I love mini food for kids. It’s easy for them to handle and the portion sizes are perfect. But there’s something I like even more than mini food, versatile food. Meatballs can be served straight-up, in pasta or on small buns as sliders. Like these! Whole wheat dinner rolls make the excellent “buns” and bonus, you…
Mini Broccoli & Cheese Patties (“Broccoli Cookies”)
PSSST. THESE ARE NOT COOKIES. But my kindergartener insists these broccoli & cheese patties are. Because of the shape. Obviously I did nothing to deter the automatic adoration that came with the name. I just got out the Ranch dressing and continued to mind my own business. Yes, I totally believe in Ranch dressing as a…
chocolate-covered mini pretzel sticks with sprinkles
ON A JUNK SCALE, THESE chocolate-covered mini pretzel sticks are surprisingly low. That’s because of their size. When it comes to dessert–and there’s no mistaking these chocolate bombs for “snacks”–it’s all about portion size. To be clear, I don’t think babies or toddlers need a lot of sugar, so I always go for low sugar…
Toasted Turkey, Salami & Cheese Sandwiches: Homemade Mini-Grinders
THERE WERE TWO STOPLIGHTS in the town where I grew up. And in between them was Rome Pizza. I told you about how much I loved their Hawaiian pizza when I was a kid but they also made something so mouthwatering I still remember it, all these years later. Grinders. But here’s the thing: I only…
very small shepherd’s pies (a step-by-step recipe)
WE’VE MADE THESE MINI SHEPHERD’S PIES TWICE NOW, once at a kiddie cooking school here in North Carolina, and once at home, both for St. Patrick’s Day. This version is our own recipe, which is really just layering all the flavors you’d expect–but simplified. We cheated a bit with store-bought biscuit dough, which really puffs…
kid-friendly mini reuben sandwiches (a step-by-step recipe)
IT’S NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT HOLIDAY, BUT ST. PATRICK’S DAY can be really fun. Especially if you’re four, three or even one–and there’s special food on the menu. Bonus, these mini reuben sandwiches aren’t limited to leprechaun season so you can make them, and kids will love them, any time. The ingredients might surprise you, especially the sauerkraut,…
mini mac & cheese cups (with carrots too)
LAST WEEK WE HAD A BIRTHDAY PARTY LUNCH for 6 preschoolers to celebrate Estelle’s 3rd birthday–and at the birthday girl’s request, these mac & cheese mini cups were the main course. Like our broccoli & cheese pasta cups, they’re essentially macaroni and cheese (with a built-in veggie) to go. And like our broccoli & cheese pasta…
corn dog mini muffins and sautéed green beans with garlic
IS IT ME OR ARE CORN DOGS having a moment? I’ve seen tons of ideas all over Pinterest, including this gorgeous batch of fried mini dogs from Food Glorious Food, and decided to give it a whirl. The results were mixed: one-year-old Estelle liked them, nearly three-year-old Phoebe wasn’t thrilled. If you love your furry…
Mini turkey burgers with rosemary plus the secret to great roasted veggies
I WAS ON MY OWN for dinner the other night with the kids, so I knew it had to be good. Wary of my two-highchairs-to-one-adult ratio, this wasn’t the time to experiment with exotic flavors. In times like these (or when I’m so tired that I might tip over, not unlike a giant Weeble Wobble…
Barefoot Contessa Makeover: Mini meatloaves
WE HAD COMPANY OVER CHRISTMAS, including a 3-year old guest from Amsterdam. Phoebe was thrilled to have another “big girl” around but as you may know (and be reminded daily), it’s not easy to guess what will go over at this age. But when in doubt, I say go for comfort food. This recipe is…
Healthy Pumpkin Spice Mini Muffins
Here they are! The healthy pumpkin mini muffins every kid loves. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my Barefoot Contessa. But today’s makeover recipe from Paula Deen looked so good — and had so many amazing reviews (766 and counting!?) — on Food Network.com that I couldn’t really resist. They’re both big ladies with…
Oatmeal-raspberry mini muffins
WE’RE GOING FOR COMFORT FOOD. Both babies have nearly gotten over their colds and Phoebe’s pink eye is basically behind us but there are still lingering coughs at night, sometimes waking up the whole household. My own scratchy throat isn’t helping but it was this exchange with the two-year old that pushed me into yesterday’s…