Quick, Easy, and Kid-Approved Recipes

With social distancing the norm for the foreseeable future, I thought it’d be fun to share some of my favorite (and easy) kid-approved recipes to make at home. Since we’re all stuck inside, I keep seeing fellow moms looking for some new things to make since they have the time to do it now. Share your favorite recipes in the comments!

Pasta Salad with a Spin 

(Side dish. Make the day before you plan to eat it)

Ingredients:

1 box of tri-colored rotini noodles

1 packet of dry Italian salad dressing mix

1 bottle of Italian dressing

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped

2 cups cherry tomatoes, diced

2 bags of cheese cubes (I usually do Cheddar and/or Colby)

1 package of pepperoni

Steps:

1. Cook pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water and drain
2. Whisk together salad spice mix and Italian dressing
3. In a salad bowl, combine pasta, tomatoes, bell peppers, cheese, and pepperoni
4. Pour dressing over salad
5. Toss and refrigerate overnight

Pizza Pasta

Ingredients:

1 box of rotini

1 jar of your preferred spaghetti sauce (I usually use Ragu)

1 lb hamburger

1 small-medium onion, chopped

1 bag of shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese

1 package of pepperoni

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Follow package directions for rotini
3. In a large skillet, cook hamburger and onion until hamburger is brown. Drain.
4. Stir in spaghetti sauce and pasta
5. Transfer to a well-greased 13x9in baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. 
6. Arrange the pepperoni on top
7. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes, uncovered

Sweet Baby Ray’s Crock Pot Chicken

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless

1 bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce

¼ cup vinegar

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Steps:

1. Mix barbecue sauce with vinegar, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, and garlic powder
2. Put chicken in crockpot (frozen is okay)
3. Pour sauce mixture over chicken
4. Cook on low 4-6 hours

Crunchy Baked Chicken

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons butter/margarine, melted

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¾ cup Cornflake crumbs

1 packet of Ranch dry salad dressing mix

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Dip chicken into melted butter
3. Dredge chicken into bowl of Parmesan cheese, Cornflake crumbs, and dressing mix that has been mixed well
4. Place pieces of chicken on a well-greased baking dish and bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until golden