The holidays are a time for families to come together and to reflect on the past year as we all get ready to ring in a new one. There will be loads of indulging and time spent in the kitchen preparing for multiple celebrations. As your kids get older, having them assist with meal prep is a great way to bond and also create new, everlasting memories. Maybe just don’t have them handle any hot plates or sharp knives! Their enthusiasm will be undeniably cute though.

A breakfast go-to that is a fan favorite that doesn’t need chef-level skills is the Cheesy Egg-in-a-Hole. Have your children pick out their favorite cookie cutter to make the fun shape in the bread and follow these steps from weelicious.

Cheesy Egg-in-a-Hole Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 Slices of Bread (I used whole wheat)
1 Tbsp butter
2 eggs
Kosher salt

PREPARATION

• Using a cookie cutter, press out the center of the pieces of bread reserving the cut out.
• Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and melt the butter or use nonstick spray or olive oil.
• Add the pieces of bread and the center cut outs to the pan.
• Break 1 egg into each cutout, sprinkle with salt to taste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Flip the bread gently and cook to desired doneness (2-3 minutes total for runny eggs and 5 minutes total for firm eggs).
• Serve each piece of bread with the cut out.

Prep Time: 1 min
Cook Time: 4 mins

If you prefer a sweeter morning meal, take that delicious Christmas panettone (if you are like my family, there will be at least three in the house!) and use it for French toast. We can’t get enough of DJ Lindsay Luv’s recipe from Pinterest.

Panettone French Toast with Maple Whip & Orange Zest

FOR FRENCH TOAST

2½ cups whole milk
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 eggs
4 tablespoons butter, divided
One 2-pound loaf panettone, halved lengthwise and cut into 1.5 inch-thick slices
Maple syrup, for serving
Orange Zest, for serving

FOR MAPLE WHIPPED CREAM

½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

PREPARATION

• Make the maple whipped cream: In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple cream ingredients to stiff peaks. Chill until ready to serve
• Make the French toast: In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, salt, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and eggs until smooth.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large griddle (350f) or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dip 4 pieces of the panettone into the batter (2 times each side but don’t ‘soak’) and place in the pan. Cook, flipping once, until it’s golden brown, 2.5 minutes per side. Transfer the French toast to a platter and repeat the process.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

NOTES

• Halve the recipe to serve 4.
• Can also add orange zest to whipped cream for an orange-y flavor mixed in.
• Best served with Real Vermont Maple Syrup.
• If Panettone is fresh, lightly flip/dip in batter.
• If Panettone is stale, soak a bit more in batter.
• Can be stored and reheated.

Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

If your household celebrates Hanukkah (and even if not), potato latkes are always a savory hit. The only ingredients required are potatoes, a little onion and egg. For the topping, you can choose between apple sauce, sour cream or naked (that’s with nothing added!)

Potato Latkes

INGREDIENTS

5 potatoes
1 egg
1/2 onion, chopped
3-4 cups olive oil for frying
Salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

• Shred your potatoes using a cheese grater.
• Place the shredded potato in a square of muslin or cheesecloth and squeeze out over the sink to rid the potatoes of excess moisture (to rid the potatoes of starch, you can place them in water for 30 minutes and repeat the straining process, but this is personal preference).
• Combine the shredded potato, egg and chopped onion in a medium-sized bowl.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Flatten a 1/2 cup of the shredded potato mixture in the palm of your hands and carefully add to the oil. Repeat so that you have 3-4 potato latkes cooking at the same time.
• Fry for about 2 minutes (until golden) before flipping carefully using metal tongs. Fry until completely golden and remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
• Repeat with remaining potato mixture.

Speaking of apples, candy apples are always a welcome treat, but they can be extremely messy. These candy apple slices will still be a success with the kids as they decorate them but so much more manageable. There will also be no chance of teeth being lost this way.

Apple Slices

All you need are apples, chocolate (milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, caramel or a mixture) and your chosen toppings like sprinkles, candies etc.

And lastly, for any parent that likes to avoid sugar highs and the crash after, these Outcast Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Balls from Michelle at @Healthynumnumblog will have your kids thinking you got them munchkins from D&D. Have your kids help roll the bite-size treats and enjoy together for an afterschool snack or dessert.

Outcast Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Balls

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup rolled oats
½ cup almond flour
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup any nutseed butter
¼ cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons Outcast vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

PREPARATION

• Start by blending up your oats into flour in a food processor. Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend until combined.
• Roll into balls and sprinkle extra cinnamon on top. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!