Monster Toast and More

Fun Recipes Your Kids Will Love

Hi friends!! It's my birthdayyyyy! 🎉 I’m 21 today! (x 2 lol). I’m celebrating by gifting YOU four fun, easy recipes your kids will absolutely love (and also getting a spray tan, showing up on the evening news, and tying up loose ends before book tour starts tomorrow)! Sometimes the simple recipes that get little hands involved are the ones that become special memories and traditions. These recipes will bring you little kitchen magic moments that make ordinary days special without requiring a culinary degree or hours in the kitchen.

---

Monster Toast

This is one of my favorite childhood memories. My best friend Kaitlin and I would make monster toasts when she’d sleep over at my house. It's colorful, creative, and almost feels like you're doing a craft project together rather than making breakfast!

INGREDIENTS

• Food coloring

• Milk

• Sliced white bread

• Optional: peanut butter, jelly, butter for topping

DIRECTIONS

1. In individual bowls or cups, mix your "paints" by stirring a few drops of food coloring into about 2 tablespoons of milk.

2. On plain, untoasted bread, paint a monster face using the milk-and-food coloring mixture.

3. Toast your monster-faced bread, and prepare to be amazed! Your "paint" will show up nice and bright.

4. Top with peanut butter, jelly, butter, or whatever you like.

The look on your kids' faces when they see their artwork "magically" appear after toasting is absolutely priceless.

---

Breakfast Banana Splits

Who says banana splits are just for dessert? This nutritious twist on a classic dessert makes breakfast feel like a special occasion:

INGREDIENTS

• 4 bananas

• 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

• 1 cup strawberries

• 1/4 cup granola

• 2 Tbsp peanut butter

• Optional: honey

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice bananas lengthwise and lay two slices each into four bowls.

2. Top with a few dollops of Greek yogurt.

3. Slice strawberries and sprinkle over the top. Add granola.

4. Warm peanut butter in the microwave for 15 seconds. Drizzle it over the top. Add honey if desired.

My kids feel like they're getting away with something when I serve these for breakfast, but they're actually getting protein, fiber, and fruit first thing in the morning. Total mom win!

---

Baby Donuts

These little bites of joy hold a special place in my heart. When Brady was little, he and I used to go to Dunkin' Donuts in Tampa together—I'd get my coffee and he'd get donut holes, which he always called "baby donuts." That sweet little name stuck, and now they're a favorite family treat that brings back those precious moments.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 to 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying

• 1 (16.3 oz) can flaky biscuits

• Powdered sugar, for topping

DIRECTIONS

1. Pour oil into a saucepan over medium-high heat (you want the oil to reach about 350 degrees). To make sure your oil is ready for the dough, stick the end of a wooden spoon into it. If bubbles form around all edges, it's ready. If not, it's not warm enough yet.

2. Separate biscuits and cut them into quarters.

3. Roll biscuit pieces into balls.

4. A few at a time, gently place balls into hot oil (careful, it may splatter). Allow one side to get golden brown before gently flipping each donut, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.

5. Once donuts are golden brown on both sides, remove from oil and place on a paper towel to drain. Top with powdered sugar while still warm.

PRO TIP: You can also use a fondue pot for this recipe. Simply add your oil to the pot and set the temperature to 350 degrees. Once the oil is hot, begin gently dropping in your donuts. Also, if you're in the mood for cinnamon, swap the powdered sugar for a little cinnamon and sugar as your topping.

---

Pizza Rollups

These make a perfect after-school snack, lunch box addition, or fun dinner side.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 flour tortillas

• 3/4 cup pizza sauce

• 1/2 to 1 cup pepperoni slices

• 8 string cheese sticks

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Spray an air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper liner. Preheat to 375 degrees.

2. Soften tortillas by wrapping them with a damp paper towel and microwaving them for about 30 seconds.

3. Lay tortillas flat and spoon a bit of pizza sauce onto each. Lay a few pepperoni slices on top of sauce.

4. Split string cheese in half lengthwise. Lay each half on top of pepperoni.

5. Roll up tortillas, brush with olive oil (for crispiness), and place seam side down in air fryer.

6. Air fry for about 5 minutes.

My kids think these taste just like pizza rolls but "way better" because they get to help make them. Plus, they're ready in less than 10 minutes!

---

Why These Simple Recipes Matter

In The Simplified Cookbook, I talk a lot about how cooking doesn't have to be complicated to be done with love. These fun recipes are perfect examples of that philosophy—they're simple enough to make even on busy days, but special enough to create those little moments of joy and connection that matter so much.

What special recipes do your kids love? Drop your favorites in the comments—I'm always looking to add more kid-approved dishes to our rotation!

xo, Emily

P.S. If you're looking for more simplified recipes that your whole family will love, The Simplified Cookbook is available everywhere books are sold and the (amazing!) pre-order bonuses are available for just five more days! 💕