We enjoy creating new recipes, especially ones that the kids will eat.  And making dinner meals that kids will eat is often a challenge for mom and dad with all the things busy parents have to do.  One of our favorite quick and easy meals, that the kids enjoy, are these mini crabcakes.  Sometimes we also use packaged salmon and make salmon cakes instead.  Both are healthy options to serve some good protein and the kids can even help make the meal.

We serve these tasty little crabcakes with kiwi and a dollop of Dijon sauce.

Ingredients:

8 ounces crab meat

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp mayo, reduced fat

2 tbsp crushed pineapple

2 tbsp bread crumbs

½ tsp Old Bay seasoning

1 egg

½ tsp lemon juice

Dash of lemon zest

Dash of salt

Dash of pepper

Bread Crumb Mixture:

Bread crumbs

Old Bay seasoning

Salt

Pepper

What to Do:

Mix all ingredients and shape into patties.  Mix bread crumb mixture and dip crabcakes, coating on both sides. Spray skillet with non-stick coating and heat on medium.  Lightly brown crabcakes on each side, approximately 2 minutes per side until cooked through.

Serve with slices of kiwi or pineapple and a dollop of honey Dijon mustard sauce.

Kristin Fitch & Sharon Pierce McCullough

More kid-friendly foods

Summer is a fun time to experiment with food,especially with the kids.  In fact, there are many kids around the country that are actually good little chefs already, and I’m sure we have quite a few in the Hampton Roads area.

Encourage your little chefs to play with their food with this cute little Pinto Pony sandwich.  Sometimes encouraging a little creativity in the kitchen is all it takes.

For the Pinto Pony party sandwich:

Ingredients:

• 3 slices bread
• Celery sticks
• Radish slice (eye)
• Yellow pepper
• Orange pepper
• Carrot sticks
• Sandwich filling

What To Do:

Stack two slices of bread and then cut out a large rectangle for the pony body.  Cut the third slice in half and cut out the pony head/neck.  From the top “pony body” section, cut out three small round circles.  You can use a straw with a large opening to cut the circles or another small container with an appropriate sized opening.  Use the straw to cut a corresponding size piece of bread (contrasting) or a veggie for the spots.  Add sandwich filling to pony sandwich and then add the spots.

Arrange on plate.  Add celery sticks for legs and then cut out ears, mane and tail from the peppers.  Cut a thin slice of radish for the eye, making a smaller “eye” from carrot to top this.  Make a tiny nostril from celery.  Garnish with tiny pieces of carrot sticks.

For more Fun Foods from the FoodChics of Hampton Roads (Virginia Beach, VA)

In the Hampton roads area, things are a little laid back.  Lots of recreational fun to be had at the beach, kayaking or surfing.  For some fun food to go along with this lifestyle, try these little bitesize burgers, made from turkey. These are great for a cookout, a kids birthday party or a day on the beach in Virginia Beach.

And you don’t need little rolls, because you can make the mini rolls from slices of bread, crusts work especially well.  Just follow this recipe for your own mini burgers.  Obviously, you can substitute beef for the turkey, but we are partial to the turkey.

To make the bitesize turkey burgers:

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp pineapple tidbits

¼ cup finely diced apple

1 tbsp grape jelly

1/8 tsp chili powder

Dash of salt

Dash of pepper

Dash of smoked paprika

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Bread to make mini rolls

Lettuce

Cherry tomatoes

Cheese

What to Do:

Combine all ingredients and shape into tiny patties, about 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter. Cook little burgers over medium heat in a skillet, lightly browning on each side, about 3 minutes per side.  Test to make sure the center is completely cooked.  If baking in oven, approximate cooking time is 20 minutes.

Using a small round cookie cutter, or small glass or lid, cut out rounds from bread.  Use crusts to make the tops of your little rolls.  Add lettuce, slices of cherry tomato and rounds of cheese to turkey burgers, holding everything together with a toothpick.

Kristin Fitch & Sharon Pierce McCullough, the FoodChics

For more fun Party foods

Aren’t these the cutest croquettes you’ve ever seen?  Such a tasty, kid-friendly food to serve for Easter dinner.  We plan to make these an Easter tradition around our house.

Carrot Croquettes Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups steamed carrots

½ egg white, from 1 egg

¼ cup parmesan cheese

¼ cup bread crumbs

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp sugar

dash of salt

dash of pepper

dash of cumin

dash of garlic powder

dash of all spice

Bread crumbs for coating

Parsley sprigs for garnish

What to Do:

Mix all ingredients, except bread crumbs reserved for coating. Shape mixture into cone-shaped carrots, packing mixture together well.  Gently roll in bread crumbs and set on a platter.  Spray skillet with non-stick spray or use about a teaspoon of olive oil in pan. Over medium heat, fry croquettes until golden brown, turning once, about 3 minutes per side.  Arrange on platter, adding a sprig of parsley for carrot tops.

Kristin Fitch & Sharon Pierce McCullough … the FoodChics

Fun for a party, this heart appetizer can be made from various veggies or fruits.  One of our favorite combos is mozzarella, tomato and basil, drizzled with balsamic vinegar.  Made into a heart shape, it’s a fun choice for a Valentine get-together.

Kids can help:  Arrange the foods on the plate.

Ingredients

• Cherry tomatoes
• Fresh mozzarella balls
• Basil leaves
• Balsamic vinegar
• Celery leaf for garnish

Arrange basil leaves on a plate in a basic heart shape.  Form a large heart using the cherry tomatoes.  Fill center with mozzarella balls.  Garnish with a celery leaf.  Serve with a side of balsamic vinegar and fancy toothpicks.

Kids will have fun helping to make these cute calzone hearts for dinner.  Filled with mozzarella cheese, turkey pepperoni and marinara sauce, these are a sure hit.  Add in the marinara dipping sauce and you can’t miss.

Kids can help:  Filling the dough and crimping edges.

Dough

Ingredients

• 1 pkg yeast
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 ¾ cup white flour
• 1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour

Combine yeast, sugar and warm water and let set for 5 minutes.  Mix remaining ingredients and then add yeast mixture.  Let dough rise, in a warm place, for about 1-2 hours, until double in size.

Roll out a small portion of the dough at a time, cutting two equal sized hearts.  Fill middle with filling, thin layer marinara sauce, turkey pepperoni, cheese, and then crimp edges with a fork.  Set on baking tray.  Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.  Test to make sure dough is done baking.  Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

Filling

• Mozzarella cheese
• Marinara sauce
• Turkey pepperoni

By Kristin Fitch  For more Valentine food recipes

Popcorn is a healthy snack that we don’t mind serving to the kids. This is our version for a popcorn treat with a holiday twist adding a white chocolate coating and cranraisins.

Kids can help:  Add in the cranraisins and taste test.

What you need:

4 Cups popped popcorn

½ Cup white chocolate

¼ Cup cranraisins

Pop popcorn and set aside.  Over a double boiler, melt white chocolate.  Immediately stir popcorn into the melted chocolate, coating evenly.  Spread popcorn onto a piece of waxed paper and let cool thoroughly.  Toss with cranraisins in a bowl.  If you will be eating the popcorn at a much later time, add cranraisins at that time.

By the FoodChics, Sharon Pierce McCullough & Kristin Fitch

For more Fun Foods

Make this elegant Menorah sandwich for your Hanukkah celebration.  Made with bread, filling of choice and veggies, it is a great way to add to your holiday celebration.  Use as an individual sandwich or make a large one for an edible centerpiece.

You will Need:

• 2 slices dark bread
• Baby asparagus tips
• Orange pepper
• Yellow pepper
• Sandwich filling

What To Do:

Trim crusts from bread.  Using photo as an example, cut out a simple candleholder from bread slices, utilizing the full area of the bread.  Fill this with your desired sandwich filling.  Cut 9 “holders” from orange pepper slices and set above the candle holder.  Also cut a thin rectangle for the middle holder so it will set above the others.

Cut asparagus tips for candles and set in place.  You can substitute small carrots or green beans for candles, or even strips of pepper.  Make “flames” from triangular pieces of yellow pepper.

Kids can help:  Stir ingredients and press into muffin tins.

What You Need:

6 Cups bread cubes (Premade or Directions here)

1 Cup diced apple

1/3 Cup finely-diced onion

½ Tsp. minced sage

½ Tsp. fresh thyme

Dash of cinnamon

¼ Cup apple juice

1 ¼ Cup chicken broth

Maple syrup

Saute onion.  Add apple, sage and cinnamon.  Mix all ingredients and then spray muffin tin with olive oil.  Press gently into muffin tins.  Drizzle lightly with maple syrup.  Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes.  Serves 10.

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Making Bread Cubes

4 Slices whole wheat bread

4 Slices oatmeal bread

Cut bread into cubes.  Arrange on baking sheet.  Spray with olive oil cooking spray or drizzle, lightly, with olive oil.  Broil, on low, for about 1 minute on each side.

by Kristin Fitch

Hey, Hampton Roads parents … looking for a fun sandwich to make for your Trick or Treaters before they head out for the big night?  Why not make this really cute Witch sandwich?  It’s super easy and kids will get a few extra fruits and veggies too

A fun and easy Halloween treat for a quick lunch or dinner.  Serve this as a cold sandwich or make a two-part grilled cheese and then assemble the witch.

For the Witch:

• 2 slices light bread
• 2 slices dark bread
• Green apple
• Carrot
• Olive slice
• Sandwich filling

Stack light slices of bread and cut out an angular head for the witch’s head.  Stack dark bread and cut out a long, thin hat.  Fill both sections with sandwich filling of your choice.  A fun option here is to make grilled cheese.  Set sandwich sections in place on the plate.  Use long strip of green apple slice for the brim of the hat, layers two slices if needed.  Cut small circular slices for polka dots from carrot and arrange on hat.

To make the hair, cut five irregular, slices of carrot and add to plate.  Use an olive slice for the eye and a thin strip of apple for the mouth.  Happy Halloween!

For additional Fun Foods

Photography:  Michael A McCullough