2 level tsp. each). Roll each ball into the cereal to coat lightly. Press to adhere with bits of cereal. Continue with the remaining mixture. Set the balls in a plastic storage container. If there is more than one layer, separate them by waxed paper. These keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

 

Yield: 7 servings

Calories: 90

Fat: 5g

Fiber: 3g

Pie Pops

Pie Pops

Lollipop Sticks

Premade Pie Dough

Pie Filling

Egg Whites

Sprinkles or Candy Decorations, if desired

 

Roll dough as thin as possible. Cut out circles (you could do hearts or another shape as well) with cookie cutter (2”ish). Mix a little cornstarch with your pie filling. You don’t want it too juicy. Flour your work surface and place a dough circle on the flour. Place a little filling in the center of a dough circle. Place lollipop stick on one side. Cover with second dough circle. Crimp edges using end of a lollipop stick. Brush with egg wash. Add sprikles if using.  Cover sticks with foil. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them; remove when crust is the right toasty doneness for you.

 

 

Homemade Beefaroni

Homemade Beefaroni

 

1 lb. ground beef

2 14.5 oz cans tomato sauce

1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 C. water

1 T. sugar

1 t. each garlic powder, salt and Italian seasoning

1/4 t. black pepper

1 lb. cooked pasta (I used the new Barilla piccolini ziti, because of it’s closeness in shape to the traditional beefaroni noodles, but any shape would be fine.)

 

Brown ground beef in a sauce pan and drain. Stir in remaining ingredients, except the pasta. Simmer for about 10 minutes, to let the flavors combine. Stir in the pasta until coated. Enjoy!

Pretzel Chicken Fingers

Pretzel Chicken Fingers

1 lb. chicken breasts pounded flat and cut into fingers

½ C. butter or margarine, melted

2 t. hot sauce

2 1/2 C. finely crushed pretzel crumbs

1 t. dried thyme

1 t. pepper

Canola oil for frying

 

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the melted butter or margarine and hot sauce. In a second shallow bowl, mix pretzel crumbs, thyme and pepper. Dip chicken fingers in pretzels, then in butter mixture, then in pretzels again. For best results, coat the chicken early in the day and let sit in the refrigerator all day. This really helps the breading stay on when frying. Fry chicken in 1 1/2″ of hot oil in a medium-sized skillet. Cook 5 minutes on the first side, 3-4minutes on the second side. (If the chicken starts browning faster, you can finish the cooking process in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.) Serve the chicken with any dipping sauces that you like. We really like ranch dressing or a cheese sauce.

Stuffed Muffin Recipe

Stuffed Muffin Recipe

You’ll need some sort of corn muffin mix (you can make your own or I use Jif), plus milk & an egg, whatever it calls for. Combine all that, per directions, then add one of the following:

 

1-1.5 C. of diced cooked chicken w/1 C. of frozen mixed veggies

Chopped pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and a couple of Tsp. sauce for pizza muffins

Sautéed ground beef and cheddar for cheeseburger muffins

Diced hotdogs (about 3) and cheese of your choice for corndog muffins

Taco seasoned ground beef and quesadilla cheese for taco muffins

Leftover roast beef, cheese of your choice, and a couple of Tsp. of gravy

Ham and swiss (my favorite)

 

Basically, add as much or as little filler as you want. My kids prefer lots of filler so every bite has stuff in it. A T. of the mixture should have a bunch of stuff in it, not just be a T. of corn muffin. Spoon it into muffin pans and bake per package directions, yield about 12 regular muffins. These freeze very well. I bake 2-3 batches at once and toss them in the freezer for emergency meals. I put them in the fridge at night to defrost and they are pretty much done by morning, definitely done by lunchtime.

No Fail Sugar Cookies

No Fail Sugar Cookies

You can use very intricate shapes and the dough will not spread while baking–it truly does not fail.  It also holds up great for cookie pops, just be sure to roll the dough 1/2″ thick.

 

6 C. flour

3 tsp. baking powder

2 C. butter

2 C. sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. salt

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees–do this first, you want your oven preheated at 350 for at least 30 minutes before you bake your first batch. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well. Add in dry ingredients a little at a time and mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together.

 

Chill for 1 to 2 hours before rolling. If you need a shortcut, place blobs of dough between parchment paper or in a 2-gallon sized ziploc, roll to desired thickness (I like 1/2″) and cut into desired shapes (even if I don’t need a shortcut, this is how I roll my dough as it’s less messy & keeps the cookies tender since you don’t need extra flour for rolling). Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges (as in BARELY–do not overbake!).  Makes just under 5 dozen 3” cookies.

 

Icing Tip: When I first started making these, I would frost with homemade buttercream and then pipe on details with royal icing. It took forever. Then I discovered a great shortcut–use thinned storebought frosting to dip the cookies (any brand, just not whipped), then do the piping.  Here’s how: put a big blob of the frosting in a microwave safe bowl (one that is a couple inches deep & wide enough for your cookies to lay flat in) & microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring, until you reach a sour-cream-like consistency. Hold your cooled cookie, by the edges, in your fingertips and dip the front of the cookie, gently shake off excess frosting, turn right side up, and quickly place on wire rack to dry. You will inevitably get some drips–I usually let it set up for a second then go around the edges with an offset spatula to take off any drips (but more often than not, the cookies are for the under-6-yr-old set, so I don’t worry about it). I can usually dip 10 or so before I need to reheat in the microwave, adding more frosting as necessary.  Do not heat up all of your frosting at once as bits of cookie may get into the frosting and cause lumps.  Please give it a try before you turn up your nose on store bought–I promise they taste great and it saves you a ton of time.

 

Royal icing:

 

1 bag confectioners’ sugar

4 T. meringue powder

2 t. flavoring (usually almond, though lately I’ve used lemon)

warm water

 

Place confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder in mixing bowl.  Start beater and mix slowly for a few seconds, keep mixer running and add 3 to 4 tsp. warm water and add flavoring.  Continue mixing and adding water a little at a time until you get the consistency you want.  Divide and color. Place in piping bags or ziplocs w/ corner snipped–if kids are decorating, I like to use squeeze bottles.  Keep covered until you are ready to use–it dries incredibly fast, unless, of course, it’s actually on the cookie and takes forever to dry (and if someone could please explain the physics on that, my 6 yr old thanks you b/c evidently “it just does” is NOT an adequate answer). Note:  cookies iced with thinned store-bought frosting (as described above) and royal icing can be stacked–a huge benefit over using traditional butter cream! They will last a few days at room temperature if stored in an airtight container. They also freeze beautifully, which you cannot do with butter cream (it’ll separate.  ewww).  To freeze, allow iced cookies to dry completely (about 12 hours but I just let them go overnight), then stack (wax paper or parchment paper in between) & place in ziploc.  I have frozen them for a month. To defrost, do not open the ziploc until the cookies are thawed (this will keep any condensation off the cookies).

PB & J Cookies

PB & J Cookies

3/4 C. butter or margarine

3/4 C. peanut butter, creamy or chunky

3/4 C. brown sugar

3/4 C. sugar

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

2 T. milk

1 1/4 C. flour (Up the amount of flour by a 1/4 C. if you want thicker cookies that don’t spread so much.)

1 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1/2 C. oats

1/2 C. jelly or jam of your choice (Jam is probably the best bet since it won’t spread as much, but jelly will work in a pinch.)

 

Cream together the butter or margarine, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, vanilla and milk. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt and oats just until combined. Refrigerate dough for an hour to make handling easier, if you have the time. Roll about a T. of dough into ball and place on a cookie sheet. When the cookie sheets are full, make an indentation with your thumb in each ball and fill with jam. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. These cookies are equally delicious as just plain peanut butter cookies. They are just the right blend of crunchy and chewy.

 

Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole

Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole

Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole

 

2 pounds ground beef

15 ounce can Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce

2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

32 ounce bag frozen tater tots

 

Heat oven to 400-degrees and grease a 9-inch by 13-inch casserole dish. Cook ground meat and drain grease. Add the sloppy joe sauce to the meat and mix. Next, add one C. of shredded cheese to the meat and mix. Spread the beef mixture into the casserole dish and sprinkle the remainder of the shredded cheese on top. Cover with tater tots and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Optional: Broil for three to four minutes to get the tater tots crispy. Or add a bit of cheese on top for the last couple minutes to melt.  Top with pickles if desired.

Jasmine Rice “Sundaes”

Jasmine Rice “Sundaes”

Cooked jasmine rice

Water

Salt

Duck sauce

Toasted sesame seeds

 

Scoop prepared jasmine rice onto dinner plates using an ice cream scoop. Top with duck sauce and toasted sesame seed “sprinkles”. This is a great use for those packets of leftover duck sauce that clutter up your junk drawers in the kitchen and kids love the look of the technique.

Witches’ Brew for Kids

Witches’ Brew for Kids

2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Brand Black Cherry Flavor Gelatin
1-1/2 C. boiling water
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Brand sugar free Orange Flavor Gelatin
3/4 C. boiling water
1/4 C. blueberries
3 qt. (12 C.) prepared KOOL-AID Orange Flavor (sweetened with Splenda) Soft Drink Mix, chilled

For Hand: Dissolve black cherry gelatin in 1-1/2 C. boiling water, stirring 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Pour into greased 8-inch square pan. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. For Eyeballs: Meanwhile, dissolve orange gelatin in 3/4 C. boiling water, stirring 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Pour into round or square ice cube trays. Refrigerate until thickened but not set. Insert a blueberry into the center of each gelatin eye ball. Refrigerate until completely set. To Assemble: Trace outline of small hand on piece of paper. Cut out pattern, then place on top of cherry gelatin. Cut around the pattern with a small sharp knife. Carefully pull hand away from pan. Place hand in punch bowl, allowing the fingers to hang over the side of the bowl. Arrange the eyeballs around the inside edge of the punch bowl. Gradually pour in the prepared drink. Serve immediately. Creative Leftovers: Cut gelatin trimmings into cubes; cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve as a quick snack or toss with assorted chopped fresh fruit for a quick dessert.

Yield: 12 Servings
Serving Size: 1 C.

Jeweled Jell-o

Jeweled Jell-o

 

 

4 small boxes of Jell-o, different colors

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

Water

Dissolve each box of jell-o separately, into one cup of hot water. Pour into individual containers (small Tupperware works well) and chill overnight. Ready a 9 x 13 pan. Cut flavors of jello into small blocks. Mix together carefully in pan. In a separate bowl, dissolve 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Add dissolved gelatin to 1 3/4 cup hot water and condensed milk. Cool. Pour cooled milk mixture over jell-o and chill overnight.

Pepperoni Bites

Pepperoni Bites

1 C. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 C. Chopped Pepperoni

1/2 C. Pizza Sauce

2 Pkg. Refrigerator Biscuits

1 tsp. Milk

1/4 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese

 

Combine mozzarella, pepperoni, and pizza sauce, set aside.  Separate biscuits and flatten to 3 inch circles.  Place 1 tsp. of pepperoni mixture in center of biscuit circle.  Fold and pinch together edge to seal.  Place seam side down on a cookie sheet.  Brush with milk and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

 

Pizza Pinwheels

Pizza Pinwheels

 

1 can refrigerated Crescent Rolls

2 T. grated Parmesan Cheese

1/3 C. finely chopped Pepperoni

2 T. finely chopped Bell Pepper

½ C. shredded Italian Cheese Blend

½ C. Pizza Sauce

 

Heat oven to 350.  Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Unroll dough and separate into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal.  Sprinkle Parmesan, pepperoni, bell pepper and cheese blend over each rectangle.  Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal.  With serrated knife, cut each roll into 6 slices; place cut side down on cookie sheet.  Bake 13-17 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Meanwhile, heat pizza sauce.  Remove pinwheels from cookie sheet and serve with warm sauce for dipping.

Chorus Girls Cookies

Chorus Girls Cookies

The hair on these adorable cookies is refrigerated gingerbread cookie dough squeezed through a garlic press. What a great idea!

 

cookies1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® Create ‘n Bake® refrigerated sugar cookies

1/4 roll (16.5 oz size) Pillsbury® Create ‘n Bake® refrigerated gingerbread cookies

Round or flower-shaped candy sprinkles

40 miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits

Drinking straw

Red sugar

Yellow and green decorating icing (or other colors as desired)

 

Heat oven to 350°F. Remove half of sugar cookie dough from wrapper; refrigerate remaining dough until needed. Cut half of dough into 15 (1/4 inch) slices. Leave 10 slices whole to resemble chorus girls’ heads. On ungreased large cookie sheet, place 2 inches apart. Cut remaining 5 slices in half crosswise to make hair bows. For bows, cut half slice into 2 pieces; do not attach at this point. Place small portions of gingerbread dough into garlic press. Press to make long, short and medium hair; attach to heads gently. Add bows to tops of heads as desired.  Place candy sprinkles on faces for noses and baking bits (blue or green) on faces for eyes. With drinking straw, poke holes for mouths. Sprinkle red sugar on cheeks to resemble blush. Repeat with remaining half of dough. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; carefully remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. If necessary, re-poke holes for mouths. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Decorate bows with decorating icing.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Schlopp with a Cherry on Top

Schlopp with a Cherry on Top

schlopp-cherry-top-pictureJuice of 1 orange

1/4 cup canola, sunflower, or other light cooking oil

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 cup pearled barley

1 cup rolled rye

1 cup quinoa

1 cup oat bran

4 cups uncooked oatmeal(not quick-cooking)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 ripe banana

4 ounces plain or flavored

Yogurt

1 Maraschino cherry

 

Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a large bowl, mix together the orange juice, oil, honey, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Add the barley, rye, quinoa, oat bran, and rolled oats. Mix until all are well coated, using your hands if necessary. Spread on two large, ungreased baking sheets and bake until lightly toasted, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Stir in the walnuts after about 30 minutes. Remove, let cool to room temperature, and stir in the raisins. (May be stored in airtight containers for up to three weeks.) Cut the banana in half and peel it. Cut each half lengthwise to make 4 long slices. If desired, heat in a frying pan or microwave. Put 1/4 cup of granola in a bowl, top with half the yogurt, and add the banana slices. Add another 1/4 cup of granola and the remaining yogurt and top with the cherry.  Makes about 8 cups of granola and 1 serving of Schlopp

 

Yield:

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Jungle Juice Punch

Jungle Juice Punch

1 1/2 quarts water
4 cups sugar
1 (46-ounce) can pineapple juice
1 (46-ounce) can orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 ripe bananas, mashed
2 (32-ounce) bottles ginger ale, chilled

Combine water and sugar in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cook 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Let mixture cool slightly. Add juices and mashed banana, stirring well. Transfer juice mixture to a freezer container; cover and freeze at least 8 hours. To serve, let stand at room temperature 4 to 5 hours or until slushy.  Gently stir in ginger ale just before serving.

 

Kid-Pleasin’ Chili

Kid-Pleasin’ Chili

1/2 lb. lean ground beef

1 can (15 to 16 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed tomato soup

1 soup can water

1 T. instant minced onion

2 to 3 tsp. chili powder

 

Cook beef in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain.   Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.   Have the kids help by sprinkling the chili with shredded Cheddar cheese or fish-shaped crackers.

 

Yield:

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Auntie Anne’s Pretzels

Auntie Anne’s Pretzels

1 1/2 C. warm water

1 1/8 tsp. active dry yeast (1 1/2 pkg.)

2 T. brown sugar

1 1/8 tsp. salt

1 C. bread flour

3 C. regular flour

2 C. warm water

2 T. baking soda

To taste, coarse salt

2 – 4 T. butter (melted)

 

The longer and thinner you can make the dough rope, the more like Auntie Anne’s they will be.   Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.  While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 C. warm water and 2 T. baking soda. Be certain to stir often.  After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sale.

 

Yield:

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Fat:

Fiber:

 

The Cherry Hungry Caterpillar

The Cherry Hungry Caterpillar

cherryCherries

Cream Cheese

Decorators’ Gel

 

Use dabs of cream cheese to attach six bing cherries in a curved line.  Sandwich cherry-stem antennae between the front two cherries.  For eyes, roll two small balls of cream cheese, press them flat onto the head cherry, and top them with decorators’ gel pupils. Be sure to warn snackers about the cherry pits.  Crushed Graham crackers can make a nice bed of “dirt” for your crawling creations.

 

Yield:

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Winter Warmer

Winter Warmer

1 box powdered milk (8 qt. yield)
1 (16-oz) can Nestle Quik
1 (12-oz) jar of Coffee Mate
2 C. Sugar
6 level T. Cocoa

Put all  into a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly until completely blended. Store the mixture in a large, sealed container. When you’re ready to use, simply mix 1/3 cup of the dry mix with 2/3 cup hot water. Add your marshmallows, or whipped cream, and enjoy a cold weather warm-up.

 

Sticky Salmon

Sticky Salmon

1 lb salmon fillets cut into 1 inch cubes (400g)

1.5 T. soy sauce

2 T. ketchup

1 T. vinegar

1 T. sweet chili sauce

2 T. dark brown sugar

 

Place everything but the salmon in a small sauce pan and still over low heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Pour into an ovenproof dish and leave to cool. Add the cubes of salmon and stir to coat them. Leave to marinade for at least one hour. Bake covered for 20 minutes at 400, basting occasionally until cooked through.

 

From First Meals

 

Yield:

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New Tastes and Textures

New Tastes and Textures

 

Instant No-Cook Purées

 

Mango and Banana: Purée or mash the flesh of a quarter of a small ripe mango with half a small ripe banana, peeled and sliced.  Serve immediately.

 

Avocado and Banana:  Mash a quarter of an avocado together with half a small ripe banana and 1-2 T. breast milk or formula.  You can substitute flesh of half a papaya for the banana, then the milk is optional since papaya is juicier.

 

Banana and blueberry:  Cut a medium size banana into pieces and simply blend together with ¼ C. mashed blueberries.  Serve immediately.

 

Apple & 3 Fruits:  Combine one ripe peach, skinned and cut into pieces, one small ripe banana, peeled and diced, ¼ C. blueberries, and 2 T. apple Purée and mix in blender.  For older babies, simply mash the fruit into a rough paste and mix with apple Purée.

 

Cantaloupe and Strawberry:  Blend together 1/2 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and chopped and 3 strawberries, hulled and quartered.  Stir in 1 to 2 tsp.  baby rice cereal to thicken..

 

Mango and Yogurt:   Purée or mash 1/2 small mango, peeled and chopped  (or papaya) with 1 T. greek yogurt (or sieved cottage cheese).

 

Papaya & Chicken:  Peel and halve a small ripe papaya, remove the seeds and Purée or mash the flesh with ¼ C. of cooked, boneless, skinless chicken.

 

Banana with Tofu:  Mash 1 small banana with ¼ C. silken tofu.

 

Cooked Purees

 

Juice Pear & Prune

 

2 Ripe Pears, peeled, cored and chopped

2 pitted Prunes, chopped

1 T. Baby Rice Cereal

 

Simmer the fruit in a saucepan with a little water for 5 minutes.  Puree to desired consistency, using as much cooking water as needed.  Sieve to remove tough prune skins.  Stir in cereal while warm and serve.

 

Apple, Pear, Blueberry and Strawberry

 

1 Apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 ripe Pear, peeled, cored, and chopped

1/3 C. Strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters

1/3 C. Blueberries

2 T. Baby Rice Cereal

 

Place fruit in heavy bottomed saucepan, cover and cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes.  Puree in blender and stir in baby rice cereal.

 

Apricot, Pear, Peach & Apple Compote

 

3 Dried or Fresh Apricots, chopped

1 Apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 large ripe Pear, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 large ripe Peach or Plum, peeled, pitted and chopped

 

Place all chopped fruit into a saucepan and simmer with a little water until soft, about 8-10 minutes.  Blend mixture to desired consistency.  For a creamier finish, mix 2 T. baby rice cereal with 4 T> breast milk or formula and blend with the fruit puree.

 

Peach, Apple and Strawberry

 

1 Apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 Peach, peeled, pitted and chopped

3 large Strawberries, hulled

 

Steam apple for 6 minutes, or until tender.  Add peaches and strawberries to steamer and continue cook 3 minutes.  Blend fruits to a smooth puree.

 

Peach and Banana

 

1 small Peach, peeled, pitted and chopped

½ small Banana, peeled and sliced

1 T. freshly squeezed Orange Juice

 

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan, cover and cook over a low heat about 2-3 minutes, or until the fruit is slightly mushy.  Blend to puree and allow to cool slightly before serving to infant.

 

 

Ladybugs on a Stick

Ladybugs on a Stick

lbRed grapes

Strawberries

Mini chocolate chips

Honeydew melon

 

For each one, push half of a red grape onto a trimmed wooden skewer for the head.  Next, push on a hulled strawberry body and score the back to create wings.  For spots, use a toothpick to gently press mini chocolate chips, tips down, into the fruit. Arrange the skewers on a honeydew melon half.

Egg Heads

Egg Heads

eggheads7 Eggs

¼ C. Mayonnaise

Salt and Pepper

4 slices Bread (toasted will hold up better)

 

For face decorations:

 

Bell Pepper

Grated Carrot

Olives

Salami

Gherkins

Chives

Basil

Peas

Celery

 

Place eggs in saucepan; cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover saucepan with lid, and rest for 5-6 minutes.  Remove eggs with slotted spoon to bowl and place under cold running water until eggs have cooled.  Peel off shells.  Slice 2 eggs with egg slicer or knife and set aside 8 slices for the eyes.  Place remaining pieces in bowl with 5 remaining eggs.  Mash with a fork and add mayonnaise.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover all 4 slices with egg salad; decorate with vegetables to make faces.

From Lunch Boxes and Snacks

Parmesan Crusted Baked Zucchini Sticks with Marinara Sauce

Parmesan Crusted Baked Zucchini Sticks with Marinara Sauce

Parmesan Crusted Baked Zucchini Sticks with Marinara Sauce 5001/2 C. bread crumbs

1/2 C. parmigiano reggiano (grated)

1 tsp. oregano

1 lb. zucchini (sliced into sticks and pat dry)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg (lightly beaten)

Mix the bread crumbs, parmigiano reggiano and oregano in a bowl. Season the zucchini with salt and pepper. Dip the zucchini in the egg and then dredge in the bread crumb mixture. Place the zucchini on a baking sheet in a single layer with the skin side down. Bake in a preheated 425F oven until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

 

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

 

Jello Cloud Parfait

Jello Cloud Parfait

2 paparfaitckages of Berry Blue Jello
2 cups of whipping cream
1/4 C. sugar
2 cups of ice
parfait glasses or any clear containers that you can see through

Start by placing your whipping cream in a large bowl, beat on high speed until just starting to thicken. As you continue to whip the cream slowly pour in your sugar, continue whipping cream until it forms super stiff peaks. You want to make sure that it is good and stiff so that if will hold it’s shape later in the jello. Keep chilled in fridge until needed. Now it’s time to get your jello ready. Pour 2 cups of boiling water into a large bowl and add both boxes of berry blue jello powder. Stir until all of the sugar has dissolved. Now you are going to add your 2 cups of ice, this is going to set up your jello nice and quick Stir the ice around in the bowl for about 5 minutes until the jello has thickened and remove any left over ice that didn’t melt. Your jello won’t be super thick like after it has set in the fridge but it will be jelled enough to scoop out on a spoon in a blobby form. Now the fun begins! Start by placing a few spoonfuls of jello in the bottom of your parfait glass, then take your whipped cream from the fridge and drop in a spoonful or two and press it against the side of the glass. This is going to form your cloud in the sky. Try not to smear any of the whipped cream where you don’t want a cloud, it will show up as streaks when you put more jello in so wipe away any unwanted marks. Continue layering the jello and whip cream alternating where you place your cream clouds so that you get a nice staggered effect.

Valentines Jell-O Hearts

Valentines Jell-O Hearts

6717450467_4f6231617b4 (3oz.) boxes Strawberry Jello
2 envelopes Knox Unflavored Gelatin
5½ cups boiling water, divided
1 can (14oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk
½ cup cold Water

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, add the 4 packages of Strawberry Jello. Mix in 4 cups boiling water and stir for about 2 minutes, or until dissolved. Pour into the prepared pan and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until firm. In a medium bowl add the ½ cup cold water and sprinkle the gelatin over the top, let stand for 1 minute. Stir in 1½ cups boiling water and sweetened condensed milk, mix well and allow to cool. Remove the firm red jello from the fridge and invert onto a cutting board. Re-spray the same 9 x 13 pan with non stick spray. With a heart cookie cutter, cut hearts out of the jello. Take care to cut them as close together as possible to reduce waste. Arrange the hearts in the pan. Pour milk mixture over the hearts and place in the fridge for 2 hours until firm. Remove and cut into squares.

French Toast Breakfast Muffins

French Toast Breakfast Muffins

528309_597620340249616_2136955186_n1/3 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg (preferably room temperature)
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. milk

Topping (option: cut topping in half*)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium-large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir just until combined, but still a bit lumpy. Do NOT over mix; over mixing will ruin the texture of the finished muffins. Also? Don’t over mix the batter. Finally, don’t over mix. Scoop batter into muffin tins that have sprayed with cooking spray. Using a large ice cream scoop, I got 8 medium-large muffins out of this batter; I think you could get 10-12 muffins by distributing the batter a little less generously. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they just start to turn a bit golden at the edges. For the topping, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Place melted butter in another small bowl. Dip the warm muffins in melted butter (you can dip just the top, but it’s even tastier to dip the whole muffin!), then dip/roll the muffin in cinnamon sugar.

Burger King French Toast Sticks

Burger King French Toast Sticks

Burger King French Toast Sticks

 

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

5 T. sugar

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. butter

1 1/4 slices Hawaiian sweet bread

 

Beat eggs, milk and vanilla extract together until well blended. Mix sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. Set aside. Cut bread into 1″- wide strips. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Dip each bread strip into the egg mixture (Don’t soak it, though), then the sugar mixture, then transfer to the skillet. Cook for about 3 – 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Soft and Chewy Granola Bars Recipe

Soft and Chewy Granola Bars Recipe

2 1/2 C. (230 grams) old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 C. (80 grams) whole almonds, coarsely chopped
1/3 C. (113 grams) honey
1/4 C. (56 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 C. (50 grams) packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 C. (60 grams) dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/4 C. plus 2 tsp. (67 grams) mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line bottom and sides of a 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil. Then lightly oil or spray with cooking spray. Add oats and almonds to a small baking sheet then bake 5 minutes, stir and bake another 3 to 5 minutes until lightly toasted. Transfer to a large bowl. Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract and the salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until butter melts and the sugar completely dissolves. Pour butter mixture in to bowl with toasted oats and almonds. Mix well. Let cool about 5 minutes then add cranberries and a 1/4 C. the mini chocolate chips. Stir to combine. (The chocolate chips will most likely melt a little. This is fine, they turn into glue and help to hold the bars together). Transfer oat mixture to lined pan then use a rubber spatula or damp finger tips to firmly press the mixture into the pan. (Press hard here, this way the bars will stay together once cooled and cut — We press for about one minute to be extra safe). Scatter remaining 2 tsp. chocolate chips over pressed granola mixture then use a rubber spatula to gently press them into the top. Cover then refrigerate at least 2 hours. Remove block of granola mixture from pan then peel away aluminum foil. Cut into 12 bars. Store bars in an airtight container for up to one week. For the softest bars, keep at room temperature. For slightly harder bars, store in the fridge.

Bacon Cheeseburger Macaroni & Cheese

Bacon Cheeseburger Macaroni & Cheese

Bacon Cheeseburger Macaroni & Cheese

1 box (12 oz.) Elbows

1 T. olive oil

2 T. garlic

½ white onion, small dice

1 C. (80/20) ground beef

1 white onion, quartered

10 cloves whole garlic

4 C. heavy cream

2 sprigs thyme

Salt to taste

2 T. black peppercorns

½ tsp. nutmeg

¼ lb. butter

1 C. flour

3 C. white cheddar cheese, grated

1½ C. bacon lardons, medium dice

Chopped fresh parsley

 

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Ground Beef Mix: In a sauté pan, add olive oil, garlic, onions and ground beef until beef is cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.  Béchamel Cheese Sauce: In a sauce pot, sauté quartered onion and garlic then add cream and thyme. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook until onion and garlic are tender and sauce is at a simmer. Whisk in roux (butter and flour). Once thickened, add 2 C. of cheese. After the cheese has melted, strain mixture to create a smooth sauce.  In a bowl, combine 1 C. each of ground beef mix and bacon lardons with cooked pasta. Add 4 C. cheese sauce and remainder of cheddar cheese. Pour into baking dish and garnish with remaining ground beef, bacon and parsley.

Eggo Bites On The Go-Go

Eggo Bites On The Go-Go

Eggo Bites On The Go-Go

1 package of frozen Kellogg’s Eggo Bites Waffle (each box contains four packages; eight bites per package)

4 tsp or 1.5 oz travel size of cream cheese

Ocean Spray Craisins

Follow the instructions on the Kellogg’s Eggo Bites Waffle box to make eight bites. Spread 1 tsp of the cream cheese on top of each of the four of the bites.  Sprinkle a few of the dried cranberries on top of the cream cheese. Top with the remaining four toasted bites; like a sandwich.  (Try Nutella & Banana or Peanut Butter & Raisins)

Pizza Chicken

Pizza Chicken

1 envelope BBQ Shake & Bake
1 tsp. Oregano
2 1/2 lb. Chicken, cut up.
3/4 C. shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Place shake and bake mix and oregano in bag. Prepare, coat and bake chicken as directed on package. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes longer, or until cheese has melted.

Gelatin Pinwheel/ Fruity Roll-Ups

Gelatin Pinwheel/ Fruity Roll-Ups

1 (3 oz.) pkg. jello
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Lightly spray an 8 or 9 inch pan square pan with non-stick cooking spray and make sure it is spread well. Stir together water and Jell-o powder in a glass bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Remove bowl and stir well making sure Jell-o is dissolved. If necessary, return to microwave for 20 seconds or so to make sure Jell-o is dissolved and stir again. Add marshmallows and return to microwave for 20-40 seconds or until marshmallows have just begun to puff. This is the key to a successful marshmallow layer! If you over cook the marshmallows, they just dissolve and your roll-up will not have two distinct layers. Whisk quickly until marshmallows are dissolved. Pour quickly into prepared pan and chill in fridge for 45 minutes or until well set. Creamy layer will float to the top. Remove the pan from fridge. At this point, the Jell-o should be very firm and easy to handle. Gently pull one side away from pan and lift entire sheet onto counter. Starting at one end, roll up tightly. With seam side down, cut into 10-12 (1/2) inch slices. We found it easiest to cut with a piece of thread or dental floss. Just put the string around roll-up, cross and pull.