Patriot Day Mini Pies Lunch Box Surprise Recipes

MIXED MINI PIES

Steps:

• For the pie crusts: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with baking spray.
• Unroll the pie crusts on a clean surface. Cut 6 circles from each crust (12 total) with a 3 1/2-inch plain-edged round cutter. Press a circle of dough into each of the 12 cups of the muffin pan, lightly pressing the dough up the sides (they will not reach the tops of the cups). These will be your pie crusts.
• Poke the bottom of 4 of the pie crusts with a fork and place cupcake liners into the poked crust cups only. Fill each liner with 2 tablespoons uncooked rice. Refrigerate the pan while you prepare the fillings.
• For the crumble topping: Mix together the flour, oats and brown sugar in a small bowl. Stir in the melted butter until well combined. Set aside until ready to use.
• For the fillings: Begin filling the dough cups. (The 4 cups with the cupcake liners filled with uncooked rice will remain that way during the bake and will be filled after the bake.) Mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt in a small bowl until well combined. Divide the cream cheese mixture between 2 of the empty dough cups. Divide the cherry pie filling between 2 of the remaining empty dough cups. Divide the blueberry pie filling between 2 of the remaining empty dough cups. Divide the grape jam between the remaining 2 empty dough cups.
• Mix half of the crumble topping with the lemon zest in a bowl. Divide the mixture over the top of the 2 pie dough cups filled with the blueberry pie filling to make blueberry lemon crumble pies. Mix the remaining crumble topping with the crushed peanuts in a bowl. Divide the mixture over the top of the 2 pie dough cups filled with the grape jam.
• Bake the pies: Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the crumbs on the 4 crumb-topped pies are golden, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
• Finish the pies: Remove the cupcake liners filled with rice from the 4 baked and unfilled crusts.
• For the strawberry cream pies: Toss the diced strawberries with the granulated sugar and a splash of vanilla in a small bowl. Divide the mixture between the 2 pies filled with the cream cheese mixture. Drizzle the pies with the caramel sauce.
• For the cherry pies: Divide the toasted almonds over the 2 pies filled with the cherry filling. Microwave the white chocolate and coconut oil together in a microwave-safe bowl for 15 seconds or until warm. Stir well, then drizzle evenly over the 2 pies. Top the center of each pie with a bit of whipped cream.
• For the PB and J pies: Microwave the peanut butter and coconut oil together in a microwave-safe bowl for 15 seconds or until warm. Stir well, then drizzle evenly over the 2 pies filled with the grape jam and peanut-crumble topping.
• For the lemon raspberry pies: Divide the lemon curd between 2 of the empty baked pie crusts. Top each pie with 3 raspberries. Dust each pie with a bit of powdered sugar and finish with a mint leaf.
• For the s'mores pies: Divide the hazelnut spread between the last 2 empty baked pie crusts. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter together in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of the mixture over each pie. Cut the marshmallow in half crosswise. Top each pie with one half of the marshmallow. Using a kitchen blowtorch (brulee torch), toast each piece of marshmallow to the desired level of toasted-ness.
• Transfer the pies to a cake stand or platter and enjoy!

PATRIOT DAY MINI PIES (LUNCH BOX SURPRISE)

Steps:

• Starting at the left side of the pie crust, place red Jell-O stars up to the center of the pie crust.
• Place Cool Whip or Whipped Cream in a line down the center of the pie shell.
• Fill right side with blue Jell-O stars.
• Place a dollop of Whipped Cream in the center.

SECRET SANDWICH (LUNCH BOX SURPRISE)

Steps:

• Using a small paring knife, pierce the bottom of the muffin until the knife almost reaches the top. Cut a circle and pull out the bread cylinder and set aside.
• Using your fingers, press the inside bread walls to make them thinner.
• Add condiment of your choice to inside of roll.
• Add lunch meat until it is about a 1/3 full. Then add cheese until it is 2/3 full and fill with more lunch meat.
• Cut a bit of the cylinder off and apply condiment to the bready side of the circle. Press into bottom of muffin.

APPLE PIE SURPRISE

Steps:

• Brown veggie mince; add tomatoes and garlic.
• Fry mushrooms separately, after cutting thin.
• Add mushrooms (yum yum, maybe eat a few!).
• Add early mustard additions.
• Cook brown rice separately.
• Make a salad while apple pie surprise cooks.
• Throw mince mixture onto rice.
• Place in oven (gas mark 4, 200°C for 18 minutes.
• Eat like crazy.

CHEESY PRETZEL DIPPERS (LUNCH BOX SURPRISE)

Steps:

• Cut cheese into 16 cubes. Let stand at room temperature 10 to 15 minute or until cheese is at room temperature.
• Insert a thin pretzel stick into each cube.
• Serve with Honey Dijon Mustard or your child's favorite dressing.

SNACK STACKERS (LUNCH BOX SURPRISE)

Steps:

• Cut 4 (1-1/2-inch) circles out of your choice of lunch meat (use small glass if you don't have a cutter that is that small and cut around it), then cut 4 (1-1/4-inch) stars out of your choice of cheese.
• Top each cracker with 1 lunch meat circle and 1 cheese star or place in container and ship off in lunch box.