Back To School Routines
How was your first week Back to School? One of the great things about summer vacation is the fact that as a kid, you get to sleep in, and families don’t seem to rush around as much. Now that it’s back to school time, daily routines need to be re-established. Kids aren’t the only ones who struggle with the back to school transition; adjusting to a child’s back to school routine and related events can be stressful for parents as well.
Routines during the first part of the school year can be a challenge for many families. Our family started a school routine early, so we are ready for a regular routine. Over the past few school years, I can tell you having a regular school routine can make it not only easier on you but on the kids too. So today, I thought I’d start off with some tips on easing back into those school routines.
Back To School Routines
Breakfasts that boosts ENERGY! is always a great way to start off the day. You can make some delicious breakfast meals for your kids; not only are they fast, easy, and nutritious, but my kids say they taste great too! Good choices would be cereal topped with fresh fruit (instead of sugar); eggs, toast and fruit; yogurt with granola; fruit smoothies; french toast and muffins.
Plan and pack a healthy lunch As a family go shopping and teach your kids how to pack a healthy lunch. It’s great to involve the kids about making the right food choices. This will also establish healthier habits and lifestyles for the whole family.
Plan your kids schedules This will allow the kids day to be smoother and they won’t forget things. Plan a way for them to remember homework, lunch and backpacks each day. Allow half an hour break after school for a quick healthy snack, unwind, than help them get started on their homework before dinner time.
After dinner, the kids can relax, have play time, shower and read a book before bedtime. Rember, during dinner is a great time to re-connect as a family and ask how your kids day went.
Being aware of what is on the school calendar can also help you plan and organize your schedule accordingly–without any last minute hassles.
So what kind of things do you do to ease your family back into the school year? I would love to hear them! I am always open to new ideas.
Kids Can Have Fun Making Fruity Snacks!
Put some sparkle into snacktime with these Fruity Gelatin Snacks!
Kids Can Have Fun Making Fruity Snacks!
Rubbermaid has these wonderful TakeAlongs Twist&Seal Containers that I use in the kid’s lunch boxes during the school year. They are small enough to fit inside of the lunch boxes perfectly. They have a leak-proof seal which make them great for storing liquids and snacks. Plus, if you need to microwave the contents, the handles stay cool when food is hot. When the kids are not in school, healthy snacks during the summer are just as important for a busy mom to think about. Why spend extra money on those pudding or fruit snacks at the grocery store when you can make your own at home!
It’s real easy to do and the kids can help too! Empyty your favorite gelatin into a bowl, follow package instructions (with some adult supervision for the young ones of course), toss in some of their favorite fruit and pour gelatin mixture in. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. The kids now have an easy snack they can pull right out of the fridge. When their done, wash containers and make more when needed.
Recipe Note: Fill the containers with Fruit Cocktail, Applesauce, Fresh Fruit, Vegetables, Jello or as a special treat Pudding.
To get your Rubbermaid TakeALongs Twist&Seal Containers visit Rubbermaid.
These containers are very easy and economical when it comes to saving money on your grocery bill. Snacks for kids don’t have to expensive, but they should be healthy.
As always, my quick and easy recipes for Busy Moms can be found on my website Noel’s Kitchen Tips.com.
Visit my new Amazon Kitchen Store for some of my recommeneded appliances, storage and kitchen needs along with some of my favorite cookbooks and aprons to help you with your family meal planning. For high quality kitchen tools for your kitchen, visit www. NoelsKitchen.com
Would you like to join our growing Family Cooking Club? Share recipes and tips with others? Join the Family Meals Matter Cooking Club on Facebook.
Kids Whole Wheat Bread Sticks Are Fun With ABC’s
This week, I’m all about kid-friendly recipes. I used to hear from my kids, “What can I have to eat Mom?” I solved this question by having a variety of fun little snacks to get them through their day in between meals. This easy recipe is one of them. I make these bread sticks from my pizza dough recipe and the kids love them! Although, I must warn you, they eat them rather quick. My suggestion, would be to make a couple batches and freeze.
Kids Whole Wheat Bread Sticks
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 batch homemade whole wheat pizza dough
1 garlic clove, pressed
All-purpose flour
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.In a prep bowl, microwave butter for approximately 15 seconds or until melted. Add pressed garlic. Stir and set aside.
Lightly sprinkle some flour on the cutting board. Cut pizza dough into10-12 equal pieces.
Using hands, roll dough pices into 10-inch sticks. The kids can shape the breadsticks into letters or simply leave them as sticks.
Place breadsticks onto a cookie sheet and spread the butter mixture lighly over them.
Adult Help: Place in oven and bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire rack.
Serve with dips such as pasta sauce, mustard, ketchup, or one of your kids favorite dressings.
As always, my quick and easy recipes for Busy Moms can be found on my website Noel’s Kitchen Tips.com.
Visit my new Amazon Kitchen Store for some of my recommeneded appliances, storage and kitchen needs along with some of my favorite cookbooks and aprons to help you with your family meal planning. For high quality kitchen tools for your kitchen, visit www. NoelsKitchen.com
Would you like to join our growing Family Cooking Club? Share recipes and tips with others? Join the Family Meals Matter Cooking Club on Facebook.
Kid’s Easy Granola Crunch
With summer here and the kids at home, they will be looking for quick and easy snacks to entertain their friends or themselves. This week’s blog topics will hopefully offer you ideas on inviting your kids into the kitchen to start cooking. I’m sure your kids will soon experience the pride in preparing such delicious treats for their friends and themselves. The kids will enjoy this crisy, crunchy homemade cereal for breakfast or a snack. This is one simple treat I’ll have on hand next week for the backyard campout.
Kid’s Easy Granola Crunch
Ingredients:
4 cups quick oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1 cup slivered almonds (optional)
1 cup chopped peanuts (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup dried banana or fruit of your choice (optional)
Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 9×13 cookie sheet. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, mix oats, brown sugar, chopped nuts, fruit, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In a microwavable bowl, microwave butter on high 1 minute or until melted. Stir in honey. Pour melted butter and honey mixture over oat mixture, stirring until well coated. Spread evenly on lightly greased cookie sheet.
This next step is where supervision from adults is needed.
Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, stirring oat mixture every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on cooling rack completely.
Sore in an airtight container.
Makes 12 servings.
Recipe Note: Serve on top of your favorite yogurt, ice cream or pie. Shredded Coconut is also a good addition to this recipe.
As always, my quick and easy recipes for Busy Moms can be found on my website Noel’s Kitchen Tips.com.
Visit my new Amazon Kitchen Store for some of my recommeneded appliances, storage and kitchen needs along with some of my favorite cookbooks and aprons to help you with your family meal planning. For high quality kitchen tools for your kitchen, visit www. NoelsKitchen.com
Would you like to join our growing Family Cooking Club? Share recipes and tips with others? Join the Family Meals Matter Cooking Club on Facebook.
Twice Baked Potatoes: Kid Friendly Recipes
Kid Friendly Recipes
I’ve said it many times before. You know the pleasure you get from preparing and serving something your family loves? Children can experience the same satisfaction when they help prepare food for themselves, their friends, or the whole family.
A friend of mine has a daughter who loves to make dinner for her family and makes great effort in helping her mom out. Tonight she called her mom and told her she was making baked potatoes for dinner but didn’t know how to cook them. I gave her the basic instructions on how to cook a baked potato.
Preteens are more than ready to take on some serious responsibility. They can help pick the recipes for meals and even execute them. Let them try new recipes that they find online and permit them to make some dishes on their own, with minimal supervision. You’ll find that at this age, kids like to experiment.
Dakota, this recipe is dedicated to you for those spur of the moment recipe ideas when you help your mom out in the kitchen.
Twice Baked Potatoes
4 large Idaho potatoes
1/2 cup non fat sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup ranch dressing
4 Tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese mixture, divided
6 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
1 cup cooked bacon, chopped (can substitute with bacon bits)
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wash and pierce potatoes with a fork. Cook in preheated oven for one hour.
Chop bacon into bite size pieces. In a skillet over medium-low heat, cook bacon. Drain excess fat. Set aside.
When potatoes are done, remove from oven. Cool 10 minutes. Slice potatoes lengthwise. Scoop potato flesh out into a mixing bowl. Place potato skins on a baking sheet.
To the potato, add sour cream, milk, butter, ranch dressing, 1/2 cheese, 1/2 of green onion, 1/2 bacon, salt and pepper. Mix together. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
Place cookie sheet with potatoes back in oven for 10-15 minutes. Serve with broccoli or simply alone.
Supervision is the key to cooking with kids…they develop cooking skills at different rates so it’s important to have an adult introduce children to skills that match their ability levels and educate them in the process. Preparing meals can be more fun and a lot of help when the whole family is involved. So experience the kitchen with your kids.
First Day Of School Traditions: Celebrate The First Day Of School
Celebrate The First Day Of School
Sharing the first day of school can truly be an exciting time for both you and your child. There always seems to be a twinkle in their eyes and they are eager to see old friends and happy to make new ones. For those who are nervous, parents do their best in offering encouragment to relieve their anxiety.
First Day Of School Traditions
One of the things we can do as parents is make sure our children have a healthy breakfast before school. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It gives them energy and motivation to start their day. That’s why breakfast is the perfect time to make it a pleasant family gathering to start the day. By making a special breakfast, your children will be off to a great start. Here’s a recipe I’ve been making for my children.
Cinnamon French Toast
2 eggs
1/3 cup soy milk or non-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 slices of whole wheat or whole grain bread
Directions
In a bowl, beat eggs, milk and vanilla and cinnamon. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Dip slices of bread in batter, covering both sides. Brown the bread on one side for approximately 3-5 minutes, flip and repeat with other side. Remove from skillet and top with a maple yogurt sauce.
Maple Yogurt Sauce
Blend together 1/2 cup of non-fat plain yogurt with 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup. Add more syrup to taste.
Share Your Tips: How Do You Help Your Child Have a Great First Day of School?
Healthy Lunch Recipes For Kids
Healthy Snacks For Kids
Previously I wrote about school lunch ideas, so it seems fair to complete the lunch box with some simple recipes for easy desserts. Many children’s sweet tooths can be satisfied by a piece of fresh fruit, but many the great finale to lunch is a simple little treat to make their day. Because kids have different palates, I included two different types of treats.
Here are a few of our favorite bar recipes that are not too sweet, quite nourishing and they transport well. For best results, store them in airtight containers in your refrigerator.
Kids In The Kitchen
This recipe is really good for those who keep prepared granola cereal on hand for breakfast. And it is so easy the kids can even throw it together.
Simply Granola Bars
Ingredients:
3/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1/3 cup brown sugar (omit if granola is very sweet)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
4 cups granola cereal
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, mix together melted butter and sugar. Add vanilla, salt and eggs. Beat until smooth. Stir in granola and press into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until well set. Cool and cut into bars.
These are an absolute real treat and especially nice if you have made a strawberry or peach jam during the summer.
In this following recipe, carob powder is used. Carob is often called ‘the chocolate substitute.” It makes baked goods dark and moist. It is made from the pod of the carob tree, also known as St. John’s bread. It is low in fat, high in protein and minerals.
Carob-Nut Brownies
Ingredients:
2/3 cup softened butter or margarine
2/3 cup honey
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup carob powder
1 cup unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup hot water
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and honey. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl combine carob powder, flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into butter mixture. Add hot water and walnuts. Stir well. Spread into a lightly greased 8 inch square baking pan. Bake in oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into squares.
Family Fun Friday: Make Your Own Pizza
Having a Family Fun Night of activities can really bring a family together and build a stronger relationship with your children. The first step to a successful family night is a great dinner. Here’s a recipe I found that as a family you can make together.
This hearty deep-dish pizza is a meal all in one dish and is chock-full of hearty vegetables. This would be great for a large family feast or for your Fall football get-togethers.
1 ready-made 12″ refrigerated pizza crust
1 large Florida sweet onion, chopped
1 large Florida green pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 – 1/2 pound Florida mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 Tablespoons butter
1 pound ground chuck (optional)
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
One 8-oz can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 small can black olives, sliced
1 cup Florida broccoli, cut into small florets
1 cup Florida zucchini, sliced
1 cup Florida yellow squash, sliced
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
oregano to taste
Step 1: Press ready-made pizza crust into a greased 13′ x 9″ pan, making the edge approximately 3/4″ high.
Saute onion, green pepper, mushrooms and minced garlic in butter until soft.
Set aside.
Step 2: Brown beef with salt and pepper, breaking it up as it cooks until crumbly.
Drain well, set aside.
In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, basil leaves, oregano leaves and garlic powder.
Step 3: Layer half of the ingredients onto crust in pan in the following order: sauce, meat, olives, cooked vegetables, broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash and small amount of cheeses.
Repeat the same layering process with remaining half of ingredients, topping with remaining cheeses.
Sprinkle with oregano.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
Economical Family Cooking: Think Casseroles In The Kitchen
Most of us are wanting to learn more economically ways to save money. I enjoy being able to teach others about affordable meal solutions. I’m always on the look out for better ways to spend economically for family mealtime. I’ve talked before about Power Cooking and how cooking meals “ten at a time”, saves both time and money; now I’m going to share with you what types of meals work for saving you both time and money.
Casseroles are one of my family’s favorite meals and one of my favorite types of meals to make. They are not only wholesome and economical but tasty and good. Making a casserole is simply using what you have on hand in the cupboard, refrigerator or freezer and combining ingredients. Leftovers can make great casseroles too. To many, including myself casseoles are considered comfort foods.
Making casseroles is another way to introduce your kids to helping in the kitchen. Kids in the kitchen is a great experience for them learning new foods, how to cook them, teaching them to follow directions, about different cultures and even math skills. Make it FUN!
Here’s an all time favorite recipe for a lot of people around the Thanksgiving or Christmas Holidays, but you can make it anytime. I found this on a recent episode of Jon and Kate Plus 8; their 100th episode. Emeril Lagasse was visiting and fixed the family a couple different casseroles. I know there has been a lot of controversy about the show but what I took away from the show was not the fact that Jon and Kate have their issues but that Emeril was not only making them a meal but teaching the kids as well. The kids helped with prepping the fresh green beans for the casserole they were making. The kids had fun doing it. He was teaching not only Jon and Kate but other families watching the show how they can make an economic meal for a large family and get their kids involved in the kitchen.
I’ve included the recipe for the green bean casserole from the show that the kids helped make. Maybe your family could use a economical casserole meal. This will be included in our families recipe of meals. And change it up, make it your own. That’s how family traditions are started in the kitchen.
Emerilized (From Scratch) Green Bean Casserole
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse, courtesy Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.
This is gonna make you think twice about green bean casseroles! When you start with fresh green beans, mix them with a homemade mushroom-béchamel sauce, gild the lily with some fontina cheese, and then top the whole thing with some crispy fried onion rings just like we make at Emeril’s Restaurant in New Orleans – you won’t even recognize this as an updated version of that tired old classic.
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
Vegetable oil for deep frying
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced into rings
1/3 cup Crystal Hot Sauce
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Emeril’s Original Essence
2 cups chopped yellow onion
½ cup finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 pound button mushrooms, wiped clean, ends trimmed and sliced
1 ½ teaspoons Emeril’s Bayou Blast
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed and blanched in salted water until tender
¾ pound fontina cheese, rind removed and cut into ½-inch cube
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9- by 13- inch casserole dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter and set aside.
Heat at least 4 inches of oil in a large saucepan or deep fryer to 360°F.
Separate the onion slices into individual rings. Combine with the Crystal Hot Sauce in a mixing bowl and toss thoroughly. Place 2 cups of the flour in a large mixing bowl and, working in batches, dredge the onion rings in the flour to coat. Transfer the coated onion rings to a colander or strainer and shake over the mixing bowl containing the flour to release any loose flour from the prepared rings. Fry the onion rings in batches until just lightly golden, about 1 minute per batch. Note: it is important to allow the temperature to return to 360°F between batches. As batches are completed, transfer the onion rings to paper-lined baking dish to drain. Season the onion rings with the Essence and set aside. Repeat with the remaining batches.
Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over high heat and sauté onion and celery until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, Bayou Blast and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are soft and golden brown and have released their liquid, 4 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth and heavy cream and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is thick and creamy and any floury taste is gone, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl combine the green beans, mushroom sauce, and cubed fontina cheese. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and top with the fried onion rings. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly and onion rings are golden brown. Serve immediately.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Simple Healthy Summertime Snack Ideas For Kids
School’s out, which means summertime is here and lots of fun, cool and exciting activities for kids. With all this activity, kids will be craving a snack. Cooking with kids can be a fun way for them to make their own snacks. Good nutrition is especially important in the summertime. There a numerous summertime activities that take up alot of our time, that sometimes we forget about preparing healthy delicious snacks in our busy schedules.
Eating on the go and snacking on the go, can be pretty tuff. Sugary foods will give you that boost of energy but than later make you crash. Healthy meals and snacks can be a combination of fruits and vegetables, whole grain products, lean protein and low fat dairy products. Example: Have a whole grain bagel with cheese and an apple.
If you choose healthy food snacks, you’re going to feel energized and you won’t over-eat at your next meal. It all starts with planning ahead. I keep snack size baggies loaded all the time for my family. I keep them in my purse, their lunch box and now that summer’s here, either in the fridge or a spot on top of the microwave where they can be easily reached. If it’s there, they’re going to eat it. It may take a little bit of time and effort, but it’s worth it. And of course you can make it affordable!
Some great all time favorite snacks are:
- Apple slices arranged around a bowl of chunky or creamy peanut butter
- Celery stalks cut into 1-inch pieces stuffed with cream cheese. Goes great with a glass of tomato juice.
- Frozen fruit juice ice cubes are fun to lick. Pour juice into an ice-cube tray. Cover with plastic wrap and stick toothpicks through the wrap into each cube.
- One snack to have in the fridge is a variety of raw veggies. Some families are content with carrots, but other possibilities include cauliflower, celery, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, zucchini spears, and radishes.
- Banana Pops
- Mini Sandwiches ( two Ritz crackers, with ham and low-fat cheese in between, perfect for tiny hands)
- Tex-Mex Popcorn
- Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with ricotta cheese and Granny Smith apple slices. Add a dash of cinnamon.
- Microwave a cup of tomato or vegetable soup and enjoy with whole grain crackers.
- Mini Pizza: Toast an English muffin, drizzle with pizza sauce and sprinkle with low-fat mozzarella cheese.
There are so many factors in making summer plans, your children’s ages, the work schedules of parents, the activities available in your area, and the resources you have to work with. I know that not all of my ideas will apply but I hope that you will find something inspiring here to keep your summer sane, affordable and really fun.
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