Stuffed Cucumber Cups

Found on Disney Family Fun

Ingredients

• 2 English cucumbers, about 12 inches long, ends trimmed
• 1 cup hummus

• Finely chopped scallions, for garnish
• Finely chopped red or orange bell pepper, for garnish

Instructions

1. Using a fork, score the sides of the cucumbers to create decorative stripes. Slice the cucumbers into 3/4-inch-thick rounds.
2. Using a teaspoon or melon baller, scoop a 1/3-inch-deep well in the center of each slice.
3. Spoon 1/2 tablespoon of hummus into each cucumber cup, mounding it slightly. Sprinkle the tops with the scallions and bell pepper. Makes 32 cups.

spaghetti-dogs

Found on Leftovers on Purpose
I have never seen these anywhere, but LOVE the idea and Pamm from Leftovers on Purpose has a great step by step recipe :)

"It's pretty easy; cut some hot dogs into 1 inch sections.  Because I serve young toddlers, I always cut hot dogs length-wise.  Insert uncooked spaghetti into the dogs (I used whole wheat spaghetti).  It took more time than I thought it would.  If you have little helpers at home, that would be a good job for them."

"Cook according to the directions for the spaghetti."

"I put a toddler meal-sized portion into baggies and into the freezer."

"On the morning I want to serve these, I will take a portion out of the freezer and put into a mini crock pot.  At lunchtime, it will be defrosted and heated through.  I can't wait to see the toddlers' faces when I serve them."


Pamm 

French bread pizzas

Found on Apricot Tea.

1 fresh French bread baguette
Marinara sauce
8 oz. log of mozzarella cheese, sliced
1½ roma tomatoes, sliced
1 cup black olives, sliced
Black pepper
Salt
Basil flakes
Olive oil
Preheat oven to 350° F & line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Cut a French bread baguette in half, then cut that half down the middle making two slices, a bottom & a top. Spoon marinara sauce generously onto each side of bread, then layer with mozzarella. Next, add tomato slices & black olives.
Sprinkle salt, pepper, & basil flakes onto each slice, then drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Let cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet (scalding hot, melted cheese is lethal) before enjoying.

TABASCO® Dill Cucumber Pita

Found on TidyMom

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise

1 teaspoon TABASCO® Original Red

1 teaspoon dill weed

2 large whole wheat pitas, cut in half

1-2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced

Directions:

• Combine mayo, dill and Tabasco in small bowl
• Spread inside of each pita pocket with dill spread
• Stuff with cucumber slices
• add a little more spread, if desired

*Note increase quantities and eat spread as a vegetable dip.

Crunchy Super Kid's Sandwich with Peanut Butter and Banana

Found on Parenting

You will need:

8 slices raisin bread

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 banana, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup granola (use your kid's favorite)

Serves: 4

Spread butter on one side of each slice of raisin bread. Spread peanut butter on the other side of four of the slices. Top the peanut butter with thinly sliced bananas and honey.

Sprinkle granola over honey and top with remaining slices of bread (butter side up).

Heat a griddle to medium hot. Grill sandwiches are golden brown, flip and cook the other side until golden brown. Serve warm.

Recipe developed by Jamie and Bobby Deen for the Grain Foods Foundation

Pan-Fried Peanut Butter Jelly Sandwich for Picky Eaters

Found on Parenting

You will need:

2 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
8 slices white bread
6 tablespoons favorite jam
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Serves: 4 kids or 2 adults

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.

Spread the butter on one side of each bread slice. Flip the remaining slices over and spread them with the jam. Flip the remaining slices over and spread them with the peanut butter.  Sandwich together the jam slices and the peanut butter slices, keeping the buttered sides of the bread facing out.

Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sandwiches and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the tops. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip the sandwiches over and sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown.

Remove the sandwiches from the skillet and cut into quarters. Serve, with the crusts on or off, depending on your child's preference.

Recipe Courtesy of Ballantine Books, The Deen Bros Take It Easy
Buy the book for more delicious recipes

Frozen Yogonana Bites

Found on BettyCrocker

1

to 2 containers (6 oz each) Yoplait® Thick & Creamy yogurt (any flavor)

3

to 4 cups Cheerios® cereal

4

firm ripe medium bananas

1. Line cookie sheet with foil. Spoon yogurt into shallow dish. Pour cereal into another shallow dish. Peel bananas; cut each into 6 pieces.
2. Roll each banana piece in yogurt, then in cereal to coat. Place coated banana pieces on cookie sheet. Freeze uncovered about 1 hour or until firm. (The bites are best when eaten the same day they're made.)

Cheese Quesadillas with Avocado for Picky Eaters

Found on Parenting

You will need:

Eight 6-inch flour tortillas
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces)
1 avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, and finely diced

Serves: 4 kids or 2 adults

Sprinkle each of 4 tortillas with ¼ cup of the Monterey Jack cheese. Top each with the avocado, then the remaining cheese. Cover with the 4 remaining tortillas.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the quesadillas, 1 at a time, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the tortillas are golden and the cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Recipe Courtesy of Ballantine Books, The Deen Bros Take It Easy
Buy the book for more delicious recipes

cheesy pizza “fundue”

Found on Kraft

Ingredients and Equipment Needed:

1 cup spaghetti sauce
6 oz. Velveeta Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tbsp. Kraft 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 cups cut-up fresh vegetables (celery, carrots, cauliflower and red peppers)
4 slices Italian bread (1 inch thick), cut into 1-inch cubes

1. PLACE spaghetti sauce in medium microwaveable bowl; cover with paper towel. Microwave on HIGH 1 min.

2. STIR in Velveeta and Parmesan cheese. Microwave 21/2 min. or until Velveeta is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. This should be adult assisted as bowl may be hot.

3. SERVE with vegetables and bread cubes as dippers. Makes 4 servings.

VARIATION: Serve with other dippers, such as cherry tomatoes, button mushrooms, sliced zucchini, broccoli florets, breadsticks, cooked chicken and ham chunks, and cooked tortellini or farfalle (bowtie pasta).

Grilled Cheese Recipe for Picky Eaters

Found on Parenting

You will need:

8 slices white bread
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Four ¾-ounce wedges Laughing Cow cheese or other spreadable mild cheese
½ cup grated mild cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Serves: 4 kids or 2 adults

Spread one side of each bread slice with the butter. Flip the slices and spread the other side with the spreadable cheese. Divide the cheddar cheese among 4 slices of the bread and sprinkle with garlic powder. Top with the tomato and cover each sandwich buttered side out with 1 of the remaining slices of bread.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the sandwiches, turning once and pressing down with a spatula to help melt the cheese, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve warm.

Recipe Courtesy of Ballantine Books, The Deen Bros Take It Easy
Buy the book for more delicious recipes!

Ham & Cheese Crepes

Found on Weelicious

(Makes 14 Crepes)

Weelicious Crepe Recipe
1 Cup Ham, finely chopped
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, grated

1. Place the crepe in a dry saute pan over low to medium heat.
2. Place about 2 tbsps of ham and cheese (1 tbsp of each) on one half of the crepe. Fold the other half of the crepe over the ham and cheese and heat for 1 minute until the cheese melts.
3. Fold the crepe in half again, making a triangle and serve.

*This recipe makes 14 crepes. I like to use 1/2 for the sandwiches and freeze the others. Place a piece of parchment between each crepe to prevent sticking and put the stack into a large Ziploc freezer bag.

Crepe Recipe from Weelicious

Kid-Friendly Finger Food: Veggie Bites and Burgers

Found on Parenting

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cook: 16 minutes
Makes: 16 small bites or 8 burgers
Suitable for freezing or reheating
Suitable for children under 1

You will need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium shallot, diced
½ celery stalk, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
½ small leek, thinly sliced
3 cremini mushrooms, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 ½ teaspoons mayonnaise
1 heaping tablespoon grated Cheddar
salt and pepper, to season
5 tablespoons unseasoned dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons flour
1 egg
2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil, for frying
buns, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, to serve (for burgers)

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan, and saute all the vegetables except the garlic for 10 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then add the soy sauce and sugar, and cook for 1 minute more. Spread out on a plate and let cool.

For small veggie bites, you need to chop the cooked and cooled veggies, either in a food processor (scraping down the sides frequently) or with a large knife.

Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and mix in 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, the fresh bread crumbs, mayonnaise, Cheddar, and pepper to taste (the soy sauce should give enough salt). For bites, roll teaspoonfuls into balls. For burgers, take tablespoonfuls and squish into a patty shape. You can use a cookie cutter on the patties to create star-shaped burgers. If you have time, put them on a plate and chill for 1 hour or preferably overnight. However, they can be coated and cooked without chilling.

Mix together the dried bread crumbs and the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan on a large plate, along with salt and pepper to taste. Put the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Beat the egg in a small bowl.

Dust the bites/burgers in the seasoned flour, then dip in the egg and roll in the bread crumbs. Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick frying pan and cook the bites/burgers for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Drain on paper towels and serve warm -- with buns, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise for burgers.

From Anabel Karmel's Top 100 Finger Foods

Banana Cream Cheese Sammie

Found on Weelicious

Banana Cream Cheese Sammie (Makes 2 Sandwiches)
4 Slices Whole Wheat Bread
1/4 Cup Cream Cheese, divided
1 Banana






1. Cut the banana in half for each sammie. Then cut each half into strips lengthwise (so the pieces are long and flat).
2. Spread 2 tbsp of cream cheese on one side of the bread and top with one half of the banana slices.
4. Place another piece of bread on top to make a sammie.
5. Repeat with the remainder of the ingredients to make the second sammie.
6. Serve.

Top Dog Corn Muffins

Found on The Sneaky Chef

Makes: 8 muffins 

While giving a radio interview in Minneapolis, Missy was challenged to take corndogs, their favorite county fair fare, and remake them healthier at home. The first thing she threw out was the deep-frying--even a Sneaky Chef can't make healthy out of that. But once she transformed corn dogs into muffins, she could sneak in whole grains, veggies, and calcium while retaining the traditional great taste of hot dogs and cornbread. This complete meal in a muffin makes a fun dinner on the run or lunchbox sandwich alternative. 

This recipe is not advised for kids under 3, as hot dogs can pose a choking hazard. 

- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons sugar - 2 tablespoons butter, melted 
- 1/2 cup White Puree (See Make-Ahead Recipe #4, p. 260)
- 6 tablespoons low-fat milk
- 1/2 cup grated low-fat cheddar cheese 
- 2 hot dogs, cut in half lengthwise, and chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup Flour Blend (See Make-Ahead Recipe #8, p. 265) 
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 

> Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Spray liners lightly with cooking spray oil. 

> In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined, then whisk in the melted butter, White Puree, milk, cheese, and hot dog pieces. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, Flour Blend, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until flour is just moistened (don't over-mix or the muffins will be dense). 

> Scoop the batter into muffin tins, filling just to the top. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Click to show Nutritional Analysis. 

Easy Warm Dinner Sandwich

Found on The Family Dish

• Serves: 6
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes

• Cost per recipe*: $10.29
• Cost per serving*: $1.72

Ingredients

1 loaf unsliced round bread (about 9 in. diameter)
1/4 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
8 ounces sliced deli ham and/or turkey breast
4 ounces sliced American cheese
1 large tomato, sliced
2 Tbsp. Wish-Bone® Balsamic Italian Vinaigrette Dressing

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut bread in half horizontally; hollow out center of each half, leaving 1/4-inch shell. Spread Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise onto bottom half. Layer ham, cheese and tomato. Drizzle with Dressing; replace top shell. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake 25 minutes or until heated through. To serve, cut into wedges.

Crab-Filled Crescent Wontons

Found on Pillsbury

INGREDIENTS

1

can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1

package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

3/4

cup chopped cooked crabmeat

1

tablespoon chopped green onion (1 medium)

1/8

to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1

egg white, beaten

DIRECTIONS

• 1Heat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough on work surface (if using crescent rolls, pinch seams to seal); cut into 6 rows by 4 rows to make 24 squares.
• 2In small bowl, mix cream cheese, crabmeat, onion and red pepper. Spoon about 1 teaspoon crab mixture 1/2 inch from 1 corner of 1 square. Starting with same corner, fold dough over filling, and tuck end tightly underneath filling; continue rolling to within 1/2 inch of opposite corner. Lightly brush exposed corner with egg white. Roll moistened corner of dough over roll; press to seal. Place on cookie sheet. Brush with egg white. Repeat with remaining squares and filling.
• 3Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Ground red pepper, or cayenne pepper, nicely spices these wontons. Add more, if you like.

Cans or foil pouches of crabmeat found near the seafood department are usually of better quality and have better flavor than cans in the canned meat and seafood section. However, any can be used.