Baby it’s cold out there! Going outdoors with the kiddos may not be appealing or a good option these days, but finding ways to be together shouldn’t be hard! My go-to option is to get kids in the kitchen! Not only does it keep little hands and brains busy but encouraging creativity combined with healthy eating can turn any after school weekday into a bonding experience! Here are my top three “to-do’s” this January:

Dinner-and-a-Movie Night

Family movie night is the perfect excuse to get everyone together in the kitchen. Our go-to food item are “Mini-Pizza Pockets” because not only are they easy to make (lots of sprinkling of cheese and adding toppings for kids to do), the kids love them and they can be easily eaten while watching a movie to make it an extra special treat.

Mini-Pizza Pockets:

Ingredients:
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
¼ cup pizza sauce
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup sliced pepperoni (24 slices)
1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese

Step 1: Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll the dough onto a cookie sheet and separate into 4 rectangles (2 triangles each). Press each rectangle to form a 6×4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal.

Step 2: Spread 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce onto the half of each rectangle to within 1 inch away from the edge. Sprinkle each piece with 3 tablespoons of cheese and top with 6 slices of pepperoni. Fold the dough from the top over filling, and firmly press the edges with a fork to seal. Sprinkle each rectangle with 1/4 teaspoon grated cheese. With a fork, prick the top of each to allow steam to escape.

Step 3: Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until deep golden brown. Serve warm.

Extra tip: Want to make it magical?

Dress up! Make hats or costumes like those featured in the movie and dress up like your favourite characters.

 

Weekend Breakfast

Weekends are a great time for making breakfast as a family. Create timeless traditions and great memories the whole family will cherish. Kids will love making these fun English-Muffin Egg Pizzas. These mini breakfast pizzas will soon become a family favorite!

Ingredients:
2 Hard Boiled Eggs (tip: you can hard-cook eggs in advance and store unpeeled in the refrigerator for a week, which will shave off plenty of prep minutes in the morning)
4 English Muffin-halves
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ TBSP Olive Oil
1 Sliced Tomato

Step 1: Peel and slice the eggs, then place them atop a few English muffin-halves, along with a glug of olive oil, sliced tomato, and shredded mozzarella.

Step 2: Toast to melt the cheese. Serve warm.

Extra tip: Want to double the fun?

Have a picnic in bed! Take your meal to the largest bedroom and let the whole family enjoy breakfast in bed.

 

Smorgasbord Night

Have leftovers? Nothing beats a Smorgasbord Night where everybody can assemble ingredients and create their own unique combinations. Just use any meat leftovers, veggies, add noodles and away you go!

Extra tip: Got something to celebrate?

Choose a theme! Incorporating music, clothing or artwork into your evening can make your family night even more memorable. For example, give your taco night a Mexican theme.