The Dish on Back to School Recipes

Mini Loaded Club Sandwiches. Photos: Lunds & Byerlys

It’s about that time when home kitchens ramp up breakfast, “cold” lunch and after-school snack repertoires as students get back into the learning curve.

Oat and Apple Muffins

These muffins are hearty and filling with good-for-you oats and applesauce and very little sugar, yet they taste like a special breakfast treat. There will be no twisting of arms to get kids to eat a substantial breakfast!

Tip: The young at heart love them, too; they taste like a perfect combination of nostalgia and optimism.

• 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce
• ½ cup milk
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ¾ tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ cup raisins

Heat oven to 375 F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together oats, applesauce, milk, sugar, egg, melted butter and vanilla extract. In a large bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and raisins. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredient mixture. Stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Evenly spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the muffins have risen about 1 inch over the top of the muffin tin, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack; cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to three days.

Baked Berry Oatmeal

If you’re looking for a tasty, grab-and-go healthy breakfast, this recipe is the answer.

Tip: Serve with yogurt and more fresh fruit.

• 2 cups organic rolled oats
• ½ cup pecan pieces, unsalted
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. cardamom
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• 2 cups milk, 2 percent
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 2 medium organic bananas, ripe and sliced
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries
• 1 pint blueberries

Heat oven to 350 F. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. In a bowl, combine oats, pecans, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom and sea salt. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, maple syrup and melted butter. Set aside. Spread sliced bananas, cranberries and ⅔ of the blueberries across bottom of prepared baking dish. Sprinkle oat mixture on top of fruit. Pour milk mixture over all. Sprinkle remaining blueberries across the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, and cut into squares to serve.

Tip: This can be made ahead, kept refrigerated and heated in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Mini Loaded Club Sandwiches

We took a classic club sandwich, loaded it with good stuff and shrunk it down to an easy-to-eat size. In other words, we created the perfect lunchtime paradox: small sandwich, big flavor.

• 8 slices hickory smoked bacon, uncured and thick-cut
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 8 ½ inch-thick slices caraway rye artisan bread
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 8 slices black forest ham, uncured
• 4 slices turkey breast, oven roasted
• 4 slices white cheddar cheese
• 2 vine-on tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, thinly sliced
• kosher salt, to taste
• black pepper, freshly ground to taste
• 2 cups mixed spring greens, loosely packed

Heat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet and cook until crispy, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. When  medium-high heat. Spread a thin layer of butter on both sides of each slice of bread. Toast the bread in the skillet until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Spread 1 Tbsp. Dijon-mayo on one side of the bread slices. To make one sandwich, layer one piece of bread with 2 slices of ham, 1 slice of turkey, 1 slice of cheddar, 4 pieces of bacon, 2 tomato slices and ¼ of the avocado slices. Season with salt and black pepper. Top with a pinch of greens and another slice of bread, mayo side down. Repeat to make the remaining sandwiches. Secure each mini sandwich with a toothpick, and serve immediately.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta Skillet

Pick up a rotisserie chicken, and make this supremely satisfying pasta dinner. Save the leftovers for your lunch the next day.

Tip: We like to pop it in a thermos.

• 10 oz. pasta, cooked and drained
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup hot sauce
• 1 Tbsp. dry ranch seasoning
• 2 cups pulled chicken
• ¼ cup chives, freshly chopped
• 1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat oven to 350 F. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain; return to pot. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add flour, and whisk to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add milk, and whisk until smooth. Simmer until thickened, 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cream cheese, and stir until melted and smooth. Add hot sauce and ranch seasoning; stir until combined. Add cooked pasta, chicken and chives; stir until pasta is completely coated. Top with cheddar cheese, and bake at 350 F for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted. (Broil for about 5 minutes to get the cheese golden and slightly crispy.) Garnish with chives, and serve.

Mini Pizzas

Talk about comfort food at its finest. The pizzas boast puffy, slightly sweet crusts, lots of sauce and cheese and ingredients for some punchy flavor and crunch. They come together fast, too, making them perfect for after-school snacks.

Tip: Make a double batch. You’ll eat them all in a blink and wish you had more.

• 1 Pillsbury Classic Pizza Crust
• cooking spray
• 8 oz. pizza sauce
• ½ yellow onion, diced small
• ½ green bell pepper, diced small
• 2 oz. turkey pepperoni, sliced
• 1 cup whole milk mozzarella, shredded

Take the pizza dough out of the container, and cut into 12 equal squares. Grease a muffin tin with cooking spray, and place a dough square in each well. Gently press the dough into the well and against the side, allowing the remainder to flop over the top of the tin. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of sauce into each pizza, and then add a pinch of onion and green pepper, one or two slices of pepperoni and 1 ½ Tbsp. of cheese. Bake the mini pizzas at 375 F for 12 to 14 minutes or until the crusts are golden brown and the cheese has melted. Allow the pizzas to cool in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes,  and serve hot.

Air Fryer Taquitos

With the quintessential crunchy shell, just the right amount of heat and refreshing hints of pico de gallo and lime, these are everything you want in a taquito made incredibly easy.

Tip: Make extra to freeze the taquitos for later, and pull them out when you need a quick snack.

• ⅓ cup adobo sauce, from canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 3 Tbsp. lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 Tbsp. agave syrup
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 12 oz. pulled chicken
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 12 corn tortillas
• cooking spray
• guacamole, for garnish
• pico de gallo salsa, for garnish
• cilantro, rough chopped for garnish
• lime wedges, for serving

Heat the air fryer to 375 F. In a large bowl, whisk together the adobo sauce, lime juice, agave syrup and olive oil until emulsified. Add the pulled chicken and shredded mozzarella, and mix with a rubber spatula until fully coated. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on a large plate for 30 seconds or until the tortillas are warm to the touch. Fill one tortilla with 2 Tbsp. of chicken, and roll it up tightly. Place seam side down on a large sheet pan; repeat with the remaining tortillas. Working in batches, place the taquitos in the air fryer basket, and spray with cooking spray. Air fry for about 10 minutes or until the taquitos are crispy and lightly browned. Transfer the taquitos to a large serving platter, and garnish with guacamole, pico de gallo and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Quick and easy, this recipe gives you that nice, snappy crunch on the outside with just the right amount of chewy subtleness on the inside. The cookies taste absolutely amazingly fresh out of the oven, but let’s be honest, there is no bad time to enjoy this deliciousness.

Tip: Pack for lunch, but save some for after school nibbles.

• 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp. milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 F. Line three sheet pans with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, vigorously beat the melted and cooled butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup with a spatula until well combined. Add the egg, milk and vanilla, and beat vigorously until well combined. Add the dry ingredients, about ⅓ cup at a time. Stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Gently stir in the chocolate chips. The dough will be very loose and sticky, more like the consistency of batter. Using a 1 ½ oz scoop or heaping Tbsp., drop balls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto the prepared sheet pans. Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown and flat, rotating the sheets halfway through baking. Bake in batches if needed. After removing the sheet pans from the oven, hold them about 6 inches above the counter and drop them a few times to further flatten the cookies. Let the cookies cool on the sheet pans for 5 minutes, and use a thin spatula to transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Katie Tomsche is the content manager for Lunds & Byerlys. Taste more at lundsandbyerlys.com.