Tasty Tuesday - Two New Fun Recipes the Kids Will LOVE

Tasty Tuesday Time!
 
This week I decided to link up with Tree over at Mother of Pearl It Is for her Tasty Tuesday post. She has a great blog, and I encourage you all to go over there RIGHT NOW and visit!!

I have two recipes for you this week, and ironically, have tried neither of them out yet!! HA! That's okay, though, because I know they'll both be fantastic!

Recipe #1 - Creative Pancakes!!

This first recipe is an idea I stole from IHop. They have a new kids pancake meal on the menu called the create-a-face pancake. My kids had it a few weeks ago, and LOVED it! The concept is simple - use fruit and yogurt to make a face on your pancake. My version is not as simple as driving to a restaurant and placing an order, but it is a bit healthier!

Ingredients:
Pancakes:
Cooking spray, for cooking the pancakes
2 cups whole wheat pancake mix
2 eggs
1 1/4 C 1% or skim milk
2 T vegetable oil or melted butter
2 T sugar
2 T brown sugar
1 T Cinnamon or Nutmeg
1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Toppings Suggestions:
1 banana, sliced
1 box raisins
1 tube Simply GoGurt for each child
2-3 strawberries, sliced
whipped cream

Instructions:
Combine pancake mix, milk, oil or butter and sugar in a large bowl until well mixed. Add brown sugar, cinnamon/nutmeg, blueberries, and nuts and mix until well combined. Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 c batter onto pan and cook until dry around the edges and bubbly on the surface. Turn and cook an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute until browned on the other side. If needed, keep warm on a plate by covering with foil and a tea towel until all pancakes are cooked.

Now the fun part!
Put one pancake on a plate for the kids. Give them their choice of toppings, encouraging them to get creative! Use the Go-Gurt for hair or a funny smile, use raisins for eyes or a mouth, strawberries for rosy cheeks, etc. Or they can paint a scene on their pancake!

*note - Use scissors to snip a small corner off the Go-Gurt package rather than ripping the top off like usual. This will give the children greater control over "drawing" with it!*

Recipe #2- Deep Dish Ravio-Pizza!

Okay, so I haven't tried this recipe . . . YET, but I will be making it this week. And I have made deep-dish pizzas before. This is an idea I got watching the kids eat their canned ravioli last night, and we are excited to try it! It's not the healthiest I've done, but it's fun, and the kids will have a great time helping with this one! *bonus - this recipe makes two "pies", so if you don't need both, wrap one up for freezing after assembly!*

Ingredients:
Cooking spray for prepping the cake pans
2 rolls refrigerated pizza dough
1 26.5 oz can spaghetti sauce
1 1 lb package frozen ravioli
1 package sliced provolone or mozzarella  cheese
1/2 C Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Spray two 8-in cake pans with cooking spray. Cook the ravioli according to package directions. Drain. Toss with 1/2 the sauce. Remove dough from packages and spread on the bottom of the pans, bringing it all the way up and over the sides. Cover the bottom with slices of provolone or mozzarella. Pour the ravioli on top of the cheese, about 2/3 the way up the pan. Cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle tops with parmasean cheese. Bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbly and crust is slightly browned. Remove and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes (15 is better!). Cut into wedges and serve with a tossed or Cesar salad!

Have fun with these two this week, if you try them, let me know how they work out for you!
God bless you, everyone!