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A menu of filling, delicious recipes is just what your family needs to make each school day a successful educational adventure. Satisfying lunch and dinner ideas can give loved ones the fuel they need while delicious desserts provide motivation for growing minds to get homework finished before enjoying a treat.

When weeks get hectic due to busy schedules, these recipes offer simple solutions to make cooking easier while limiting time spent in the kitchen. Start with a lunch that’s as easy to make as it is to pack in a lunchbox, recharge in the evening thanks to a veggie-forward main course and satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth with a chocolatey favorite to round out the day.

Keep your family full and energized each school day with more recipe ideas at Culinary.net.

Make School Lunches a Breeze

There’s a lot to remember when sending your student off to school each morning, from backpacks and school supplies to last night’s homework. Don’t forget one of the key ingredients to a successful day: lunch.

These Cheeseburger Turnovers provide the energy little learners need to power through their afternoon lessons. One winning idea to make the week easier is to prep a full batch of these easily packable, kid-friendly handhelds Sunday night so you’ve got lunch ready for each day.

To find more school day recipe inspiration, visit Culinary.net.

Cheeseburger Turnovers

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 1 can flaky biscuits
  • 1 cup shredded cheese
  • dill pickle slices, halved
  • 1 egg, beaten
  1. Heat oven to 375 F.
  2. In large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until beef is thoroughly cooked and onions are tender. Drain. Stir in ketchup and mustard.
  3. Separate biscuit dough. On ungreased baking sheet, flatten biscuit dough to form 6-inch rounds. Spoon beef mixture onto one side of flattened dough. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with dill pickle half. Fold dough over filling. With fork tines, press dough edges to seal. Cut two slits in top of dough to release steam. Repeat with remaining dough, beef mixture, cheese and pickles.
  4. Brush each turnover with egg wash.
  5. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until deep golden brown.

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A Perfect Pasta for School Nights

Weeknight meals are all about putting tasty dishes on the table in a short amount of time so you can share precious moments together despite busy schedules.

In a matter of minutes, you can prepare this Lentil Bolognese with Veggie-Based Penne for a quick yet flavorful recipe that can be enjoyed by little ones and adults alike. Featuring Veggiecraft Farms Cauliflower Penne as its key ingredient, this family meal makes it easy to incorporate vegetables without sacrificing taste. Available in popular shapes like penne, spaghetti and elbow, and made with lentils, peas and cauliflower, zucchini or sweet potato, the veggie-based pastas are gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan, Kosher and good sources of protein and fiber.

Visit veggiecraftfarms.com for more information and family-friendly recipes.

Lentil Bolognese with Veggie-Based Penne

  • 1 cup dry French green lentils or brown lentils
  • 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 box Veggiecraft Farms Cauliflower Penne

Toppings:

  • fresh basil
  • Parmesan cheese
  • red pepper flakes
  1. Cook lentils according to package directions. Drain then return to pot and add marinara and vegetable broth. Stir well and simmer over low heat about 10 minutes.
  2. Cook penne according to package directions.
  3. Top cooked pasta with lentil Bolognese, fresh basil, Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

A Heaping Serving of Homework Motivation

Heading back to school doesn’t have to mean forgetting the fun of warm weather treats. Once the homework is done and you’ve enjoyed dinner with loved ones, turn your attention to a dessert that tastes like it was prepared by a professional baker.

This S’mores Skillet starts with a sweet brownie base made with Domino Light Brown Sugar and is then infused and topped with traditional s’mores ingredients. Just combine in a skillet then bake – or grill for that familiar outdoor feel – until warm and gooey.

Find more dessert ideas to sweeten up back-to-school season at DominoSugar.com.

S’mores Skillet

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup Domino Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows, divided
  • 6 graham crackers, roughly crumbled, divided
  1. Preheat oven or grill to 350 F.
  2. Place medium heat-proof bowl over medium saucepan simmering with water. Add butter, 1/4 cup chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate; melt. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool 15 minutes.
  3. In small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
  4. In large bowl, mix eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture and mix until well combined. Stir in flour mixture. Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup mini marshmallows and three graham crackers to batter.
  5. Pour mixture into 8-inch skillet. Top with remaining mini marshmallows, chocolate chips and graham crackers. Grill or bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from grill. Cool 10 minutes and serve.