30 Minute Kid-Friendly Meals {using biscuits, crescent roll or pizza dough}

I know many of you are in the same situation as I am…Spring Sports. The constant running of children from school to practice to games, etc. When is practice? Dinner time. So when do you feed the kids? For us it has to be something super quick and easy. Sometimes portable! Today’s round-up comes from my stash of recipes using store-bought biscuits, crescent roll dough or pizza dough. I try not to rely on these too often, but sometimes you just need some shortcuts, and I still think it’s healthier than the choices my kids would make in a drive-thru!

The most popular on the blog are the “Bubble Up” Recipes, using canned biscuits. These are a hit with my kids as well.

Bubble Up Taco Casserole


Bubble Up Garlic Cheese Bread – not a meal in itself, but serve with a salad and fruit; or with soup/chili…


Bubble Up Pizza – add any ingredients your family likes on a pizza. This is one of the top viewed recipes on my blog and I see different versions all over Pinterest.


Ham and Cheese Bubble Up – this could go for breakfast or dinner!

Speaking of Breakfast…or dessert!

Blueberry Maple Bubble Up


Bubble Up Apple Pie

Other recipes using canned biscuits – 

Ham and Cheese Melts – basically a hand pie made with biscuits…fill with anything you like!


Chicken and Biscuits Casserole

Pizza Cupcakes


Biscuit Breakfast Casserole – another breakfast or dinner option. We love breakfast for dinner!


And a quick and easy breakfast option – Copycat Burger King Cini-Minis

Pizza Dough is also a great option for quick and easy meals. Obviously you can make traditional pizza, but you can also make some fun variations.

Upside Down Pizza Casserole


Pizza ‘Braid’ – this can have any fillings you want, and you can use pizza dough or crescent roll dough. It’s the presentation that makes this one unique!


“Stromboli” 


Stuffed Crust Pizza – this is SO easy and my kids love it. Can you have too much cheese?

And another breakfast option –

Yes, pizza dough to the rescue for Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Crescent Roll Dough

Crescent Roll Pizza Ring – again, fill it with anything your family likes. Throw some veggies in there if your kids will eat them!

Crescent Breakfast Casserole

I also like frozen rolls or bread dough, but it has to be thawed in advance. Both of these can be made with biscuits as well.

Pizza Monkey Bread 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monkey Bread – this is usually a “special occasion” breakfast, and requires prep time the night before, but with Mother’s Day coming soon I thought I would include it!

I also have a shortcut for Caramel Sticky Buns using store bought cinnamon rolls.

So what are your “go-to” meals when there is no time?! I also love the crock-pot, and will do a round up of those soon.

I may be linking up at any of the following – (Monday)  (Tuesday) , , (Wednesday)  (Thursday)  (Friday) ,, ,

Quick & Easy Cinnamon Rolls {in 30 minutes!}

I didn’t get a chance to post yesterday because….it was SEVENTY-FIVE degrees outside!!!! I had full on Spring fever. Washed my car, did some grilling…and guess what the high for tomorrow is? TWENTY-FIVE. Yes, 25. A 50 degree drop in temp, and tonight, we are supposed to get an inch of sleet/rain/snow #overit. This bi-polar weather is making me crazy. So, what better way to start yet another snow day (or any day!) than with cinnamon rolls. Not fussy, waiting for things to rise cinnamon rolls – but super easy, roll and go cinnamon rolls. ‘Cuz that’s how I roll.

They look pretty good right? Other than my ‘taken in the bad morning light with my cell phone pic’ of course. You would probably never guess they started with pre-made pizza dough. Yep, pizza dough!
Is it exactly the same as homemade, baked from scratch cinnamon rolls? No, not exactly. Is it a very good compromise? In my opinion, yes. In my kids’ opinion, absolutely!

Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Pre-made pizza dough (thawed, if frozen) *I used Pillsbury pizza dough in the can, from the dairy section of the grocery store (with the biscuits)

3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)

Icing:
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/8-1/4 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon (optional)

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8″ by 8″ baking dish.
  • In a small bowl,  stir the softened butter until spreadable. (Can microwave in small increments to soften if needed)
  • Lightly flour a flat surface and roll the pizza dough out with a floured rolling pin into a rectangle. (approx 12 x 15 inches)
  • Spread a thin layer of the softened butter (about 2 tablespoons) over the surface of the dough.
  • Sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt (if using) over the buttered dough, covering the entire surface (to the edges). 
  • Starting on one of the 12″ (shorter) sides, tightly roll the dough to form a log. Pinch the seam if needed to keep from unrolling. 
  • Place log seam side down, and slice into 9 even pieces (about 1 1/2 inches thick). Place into buttered dish – with 3 rows of 3 rolls. Top rolls with remaining butter.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until rolls are lightly browned and no longer wet and doughy looking. While rolls are baking, mix together icing ingredients. It’s okay if icing appears a little thick, since it will melt on warm rolls.
  • Remove rolls from oven and allow to cool for 3 minutes. Place spoonfuls of icing on warm rolls, allowing icing to melt and cover rolls. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from my Cini-Mini Pull Apart Rolls and
So, I’m going to go drink yet another cup of coffee and complain non-stop to my friends via group text about the weather. Don’t I sound like a BFF you want to have? haha

This recipe was featured at !
Friday Frenzy

I may be linking up at any of the following – (Monday)  (Tuesday) , , (Wednesday)  (Thursday)  (Friday) ,

Quick and Easy Stromboli – Dinner in under 30 minutes

Spring is here, and so are the extra curricular activities for my kids. We have just finished volleyball, soccer is ending soon, and softball and T-ball are beginning. Not only does that mean I’m doing a lot of running around, it also means that dinner time is usually something that can be done quick, fast and in a hurry! With someone having practice almost every night of the week, I’ve been trying to make things with little prep time AND something they all will eat. Which is almost an impossible task. However, things involving bread and cheese are usually winners. Enter the Quick and Easy Stromboli!

Next time I’ll add a little more filling, but my kids aren’t big on meat or veggies, so my options were limited. You can always add more cheese. Mo’cheese is mo’betta 🙂
Excuse the next few pics. They were taken in my gloomy kitchen with my cell phone. This was one of those ‘come on and let’s go’ nights!
All you need is some pizza dough. I used this recipe because I actually thought far enough in advance that I could make it in my bread machine on the dough cycle. Since that doesn’t happen often, a store bought pizza dough is fine. And if you use a prepared dough, this meal can be made in under 30 minutes! Spread it out in a rectangle and fill it with your favorite things – or do what I did and clean out the fridge…I had partial bags of different cheeses, some turkey pepperoni, and Canadian bacon. You could also add peppers, onions, sausage, etc. Make sure you leave about an inch or so border.
Starting with the long side, roll up your dough, like making cinnamon rolls. (Which, by the way, can also be made using pizza dough!) Brush the top with butter or olive oil. Add some Italian seasoning if desired.
Bake, slice, eat, run out the door! At least that’s the way it works here.

Quick and Easy Stromboli

(1) homemade or store bought pizza dough
Meat, cheese, veggies of choice
1 T. melted butter or olive oil
sprinkle of Italian Seasoning
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Roll out pizza dough into a rectangle shape onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it fairly thin, because it will rise while baking. Mine was a little thick.
  • Place toppings evenly over the dough, leaving a one inch border around edges.
  • Roll dough, starting at long edge, pressing the seam together at the end.
  • Place rolled Stromboli, seam side down, on a baking sheet or hot pizza stone. (I used a pizza stone)
  • Brush dough with melted butter or olive oil, and sprinkle on seasonings.
  • Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and the dough is cooked through.
  • Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
  • Dip in marinara or pizza sauce if desired.
Served with a side salad and some fruit, you have a fast and easy meal covering all the food groups!
I may be linking up at any of the following – (Monday)  (Tuesday) ,,, (Wednesday) , (Thursday) , (Friday) ,,,(Saturday)