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Category: Kid-friendly Recipes

It is so important to cook homemade, healthy food. But it’s not always easy to find kid-friendly recipes.

That’s where I come in. I’ve got hundreds of kid-tested and approved recipes that won’t keep you in the kitchen for hours or stretch your budget too thin.

I focus on allergy-friendly, whole foods. But I always cook with kids in mind. I take all sorts of feeding challenges into account too.

We’ve dealt with every allergy possible, so I’ve created recipes that are gluten free, nut free, dairy free, egg free, soy free, corn free, coconut free and more!

Kid-friendly recipes don’t have to be boring. And they are certainly not limited to chicken nuggets and pizza every night.

A nourished child will enjoy a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Get your kids in the kitchen with you and start cooking! Have fun with food and your kids will learn to love eating.

Thanksgiving Feast

We had quite a spread for Thanksgiving yesterday. I hosted, so I provided all of the hot dishes. I’ll post the recipes for a few of them. I made a 20 lb. turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, squash and green bean casserole. Family members brought corn souffle, pink salad, applesauce, rolls, pumpkin pie, apple pie and cheesecake. Everything was delicious. I didn’t take individual pictures of everything. But I got a picture of the table. I took a couple pics when I made leftovers, not as good as the original picture would have been, but better than nothing. I’ll post the recipes I haven’t shared on my blog yet. Now it’s time to decide how to use my leftovers 🙂 And I have to debone the turkey (no time last night).

Roast turkey

 

*This isn’t so much a recipe, just the method I used after doing lots of reading and wanting to do something simple for my first attempt.


1 turkey (mine was about 20 lbs.) butter

salt
pepper
garlic powder
chicken broth (or turkey if you can find it)

 

Remove neck, gizzard, etc. from turkey. Wash insided and out. Dry. Place on roasting rack. Sprinkle inside with salt and pepper (and any spices you wish). Tie with kitchen twine. Rub skin with butter. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour broth into bottom of pan (enough to cover bottom) Roast at 325 for about 5 hours. I roasted it for about 1 hour, then covered it with foil. I removed the foil for the last half hour to brown. Add more broth or water to pan as it cooks. I used 4 cups broth plus some water throughout the cooking. Remove from oven and let rest for 30 min. Cover with foil. Make gravy with pan drippings.

Crockpot Stuffing (from A Year of Crockpotting)

 
1 loaf bread, cubed and lightly toasted in oven
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup celery diced
1 cup tart apple, peeled and diced
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (or more)
1 Tbsp. sage (I left this out b/c I didn’t have any)
1 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. savory
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup raisins (my addition)

 

Add onion, celery, raisins and apple to crockpot. Add seasoning and butter. Mix well. Add bread. Mix well. Add broth and stir. Cook on high 2 hours. Stir. Add more broth if too dry.

 

*I stirred the stuffing after an hour or so and added more broth then. I also turned the crockpot to low after 2 hours to let it cook a little longer and stay warm until dinner.
*If you like the celery and onions super soft you could cook them in a skillet first.
*This stuffing was so good. Never would have guessed it came out of the crockpot. But it was nice to not have to take up more room in the oven. And I prepped all the ingredients the day before.

Green Bean Casserole (classic French’s or Campbell’s recipe)

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
pepper
4 cups cut green beans (frozen, thawed or fresh, cooked) or 2 can french style green beans drained
1 1/3 cup french fried onions

 

Mix soup and milk in 1 1/2 qt. casserole. Add beans, pepper and 2/3 cup onions. Mix well. Bake at 350 for 25 min. Sprinkle with remaining onions. Bake 5-10 min. more.

 

Pink Salad (family recipe)

 

1 small pkg. cottage cheese
1 small pkg. dry red jello
1 can drained pineapple (cubes, tidbits or crushed)
1 pkg. dream whip, prepared

 

Mix all together. Chill.

 

*This sounds like an odd combination, but it’s really good! You should try it.

Corn Souffle (got this from my sister)

2 Tbsp. butter
1 pkg. (8oz.) cream cheese
1 can (15 1/4 oz.) whole kernel corn (drained)
1 can cream style corn
1 pkg. (8.5 oz.) corn muffin mix (like Jiffy)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Microwave butter until melted. Add cream cheese, microwave for about 15 seconds or until cream cheese is softened. Stir until blended. Add corns and muffin mix and eggs. Mix well. Pour into greased 9×13 pan; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

 

 

Hugs and Chips Cheesecake (got this from my mom…I think it’s a Hershey’s or Nestle recipe)

2 (3 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (6 oz.) ready made chocolate pie crust

 

Chocolate glaze:
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup whipping cream

 

Heat oven to 350. With mixer beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in milk until smooth. Add egg and vanilla. Mix well. Toss chips with flour. Stir into cheese mixture. Pour into pie crust. Bake 35 min., or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool and top with glaze. Serve chilled.

 

Glaze:
Melt chips with whipping cream. Cook and stir until thickened and smooth. Immediately spread over pie.

Hungarian Cabbage Rolls

Saturday we visited my BIL and SIL in Webberville. They have spent quite a bit of time in Eastern Europe over the last few years and have learned to cook some traditional Hungarian food. They made cabbage rolls for us on Saturday. They were really good! Maybe I’ll have to try making them myself someday.

Hungarian Cabbage Rolls
(Serves 6)

28 oz sauerkraut
1 large green cabbage
2 Tbsp oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1 lb ground pork
1/4 cup rice
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp marjoram
1 tsp salt
ground pepper
1 large can tomato puree
1/2 cup sour cream (+ more to taste)
3 Tbsp milk
1 heaping Tbsp flour

1. In a large pot, bring to boil enough salted water to cover the cabbage. Add the cabbage, turn heat to low and simmer ~8 minutes. Remove the cabbage and let it drain until cool enough to handle. Pull off 16 large unbroken leaves and lay them on paper towels to cool and drain further.

2. Wash the sauerkraut in cold water, then soak in cold water 10-20 minutes to reduce sourness (this is important since we don’t have real Hungarian sour cabbage in the US!). Squeeze dry and set aside.

3. Parboil the rice in water for 10 minutes, then drain the water off. In a skillet, saute onions over med-low heat and garlic in oil until onions become translucent. In a large mixing bowl, combine pork, rice, egg, paprika, marjoram, and the onion-garlic mixture, salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Mix well.

4. Place 2 tablespoons of the stuffing in the center of one of the wilted cabbage leaves and, beginning with the thick end of the leaf, fold over the sides, then roll the whole leaf tightly, as you would a small bundle. Repeat with more leaves until all the stuffing has been used.

5. You may put the spare or largest unusable cabbage leaves on the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching. Spread the sauerkraut on the bottom of the pot and bury the cabbage rolls amongst it. Add the tomato puree and a couple of cans of water. Bring the liquid gently to a boil, then cover the pan and cook over simmering heat for 1-2 hours. Transfer the rolls from the casserole to a warm plate. Mix the sour cream, milk, flour, and a little of the cooked kraut, stir into the sauerkraut. Simmer another 5 minutes. Lift the kraut onto a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Arrange the rolls on the kraut. Serve with additional sour cream as desired.

*One of the secrets of good stuffed cabbage is to cook it long enough – more gentle cooking does not harm it, especially if you like tender cabbage. They tend to get better each time they’re reheated, so making them a day or two ahead of time is not undesirable. They can also freeze well.

Au Gratin Potatoes

I made au gratin potatoes with our pork roast. I got this recipe from Velveeta a while ago. I’ve made them several times. I didn’t have any…I don’t eat a ton of potatoes. But Justin likes them. Although he says a lot less onion would be good.

Au Gratin Potatoes

4 cups sliced potatoes (4-5 medium potatoes)
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) Velveeta, cut up
1/2 cup chopped onion (less than 1/4 cup is sufficient)
1 tsp. dry mustard (0ptional)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

Cook potatoes in boiling water 8-10 min., until fork tender. Drain. Toss potatoes with remaining ingredients in greased 2 qt. round casserole. Cover. Bake at 350 for 25 min. Stir gently (I didn’t do this…just served them right out of the oven).

Cornbread

I’m serving corn muffins with the corn chowder tonight. I got this recipe a long time ago from All Recipes. And I’ve never tried another one since then. It’s so good. And so easy. You don’t even need to use a mixer. I usually make it in a 9″ round pan. But I’m doing muffins tonight…easier to serve to guests. I’ll add a pic later.

*Edited 1/13/11 to be NT compatible.

Golden Sweet Cornbread

3/4 – 1 cup all purpose flour whole wheat flour (sprouted or regular)
1 cup yellow cornmeal (preferably organic)
2/3 cup white sugar organic cane sugar
1 tsp. unrefined sea salt
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder (aluminum free)
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil melted coconut oil

Heat oven to 400. Butter a 9″ round cake pan or 12 cup muffin pan. In a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and oil until well combined. Pour batter into pan. Bake 20 – 25 min. (for bread) 15 – 20 min. (for muffins), until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

* We eat it with butter, syrup, jelly, jam or just plain.
*It goes really well with chili.
*This recipe works very well for corn dog muffins.

Corn Chowder

I’m making corn chowder for dinner tonight. My version is chicken corn chowder. I got the recipe from A Year of Crockpotting. I’ve made it before. It’s so good.

Crockpot Chicken Corn Chowder

8 cups chicken broth
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 (16 oz.) bags frozen corn, 1 cup reserved
1 medium potato, chopped (optional)
1 – 2 cups precooked chicken

Put all of the ingredients (except chicken and 1 cup corn) in crockpot. Cook on low 8-9 hours or high 4-5 hours. Blend (I use a hand blender right in the pot) until chowder consistency. Add 1 cup corn and chicken. Let cook another half hour.

Pumpkin Cheese Pie

I tried a new recipe last night. I don’t like pumpkin, but it’s pumpkin season 🙂 And Justin loves it. Plus his parents are coming tonight. So I thought I’d give it a try. Surprisingly I even like this! Although I just had a little taste. I don’t know if I could eat a whole piece…too much pumpkin for me (I do LOVE cheesecake, so that helps). Justin had a piece topped with whipped topping and really liked it. The middle was still a bit soft when I cut into it. Not sure if it should have baked longer or if it just needed some time in the fridge to firm up more. We’ll see what it’s like tonight after a day in the fridge. It was very easy to make. Definitely a keeper. I got it from All Recipes. It does make a lot of batter. Be sure your pie shell is big enough. Mine spilled over the egde on one side. Glad I set the pie on a baking sheet before putting it in the oven or I would have had a big mess.

Pumpkin Cheese Pie

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat…could add to softness, not sure)
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 (9″) unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin, spice and eggs. Mix until well combined. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 45 min. or until knife inserted 1″ from the edge comes out clean. Let set to firm up.

Double Chocolate Brownie Bars

I made a batch of brownies this morning. I got this recipe a long time ago off the back of a chocolate chip bag. They are so easy and so good. And you can add all different things to change them up.

 
Double Chocolate Brownie Bars

 

1/2 cup butter
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

 

Heat oven to 350. Grease 9×13 pan. In large, microwave safe bowl place butter and 1 cup chocolate chips. Microwave on high 1 – 1 1/2 minutes, until chips are melted when stirred. Add sugar, flour, vanilla, baking powder, salt and eggs. Stir with spoon until smooth. Stir in remaing 1 cup chocolate chips. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle walnuts over top (if desired). Bake 30 minutes or until center is set (use toothpick test). Cool and cut.

*You can stir any kind of chips in to these. I’ve done peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips and white chocolate chips. Small candies like m&m’s, reese’s pieces or heath bits would be good too. And you can do any kind of nut you like. Or you can leave the add-ins out all together and just have plain brownies.

*I’m going to frost this batch. Something new to try.
 
I ended up making two batches…to send to work with Justin. I used up all my leftover frosting. And I got to be a little creative 🙂 They are really good with frosting! Especially the chocolate frosting.

Buster Bars

I made buster bars yesterday morning. I got the recipe from Justin’s mom. It may be getting chilly, but I think an ice cream dessert is good year round 🙂 And this is a good one!

Buster Bars

Sauce:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Bars:
1 lb. oreo cookies, crushed
1/2 cup butter, melted (I used less than this)
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup peanuts (or any nut you like)

Mix sauce ingredients in saucepan and boil 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vanilla at the end. Let cool.

Mix oreos and 1/2 cup melted butter. Pat into 9×13 pan. Spread ice cream on top. Sprinkle with peanuts. Let freeze 1/2 hour – 1 hour. Pour cooled sauce over top. Freeze.

*Be sure to let the sauce cool sufficiently. Otherwise it will melt the ice cream and sink to the bottom.
*I use a 9×13 tupperware. It has a lid and works well for storing in the freezer.
*I put chocolate chips on half of it this time instead of peanuts (I’m avoiding peanuts b/c they seem to bother Rebecca). Any topping of your choice will do…although peanuts are very good. I’ve used honey roasted peanuts before. That was really good.

Southwest Chicken Chili

I got a new recipe from Elaine, the mom mentor in my MOPS small group. I tried it last night. Very good!! It makes a huge pot…filled my 6qt. crockpot. So there is plenty for lunches, another dinner and some in the freezer. I pretty much followed the recipe exactly. Except I didn’t add the cheese at the end. We just put cheese in our individual bowls. I figured it would freeze better without the cheese. It was a little spicier than what we normally eat. I couldn’t find any mild corn and black bean salsa, so I had to get a spicy one. I think next time I’ll just add some corn, black beans and regular mild salsa. And I might skip the green chilis. I served it with some black bean and salsa bread that I had in the freezer. That’s pretty spicy too. Definitely needed a mint after that meal 🙂 I had it in the crockpot for about 12 hours. I say the longer it cooks the better. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Some diced avocado would be really good sprinkled on top.

 

 

Southwest Chicken Chili

 

1 cup chopped onion
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
48 oz. jar Randle deluxe mixed beans (include juice)
1 jar (24 oz.) corn and black bean salsa
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilis
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
2 cups shredded mexican blend cheese

 

In 6 qt. slowcooker: Place all ingredients except cheese. Stir to combine. Cook on low 7-10 hours or high 3 1/2 – 4 hours. 15 minutes before serving stir in cheese until melted.

 

 
Garnish: sour cream and tortilla chips

Apple Pie

I posted my apple pie recipe when I first started my blog. I finally made one yesterday, so I now have a picture to go with it 🙂 I decided to attempt the lattice top. I’ve never done that before. I was in a rush because Rebecca was getting hungry, but it still turned out ok. There are some dark spots on top. It’s just because I sprinkled a little sugar on top…it didn’t burn. Maybe I’ll make a dutch apple pie soon so I can get a picture of that too.

Apple Pie