Apple Cheddar Bacon Soup

Yum Yum Yum Soup. I used gala apples in this soup, but I'm sure you can use any apple that tickles your fancy. Because of it's sweetness I would suggest having it as a first course, not a main meal. My 5 year old, who does not eat soup, ate this soup!

6 strips of bacon (unless you're a bacon lover, then add two strips)
1 small onion, chopped
2 apples, cored, peeled, chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
3 C chicken stock
1 1/5 C apple juice
2 C shredded cheddar cheese (plus some for extra topping if you like)
2 green onions, sliced
2 slices of wheat bread (or rye)
Dijon mustard

In a pot cook your bacon. Remove bacon and let cool on paper towel. Remove all but 2 T of bacon drippings. (I dipped a paper towel in the pot to make sure I left enough drippings) Cook the onion, apples and potato in bacon drippings over med-high heat about 5 min or until apples are soft. Add chicken stock and apple juice. Cook about 10 more minutes or until potatoes are soft. Turn off heat, stir in all but 2 T of cheese. In batches puree your soup in a blender. Return to pot - I returned it to a smaller pot. Yay, soup is done!

Spread Dijon mustard over bread. Sprinkle with remaining 2 T of cheese. Broil or toast bread in toaster oven until cheese is melted. Cut the bread into cubes - croutons! While the bread is toasting, chop bacon up into pieces.

Serve soup in bowels. Toppings include: croutons, green onions, bacon, shredded cheese.

My son actually dipped the bread into his soup and ate it. Maybe finger length strips of bread would be fun for them.

Kid food on a stick

I am going to try my best! I made this up last night.

Cheeseburger Meatballs

1 lb ground beef (meat)

1/3 C bread crumbs

1/3 C shredded cheese ~ eyeball it. You want enough in the mixture, but not too much to where oils from the cheese is pouring out (I used mozzarella last night)

1 t parsley

1 egg

**note** you can add any flavoring to these meatballs. W-Sauce, spices, Montreal Steak flavoring - whatever you typically add to your burgers when you grill them.

Garlic Toast

Either bake at 350 deg for about 25 min or until cooked or skewer them and cook them on the gill.

Either serve garlic toast or take a baguette, slice it length-wise. Cut into cubes. Spread butter and garlic salt on bread. Toast or skewer and grill until butter is melted.

Dilly Cheesy Veggies

2 C vegetables, cooked and drained

1/4 C velveeta (yes, I cheated. You can make homemade cheese sauce too)

1 t Dill mix (dill, onion powder, garlic powder)

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl over medium heat until cheese is melted. Serve.

Another fun item to make instead of the garlic toast: Cheeseburger noodles.

1/2 box any type of noodles: fun shapes are best for kids

ketchup

mustard

cheese

Cook pasta as directed on box. Drain. Mix in ketchup, mustard and cheese until cheese is all melted. Serve with meatballs on top (if you want, you can omit the cheese from the meatballs if you're adding cheese to the pasta)

Yes, I realize this whole thing is full of cheese. I must have been in a cheesy mood!