Skip to content

Top Navigation

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Recipes
  • Holidays
  • Cooking 101
  • Healthy Living
  • Shop
  • News
  • Good.Food.Fast
  • CL Diet

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Register/Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Logout
Pin FB

Explore Cooking Light

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 31-Day Healthy Meal Plan

      Our 31-day calendar of meals and tips shows you how to cook more and love it with fun, family-friendly meals that come together quickly and deliciously. Read More Next
    • Dinner Tonight: Quick and Healthy Menus in 45 Minutes (or Less)

      Hundreds of delicious recipes, paired with simple sides, that can be on your table in 45 minutes or less. Read More Next
    • Our Favorite Healthy Air Fryer Recipes

      Who ever said that chicken wings, doughnuts, and pizza couldn't be healthy? Read More Next
  • Recipes

    Recipes

    See All Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Recipe Makeovers
    • Quick & Healthy
    • Diabetic
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegetarian
    • Cooking Light Live
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    • New Year, New You
    • Super Bowl
    • Valentines
    • Easter
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • Cooking 101

    Cooking 101

    See All Cooking 101
    • Essential Ingredients
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Meet the Chef
    • Cooking Resources
    • Budget Friendly
    • Smart Choices
  • Healthy Living

    Healthy Living

    See All Healthy Living
    • Weight-Loss
    • Health
    • Fitness
    • Home
    • Travel
    • Nutrition 101
  • Shop
  • News
  • Good.Food.Fast
  • CL Diet

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Register/Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Logout
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

CookingLight diet CookingLight diet
  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. Recipes Chevron Right
  3. Playful Recipes 

Playful Recipes 

March 12, 2013
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Bright colors, fruity flavors, take-out favorites, and foods that remind us of being children were themes among the dishes that make us happy.
Start Slideshow

1 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Get Happy

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Strawberry Lemon Shortcakes

Create the perfect playful mood with friends or family by serving up one of these light-hearted recipes. From sherbet to biscuits, there are recipes for every meal and fun occasion.

First up are our Strawberry Lemon Shortcakes. Tender biscuits get a little lift from sweet, floral lemon rind. For slightly taller shortcakes with soft sides, pack biscuits into a round cake pan; for separate shortcakes with crisp edges, arrange on a baking sheet with space between.

1 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Strawberry-Buttermilk Sherbet

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Strawberry-Buttermilk Sherbet

This five-ingredient recipe uses raspberry-flavored liqueur to enhance the fruit flavor; it also helps create a nice texture. Taste the strawberries; if they’re super-sweet, you can use lemon juice to boost the tartness of the sherbet.

2 of 15

3 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Sweet and Salty Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Sweet and Salty Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Coarse-grained sea salt does not melt into the batter, so you experience a crunchy burst with every bite. Use any other nut you like in place of peanuts.

3 of 15

Advertisement

4 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Tomato Stack Salad with Corn and Avocado

Credit: Photo: Nigel Cox
View Recipe: Tomato Stack Salad with Corn and Avocado

Here is the essence of summer in a standout side salad. This is the star of the meal; keep the entrée simple.

4 of 15

5 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Tuna-Guacamole Tacos

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Tuna-Guacamole Tacos

Brighten up weeknight dinners with these easy and flavorful tacos. The guacamole is very creamy and tasty on its own, so be sure to make extra.

5 of 15

6 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Southwest Crispy Chicken Sliders

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Southwest Crispy Chicken Sliders

With homemade muffins, a crispy panko topping, fresh guacamole, and crispy bacon, you've got to try these fun and flavorful chicken sliders.

6 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Chicken Fried Rice

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Chicken Fried Rice

Stir-fries come together fast, making them perfect for a weeknight supper. But because cooking happens so quickly, have all your ingredients ready to go and within reach before you heat up your wok.

7 of 15

8 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Coconut Chicken Fingers

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Coconut Chicken Fingers

Kids love the sweetness that the coconut adds to the coating of these chicken fingers. This recipe uses rice flour instead of wheat flour for the coating, making it allergy free.

8 of 15

9 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Chili-Cheese Mac

Credit: Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Chili-Cheese Mac

Meaty, cheesy, and delicious—kids will love this comforting dinner. Parents will love it, too—it’s quick.

9 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Angel Biscuits

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Angel Biscuits

These angel biscuits are light, fluffy, and oh-so-delicious. Serve with bacon, scrambled eggs, and cheese for a homemade breakfast sandwich, or with supper for a tasty side.

10 of 15

11 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Start a happy weekend morning tradition with homemade pancakes for the family. Blueberries, either fresh or frozen, give ordinary flapjacks a big flavor boost.

11 of 15

12 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Mini Bacon and Egg Tarts

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Mini Bacon and Egg Tarts

Whose face wouldn’t light up at the sight of these fun breakfast tarts? Green onions add color and flavor, but they’re optional. Omit them, if you prefer.

12 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Minted Lemon-Lime Watermelon Agua Fresca

Credit: Photo: Anna Williams
View Recipe: Minted Lemon-Lime Watermelon Agua Fresca

Sweet, tangy, and absolutely thirst-quenching, this beverage is one the whole family can enjoy.

13 of 15

14 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Black Pepper Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Black Pepper Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Make a homemade sauce that delivers great barbecue taste: Chili powder and cumin add smokiness, while ketchup and molasses make it sweet. ’Cue lovers in North Carolina add slaw to this kind of sandwich.

14 of 15

15 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Cheesy Pigs in Blankets

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Cheesy Pigs in Blankets

Treat your kids to this childhood fave, made lighter with turkey hot dogs, part-skim mozzarella, and pizza dough in place of a more buttery pastry dough. Serve steamed broccoli and apple wedges on the side.

15 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 15 Get Happy
2 of 15 Strawberry-Buttermilk Sherbet
3 of 15 Sweet and Salty Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
4 of 15 Tomato Stack Salad with Corn and Avocado
5 of 15 Tuna-Guacamole Tacos
6 of 15 Southwest Crispy Chicken Sliders
7 of 15 Chicken Fried Rice
8 of 15 Coconut Chicken Fingers
9 of 15 Chili-Cheese Mac
10 of 15 Angel Biscuits
11 of 15 Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
12 of 15 Mini Bacon and Egg Tarts
13 of 15 Minted Lemon-Lime Watermelon Agua Fresca
14 of 15 Black Pepper Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
15 of 15 Cheesy Pigs in Blankets

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message
Cooking Light

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Cooking Light Diet this link opens in a new tab
  • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Cooking Light is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Cooking Light may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.cookinglight.com

View image

Playful Recipes 
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.