I promise you, no arm twisting will be required when it comes to getting your kids to help you make these. But forget the kids, this recipe is so much fun, just make them yourself! I had the best time baking and decorating a batch before Kenya and Chloe came home from school last week. As soon as they got home and saw them on the kitchen counter there were shrieks of, “Mommy! What’s that?!” The next day, I made some more with them and they had a blast.

I was inspired to create this recipe after seeing The Pioneer Woman’s awesome Deep Dish Fruit Pizzas. My thought was to make a version that is a bit more kid friendly. I love that each child can get their own sugar cookie “pizza” to decorate with a healthier, protein-packed “frosting” and a variety of naturally delicious fruit toppings. And since almost any fruit will work, you can change your pizza with the season, using whatever happens to be fresh.

Whether for a birthday party, the holidays or just an after school treat, Sugar Cookie Pizzas are as fun to make as they are to eat. If you don’t believe me… just watch the video to see how cool they are to make and eat!

Sugar Cookie Pizzas (Makes 10 5-inch Round Personal Pizzas)

1 Recipe Sugar Cookie Dough
1 1/2 Cups Whipped Cream Cheese
2 Tbsp Honey
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Fresh Fruit, sliced (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, kiwis, bananas, apples, peaches, plums and/or pears)

1. Preheat oven to 325° F.
2. Roll out sugar cookie dough to 1/4 inch thick.
3. Using a 5-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 10 cookies. You will need to re-roll the dough to get the final few cookies.
3. Place cookies on a cookie sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden.
4. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool completely.
5. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, honey and vanilla and mix until smooth.
6. Spread cream cheese on top of each sugar cookie pizza, top with fresh fruit and serve.

I have an absolute weakness for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I’m pretty good at resisting the candy in my kids’ Halloween baskets, but every year, without fail, I can’t help but pilfer a few packages of THESE for myself (that’s just between us, okay?).

A few months ago I came across a recipe for Chocolate Almond Butter Cups posted by the oh-so-brilliant Recipe Girl and I was immediately drooled, I mean, drawn to it. Homemade Peanut Butter Cups — how could I resist?! Especially when they’re so easy to prepare and made with two ingredients Kenya goes absolutely wild for. He has been more than willing to be my sous chef (tough job, I know) every time I make them for cookie exchanges, parties, and recently, as Valentine gifts. I top mine with a flake or two of fleur de del because it adds a fancy touch if you plan on giving them out as gifts to loved ones and friends. Also, the sweet blast of the chocolate and peanut butter combined with just a touch of salt is what makes them truly irresistible! My husband got so excited about this recipe, he made his own version with peanut butter AND jelly, but that is a story for another day.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups with Sea Salt (Makes 20 Chocolate Cups)

3/4 Cup Smooth Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 10 oz. Bag Dark Chocolate Chips*
1 Tbsp Fleur de Sel

1. Place the peanut butter and powdered sugar in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and melt for 90 seconds, stirring halfway through until smooth.
3. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of the melted chocolate into small paper liners in a mini-muffin tin and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
4. While the chocolate cools, roll 1 teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture into a ball and then flatten into a disk. Repeat with the rest of the peanut butter.
5. When the chocolate has cooled, place a peanut butter disk in each cup on top of the refrigerated chocolate mixture.
6. Top cups with the remaining melted chocolate to cover and finish with a few flakes of fleur de sel. Refrigerate until set.
6. Peel the papers off and eat!**

*Semisweet or milk chocolate could be substituted for the dark chocolate chips
* Chocolate Cups can be kept refrigerated or at room temperature

Finding appetizers for your New Year’s celebration that both kids and adults will love isn’t always an easy task. There are my tried and true choices like little shots of soup (appears fancy for the grown ups and fun for little ones) or Mac, Chicken & Cheese Bites (who doesn’t like mac n cheese), and of course veggies and dip are reliable. But this New Year’s Eve, I’m going with Stuffed Mushrooms. I’ve already made them several times this year and everyone seems to love them.

Filled with spinach, parmesan and bread crumbs, they are little bites of yumminess and, dare I say, a perfect way for everyone, no matter what their age, to ring in the New Year!

Stuffed Mushrooms (Makes 20 Mushrooms)

1 8 oz Package White or Cremini Mushrooms, cleaned
1 10 oz Box Chopped Frozen Spinach, defrosted and drained well
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp Olive Oil, plus more for brushing onto mushrooms if desired
1 Tsp Dried Italian Herbs
1/4 Cup Plain Bread Crumbs
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Small Garlic Clove, minced
Olive Oil, for drizzling

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Remove and discard stems from mushrooms and clean caps with a damp towel to remove any dirt.
3. Add the drained spinach to a bowl along with the parmesan, olive oil, Italian herbs, salt, garlic, and bread crumbs.
4. Mix to combine the ingredients.
5. Spoon filling evenly into mushroom caps, lightly brush each mushroom cap with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet.
6. Bake for 20 minutes until mushrooms are tender.
7. Serve.

These Cinnamon Mexican Wedding Cookies are so much fun to eat with a crumbly, sweet, nutty texture. Topped with a sprinkle of powdered sugar they look like something my kids love calling Snowballs!

I have a habit of spending so much time making the dinner portion of our holiday meal that I often completely forget about dessert. And in our house, especially come this time of year, forgetting what most of my family considers the most important part of the meal is not advisable. If you’re in need of a yummy dessert you can make ahead of time and pop in the oven right before you sit down to dinner, than this Cinnamon Apple Crisp is for you.

I generally buy sweet Gala, Pink Lady or Fuji apples for the kids to munch on during the week, but this crisp begs to be made with a variety of apple a bit more tart, like Granny Smiths. A spoonful of cool vanilla ice cream or some fresh whipped cream is the perfect accompaniment to the crunchy sweet oat topping of this classic dessert. And even though I doubt I’ll ever break my habit of spending too much time on the dinner portion of our holiday meals, at least this easy to make crisp will always ensure I’ll still have enough time to whip up something delicious for my dessert-mad family — even when I forget!

Cinnamon Apple Crisp (Serves 4-6)

Filling:

3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
5 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and cored
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

Crisp:

3/4 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
3/4 Cup Flour
8 Tbsp Cold Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

Accompaniments: Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Cut apples into quarters then slice each quarter lengthwise into 4 slices. Your apple slices should be about ¼ inch thick.
3. Melt the butter and sugar in a large sauté pan and cook for 30 seconds over medium heat.
4. Add the sliced apples to the pan, sprinkle in the cinnamon, combine and cook for 10-12 minutes until the apples are soft.
5. Place the remaining crisp ingredients in a bowl and gently crumble together with your fingers until the mixture forms pea-sized lumps.
6. Pour the apples into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and cover with the crumble topping.
7. Bake for 25 minutes.
8. Cool and serve.

A few years ago one of my dearest friends gave me a popover pan. Unlike a muffin pan, popover pans are deeper and made specifically for making warm fluffy popovers. When I finally used it a few weeks ago to make Cheesy Popovers for the first time I called to tell my friend how delicious they turned out. She took a few moments to guilt me (the way that only a good friend can for taking years to use a gift she gave you) and then wanted to know all about my popovers. I told her that they were so good, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t been making them for years (she thankfully refrained from any further snarky comments).

Popovers are super easy to make and when I say they are “kid friendly”, I really mean it. My little guys have become obsessed by them. They love watching them puff up in the oven and then breaking them open when they are done to see the steam pour out of the big airy puffs.

With all that holiday cooking right around the corner, this is the kind of recipe that you can easily hand over to a relative while you are busy preparing the rest of the meal. Right before you are ready to sit down to dinner or brunch (or even breakfast) pull these extra special puffs out of the oven and I guarantee these will garner rave reviews from all. In my opinion, a popover pan is a great investment….just don’t wait years to use it.

Cheesy Popovers (Makes 9 Popovers)

3 Large Eggs
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Milk
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Grease each popover tin with butter and fill ¾ up with batter.
4. Bake for 35 minutes and do not open the oven door while cooking.
5. Serve immediately.

I’m not exactly Martha Stewart when it comes to creating whimsical looking recipes, but trust me, I try. While I love producing dishes that have a lot of visual appeal by way of different shapes, colors and textures, I often feel so pinched for time that a lot of the creativity I would like to put into meals just doesn’t happen. Having said that, these Whole Wheat Bagel Wreath Pizzas are my idea of a recipe that is quick to prepare but also eye catching enough to get kids excited.

Whether you’re wanting to make a simple lunch or a special treat for a kids holiday party, these wreaths deliver on the whimsy and are a tons of fun!

(check out the other Bagel Wreath Pizza picture below…)

Whole Wheat Bagel Wreath Pizza (Serves 4)

4 Whole Wheat Bagels, cut in half
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup Pizza Sauce
1/2 Cup Broccoli, Peas and/or Green Beans, steamed
1 12 oz Jar Roast Red Bell Peppers

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Spread 1 tbsp of sauce on each slice of bagel.
3. Top each bagel with 2 tbsp of cheese, then arrange vegetables on top to resemble a wreath.
4. Cut bell peppers into thin strips to make the ribbon for each wreath.
5. Place wreaths on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.
6. Serve.

Kenya has been jonesing to make gingerbread for weeks, so I finally got out my baking pan and all of the ingredients when he said to me with most intense, focused voice, “Mommy, I wanted to make gingerbread COOKIES”. That entire time I had thought Kenya wanted to make gingerbread but in his mind it was all about the iconic shape of the gingerbread cookie. After all, what’s cuter or more fun than a cookie whose arms, head and feet you can eat right off before devouring the middle?

After a lengthy conversation with Kenya about the difference between gingerbread and gingerbread cookies, I asked him if instead he wanted to make gingerbread pancakes. He immediately broke out into a huge smile. It doesn’t take much to persuade my kids to eat pancakes no matter what their flavor. As long as the word “pancake” is involved, they’re excited both to eat and make them (just for the record, Kenya got to make the cookies as well and had a blast doing both).

Packed with iron, potassium and calcium from the rich molasses, they also offer a sweet, raisin-like flavor that I find kids adore. If you haven’t ever tried gingerbread pancakes, this is definitely the time of year to do it. Festive and delicious, it’s the kind of dish that really makes this time of year feel special!

Gingerbread Pancakes (Serves 4)

1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Ginger
1/4 Tsp Nutmeg
1/4 Tsp Cloves
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Milk
2 Tbsp Molasses
2 Large Eggs
2 Tbsp Butter, melted and cooled

Accompaniments: Maple Syrup and Honey

1. Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl whisk the liquid ingredients.
3. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and whisk until just combined.
4. Let the batter stand for 10-15 minutes to thicken.
5. Place 2 tbsp of the mixture in a large, greased sauté pan over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes on each
side.
6. Serve with maple syrup or honey.

It makes me crazy when I fall in love with something I eat at a restaurant or that a friend makes but they won’t divulge the recipe. Experiencing a food you love so much that you actually dream about it, only to then be deprived of ever finding out how it’s made is beyond frustrating to me. Yes, these are the kinds of problems that leave me sleepless at night, though I’m sure some moms feel the same way when I preview a pic on Facebook of a new recipe I’m working on yet they can’t get their hands on it until months later when I post it here on weelicious.

Such is the case with these holiday Almond Cookies. I first made a batch months ago (as embarrassing as it is to admit, I get so excited about Christmas cookies that I start making them in September), posted a picture on Facebook of them in Kenya’s school lunch and then had tons of moms emailing me for the recipe. I felt like such a hypocrite not being able to share it right away but I planned it for the holidays!

After posting Chocolate Orange Snaps and Cinnamon Mexican Wedding Cookies over the past two days, it seems like this has become my unofficial Cookie Week, featuring treats each day that are fun, beautiful to look at and easy to make with your kids. I’m thrilled that I can finally share these with you so you can in turn share them with your family, friends….even the man dressed in red heading down your chimney. There are no secrets here at weelicious!!!!

Almond Cookies (Makes 2 Dozen)

1 1/2 Cup Raw Almonds, divided
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Large Egg
1/2 Tsp Almond Extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Place 1 cup of almonds in a food processor and ground for 30 seconds.*
3. Place the ground almonds, flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and combine.
4. Place the butter and sugar in a standing mixer (or bowl using a hand mixer) and cream for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the egg and almond extract and mix another minute.
6. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until combined.
7. Using a mini ice cream scoop or a heaping tablespoon, scoop out the dough and place on a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet.
8. Place one almond in the middle of each cookie.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
10. Cool and serve.

One of my favorite activities to do with my kids is bake homemade cookies. I love watching my little ones get excited and feel empowered making their very own treats, but to be honest I can do without the mess left behind after the final product comes out of the oven. No matter how much fun it may be, the idea of a labor intensive, multi-ingredient cooking project can be taxing on the most patient of moms, which leads to me to the reason for coming up with this cinnamon-y, nutty recipe that could not be easier or more mess-free to make.

Recently, Shutterfly asked me to document making a holiday treat with my daughter for their Storytelling Photo Books and I opted to make this simple but delicious cookie recipe. Chloe took the lead and pretty much did it all from start to finish (yes, I helped out a bit). I loved capturing shot after shot of Chloe doing everything from placing the ingredients into the food processor, pushing the button to pulse it all together, rolling the dough out and finally gently tapping the powdered sugar on top of the freshly baked cookies. She could not have had more fun or gotten more involved or meticulous in her baking.

This delectable dessert is truly easy to make with your kids and spectacular enough to give as a gift to friends, family or teachers. These Cinnamon Mexican Wedding Cookies may be easy to make, but they’re hard to forget!

Cinnamon Wedding Cookies (Makes 2 Dozen)

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Raw Walnuts
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
1/4 Cup Confectioners’ Sugar, plus additional for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Place the walnuts in a food processor and ground for 30 seconds.
3. Place the ground walnuts, flour and cinnamon in a bowl and combine.
4. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a standing mixer (or bowl using a hand mixer) and cream for 3-4 minutes.
5. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until combined.
6. Using a mini ice cream scoop or a spoon (about 2 tablespoons), scoop out the dough and place on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.
7. Bake for 15 minutes.
8. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.