A Week of Kids Menus

Quick Chicken and Dumplings

Satisfy your love of comfort food in record time! Make tasty dumplings over loads of creamy chicken and vegetables in just 30 minutes.

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup frozen green peas and carrots

1 cup cut-up cooked chicken

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed creamy chicken mushroom soup

1 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1/3 cup milk

Paprika, if desired

1. Heat 1 1/2 cups milk, the peas and carrots, chicken and soup to boiling in 3-quart saucepan, stirring frequently.

2. Stir Bisquick mix and 1/3 cup milk until soft dough forms. Drop dough by 8 spoonfuls onto chicken mixture (do not drop directly into liquid). Sprinkle with paprika.

3. Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer.

Honey-Lime Fruit Salad

A quick and easy fresh-fruit salad that can double as dessert!

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup frozen (thawed) limeade concentrate

2 teaspoons poppy seed, if desired

4 cups cut-up fresh fruit

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1. Mix honey, limeade concentrate and poppy seed in medium bowl.

2. Carefully toss fruit with honey mixture. Sprinkle with almonds.

Whipped Frosting Cupcake Cones

The cake bakes right inside the cone! Just decorate and enjoy.

1 package Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® cake mix (any non-swirl flavor)

Water, oil and eggs called for on cake mix package

30 flat-bottom ice-cream cones

1 tub Betty Crocker® Whipped frosting (any flavor)

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Make cake mix as directed on package, using water, oil and eggs.

2. Fill each cone about half full of batter. Stand cones in muffin pan.

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick carefully inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Frost with frosting and decorate as desired. Store loosely covered.

Easy Blueberry Pancakes

Make their morning with light, tender pancakes. Your fresh or frozen blueberries make them extra-special.

2 cups Original Bisquick® mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries

1. Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375°F; grease with cooking spray, vegetable oil or shortening. (Surface is ready when a few drops of water sprinkled on it dance and disappear.)

2. Stir Bisquick, milk and eggs until blended; gently stir in blueberries. Pour by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle.

3. Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden.

Chicken Noodle Soup

This old-fashioned chicken noodle soup welcomes you home from the cold. One taste and you'll see why it's one of Betty's Best.

Chicken and Broth (See Below)

2 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)

2 medium celery stalks, sliced (1 cup)

1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules

1 cup uncooked medium noodles (2 ounces)

Chopped fresh parsley

1. Make Chicken and Broth. Reserve cut-up chicken. Add enough water to broth to measure 5 cups.

2. Heat broth, carrots, celery, onion and bouillon granules to boiling in Dutch oven; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until carrots are tender.

3. Stir in noodles and chicken. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered 7 to 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

Chicken and Broth

3 to 3 pounds cut-up broiler-fryer chicken

4 1/2 cups cold water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 medium celery stalk (with leaves), cut-up

1 carrot, cut up

1 small onion, cut up

1 parsley sprig

1. Remove any excess fat from chicken. Place chicken, giblets (except liver) and neck in Dutch oven or stock pot. Add remaining ingredients; heat to boiling. Skim foam from broth; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer about 45 minutes or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Remove chicken from broth. Cool chicken about 10 minutes or just until cool enough to handle. Strain broth through cheesecloth-lined strainer; discard vegetables. Remove skin and bones from chicken. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch pieces. Skim fat from broth. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate broth and chicken in separate containers up to 24 hours or freeze for future use.

Peanutty Apple Sandwiches

Whether for lunch or an after-school snack, these tasty sandwiches are so simple that your kids can help you make them.

3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

1/4 cup apricot preserves

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

8 slices raisin bread

2 medium unpeeled or peeled eating apples, thinly sliced

Lettuce leaf

1. Stir together peanut butter, preserves and mustard; spread on 1 side of 4 slices bread.

2. Place apple slices on peanut butter mixture; top with lettuce leaves and remaining 4 slices bread. Cut sandwiches in half or fourths if desired.

Microwave Ravioli Casserole

Quick! This four-ingredient Italian main dish goes together in under 20 minutes. Add some steamed broccoli and a loaf of garlic bread, and dinner is on the table in no time.

1 pound lean ground beef

1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)

2 cans (15 ounces each) beef ravioli

1 cup shredded mozzarella or Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

1. Crumble beef into 2-quart microwavable casserole. Add onion. Cover loosely and microwave on High 5 to 6 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes, until beef is no longer pink; drain.

2. Stir in ravioli. Cover tightly and microwave 5 to 7 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes, until hot. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let stand until cheese is melted.

Brownie Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Enjoy the classic combo of peanut butter and chocolate with these quick-fix brownie cupcakes!

1 package Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs or 3 eggs

Peanut Butter Frosting, if desired (See Below)

Betty Crocker® Decor Selects candy sprinkles, nonpareils or colored sugars, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups, or grease bottoms only of muffin cups.

2. Stir brownie mix, chocolate syrup, water, oil and 2 eggs for fudgelike brownies (or 3 eggs for cakelike brownies) in medium bowl, using spoon, until well blended. Fill cups about 3/4 full (each about 1/4 cup).

3. Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or almost clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely. Frost with Peanut Butter Frosting. Sprinkle with candy sprinkles. Store tightly covered.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 cup (about 1/2 tub) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla ready-to-spread frosting

1/3 cup peanut butter

2 to 3 teaspoons milk

1. Stir together all ingredients, using spoon, until smooth and spreadable.

Honey Mustard Ham

A creamy mustard sauce adds loads of flavor to this honey of a ham recipe.

1 fully cooked ham slice, about 1 inch thick (1 pound)

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons honey mustard

1/2 cup sour cream

2 medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons)

1. Cut ham into 4 serving pieces. Mix water and honey mustard in 10-inch skillet. Add ham.

2. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer about 15 minutes, turning ham once, until ham is hot. Remove ham from skillet; keep warm.

3. Stir sour cream into mixture in skillet; heat 1 minute. Pour over ham. Sprinkle with onions.