Picky Eater Meal ideas...

My husband is great about food.  He lets me dive into my "foodie" obsessions and compliments every meal.  He will eat leftovers, and even Mac n cheese if need be.  However my kiddos are not so sweet to their momma.  I have VERY picky eaters, and it usually take Captain Happy Pants an hour to eat dinner.  He doesn't even care for cupcakes... SERIOUSLY?! That is NOT my child!  Anyhow, Here are three REALLY good recipe ideas for your picky eaters.

Cold Cake Dippers:
We always have extra pancakes fresh from the griddle.  I despise to waste such fluffy, yummy perfection so I cut the cakes into thick strips with a pizza cutter, store them in the fridge and serve cold, dipped in Honey for a mid morning snack, or a quick breakfast with a smoothie.  The kids LOVE to dip them and have fun making their own dipping sauces (Yogurt and waffle sticks are yummy too)!

Honey-Balsamic Chicken Tenders:
I came up with this after I bought a glorious bottle of full-bodied balsamic vinegar from my fav grocery store, Trader Joes. 

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup GOOD balsamick vinegar
• Italian style bread crumbs or Panko
• Chicken breasts
• Pepper, 1 tsp. minced garlic, and Olive Oil

1. Mix the honey, BV, and Garlic in a bowl until dissolved.  Put chicken in mixture and marinate 1 hour at least. No longer then 3.
2. Dip marinated chicken in bread crumbs and pat to adhere. Place in baking sheet.
3. Drizzle leftover marinade over chicken, and Olive oil if needed for browning and crisping.
4. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked.

When done cute breasts into chicken tender strips and pile on top of a mound of fresh made mashed potatoes.  Serve with honey, A1, Ranch, or mustard for dipping.
I serve my husbands and mine as a whole breasts, and I don't use a dipping sauce.
***When I make mashed potatoes I use Red potatoes, peeled, cooked and then mash with a hand masher.  I then melt equal parts butter and milk in a sauce pan and stir in potatoes to reach desired creaminess. Melting the butter makes a WORLD of difference.

Macaroni Cupcakes:  From Giada, adapted my me.

• 2 cups dried bread crumbs, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 8 ounces ground turkey or ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 8 ounces small pasta, such as pennette, shells, or elbows
• 2 cups grated Parmesan or Italian blend
• 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 cups chopped broccoli,

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 2 (12-cup) muffin or cupcake pans with vegetable cooking spray. Using 1 cup of the bread crumbs, coat the inside of each muffin cup with bread crumbs, shaking off any excess.
2. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey or chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, Cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and add to a large bowl. Stir in the cooked turkey and the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Spoon the prepared pasta mixture into the cupcake molds, filling evenly to about 2/3 full. Arrange a few pieces of tomato, and broccoli into each cup. Top with a thin layer of the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil.
5. Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and carefully unmold with a spoon onto a serving platter.

My Kids LOVE helping make these and have so fun eating them with a side of french bread. They don't even notice the veggies. 
Enjoy!