Those fancy coffee creamers are the inspiration for this oatmeal.  Don’t stop at the amaretto creamer… grab some French Vanilla or other flavors, mix and match the fruit, even sprinkling in a dash of cinnamon.  If you have trouble getting your youngsters to finish their oatmeal before they run out the door, this will slow them down!

3 C of milk
1/4 t of salt
1 1/2 C of quick cooking oats
2 (4 oz.) snack cups of diced peaches
1/4 C of sugar
2 T refrigerated Amaretto creamer

Place the milk into a sauce pan over medium heat.
Stir in the salt and bring the mixture to a boil.
Add the oats and cook 2 minutes or until thick stirring occasionally.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peaches, sugar and creamer until blended in well.

Makes 4 servings

Preparation Time:  approximately 5 minutes
Cooking Time:  approximately 2 minutes
Total Time:  approximately 7 minutes

It’s always a treat when a plate of French Toast is on the table early on a Back-To-School morning.  Brown sugar sprinkled on top makes this French Toast especially enticing.  Serve with a few strawberries sliced on top as well for an exceptionally pretty and delicious breakfast.

3 eggs
1/2 C of milk
1 T of vanilla extract
1/8 t of salt
8 slices of white bread
2 T of butter
1/4 C brown sugar, packed

Carefully break the eggs into a medium size mixing bowl.
Add the milk, vanilla extract and salt and whisk until blended together well.
Place the butter into a skillet positioned over medium heat and allow butter to melt.
Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture until well coated allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl.
When the butter has completely melted add the bread slices to the hot skillet.
Cook 3 minutes then turn each piece of toast.
Continue cooking 2 additional minutes or until golden brown.
Remove the toast from the skillet and sprinkle with brown sugar before serving.

Makes 4 servings

Preparation Time:  approximately 5 minutes
Cooking Time:  approximately 5 minutes
Total Time:  approximately 10 minutes

Having breakfast ready for your family as they’re headed back to school is important.  Sometimes, the morning gets off to a rough start and everyone’s running around, looking for their homework, trying to find their shoes… well, you know how it goes.  For those mornings, a fun grab-and-go breakfast is what you need.  These crispy biscuits are definitely fun, but are delicious and filling, too!  If you want a sweet version, try a fruity or chocolate cereal instead of the rice cereal and substitute cinnamon and sugar for the cheese.

1 1/4 C of Rice Krispy type cereal
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated
1 (6 oz.) can buttermilk biscuits
3 T of milk

Preset the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Lightly spray a cookie sheet with a non stick cooking spray.
Place the cereal into a shallow bowl.
Add the Parmesan cheese and toss to combine.
Separate the biscuits and cut each biscuit into fourths.
Roll each fourth into a ball.
Dip the balls into the milk then roll through the cereal mixture to coat well.
Place the coated balls 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake 6 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 20 balls

Preparation Time:   approximately 10 minutes
Baking Time:  approximately 6 minutes
Total Time:  approximately 16 minutes

You can actually use any fruit or berry you like in this cup.  Try pineapple, banana, strawberries, peaches, or anything available to you.  You may want to sprinkle a few chopped nuts on top or even some granola or other cereal just for a little crunch.

1 1/2 C fresh raspberries
1 1/2 C fresh blueberries
1 (6 oz.) carton vanilla yogurt
1 t sugar
1/4 t cinnamon

Divide the berries between four serving bowls.
Mix the yogurt, sugar and cinnamon together until well blended.
Top the berries with the yogurt mixture.

Makes 4 servings

These are very clever little fruit tacos that are perfect for waking up a sleepy household as everyone heads back to school.  When it’s strawberry season, be sure to freeze a couple pints for this treat on a busy morning.  You can also heat pre-formed taco shells, but they may be a little too crisp for your liking.

1 T sugar
1/4 t of cinnamon
4 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 T of butter
2 C of vanilla yogurt (or flavored if preferred)
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 pint strawberries, halved

Preset the oven to 350 degrees.
Wad four sheets of foil into 4 inch balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet in order to form taco shapes out of tortillas.
Melt the butter.
Combine the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl.
Brush the 4 tortillas on one side with the melted butter and sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Form the tortillas with butter/sugar/cinnamon side down on the foil and press to resemble taco shells.
Bake the tortillas for 5 minutes or until just beginning to crisp.
Remove and fill each tortilla with 1/2 C of the yogurt.
Layer the bananas and strawberries over the top of the yogurt.

Makes 4 servings

Preparation Time:   approximately 10 minutes
Baking Time:  approximately 5 minutes
Total Time:  approximately 15 minutes

When is a bowl of oatmeal not a bowl of oatmeal?  When it’s a Smoothie.  This warm and filling breakfast is perfect for Back-To-School time when everyone is rushing through their morning, barely pausing to grab breakfast.  Fill big mugs with this warm smoothie and watch your sleepy-eyed family perk right up!

1 T of fine oatmeal
1 C of milk
1/4 C of raisins
1 small ripe banana
1 t clear honey

Stir the oatmeal and milk together in a small saucepan.
Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a soft boil.
Pour the heated mixture carefully into the blender.
Add the raisins, banana and honey to the blender.
Blend the mixture until all the ingredients are smooth.
Pour into a mug and serve.

Makes 2 servings

Total Time:  approximately 12 minutes

Colorful and delicious dried cranberries really perk up this Back-To-School breakfast!  I substitute honey for the maple sometimes just to change it up a bit.  Either way, this is one oatmeal that will truly stick to their ribs.

3 C of milk
1/4 t of salt
1 ½ C quick cooking oats
1/3 C dried cranberries
1/3 C of golden raisins
3 T of maple syrup
1 1/2 t of cinnamon

Stir the milk and salt together in a saucepan and place the pan over medium heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil then stir in the oats.
Cook the mixture for 2 minutes or until thick.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cranberries and raisins.
Add the syrup and cinnamon and blend them in well.

Makes 4 servings

Preparation Time:  10 minutes
Cooking Time:  2 minutes
Total Time:  12 minutes

In just about thirteen minutes you can serve your Back-To-Schoolers a coffee cake that looks, and tastes, like you ordered it from the bakery.  What could be easier?  Mix it up, throw it in the microwave, and you’re done.  This makes a nice home-from-school treat, too.

1/3 C of brown sugar, packed
1/2 C walnuts, chopped and divided
2 C of baking mix
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/3 C of milk
1 C chunky applesauce

Spray an 8 inch microwave safe dish with a non stick cooking spray.
Mix the brown sugar and 1/4 C of walnuts together in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
In a separate bowl mix together the baking mix, remaining walnuts and the cinnamon.
Pour the milk into the mixture.
Add the applesauce and beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
Sprinkle the top with the brown sugar mixture.
Microwave on high for 8 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.

Makes 8 servings

Preparation Time:  approximately 5 minutes
Microwave Time:  approximately 8 minutes
Total Time:  approximately 13 minutes

Kids will usually try new dishes when they already love the ingredients.  This is a fun breakfast food that will delight your Back-To-Schoolers.  The dried cranberries are very colorful, but you may want to substitute raisins if cranberries are not your family’s favorite.

2 cooking apples, peeled and sliced and diced
1/4 C of sugar
1/2 t of cinnamon
1 T of butter
1/2 C of dried cranberries
1 (8 oz.) pkg. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 pieces of toast

Place the apples into a large bowl.
Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the apples and toss until well coated.
Place the butter in a skillet over medium high heat.
Add the apples and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring often.
Remove the skillet from the heat and fold in the cranberries.
Add the cheese and stir until the cheese is blended in well and just beginning to melt.
Top each piece of toast with a generous amount of the apples.

Makes 8 servings

Total Time:  approximately 15 minutes

Back-To-School time is always hectic, so you need something scrumptious to make your family stop in their tracks long enough to eat breakfast.  When you place this pretty, sweet, and toasty breakfast in front of your hungry family, they’ll pause for at least a few minutes as they rush through their morning.

1 (8 oz.) loaf of French bread, cut into slices
1 (8 oz.) carton of spreadable cream cheese
1 T of honey
1 (10 oz.) frozen sliced strawberries, thawed
1/4 C of strawberry jelly, warmed

Preset the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Arrange the bread slices in a single layer into the bottom of ungreased 13X9 baking dish.
Bake the bread for 3 minutes then turn and continue baking an additional 3 minutes or until crisp.
Place the cream cheese and honey into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
Spread the mixture over one side of each slice of bread.
Top each slice of bread with the sliced strawberries and drizzle with the warm jelly.

Makes 2 dozen

Preparation Time:  10 minutes
Cooking Time:  6 minutes
Total Time:  16 minutes