Recipe: Kids Eat Free with Jim Cosgrove

By Jayni Carey on August 20, 2012

Jim Cosgrove (a.k.a. Mr. Stinky Feet), award-winning children's singer-songwriter, speaker, and writer, stops by Jayni's Kitchen to offer up some fun and delicious treats for kids.

Rise & Shine Breakfast Sandwiches

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
6 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves, chopped
1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 teaspoons vegetable or peanut oil
Canadian bacon rounds
4 English muffins

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the butter in an 8-inch round
non-stick baking pan and place it in the oven for 5 minutes to melt the
butter and heat the pan. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a large bowl,
add the salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Stir in the spinach,
tomatoes and cheese and pour the mixture into the hot baking pan.
Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the eggs are set, but still moist.
Cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove the baked eggs
from the pan by inverting them on to a plate, then inverting once more
to get them top side up. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes more.

Pour the oil into a skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the
Canadian bacon and brown lightly, 1 to 2 minutes each side. Split
the muffins and toast them under the oven broiler. Using a 2 ½-inch
cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the baked eggs into circles. To assemble
the sandwiches, place a Canadian bacon round on the bottom half of
each toasted English muffin, top with the egg circles and cover each
with a muffin top. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

6 ounces strawberry or plain yogurt
8 ounces (1 ½ cups) fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved
1 small banana, peeled and cut into chunks
2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
10 to 12 ice cubes

Place the yogurt in a blender. Add the strawberries, banana, and
sugar, if desired. Cover and blend for a few seconds to purée the
fruit. Add the ice cubes and blend until smooth. Serves 2.

Pizza Pillows (Mini Calzones)

Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Dough:
1 cup whole wheat flour, divided
1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water (125 to 130 degrees)
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

2 cups pizza sauce, homemade or bottled
2 cups cooked sausage, or soy sausage-style crumbles seasoned
with basil, rosemary and oregano
1 ½ to 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, or soy mozzarella blend
2 cups chopped red, green or yellow bell peppers, broccoli or other
vegetables
½ cup sliced black olives
garlic-flavored olive oil

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup whole wheat flour and ¼ cup of
the all purpose flour, yeast and salt. Add the warm water, honey and
oil. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute, scraping
the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat the mixture on high for 3
minutes. With a large spoon, stir in as much of the all-purpose flour
as needed to form the dough into a ball. Place the dough on a floured
surface and knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a smooth
and elastic dough, 5 to 7 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl,
cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise for 10 to 20 minutes.

Punch the dough down and divide it into 8 portions. Roll out one of
the dough portions on a floured surface, making it as thin and round
as possible. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of pizza sauce in the center
of the rolled out dough circle, leaving at least one-inch of the dough

edges uncovered. Arrange the sausage, vegetables and olives on the
sauce, keeping the fillings off the edges of the dough. Sprinkle with
cheese. To make a pizza pillow, carefully lift one edge of the dough
circle off the board and fold it over the fillings to form a half-moon-
shaped pocket. Crimp the edges of the dough to keep the filling in.
Repeat with remaining dough portions.

Place the pizza pillows on a greased baking sheet. Using the tip of a
sharp knife, cut three small slits in the top of each pillow. If desired,
brush the tops of the pillows with garlic-flavored olive oil before
baking. Bake the pizza pillows in a 400 degree oven for 12 to 15
minutes, or until golden brown. The filling will be hot so cool briefly
before serving. Pass the remaining pizza sauce for dipping. Makes 8
pizza pillows.

Time Saver Option: Substitute canned biscuits in place of the Honey
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough to make the Pizza Pillows. Bake them in a
375 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

Recipe for Pizza Pillows by Jim Cosgrove, a.k.a. Mr. Stinky Feet.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bread
¼ cup butter, softened
¾ cup smooth peanut butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/2 to 2/3 cup low-sugar strawberry preserves

Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter
and peanut butter together using an electric mixer. Add the sugar
and beat for 1 minute. Mix in the eggs, then the buttermilk. In a
separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the
dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined. Pour half of
the batter into the greased loaf pan. Spread the strawberry preserves
evenly over the batter. Top with the remaining batter, Using a spatula
or a frosting knife, swirl it through the batter to create a marbled
effect. Bake the loaf in a 350 degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or
until an inserted toothpick or wooden skewer comes out clean. Cool
the loaf for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan
and finish cooling on a baking rack. To serve, slice the bread into ½-
inch slice. Serves 8.

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