As I scrolled through the foodie spaces of Instagram one night (what else would I be doing during quarantine?), I stumbled upon a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich recipe. I was instantly intrigued to see one of my favorite childhood meals upgraded. While I’m not much of a PB&J girl now, I wondered how many other popular children’s favorites have changed to suit an adult’s diet. Here are four childhood favorite recipes but with a twist!

Good Ole Fashioned Peanut Butter Jelly (hint, hint, it’s fried now)

Many of us are all too familiar with the sticky sweet snack we’ve probably had way too many times to remember. And while a good ole PB&J can surely make us feel nostalgic, is this rendition for the better or worse? I’ll leave that up to you, and it’s very easy to make!

Ingredients:

· 2 slices of bread

· Peanut butter

· Jelly

· Butter

Directions

1. Make your PB&J as usual.

2. Spread butter onto one side of the sandwich.

3. Melt 1 tbsp of butter into a heated frying pan.

4. Place unbuttered side of sandwich in pan.

5. Cook till golden brown.

6. Repeat on other side.

Easy!

Ramen Noodles+

As many of us are probably way too busy or lazy to cook, I know how easy it can be to cook up some Ramen and plop down in front of the TV. But why settle for the same ole thing when you can easily spice it up? Try this Sesame Garlic Ramen Noodles recipe.

Ingredients

· 2 3 Ounce Packages of Ramen Noodles (toss the seasoning packet)

· 2 Teaspoons Sesame Oil

· 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced

· 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce

· 1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar

· 2 teaspoons Sriracha (adjust to your preferred level of spicy)

Directions

1. Cook ramen noodles as directed. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat sesame oil in skillet or saucepan on medium.

3. Cook garlic for 2 minutes, stirring frequently

4. Remove pan from heat and whisk in soy sauce, brown sugar and sriracha. Mix until combined.

5. Add the noodles with the sauce

Grilled Cheese Hotdogs

Yup, you read correctly. This one is without a doubt a twist —not only on one childhood favorite but two!

Ingredients

· 4 hot dog buns

· 2 tbsp. butter, softened

· 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

· 1/4 tsp. onion powder

· 4 hot dogs, cut lengthwise but no all the way through

· 3 cups shredded cheddar

· 4 Green onions, sliced

Directions

1. Using a rolling pin, flatten out the hot dog buns.

2. Stir together butter, garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl. Spread onto hot dog buns.

3. Grab a large skillet and put on medium heat. Cook hot dogs until charred. Set aside.

4. Lay a bun (buttered) down in skillet. Top with ½ cup of cheddar, a hot dog and more cheese and ¼ cup of green onions.

5. Cook and cover until cheese melts over medium heat. Close bun with spatula. Repeat 4x.

Crab Mac n Cheese

If this isn’t an upgrade, then I don’t know what is.

Ingredients

· 4 slices of bacon

· 1/2 cup chopped onion

· 3 tablespoons butter

· 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

· 4 cups whole milk

· 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

· 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

· 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

· Salt to taste

· 1 (16-ounce) box medium pasta shells cooked according to package directions

· 2 (5-ounce) cans Chicken of the Sea crab

· 2 tablespoons melted butter

· 1/3 cup Panko crumbs

Directions

1. Using a large nonstick pan, cook bacon then crumble and set aside.

2. Add butter to pan and cook onion until soft.

3. Add flour and stir for 1 minute.

4. Slowly add in milk. Whisking and bringing to a simmer. Remove from heat.

5. Stir in 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Set aside ½ cup of cheddar cheese and stir in leftover cheddar and parmesan until melted.

6. Check seasoning and add salt to your liking

7. Drain crab and stir in cheese mixture

8. Place cooked pasta in 9×13 casserole dish. Pour in cheese and mix.

9. Sprinkle cheese and bacon on top.

10. Mix together Panko crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Top on mac and cheese.

11. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

12. Broil for 2-3 minutes to brown crumbs.

Whichever you found the most interesting, I definitely recommend you give one these a try!