Category Archives: After School Snacks

September 26, 2010 · 9:49 am

Banana Peanut Butter and Honey Panini

Our oldest gets the Food Network magazine form the mail and I find it in his room; I haven’t even had a chance to look at it yet. After reading it cover to cover, this is what he asked me to make for him.

Ingredients:
2 slices cinnamon swirl bread
Peanut butter
Honey
1 Banana

Instructions:
Spread peanut butter on one slice of bread. Spread a thin layer of honey on the other slice of bread. Place banana slices on top of peanut butter. Put the piece of bread with honey on top of the bananas to make a sandwich. If you have a panini maker, use it. If not, heat a skillet over medium low heat and spray with cooking spray. Place sandwich in skillet and put a heavy skillet on top of it for a few minutes. Flip the sandwich over, place the skillet on top of it again and cook for a few minutes on that side.

What did the family think? Our oldest loved it. Our youngest liked it, but after tasting it, he had me take the bananas off. He’s not a big banana fan to begin with.

1 Comment

Filed under After School Snacks, Easy, Sandwich, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

September 20, 2010 · 12:07 pm

Honey Lemon Olive Oil Muffins with Lemon Glaze

From one of my favorite cooking websites, Pinch My Salt.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup honey (preferably local)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick baking spray or line with paper cups (spray the inside of the cups with baking spray to prevent muffins from sticking to the paper).

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside. In a separate medium bowl, combine honey, sugar, olive oil, buttermilk, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Whisk together until well combined.

Pour liquid ingredients into the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon just until all of the flour is incorporated. Don’t overmix. Divide batter between muffin cups using a large spoon or mechanical ice cream scoop – the cups should be mostly full.

Bake for 17 – 21 minutes or until the center of a muffin springs back lightly to the touch or a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Check early and watch carefully, they will brown fast.

While muffins are baking, make glaze.

Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack. Brush the tops of the muffins with glaze while they are still warm. Let cool completely.

from Pinch My Salt

What did the family think? Our oldest and I really like them. These seem to me to be the kind of muffins that are best with a cup of coffee or hot tea.

Leave a Comment

Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Breakfast, Vegetarian

September 17, 2010 · 4:42 pm

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Twists

Our oldest has never met a baked good he didn’t like, so when he saw these in last month’s Food Network magazine, he HAD to have them. Today I finally got everything we needed and we made them together after school.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup softened cream cheese
1 T cinnamon sugar
1 package refrigerated bread sticks (the kind you smack on the counter to open)
Melted Butter

Instructions:
Beat cream cheese and cinnamon sugar together until smooth.

Spread cream cheese mixture on breadsticks.

Twist and stretch breadsticks and bake as the breadstick label directs.

Brush with melted butter when they come out of the oven.

What did the family think? I had some along with our oldest. They were really good, especially fresh out of the oven. I think the next time we make these, I will sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top of them so they are more cinnamonny.

1 Comment

Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

September 16, 2010 · 9:49 pm

Pumpkin Currant Muffins

I made a batch of these today to give to the boys’ teachers. I had never made them before and they turned out great.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
pinch nutmeg
2 eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup currants

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease muffin tins or line with paper cups.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, molasses, oil and pumpkin. Add to flour mixture and and mix with spoon until flour disappears. Stir in currants.

Spoon into muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Did I change anything? I didn’t have any currants, so I used raisins and I didn’t have any molasses, so I used maple syrup. I also used a whole can of pumpkin instead of just a cup because I didn’t read the recipe correctly. They turned out great, so I guess it wasn’t a huge mistake.

What did the family think? The family didn’t get any since I made them for the boys’ teachers, but I ate one and they were fantastic.

Leave a Comment

Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Definitely Making it Again, Easy

September 13, 2010 · 10:57 pm

Chocolate Chip and Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

My oldest said these were the best “cupcakes” he had EVER eaten…

Ingredients:
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup yellow squash puree (baby food)
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.

Put the pumpkin and squash in a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, water, oil and vanilla and beat until well blended.

Next add the flour, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips and mix thoroughly.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake 20-25 minutes.

For the frosting, beat the cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla together. Spread the frosting over the COOLED muffins.

Did I change anything? I was going to make these without the frosting just to cut down on the sugar, but these really do need the frosting. That said, the consistency of the frosting I made was kind of off. My oldest said it looked like cottage cheese, but that didn’t stop him from eating it all up. 🙂 I think maybe I should have spent the money on name brand cream cheese, maybe that would have helped with the consistency issues.

What did the family think? Our oldest is the only one who has had them so far besides me and he said it was the best cupcake he’s ever eaten. I think he likes it. 🙂

from Deceptively Delicious

1 Comment

Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Breakfast, Desserts

September 11, 2010 · 8:24 pm

Apple and Cheese Quesadillas

This has been a new addition to our lunchbox menu and they make a great snack, too.

Ingredients:
Flour tortilla
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Apple, thinly sliced

Instructions:
Place a tortilla on a microwaveable plate. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on tortilla. Place in microwave until cheese is just barely melted. Place apples in a single layer on one side of the tortilla. Fold over, cut in half and enjoy.

If you are going to put this in your child’s lunch, let it rest for a couple of minutes after placing the apples on it and cutting it and then wrap it in aluminum foil. If you don’t wait and wrap it up before it has a chance to cool off a little, your child will have a soggy quesadilla come lunchtime. We learned this the hard way. 🙂

What did the family think? These are a favorite with my oldest.

2 Comments

Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

September 10, 2010 · 9:01 am

Oatmeal Applesauce Bread

I love it when I get in the mood to bake and I already have everything I need. This was something I whipped up last night and it was the perfect addition to the boys’ lunches today.

Ingredients:
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine (at room temperature)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup oats
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one loaf pan.

Mix applesauce, sugars and margarine together. In separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Stir together applesauce and flour mixtures. Add eggs, oats and vanilla and stir to combine.

Pour into loaf pan. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.

I had some of this with apple butter and it was SO good. I bet it is good with regular butter, too. I would try it with apple butter first if I were you. 🙂

Did I change anything? Mine seemed to take more like 50 minutes to bake.

What did the family think? I am the only one who has had some so far and I give it a thumbs up. I put some in the boys’ lunches today, so we’ll see what the verdict is when they get home. This would make a good after school snack, too.

from halfassed kitchen

Leave a Comment

Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

September 9, 2010 · 10:28 pm

Graham Cracker Sandwiches

My kids found this snack idea in Food Network’s magazine from last month. The magazine had a whole pull-out section of after school snack ideas. They will no longer settle for some popcorn or a cereal bar now that they have seen the possibilities. Thanks Food Network. 🙂

Ingredients:
2 graham cracker squares
Vanilla frozen yogurt (It helps if you let the yogurt stand out long enough to get a little soft.)
Chocolate chips (we used the miniature kind)

Instructions:
Put frozen yogurt on one of the graham cracker squares. Sprinkle a small helping of chocolate chips on top. Place remaining graham cracker square on top like a sandwich. Enjoy!

What did the family think? Well, the boys were the only ones who ate these and they loved them!

from Food Network Magazine

Leave a Comment

Filed under After School Snacks, Desserts, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Sandwich, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

September 6, 2010 · 11:07 pm

Pumpkin Doughnuts

This will be our special back-to-school breakfast tomorrow morning.

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg white
1 T butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup powdered sugar, optional

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a doughnut mold or mini-muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat together sugar, pumpkin, milk, egg white, margarine and vanilla. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spice and mix completely.

Pour the batter into a gallon-sized Ziploc-type bag, snip off the corner of the bag with scissors and squeeze the batter into the doughnut mold.

Bake about 20-25 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

When cool, dust with powdered sugar or eat them plain.

Store in an airtight container for up to two days.

adapted from Deceptively Delicious

Leave a Comment

Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Everybody Ate It, Vegetarian

August 23, 2010 · 10:50 pm

Banana Bread

This is the version of banana bread my kids love the most.

Ingredients:
Non-stick cooking spray
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups banana puree
1/2 cup squash puree (I use baby food for this part)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil with a wooden spoon until well combined. Mix in egg whites, bananas, squash and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.

Did I change anything? I added the squash. The original recipe suggest adding cauliflower puree, but I am too lazy to buy it, so I add squash puree and just use baby food. Also, I had substituted applesauce for the oil in this recipe before, but it doesn’t turn out as good; the applesauce makes it too sweet.

What does the family think? I made a loaf today at about 4:00p.m. and it was almost gone by 8:30p.m. I’d say they like it.

from Deceptively Delicious

Leave a Comment

Filed under After School Snacks, Desserts, Everybody Ate It, Vegetarian