Fun and Yummy Kid Friendly Dinner Recipes

Surprise your family with kid friendly dinner recipes that are fun and delicious at the same time. In less than an hour, you can offer your family a home cooked meal that they will enjoy far more than the boxed variety.

Chicken Nugget Parmesan

Turn one of your favorite meals into a kid friendly dinner that can be made in less than an hour.

1 - 16 ounce box chicken nuggets
1 - 8 ounce box pasta
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 - 8 ounce package shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cover a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil to save time on dishes. Pour the chicken nuggets on to the pan and spread them around to allow a bit of space around each one. Place them into the oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes.

Pour the pasta into a large pot of boiling water and cook as directed on the packaging. Use any shape or style pasta you have on hand, including fun shapes like spirals, wagon wheels or bow ties.

Remove the chicken nuggets from the oven and allow them to cool for a couple of minutes. Slice each of the nuggets in half.

Drain the water from the pasta and pour the noodles into a large casserole dish. Add the chicken nuggets to the pasta. Pour the spaghetti sauce over the pasta and chicken and mix the ingredients together. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake the casserole uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes.

Serve Chicken Nugget Parmesan with a garden salad and a slice of buttered Italian bread.

Cheeseburger Macaroni

Serve a favorite standby. However, make it homemade...without the helper in the hamburger.

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. pasta
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
8 slices American cheese
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1/8 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon paprika

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Brown the ground beef and boil the pasta as directed on the packaging.

Place the butter, milk, American cheese and cheddar cheese in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium temperature until the cheese melts, stirring constantly. Add the paprika to the cheese mixture and stir to combine.

Place the meat and pasta into a large baking dish. Pour the cheese mixture over the meat and pasta. Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve Cheeseburger Macaroni with buttery corn or green beans.

Pizza Pockets

Offer a fun dinner for a special occasion.

1 package pizza dough
1 jar pizza sauce
1 8 ounce package mozzarella cheese
Your choice of stuffing
Corn meal

Preheat the oven 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the pizza dough from the wrapping. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12 inch square. Cut the square into four equal parts.

Place a large spoonful of pizza sauce in the center of each square. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on the sauce. Add your favorite pizza toppings like pepperoni, mushrooms, sausage or even peppers and onions. Fold each square into a pocket, pressing along the edges as you close the pocket. This will help seal the yummy goodness inside the dough.

Sprinkle a cookie sheet with corn meal to prevent the pizza pockets from sticking. Place each pizza pocket on the cookie sheet, leaving adequate space around each piece. Bake the pizza pockets for 10 to 12 minutes or until the dough is golden brown.

Serve pizza pockets with cut up vegetables and ranch dip.