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.

Finding just the right recipe and cooking time for turkey can be tricky, so I’ve tested a turkey every week for the past month and a half in order to get to the moist juicy bird for this recipe. I was a little concerned that by the time Thanksgiving Day arrived the kids would look at the turkey and say, “again?!”, but so far I haven’t heard any protests from them (they both adore sliced turkey topped with tons of cranberry sauce, but you never know with kids).

Even though my father-in-law declares in his charming New York accent that my Brined Turkey is “the best turkey ever,” I just wasn’t sure if I could deal this year with the over-sized stock pot filled with brine and a 16 pound bird. Last year, I nearly threw out my back lugging the pot around and the year before, 1/2 of the turkey brine poured out ALL over the floor when I tripped over it trying to answer the phone. I thought I would never do a brine again, but alas, it’s so delicious I can’t resist. Oh, the joys of the holidays!

This is the easiest method of brining I’ve ever tried. Just rub the brine all over your bird and let it sit uncovered in the refrigerator for one to two days to dry out — easy peasy and no rivers of turkey juice running all over. Tender and juicy inside with crispy herbed skin outside, this turkey will be as delicious on Thanksgiving Day as it is in your leftovers all weekend long!

Herb Brined Roast Turkey (Serves 10-12)

One 12-14 Lb Turkey
2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
2 Tsp Dried Sage
2 Tsp Dried Thyme
2 Tsp Dried Rosemary
2 Cups Turkey or Chicken Stock

Accompaniment: Cranberry Orange Sauce, Turkey Gravy

1. Remove the giblets from the turkey (to save for the gravy), wash and pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
2. Whisk the salt and herbs in a bowl until combined.
3. Rub the salt/herb mixture all over the turkey, inside and out.
4. Place the turkey on a rack on a large plate or baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered, for 36 hours-2 days.
5. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1-2 hours before cooking to bring to room temperature.
6. Preheat oven to 450 F.
7. Tuck the wings behind the neck to avoid burning and place the turkey on a roasting rack, breast side down, pour 2 cups of chicken or turkey stock into the roasting pan and reduce the cooking temperature to 350 degrees.
8. Cook the turkey for 30 minutes.
9. Turn the turkey breast side up, roast the turkey an additional 2 hours minutes – 2 hours and 15 minutes, basting every 30 minutes and turning the turkey pan halfway through the cooking time (if the breast becomes too dark cover with foil).
10. Place a meat thermometer in the deepest part of thigh, but being careful not to touch the bone, until you have an internal temperature of 165-170 F.
11. Allow the turkey to rest for 30 minutes before slicing (this allows the juices to redistribute, making the turkey super juicy).
12. Serve.

If a worldwide brussel sprout eating contest existed, I guarantee you all that I would win it every year! Brussies are a serious business for me; I eat them almost every day. I buy stalks of them fresh from the farmers’ market when they are in season and have bags of frozen in the freezer at all times. Even when I make a family sized batch for dinner, I must summon my best mom behavior to share with everyone because all I want to do is hog every last one for myself!

The apple doesn’t fall to far from the tree because my son, Kenya, has become an major brussel sprout lover. He asks for them at least once a week, and so I’ve been working on new ways to prepare them beyond my signature Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Lemon and Poppy Seeds, which I make every Thanksgiving. This roasted recipe, with grated parmesan, toasted almonds and a touch of lemon is such a new hit in my house, it may have turned Chloe into the latest brussie fanatic!

Roast Brussel Sprouts (Serves 4)

2 Cups Fresh Brussel Spouts, halved
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup Raw Sliced Almonds
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Place the brussel spouts, olive oil and salt on a sheet tray and toss to combine.
3. Bake the brussel sprouts, cut side down, for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and top brussel sprouts with sliced almonds. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Place the roasted brussel sprouts and almonds in a bowl, top with Parmesan cheese and the juice of half a lemon.
6. Serve.

Whenever I make snacks for Kenya’s and Chloe’s classes I endeavor to come up with something different than the usual suspects. This doesn’t mean I have hours to cook up elaborate dishes for a huge group of kids. Far from it. Whatever I’m preparing needs to be simple, quick and healthy. Every time I make these Maple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds I am reminded that they are one of my kids’ favorite treats, and that makes me extra happy since they are super easy to make and give my little ones a boost of vegetarian protein.

All you need to do is toss the pepitas (pumpkin seeds) with a touch of olive oil and maple syrup and pop them in the oven. In ten minutes you have a fall treat that’s as tasty as an afternoon snack as it is packed in a lunch box!

Maple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 Cups Pumpkin Seeds (also known as pepitas)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Combine the pumpkin seeds, olive oil and maple syrup in a bowl and stir to coat. 

3. Spread the seeds out on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes. 

4. Stir the seeds and cook another 10-15 minutes or until golden and crispy (make sure to keep an eye on them in the last few minutes of cooking so they don’t burn). 

5. Cool and serve.

If you’re not making Spookie Smoothies for Halloween this year, you have to whip up a big batch of this Halloween Witches’ Brew. It’s so good I’ll be making it on Access Hollywood Live tomorrow! We don’t have juice in our house very often because it’s mostly sugar, so the kids went nuts when they first tasted this special concoction. With sweetness from the juice, zip and tang from the lemon juice and a touch of spice from the cinnamon, it’s the perfect drink for your holiday celebration!

Witches Brew (Serves 4)

2 Cups Apple Cider
2 Cup Cranberry Juice
1 Stick Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Serve.

I love all the emails I get around Halloween asking me for “healthy” candy recipes. I wish there was such a thing, but sadly, there isn’t. I usually just give in and allow my kids to enjoy a few chocolatey or sugary Halloween treats. HOWEVER, in the past, when I’ve put out a bunch of bowls filled with nuts, popcorn and chocolate chips for trick or treaters and given them holiday themed bags to let them make their own trail mix, they love it! Sure there’s always one or two kids who try to fill their bags with 99% chocolate chips and maybe one nut, but there are also plenty of little ones who stuff their bags with a healthy portion of the good stuff and they absolutely love it.

Whether you’re looking for a healthy-ish treat on Halloween or just a fun holiday snack idea for the younger set, this Popcorn Trail Mix fits the bill. And until someone invents healthy candy, you can’t do much better!

Popcorn Trail Mix (Makes 5 1/2 Cups)

4 Cups Popcorn, popped
½ Cup Chocolate Chips
½ Cup Dried Cherries or Cranberries
½ Cup Roasted Mixed Nuts, almonds, walnuts or peanuts

1. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and combine.
2. Place mixture into individual treat bags.
3. Serve.

You’re home, you’re inspired to cook dinner, you even have a great recipe in mind. Excited, you head into the kitchen to get all of your ingredients out and….oh no! You’re missing one!

Has this ever happened to you? It happens to me often and having my dinner plans ruined because I’m out of that one key ingredient drives me crazy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished my refrigerator was stocked with an endless supply of every ingredient known to man because the thought alone of having to drag two kids to the market for just one item is beyond frustrating to me, not to mention unfair to the kids, especially when I have so little time to cook to begin with.

I love this Tuna Pasta Salad because it’s rare that I’m ever out of any of the ingredients AND the kids love it. Plus, if you happen to be missing an ingredient, the dish will still hold up (unless of course the one ingredient you’re out of is tuna!).

While I can’t solve “missing ingredient syndrome”, this dish is pretty close to foolproof whether you want to put together a quick lunch or easy dinner. Everything is right within your reach.

Tuna Pasta Salad (serves 4)

3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Mustard
2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
2-8 oz Cans Fresh Water Tuna
4 Cups Pasta, cooked
1/2 Cup Carrot, peeled & shredded
1/2 Cup Cucumber, seeded & diced
1/4 Cup Dill Pickles, diced
1 Tomato, seeded & diced

1. Place the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and combine to make the sauce.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, pour the sauce on top and combine.
3. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Serve.

It’s funny how the seasons can inspire the cooking equipment I use. While summertime is all about my grill and ice cream maker, fall has me all about my crock pot. We’re just entering autumn — busy days running around with the kids and most likely less time to prepare dinner than you enjoyed in the summer months.

This time-saving, one pot meals takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, refrigerate well and tastes as good on day three as it does on day one. Right before I go to pick up the kids at school, I just toss all of the ingredients into my treasured crock pot and by 5:30pm the lid is off and the heavenly aroma of tender chicken in a mild chile verde sauce is in the air, a hearty and delicious fall dish bound for hungry tummies!

Crock Pot Chicken Verde (Serves 4-6)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, diced
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Tsp Ground Cumin
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
2 Lbs Chicken Thighs, bone-in and skinless*
2 Cups Frozen Corn Kernels
1 1/2 Cups Weelicious Salsa Verde or 1-16 oz Jar Salsa Verde**

1. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan and sauté onions for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and salt, sauté for an additional 1 minute and place in the crock pot.
2. Place the chicken thighs, corn and salsa verde in the crock pot.
3. Cook on low for 4 hours.
4. Discard the bones, shred the chicken and stir back into the sauce.
5. Serve over rice.

* If you prefer using skinless, bone-in chicken breast, cook on low for 2 ½ hours.
** Most groceries sell chili verde sauce or you can use the weelicious recipe

When it comes to convenience and making sure your kids have a wholesome snack, cheese sticks can truly be a mom’s best friend. They have major kid appeal and when your little ones are on the go, cheese sticks are an easy to hold, protein-rich food (that won’t make a total mess!). Whenever my kids are hungry in between meals, they know where to go: straight to the drawer in our fridge which I always keep stocked with a healthy supply of cheddar and mozzarella sticks.

My kids will also eat pizza pretty much any time of day, but it’s not exactly a food I want them running around the house with. I don’t know why, but one day I thought about marrying the convenience of cheese sticks with pizza — kind of a mess-free meal for active kids. The results were pretty popular with Kenya and Chloe. All I have to say these days is, “who wants a Cheesy Bread Stick,” and before I can even offer one to my kids it’s been grabbed out of my hand.

I wouldn’t say this is the healthiest recipe on weelicious, but I sure as heck don’t have to twist anyone’s arm to take a bite of the crusty pizza dough filled with oozing cheese. Sometimes that’s reason alone to make them!

Cheesy Bread Sticks (Makes 6 Sticks)

1 lb. White or Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
1 Pkg. Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Pizza Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Shape dough into a rectangle, about 10 x 6 inches wide, and cut into 6 rectangular pieces just big enough to wrap around the cheese stick.
3. Take one cheese stick and place in the middle of the rectangle of dough. Fold the ends over the cheese, then fold over the sides, pinching as you go so the dough sticks together. Roll the dough to evenly shape into a cylinder.
4. Place sticks onto a parchment or greased foil lined baking sheet and bake 14-15 minutes.*
5. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

* To spice this recipe up for parents, drizzle some olive oil on top of the cheese sticks followed by a sprinkling of some garlic powder, sesame seeds and/or salt before you bake.

When I was a kid and went out to dinner with my family, few things made me feel as grown up as getting to order a Shirley Temple. Made from ginger ale, grenadine syrup, a bit of OJ and topped off with a maraschino cherry, this drink was the most special of special treats to me.

When we went on vacation this summer, I would occasionally make my kids (and me and hubby) special cocktails to cap off a long day of play. Using just a bit of juice, some cut up fresh fruit and sparking water — and a fun straw or umbrella — it was something the kids looked forward to every day and it was so cute to watch them sit there each evening holding their pretty drinks and feeling grown up.

This virgin sangria is my take on the beloved Shirley Temple of my youth, but without all the sugar and high fructose corn syrup from the soda and grenadine. And when you get into the fall and winter months and you want to pretend you’re on vacation even though you can’t get away, just substitute any of your favorite seasonal fruits to make a yer round refreshing cocktail that everyone in the family can enjoy.

Kiddie Sangria (Serves 4)

1 Peach, pitted and sliced
1/2 Cup Strawberries, stems removed and quartered
1 Lemon, halved & sliced
2 Cups Cranberry and/or Orange Juice
2 Cups Sparkling Water or Club Soda

1. Place the first 4 ingredients in a pitcher and chill in the fridge for one hour.
2. When ready to serve, stir in 2 cups of sparkling water.
3. Serve.