55 Recipes to Teach Your Kids Right Now

From the Recipe Creator: A short list of ingredients packs full flavor in this easy-to-assemble casserole. Serve it as the star of your next meal. —Phyllis Bidwell, Las Vegas, Nevada

From the Recipe Creator: My son and I eat this peanut butter oatmeal recipe every day for breakfast. It's a hearty, healthy way to jump start our morning. — Elisabeth Reitenbach, Terryville, Connecticut

From the Recipe Creator: This third-generation hearty chili is a family favorite. It's a sweet and easy chili that's sure to warm up the whole family on those chilly fall nights. —Terri Keeney, Greeley, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: This chocolate frozen dessert is the perfect summer treat! Invite your kids into the kitchen to help you stir the pudding. —Ruth Ann Stelfox, Raymond, Alberta. Here’s an easy trick to teach your kids to tie shoes.

From the Recipe Creator: I give grilled cheese a special treatment by using slices of mozzarella cheese and adding delicious extras like pepperoni and fresh tomatoes. Dipped in warm pizza sauce, this will be a fast favorite! —Mary Monaco, Columbus, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: My mac and cheese is simple and has lots of flavor from the cheeses and ground chipotle chile. I use conchiglie pasta because its shape allows more melted cheese to pool inside. Yum! —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: When my children were young, I would often dress up fresh fruit in this easy salad. Decades later, my grandchildren and great-grandchildren still love digging in to the fruity layers. The salad goes well with barbecued meats or cold sandwiches. —Jonnie Adams Sisler, Stevensville, Montana

From the Recipe Creator: For a new twist on an old favorite, try these skewered hot dogs wrapped with breadstick dough and baked. They're fun to dip in ketchup, mustard or ranch dressing. The dressed-up dog recipe comes kid-tested from the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: When you have these fun-to-make mini pizzas, it's no challenge finding lunch fare that the kids enjoy. Plus they pack nicely in sandwich bags and travel well, so there's no mess. —Rhonda Cliett, Belton, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: When our son, Chris, wants something other than cold cereal in the morning, he whips up these eggs. Cheese and evaporated milk make them especially good. They're easy to make when you're camping too. —Chris Pfleghaar, Elk River, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: A smoothie loaded with fruit, oatmeal, maple syrup and cinnamon is great in the morning or at any time of day. If your berries are fresh (not frozen), freeze the banana ahead of time. —Kailey Thompson, Palm Bay, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: Like the King himself sang, you'll be "all shook up" when you taste this savory-sweet sandwich. —James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: My family loves this flavorful casserole with hearty chunks of sausage and green pepper. The recipe makes a big pan, so it's nicely sized for a potluck. —Carol Carolton, Wheaton, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: Here's proof that peanut butter and chocolate just belong together. These peanut butter blossom cookies are an easy family favorite and never fails to make my children smile. —Tammie Merrill, Wake Forest, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: I came across this easy and tasty snack while searching online for healthy munchies for kids. Great for after school, it's really quick to make and filling enough to hold the kids until dinner. To satisfy heftier appetites or to serve as a power lunch, cut each tortilla into fewer pieces or provide one per child. The recipe is easy to increase as needed. —Mary Haluch, Ludlow, Massachusetts

From the Recipe Creator: This is a smart way to use up leftover turkey. You might want to make a double batch! —Mary Gaylord, Balsam Lake, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: This entree is unbelievably simple to prepare yet tastes delicious. The fact that you use frozen ravioli—straight from the bag without boiling or thawing—saves so much time.—Susan Kehl, Pembroke Pines, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: Our 13-year-old daughter, Dana, loves to make this crunchy and flavorful snack for us. Her four older brothers finish off a batch in no time. —Sue Manel, Milladore, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: When we were first married and poor college students, I found this sloppy joe recipe and tweaked it. The fresh bell peppers give it a wonderful flavor. —Kallee Twiner, Maryville, Tennessee

From the Recipe Creator: This classic casserole is a rich and cheesy meatless main dish. I've never met anyone who didn't ask for a second helping. —Bernice Glascoe, Roxboro, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: My children like these roll-ups so much that they ask for them every day for lunch during the summer. Whenever I have leftover chicken or turkey breast, this is a delicious way to use it up. —Patricia Nieh, Portola Valley, California

From the Recipe Creator: This is a super fun way to serve lasagna for make-ahead lunches, potlucks or other fun get-togethers. My daughter took some of these to work and by noon was emailing me for the recipe. —Sally Kilkenny, Granger, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: Here's a dish that has it all—sweet potatoes, eggs, ham and cheese—for a powerful start to the day. —Annie Rundle, Muskego, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Everyone needs a fun, friendly way for kids to play with food. These rich bites are nutty and yummy. Just coat bananas in chocolate and dip them into peanuts, sprinkles or coconut. —Susan Hein, Burlington, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Stovetop chicken and gnocchi recipes like this one make for a homey dinner in a hurry. Personalize it with your own favorite sauce and seasonings. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: My chewy fiber bars with a complex taste are extremely addictive. For clean slices, spray a pizza cutter with cooking spray before cutting.—Richard Cole, Richmond, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: Make the most of leftover turkey with this down-home soup. Creating a broth by roasting the turkey, garlic and vegetables adds richness and depth to the flavor without the need for additional fats. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: Between working full-time, going to school and raising three children, finding time-saving recipes that my family likes is one of my biggest challenges. These quick pizzas pack a huge amount of flavor. —Amy Grim, Chillicothe, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: I packed chocolate chips, raisins, nuts and cinnamon into my oatmeal cookie recipe. These soft cookies are easy to make. Best of all, our kids love them! —Janis Plageman, Lynden, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: For years, I’ve used this smooth white sauce for pasta to make many dishes. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. —Lois Gelzer, Standish, Maine

From the Recipe Creator: This combines chili with one of my favorite pasta dishes. I often serve it for company or potlucks and occasionally add taco seasoning or use beanless chili and add black beans. —Lee Steinmetz, Lansing, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: Full of summer fruit, these thick berry blends are the perfect way to savor hot days. "I serve tall glasses with strawberry garnishes," says Ruby Williams of Bogalusa, Louisiana.

From the Recipe Creator: Whether I'm cooking for company or my own brood of five children, this delicious casserole is always well-received. —Eileen Nilsson, Plymouth, Massachusetts

From the Recipe Creator: This treat is one of my husband's favorites. I've been making these bars for many years, and we still can't get enough. I never mind making this recipe—it's about as easy as baking can be! —Judy Taylor, Shreveport, Louisiana

From the Recipe Creator: Not only do my grandchildren love these cheese-filled hot dogs, they enjoy helping put the meal together, too. It's the perfect solution when you need a last-minute lunch. —Lyletta Searle, Morgan, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: When our children were young, I often fixed these warm, crunchy sandwiches. They go well with chips and a salad for a quick lunch. —Carole Anhalt, Manitowoc, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: The best way to get kids interested in cooking and eating right is to let them help. These apple and peanut butter "sandwiches" are one fun way to pique their interest and kitchen creativity. —Shirley Warren, Thiensville, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: We serve these quesadillas as chili dippers or load them up with salsa and sour cream for a super starter. —Terri Keeney, Greeley, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: You’ll love to give tins of these chocolate-coated cookies to your lucky friends. The shortcut holiday recipe is almost too simple to believe! Here's how to make peanut butter cookies without eggs. —Jackie Howell, Gordo, Alabama

From the Recipe Creator: My brother-in-law teased that I only knew five ground beef recipes. I proved him wrong with my inventive spicy burritos. —Kim Kenyon, Greenwood, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: These Walking Tacos are perfect for an on-the-go dinner, a campfire meal or an easy game-night supper. The ingredients go right into the chip bags! —Beverly Matthews, Richland, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: I've always tried to make cooking fun—for myself, my daughters and my grandchildren. Cooking teaches children the importance of following directions and being organized. This recipe is easy to make, and kids really like it. —Flo Burtnett, Gage, Oklahoma

From the Recipe Creator: Leftover meat sauce makes a hearty calzone that tastes like it’s made from scratch. Top the calzones with a sprinkling of Parmesan. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: Ham, rice and mushrooms make a tasty combination in this homey stovetop dish. It goes from start to finish in just 25 minutes. —Susan Zivec, Regina, Saskatchewan

From the Recipe Creator: This delicious, not-too-sweet Mexican hot chocolate is richly flavored with cocoa and delicately seasoned with spices. The whole-stick cinnamon stirrers come in handy, as the old-fashioned chocolate mixture settles if not stirred before drinking. The blend of cinnamon and chocolate flavors is wonderful! —Kathy Young, Weatherford, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe is one of my family's favorites, and I make the treats a lot, especially at Christmas. I have three children and eight grandchildren, and every one of them loves those "peanut butter thingies," as the grandchildren call them! —Jodie McCoy, Tulsa, Oklahoma

From the Recipe Creator: These little pizza pockets put together using the waffle maker are a fun mashup. Try your favorite toppings or even breakfast fillings like ham and eggs. —Amy Lents, Grand Forks, North Dakota

From the Recipe Creator: When our son was growing up, this was one of his favorite breakfasts. I've used low-fat ingredients in the past with good results, too.—Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: I created these unique pinwheels for a football game snack using ingredients I had on hand. They were a huge hit! I appreciate how quick and easy they are to prepare. —Melanie Foster, Blaine, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: We pull out all the goodies for these chewy bars, like raisins and coconut. For more color, sprinkle on the M&M's once the bars are in the pan. Then press them in. —Connie Craig, Lakewood, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: Some like it hot with jalapenos; others like it cool with a dollop of sour cream. But one thing’s for sure: This is “nacho” ordinary pizza night. —Jamie Jones, Madison, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: This creamy mac and cheese is so simple it’s almost too easy! Kids really go for the rich cheese flavor, but I’ve never met an adult who didn’t love it just as much. —Ann Bowers, Rockport, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe features the flavors of your favorite pie but only takes a few minutes to make—and there’s no cooking or baking required. Perfect for when you’re rushing to get kids on the bus! —Elizabeth Dumont, Boulder, Colorado