Orange Stew

Often for class I plan foods and flavors I suspect may be challenging for students. I think it’s important to have a mix of fun, easy-to-like recipes and some that may be unfamiliar. I base it on the type of curriculum I would want for my kids, if I signed them up for a class….

Mini Carrot Cake Muffins

Carrot cake is my favorite cake. There. I said it. My mom makes this incredible carrot cake that she is famous for. Everyone asks for it for their birthday. I won’t tell her secret (yet), but just know it’s the most tender, moist, sweet thing you’ve ever eaten. She often used to come visit me…

Sparkling Orange Sunshine Drink

We don’t keep many drinks in the house for kids. They mostly get water and milk. Occasionally we will have juice or leftover pouch drinks if we’ve had a backyard party recently. Every now and then I like to make a festive drink for them. This one is so fresh and easy, that even my…

Citrus Shrimp Tacos

Growing up on the Gulf Coast made shrimp a familiar protein for me, but I find that is not the case for many of my students that grew up in Colorado. These sweet-glazed shrimp tacos are an easy way to introduce a somewhat unfamiliar food. The orange flavor can help with the strong flavor shrimp…

Skillet Elote

This side dish has the street corn flavors we love so much, but it is 100 x easier for kids to help with and comes together in 15 minutes or less. I love making it to top grain bowls and salad for the week, and it is the perfect thing to bring to a summer…

Cake Donuts

These donuts are an explosion of color. They have a soft, cakey inside with a crisp glaze to crackle when you bite into them. We like using a metal donut pan for these, but a silicone one will work as well. They are a favorite birthday breakfast around our house, but I recommend making them…

Menu Planning Musings

Taco Tuesday never worked for me, and I never knew why. I love a cute theme. I love menu planning. I don’t know why I struggled sticking to a structured menu plan every week. Maybe it’s the rebel in me, but I never got the hang of themed meal nights, until I adapted it to…

Mini Butter Tarts

These little tarts remind me just enough of a chess pie to hit that caramel-y flavor I love, but with way less baking time and a super simple ingredient list. This is a great recipe to get your kids in the kitchen! They can help stir up the filling, crack eggs, cut out the pie…

Split Pea Soup

The first time I made split pea soup, I was still in college and actually thought I was using green lentils to make lentil soup. When it came out tasting like peas, I realized my mistake. 12 years later, here I am still making split pea soup, but this version is much better than my…

Mini Lasagnas

With cooler weather headed our way, I’m starting to crave a warm kitchen full of hearty meals. These mini lasagnas hit the spot, and they cook much faster than a traditional pan lasagna. This recipe comes together so fast! I use wonton wrappers as the noodles, so there is no boiling. Genius! Sometimes lasagna can…

Grilled Corn

Introducing a liked food cooked in a different way can be a great way to increase flexibility in eating. Flexibility is a good thing! It means they will learn that trying new foods can be safe and fun. If your kiddo is used to seeing canned corn, throwing it on the grill can be a…

Gluten Free Fish Stick Tacos with Kale Slaw

This dinner combines several of my favorite things. Fish tacos, kale, and Caesar dressing. I could eat almost anything with Caesar dressing, including a giant pile of kale. It’s the perfect punch of acid and flavor for otherwise bland breaded fish. If you want a quicker version for weeknights, I’d recommend breading the fish whole…