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back to school

roll-out shortbread cookies

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Looking for something sweet to pack into your little one’s lunchbox? Shortbread cookies are a hit with everyone. They are super easy to make and a great vehicle for sprinkles. Although whipped shortbread are my go-to, you can roll out this dough and cut out your favourite shapes.

Here’s hoping for a happy school year!

Roll-Out Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup corn starch
1 1/2 cups flour

Cream the butter and icing sugar. Add in the corn starch and flour until a dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for an hour.

Roll out the dough and cut with your favourite cookie cutter. Dab some water on top before adding sprinkles.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

5 sandwich-free lunch ideas for school

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Just a couple more days before Q heads back to school. Although Q loves sandwiches, it’s not something he wants to eat everyday. We came up with a list of some of his favourite sandwich-free lunches. I tried to get quesadillas on the list but he insisted that they were considered a sandwich!

We try to incorporate some fruits or veggies, like cucumbers, apples, or melons. We also try to incorporate a treat, like cookies, popcorn or raisins.

Crackers, cheese and beef sausages are always a hit! The kids can eat them separately to stacked together.

We love tacos around here so these taco bowls are always well received. Just form a soft taco around a bowl and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes until it crisps up and holds its shape. You can fill these bowls with seasoned beef, salsa and cheese.

We all love pizza but sometimes it’s just not what Q wants to take for lunch. Get delicious pizza flavour in these pizza rolls. Just use packaged crescent rolls, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce, cover with cheese and roll them up. These are great for breakfast too!

Savoury pies are another idea for those not wanting a sandwich. These can be meat pies, sausage rolls and even those delicious Jamaican beef patties!

Thermoses are a great way for kids to take some hot food for lunch. Hot chili on a cool day always hits the spot. Pack them with some cheese and corn chips to top it with.

slow cooker apple cinnamon oatmeal

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Well, the summer just flew by and school starts later this week. I have mixed emotions. It will be nice to get back to some routine but I feel like I just didn’t do as much as I wanted.

On school days, I make sure that Q has a great breakfast. I can’t be there to make sure he eats his snacks or his lunch but I can make sure he goes to school with a full stomach. Oatmeal is a favourite around here because he loves it and I know he is having something good to start his day.

This is a great recipe using steel cut oats. You put everything in the slow cooker the night before and breakfast is hot and ready in the morning. Topping are added to make things more fun and filling. The nuts give it a great crunch.


Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups milk + more for serving
2 cups water
2 TB brown sugar
salt
Toppings – nuts, chocolate chips, coconut, bananas, etc.

Place everything into a slow cooker and turn on low overnight. In the morning, add more milk as desired. Top with your favourite toppings and enjoy.

homemade fruit roll-ups

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School is in full swing and so is trying to figure out what to send for lunches and snacks. Things Q likes one week may not be a fave the next. Making sure I send things that he will actually eat and not stay hungry can be a struggle.

I was so happy I found this recipe for homemade fruit roll-ups. You can use whatever fruit is seasonal or the favourite that week and unlike the store variety, you know exactly what is going in them. These are super easy to make and always a hit!

Homemade Fruit Roll-ups
From Kitchen Daily 

4 cups berries
1/2 cup sugar
1 TB lemon juice

In a food processor or blender, puree your fruit, sugar and lemon juice.

Cook in a saucepan over medium heat until thick, 20-30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or Silpat. Shake the pan to level.

Bake at 170 degrees until dehydrated, about 3 hours (puree should be just slightly sticky but not dry). Let cool for 10 minutes.

If you lined your baking sheet with parchment you can cut the dried fruit into desired shapes. If you used a Silpat, place a sheet of parchment (cut to the size of your baking sheet) on your work surface. Carefully invert the fruit and Silpat onto the parchment and peel the Silpat away.

Cut into eight rectangles, or about 13 crosswise “strips”. Roll up with the parchment and tie with twine or baker’s string. Store at room temperature for up to 1 month.

minute rice cups – and a giveaway!

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It’s back to school week! I can’t believe that the summer just flew by. It was a fun summer, with busy days at camp or at the beach and lazy days hanging around the house. We enjoyed our trips to the mountains and our trip to our nation’s capital. It just went by too quickly!

Back to school means back to a routine. Not just a school routine but also those after school activities that make the days seem so long. Life is busy and sometimes trying to get food on the table and enjoyed in a short amount of time can be hard.

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