recipes
Pair Fall Meals with Creamy Mashed Potatoes

(Family Features) Potatoes are a perfect kitchen partner any time of year, but fall’s comfort food cravings make it spud season for busy (and hungry) families. These Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy are a must-add for autumn menus as they’re a breeze to make, require just a handful of pantry staples and pair well with fall favorites like meatloaf.
For more fall recipe ideas and potato inspiration, visit Culinary.net.

Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 6-8
- 3 pounds potatoes
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Mushroom Gravy:
- 1/2 stick butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 can (8 ounces) mushrooms, drained
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- Peel and cut potatoes. Boil 20 minutes until fork tender. Mash with hand mixer. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- To make mushroom gravy: In saucepan over medium heat, brown butter and flour. Once butter is paste-like, add mushrooms. Whisk in chicken broth and heavy cream. Add garlic powder and season with salt and pepper, to taste, while whisking.
- Remove from heat when mixture starts boiling. It should be thick.
- Serve potatoes topped with mushroom gravy.
SOURCE:
Culinary.net
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Food and Beverage
Solve Your Cookout Crunch

(Family Features) If you’re in a tight spot for a last-minute potluck barbecue, don’t just throw together any salad. This Queso Cheese Corn Salad features a zesty homemade dressing and a salad base with a bit of heat (if you dare). Discover more cookout recipes by visiting Culinary.net.

Queso Cheese Corn Salad
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
Dressing:
- 2 limes, juice only
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 cans whole corn, drained
- 1 cup chopped bell pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion (optional)
- 1 hot pepper (optional)
- 1 cup shredded queso cheese
- freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish
- To make dressing: In bowl, mix lime juice, mayo, salt and sugar.
- In separate large bowl, mix corn; bell pepper; onion, if desired; hot pepper, if desired; and queso cheese.
- Pour dressing over corn mixture and mix well. Top with cilantro.
SOURCE:
Culinary.net
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Food and Beverage
Kid-Friendly Recipes to Power Through School Days

(Family Features) 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
- Heat oven to 375 F.
- In large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until beef is thoroughly cooked and onions are tender. Drain. Stir in ketchup and mustard.
- 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.
- Brush each turnover with egg wash.
- Bake 18-22 minutes, or until deep golden brown.

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
- 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.
- Cook penne according to package directions.
- 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
- Preheat oven or grill to 350 F.
- 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.
- In small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
- 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.
- 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.
Food and Beverage
Back-to-School Sandwiches to Nourish Kids’ Bodies and Minds
Back-to-School Sandwiches: When you picture a schoolchild sitting down at a cafeteria table and opening their lunchbox, you’re probably already imagining there’s a sandwich inside. For a nutritious lunch, pack this Ham, Turkey, Bacon and Cheese Pocket. Some school days call for simple, fun comfort food, and that’s where the Fluffernutter comes in.
Last Updated on July 16, 2026 by Daily News Staff
(Feature Impact) When you picture a schoolchild sitting down at a cafeteria table and opening their lunchbox, you’re probably already imagining there’s a sandwich inside. After all, it’s a classic back-to-school staple that parents rely on for ease, convenience and nutrition when they’re trying to get everyone out the door on time – all you have to do is put bread and fillings together, and you’re good to go. That, of course, only leaves the question of which bread and fillings to choose.
A new survey conducted by Atomik Research on behalf of Nature’s Own indicated that modern parents care a lot about nutrition when deciding which kind of bread to buy, with 88% of survey respondents agreeing that feeding their kids wholesome bread feels like an easy parenting win.
With clean, simple ingredients that balance taste and nutrition, Nature’s Own bread supports an attainably healthy lifestyle for busy families. Whether you choose a classic white bread, reach for a whole-wheat loaf or need to account for dietary restrictions, you can feel confident you’re selecting bread that’s free from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.
For a nutritious lunch that fits the bill for 85% of parents who show strong interest in breads made with whole grains, pack this Ham, Turkey, Bacon and Cheese Pocket made with honey wheat bread. The flavorful mixture of deli meats and American cheese baked to perfection make every bite satisfying. Consider getting the whole family involved assembly-line style to make multiple batches at once, cutting down on time in the kitchen during the week ahead while encouraging learning opportunities as kids count ingredients and measure fillings.
Some school days call for simple, fun comfort food, and that’s where the Fluffernutter comes in. Soft bread, creamy peanut butter and fluffy marshmallow make for a combination that nourishes kids of all ages not just physically, but emotionally. Whether you pack it as a lunchbox surprise or have it ready as an after-school treat, this is a sandwich that promises sweetness and nostalgia – a perfect fit for the 78% of parents who agreed that sandwiches are a canvas for small moments of care, like notes in lunch bags.
Since sandwiches are so customizable, you can easily adapt these recipes to your family’s unique preferences and needs. Whether you decide to use different seasonings or swap to a multigrain bread, there’s no such thing as a wrong sandwich decision as long as it works for you.
To view ingredients and decide what kind of loaf you want to stock up on during the school year, visit naturesownbread.com.
Ham, Turkey, Bacon and Cheese Pocket
- 8 slices Nature’s Own Honey Wheat Bread
- 1/4 pound deli turkey
- 1/4 pound deli ham
- 4 slices cooked bacon
- 4 slices white American cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Chop turkey, ham and bacon and toss together. Set aside.
- Using knife, cut off crust on each piece of bread.
- With rolling pin, roll and flatten each slice of crustless bread. Take four slices and place spoonful of chopped meats in middle of each slice. Top with broken slices of cheese.
- Place remaining slices of crustless bread on top of each pocket.
- In small bowl, crack egg and add water. Beat together. Dip fork into egg mixture and crimp each edge of pocket until two slices are sealed together. Repeat on each pocket. Brush top of each pocket with remaining egg mixture and sprinkle salt on top.
- Place on sheet pan and bake until golden brown, 7-10 minutes.
- Let cool a few minutes and enjoy.

Fluffernutter Sandwich
Total time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 slices Nature’s Own Butterbread
- 2 tablespoons marshmallow fluff
- Spread peanut butter on one bread slice. Spread marshmallow fluff on second slice. Put both slices together to form sandwich.

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