Iced Lemonade Cookies

Lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice makes these sweet little refreshing cookies the perfect break from all the holiday chocolate. They're slightly chewy with just the right amount of sweet to compliment the sour.

Snickerdoodles

Cinnamon and sugar make for one awesome and classic holiday cookie. These guys are quick and easy to throw together and make the whole house smell like butter and cinnamon perfection. Snickerdoodles are also great for getting help in the kitchen from our little friends! Depending on age and skill level, kids can jump in and help roll them in cinnamon sugar or go all the way up to making these guys all by themselves. 

Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips (Crack Cookies)

This has been my hands down most popular and beloved cookies recipe for years. I can post something about taking them out of the oven and people will magically appear on our doorstep. They really are that good, thus are affectionately nicknamed Crack Cookies for their addictive taste. I'm giving away some big secrets here, so hang on to your hats folks. My youngest son helped make this batch, because they're his favorite, too. They're very kid friendly to make.

Homemade Bread Bowls

Although they may look daunting, these guys are pretty easy to make at home and this is a very versatile bread recipe. You can use it as it is here, or divide the dough up into 2 basic Italian loaves for fresh bread with dinner. As with all bread bowl, these work best with thick soups, chili, or chowders. I've used them for broccoli cheese soup, potato soup and even homemade mac and cheese. Like any yeast bread they're slightly time consuming only because of the rise time, not too terribly long hands-on.

Homemade "CheezIts"

So Goldfish and CheezIts are a staple snack food in our house. I decided this was definitely something I could make and eliminate even more chemicals, preservatives and dyes from our diet. The recipes looked fairly simple, 5 ingredients and not very labor intensive with my handy dandy food processor. I'm going to fool around with different kinds cheeses and see how amazing I can make these little crackers, but for the first batch, they're pretty darn tasty. I adapted this recipe from Rachel Cooks, and yes, Rachel, the "z" in CheezIts makes me absolutely nuts, too!

Homemade Belgian Waffles

Breakfast is one of the easiest meals to let slip to the wayside when it comes to real food. Everybody is half awake, rushing around, trying to get ready for work and school. I know we've been guilty of it, especially since my awesome husband usually handles the morning shift. Pop Tarts, sugary cereals and other foods loaded with chemicals and preservatives are quick and easy and fill tummies quickly. With just a little bit of foresight, you can freeze homemade waffles for quick breakfasts that are REAL FOOD.

A Larger Effort to Eat Real

Kids crave sweets and processed crap. No matter how great your intentions are or what they've been fed at home, eventually they will be out in this wide world without you guiding their choices. Rather than have them make poor choices because they feel like they're missing out, I've been trying make more of the things they love at home. This afternoon I knocked out Belgian Waffles, Cheese Its, and cookies. Here's to hoping it at least makes a dent. And never fear, they still get lots and lots of fruits and veggies. 

Look for these recipes to be up soon. Any other foods that your family is addicted to that you'd like to learn how to make out of REAL FOOD?