Serves: 5

Round up the family
and turn dinnertime into a western-themed night. Let everyone wear bandanas and cowboy hats. Role-playing is a great way to encourage creative thinking and show kids it's fine (and fun) to be silly sometimes. Giddyup!

Texas Toast
Spread 1/4 cup butter, softened, on both sides of 3 slices thick-cut white bread. Sprinkle both sides with seasoned salt. Place on rack in broiler pan. Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches
from heat 2 to 4 minutes, turning once, until lightly toasted. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese let stand 1 to 2 minutes to melt. Cut each slice diagonally in half.
Ranch Vegetables
Heat 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1-pound bag frozen
vegetable combination and 1/2 envelope (1 ounce) ranch dressing mix (milk recipe). Cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender.
Trail Mix on Sticks
Heat 3 cups miniature marshmallows and 1/4 cup butter in
3-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter. Remove from heat. Stir in 3 cups Cheerios® cereal and 1/3 cup sunflower nuts until coated. Let stand 2 minutes. Shape into 2-inch balls. Insert wooden stick into middle of each ball. Place on waxed paper. Let stand about 20 minutes or until firm

helping is fun

Mom or Dad
o Prepares beef and bean
dinner
o Heats oil for vegetables
o Heats marshmallow
mixture

The Kids
o Spread butter and sprinkle cheese on toast
o Stir in vegetables and ranch dressing mix
o Mix cereal and nuts with marshmallow shape into balls

together
time

Tackle trail mix together and customize it to everyone's taste. Start with the suggested ingredients and add other favorites like raisins or dried cranberries, chopped walnuts or peanuts, chocolate chips, and shredded or flaked coconut.
Discuss the differences between a ranch and a farm. How many of the foods in the dinner you're eating come from a ranch and which are grown on a farm? What animals can you find on a ranch and which ones on a farm?
Pitch camp in your kitchen or dining room. Spread a blanket to sit on, and serve dinner on paper or plastic plates. Play nature tapes, if you have them.
Sing campfire songs together like "The Farmer
in the Dell," "Home on the Range," "This Land is Your Land" and any other cowboy songs you know.

More Recipes from the Betty Crocker Easy Family Dinners Cookbook:
Barbecue Beef Sandwiches
Chicken and Vegetables with Dumplings
FAMILY FUN RANCH NIGHT
Fajita Beef Dinner
Fresh Vegetable, Beef and Barley Soup
Grandma's Chicken Noodle Soup
Hearty Beef Chili
Italian Beef Stew
Italian Ground Turkey Sandwiches
Mexican Chicken Tostadas
Mexican Pork
Open-Face Turkey Diner Sandwiches
Pizza Chicken
Sausage Lasagna
Savory Chicken and Vegetables
Seafood Pasta
Skillet Sausage Rice
Sloppy Joes
South Of The Border Egg Entrée
Southwestern Pot Roast
Spicy Pork Tacos
Taco Shortcakes
Turkey Casserole
Upside-Down Chicken Pot Pie
Winter Vegetable Stew