(Excerpted from “The Farmhouse Chef” by Jamie DeMent.) This recipe is the happy result of a late afternoon meltdown. I had planned to cook fried chicken for a crowd at the farm and, as often happens, the day ran away with me. Pigs got loose and tore up a freshly planted bed. I spent the…
10 Easy Zucchini Recipes Your Whole Family Will Love
It happens every year. Right around this time, our garden is bursting with zucchini. Like, more zucchini than I’ve ever seen in one place. So when things reach Peak Zucchini, I start cooking. Experimenting. Baking and sautéing. Through years of trial and error, I’ve got a solid set of zucchini recipes that my four kids…
The Most Colorful Cake Ever (Inside and Out!)
Making this colorful layer cake is not hard. But let’s just say that I watched 3 episodes of The Crown while making it. The results are adorable and the technique nearly foolproof, so if you have a few hours (and a hot British import on demand), I say go for it! How to make this…
Chocolate Avocado Cookies (AKA “Chocolate Mystery Cookies”)
Chocolatey, chewy and as decadent as a brownie, your kids will NEVER guess the mystery ingredient. It’s avocado. And these chocolate avocado cookies are total keepers. All you need to make them is a handful of common ingredients and a plain ol’ mixing bowl. In just a few minutes, you’ll have gorgeous cookies with an…
Best-Ever Taco Bake: The Taco Casserole Makeover (with Fresh Veggies) Kids Love
There’s only one thing better than a one-pot meal full of fresh ingredients: A one-pot meal that everyone LOVES. That’s this easy taco bake. A four-thumbs-up hit. Our fresh taco bake takes a classic dish and gives it the Foodlets treatment: making it healthier, simpler and as kid-friendly as ever. What’s special about our best-ever…
Country Carbonara with Bacon
You know my rule about posting recipes here. At least three out of my four children have to give it a thumbs up. But… Sometimes I have to make an exception. Because sometimes those crazy kids just don’t know. I’ve made this carbonara for a dozen adults now and every single one of them LOVED…
Toasted Bagel Bites
These toasted bagel bites are the simplest way to land a major hit at lunchtime. In three minutes flat, you can whip up one of our four kids’ favorite school lunches of all time. Plus, the mix-and-match options are endless. Use whole-wheat bagels, everything bagels or plain. Add peanut butter and jam, hummus, marinara sauce…
2 Signs Your Child is Constipated, Plus 10 High-Fiber Foods for Kids
1. Has your child suddenly started wetting the bed again, long after potty training? 2. Does your child often complain about a stomach ache? Both of these are signs that your child is constipated. Experts say that many kids are “secretly” constipated because they simply put off going to the bathroom. Their…
Make-Ahead Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Pockets
We loved our Spinach, Egg & Cheese Pockets for breakfast so much, I whipped up a version for lunch and the results are basically the same: DE-DE-DE-LICIOUS. And in between all that gooey cheese and satisfying ham is a cheeky serving of veggies. Tucked politely inside, along for the ride. Not bad for a bag…
Strawberry Bliss Protein Balls
Looking for a kid-friendly protein ball recipe without nuts? We’re hooked on these Strawberry Bliss Protein Balls without a single sprinkle of added sugar. This recipe is very versatile so you can add only coconut, only banana chips or combine both. Our how-to pictures below show the banana version. What you need to make Strawberry…
Very Veggie Cheese Pinwheel Pizzas (Psst: The Sauce Is Loaded with Veggies!)
When I asked parents what dish they’d most like to see on our Foodlets Lunch menu for spring, one recipe beat out all the others. By a landslide. Very Veggie Cheese Pinwheel Pizzas! Loaded with our Veggie-Filled Tomato Sauce and bubbling cheese, these hand-held pizzas are the cutest way to get a cheeky serving of…
Veggie-Filled Tomato Sauce for Pasta, Pizza & More
When I started experimenting with a veggie-filled tomato sauce to add to pizza and pasta, I knew it needed to be FULL of good-for-you ingredients but all the sweet potatoes in the world wouldn’t matter if the result wasn’t tasty. I have four small kids, ages three, five, seven and eight and whether anyone will…
These Quiche Cups with Tomatoes, Cheese & Spinach are a hit for Dinner + School Lunches Too
Make these quiche cups for dinner and you’ve also got school lunches ready to go later in the week! I like to pair these hand-held quiches with a big salad on warm days or a deliciously simple soup on cold nights like we’re having now. Last night we had “Fairy Soup”, which starts with a…
20-Minute Smokey Pasta with Turkey Sausage, Zucchini & Cheese Sauce
“I can’t believe you just made up this recipe,” she squealed. “It’s so good!” That was my third grader last time I made this smokey pasta with turkey sausage and zucchini. No big deal. Your kids say that all the time, right? Ha! Me neither. That’s why I decided this one was a keeper. With…
How to Make the Best Baked Potatoes Ever
This is the only recipe you’ll ever need for baked potatoes. If you like baked potatoes with pillowy white centers and flavorful skins, make these now. Because EVERYONE will love them. Foodlets Reviews Real comments from my very real 4 children. I only add new recipes when we have at least 3 thumbs ups. Phoebe…
Double Strawberry Heart-Shaped Toast
“THEY’RE SHAPED LIKE HEARTS!” That was the squeal at breakfast this morning. And that’s only the first piece of good news. The second is this: If you can slice a strawberry, you can make double strawberry heart-shaped toast in minutes. What you need for double strawberry heart-shaped toast Toast (I like the more whole-wheat the…
Simple Strawberry Chia Seed Hand Pies…for Breakfast!
It’s hard to go wrong with a generous layer of strawberry fruit spread combined with tiny chia seeds, mingling together inside a warm, flaky crust. But what makes these strawberry chia seed hand pies good for breakfast? The whole combination is surprisingly nutritious. With three simple ingredients, you get a make-ahead breakfast full of protein,…
Heart-Shaped Pizzas
There’s something so sweet about a Valentine’s Day lunch for kids, especially when it’s as simple to make as our heart-shaped pizzas. What you need to make heart-shaped pizzas Pizza crust (homemade or store-bought) Pizza sauce (A little marinara sauce works perfectly! Here’s my favorite homemade marinara recipe.) Mozzarella cheese Pepperoni (optional) Heart-shaped cookie cutter…
3-Ingredient Silky Strawberry Milk (None of them is Sugar)
I love a good Valentine’s Day treat, but the last thing I want on a busy morning is four kids hopped up on sugar. Enter, this 3-ingredient silky strawberry milk. Not one of those ingredients is sugar. But all of them are delicious. What you need to make 3-ingredient strawberry milk Milk Strawberries (frozen or…
The Best Lasagna Cups in the World
Nothing to see here. Just lasagna you can HOLD IN YOUR HAND! S-O-L-D, says all four kids. Well, almost… Foodlets Reviews Foodlets Reviews are real comments from my four very real children. And I never include a recipe that doesn’t get at least 3 THUMBS UPS. Phoebe (8): “I really like how the crispy edges…