ideas for your baked goods

Do you feel like you're stuck in a rut as you decide what you plan to feed your family? If so, here are some ideas that might inspire you to create delicious menus. From basic breads to desserts, surprise your family with something brand new that will have them asking for seconds. 

Breakfasts - Start the day with a meal that is both nutritious and yummy.

• Instead of offering scrambled eggs in the usual way, use basic white or wheat bread to make little nests for eggs that you combine with things like cheese, bell pepper and bacon bits. Just place slices of bread in a muffin tin, fill the bread with your egg mixture and bake the combination in a 350-degree oven for about fifteen minutes. 
• You've probably made cinnamon toast many times for your family. However, using poppy seed hot dog buns instead of regular bread for the toast gives it a whole different texture and flavor. Offer blueberry or maple syrup, too.
• Make your own layered quesadillas for breakfast. Place one corn or flour tortilla in a pan, add cubed cooked potatoes, ham slices and cheese, and keep repeating that until you have three or four layers. Cover the pan and cook the quesadillas on low until the cheese is melted. Serve with salsa and you will be a hero.

Lunches - For days that your family will be eating the noon meal at home, plan meals that are quick and easy.

• Hot dogs definitely fall into the quick and easy category, but give them a twist to make them special. Serving the hot dogs in poppy seed hot dog buns instead of regular ones is a good start. Offer condiments like sauerkraut, sliced tomatoes and avocado slices along with mustard and ketchup. 
•  Turn canned soup into a fuller meal by topping it with cheese and croutons. For example, canned tomato soup with the addition of sharp cheddar cheese and croutons made out of yesterday's bagels would be one idea.
• Do you want to offer something light? Instead of a fruit plate, turn your fruit into soup. Mangoes, papayas, pineapples, bananas and strawberries blended with a bit of honey and orange juice will offer a tropical taste. For those who want something extra, offer little peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into fun shapes with cookie cutters.

Dinners - End the day with a twist on regular meals, too.

• Instead of regular pizza, make pizzas out of poppy seed hot dog buns. They'll be wonderful for a deep-dish type of pizza, and the poppy seeds will give the bread an extra crunch.
• Many families love a standard meal of meat loaf and baked potatoes. Surprise your family by making twice-baked potatoes with a combination of the scooped out potatoes and the meatloaf placed in the potato shell. Serve with a tossed salad and bread sticks for extra pizzaz.
• Hot sandwiches also make a great evening meal. Sliced meat of any type of delicious bread and topped with gravy is a wonderful way to use leftovers.

Keep things like cookies, vanilla ice cream and different toppings for quick desserts.