Cook with Your Kids – the Semi-Homemade Way

Kids love exploring the kitchen – almost as much as they love spending time with mom and dad.
Here’s a great way to combine both: Cook a family meal together! With Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade® recipes, which unite already prepared foods with fresh ingredients, your children will learn how to create a delicious, stress-free meal. For added fun, have your kids pick out a special tablecloth, set the table with their choice of dishes, make place cards from stationary, and pull together a vase-worthy bouquet of flowers from the backyard. Bon appetit!

Pineapple Pork Chops

Makes 4 servings

Prep: 20 minutes

Bake: 25 minutes

You will need:

• Measuring spoons
• 13 x 9-inch baking dish
• Strainer
• Small bowl
• Oven mitts
• Hot pad
• Metal spatula
• 4 dinner plates

• 4 loin pork chops
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt, Lawry’s®
• 1 teaspoon salt-free lemon pepper, McCormick®
• 1 can (8 ounce) pineapple slices. Dole®
• 4 maraschino cherries
• 4 teaspoons packed light brown sugar, C&H®

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle both sides of chops with garlic salt and lemon pepper. Put chops in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Wash hands with soap and warm water after touching raw meat.

2. In a strainer set over a small bowl, drain pineapple slices. Discard liquid. Place a pineapple slice on top of each chop. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice. Sprinkle each chop with 1 teaspoon brown sugar.

3. Using oven mitts, place baking dish in preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Using oven mitts, remove from oven. Place on hot pad. Using a metal spatula, transfer a chop to each of 4 dinner plates. 

Tip: To make a pineapple face, for each pork chop, use 2 maraschino cherries for eyes; place them on the pineapple. Cut 1 cherry into quarters and use 1 quarter to make a mouth on each pineapple piece. If desired, arrange steamed green beans around the top of the pork chop to resemble hair.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Makes 6 servings

Start to Finish: 25 minutes

You will need:

• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• 2 small bowls
• Spoon
• Fork
• Microwave-safe bowl
• Plastic wrap
• Oven mitts
• Large skillet
• Metal spatula
• Wooden spoon
• Hot pad
• Serving bowl

• 1 packet (1 ounce) stir-fry seasoning, Kikkoman®
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 bag (16 ounce) frozen stir-fry vegetables, Birds
  Eye®
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, Wesson®
• 2 packages (8.8 ounces each) chicken-flavor ready
  rice, Uncle Ben’s®
• 1/4 cup real bacon pieces, Hormel®

1. In small bowl, using a spoon, stir together stir-fry seasoning and water until seasoning is dissolved; set aside. In a small bowl, using a fork, beat egg lightly.

2. Place frozen vegetables in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave on 100-percent power (high) for 6 minutes. Using oven mitts, remove from microwave. Carefully remove plastic wrap.

3. Place canola oil in a large skillet. Place on burner; turn burner to medium high. When oil is hot, pour egg into skillet. Using a metal spatula, flip one part at a time until all the egg is cooked. Using a wooden spoon, stir in rice, bacon, and cooked vegetables.

4. Stir seasoning mixture into rice mixture. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes more or until rice is warmed through, stirring occasionally.

5. Using oven mitts, remove skillet from heat.
Place on hot pad. Transfer to a serving bowl.

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No-Bake Oreo® Cheesecake

Prep: 10 minutes Chill: 4 to 5 hours

You will need:

• Meauring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Large zip-top plastic bag
• Rolling pin
• Microwave-safe bowl
• Oven mitts
• Large bowl
• Handheld electric mixer
• Rubber spatula

• Chocolate sandwich cookies with white filling, Oreo®
• 1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, Philadelphia®
• 1/2 cup sugar
  1 cup sour cream, Knudsen®
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, McCormick®
• 1 container (8 ounce) frozen whipped topping, thawed,
  Cool Whip®
• 1 9-inch chocolate pie crust, Keebler®

1. Place Oreo cookies in a large zip-top plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, crush cookies into very small pieces. Measure 1 1/2 cups; set aside.

2. Place cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl.
Place in microwave. Cook on 80-percent power
(medium-high) for 1 minute or until softened. Using oven mitts, remove from microwave.

3. In a large bowl, place softened cream cheese and sugar. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on low speed until creamy. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in whipped topping and crushed cookies.

4. Spread mixture evenly into pie crust. Place in the refrigerator; chill for 4 to 5 hours before serving.

5. Top each slice of cheesecake with an Oreo cookie. Makes 1 pie (10 servings)

Modern Mom’s food and entertaining contributor, Sandra Lee is an internationally acclaimed life & style expert who has revolutionized the way people think about creating from scratch. With her trademark 70/30 philosophy, which combines 70% ready-made products with 30% fresh and creative touches – Sandra has become the advocate for the over-extended homemaker. Learn more about Sandra at http://www.semihomemade.com