By Family Features | Contributor
During the school year, the hectic pace of mornings, classroom activities, extracurricular commitments, and homework can make it feel like there simply isn’t enough time in the day. Nevertheless, preparing delicious meals and snacks doesn’t have to add stress to already busy schedules.
These quick and easy recipes offer flavorful variations on breakfast staples, simple sliders with kid-approved tastes, and scrumptious treats to enjoy after a long day. They aim to keep both younger learners and adults energized and ready for whatever challenges the school year brings.
Discover more recipes to streamline your busy back-to-school days at Culinary.net.
Effortless, Kid-Friendly Sliders
On those fast-paced school nights when you need to prepare dinner in a hurry, these delectable Pepperoni Pizza Sliders make a hassle-free option. This twist on a classic kids’ favorite—pizza—can be whipped up quickly after work and extracurricular activities, allowing families to enjoy a moment together savoring the cheesy goodness before tackling homework and preparing for the next day.
Pepperoni Pizza Sliders
Recipe adapted from MilkMeansMore.org
1 package slider rolls
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup mini pepperoni
1 1/2 cups shredded, low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Nonstick cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Without separating the rolls, slice the sheet horizontally to divide tops from bottoms, placing the bottom halves into a baking dish.
Evenly spread the pizza sauce on the bottom halves, then layer with pepperoni, followed by mozzarella before covering with the top halves of the rolls.
Combine melted butter with parsley flakes, dried oregano, garlic powder, and shredded Parmesan cheese, then drizzle this mixture evenly over the sliders.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes, or until the Parmesan is melted and golden brown.
Slice the sliders and serve immediately.
A Delicious Treat for After School
After an exhausting day at school or a challenging homework session, many children relish the idea of a warm, chocolatey homemade cookie. To reward their hard work, indulge them with a gooey treat once they are done with their studies.
These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies can be ready in just 30 minutes using premium ingredients like C&H Dark Brown Sugar for that classic homemade taste.
Explore additional sweet treats for after school at chsugar.com.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 18 cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups C&H Dark Brown Sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until it becomes golden brown and foamy. Remove from heat, transfer to a heatproof bowl, and refrigerate until solidified, about 45 minutes.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
Once the butter is solid, take it out of the refrigerator. Using an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and dark brown sugar on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it’s light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Lower the speed and add in the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Finally, add the pecans and chocolate chips, mixing at a low speed until fully combined. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop, portion out the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each scoop. Lightly flatten the dough balls with your palm.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Serve warm.
A Breakfast Classic with a Creative Spin
Repetitive breakfasts can lead to boredom, especially when the go-to cereal gets a bit stale. In search of something new to invigorate those early school mornings?
This recipe for Sausage French Toast Roll-Ups provides a quick and delightful way to offer kids a variety of flavors they already enjoy. Featuring a savory sausage link wrapped in sweet French toast, it combines beloved breakfast essentials into a single irresistible roll.
Sausage French Toast Roll-Ups
Servings: 12
12 sausage links
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
3 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 slices of bread, crusts removed, cut in half
3 tablespoons butter
Syrup for drizzling
In a skillet, cook the sausage links according to package instructions. Once done, set them aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, almond extract, and cinnamon.
Take a bread slice and dip it in the egg mixture. Wrap the bread around the cooked sausage link, ensuring the seam is pressed to secure it. Repeat this step with the remaining bread slices and sausage links.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the roll-ups seam-side down in the skillet and cook until browned on all sides, approximately 10 minutes.
Serve the roll-ups drizzled with syrup.
