(Family Features) Busy fall schedules often leave little time for the things that matter most – sharing special moments with those you love. This year, as time seems to speed up during another school year, making family bonding a priority in your household can start with a few simple tricks.

Connect with your loved ones this fall while juggling hectic routines with this advice:

Schedule Family Nights
Desiring evenings spent with your nearest and dearest and actually making them happen are two separate things entirely. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season with days that feel too long and evenings that are often too short. Putting dedicated family nights on the calendar is a good way to avoid last-minute commitments that take away from important bonding time. Incorporate some favorite activities, whether your loved ones are board game enthusiasts or movie buffs, to give everyone something exciting to look forward to.

Make Cooking Together a Family Activity
Making dinner for the family shouldn’t take up valuable time that could be used for quality moments together. Seeking out quick and easy recipes leaves more hours in the day to spend with family members – or you can even make preparing dinner a family activity.

Teaching kids how to make your favorite recipes creates great memories and can maximize time spent together. From making kid-approved lunchbox sliders together to preparing time-saving, weeknight-friendly sliders as a family after school, King’s Hawaiian Rolls and Slider Buns have the power to help unite busy parents and picky kids. Plus, they’re soft and fluffy with the right touch of sweetness, and sliders are customizable, easy, fun and always a crowd pleaser. These Ham and Swiss Sliders or Peanut Butter, Jelly and Banana Sliders offer ways kids can help, from layering meats and cheeses to spreading peanut butter. Everyone can lend a hand in the kitchen while enjoying quality time together.

Encourage Extracurricular Participation
Beyond those special moments at home, there are plenty of ways to connect with your kiddos. Encouraging them to participate in extracurriculars, like sports, band, theater, dance, choir or other activities, provides a great way to enjoy something together as you watch your children branch out and try new things. If they happen to try an activity you used to (or still do) participate in, it’s an easy way to make a unique connection by sharing your own memories, offering helpful tips or even passing down old equipment like sports gear or an instrument.

Find more inspiration for family bonding with delicious meals and snacks by visiting KingsHawaiian.com.

Ham and Swiss Sliders

Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4-6

• 1 stick butter
• 1 package (12 rolls) King's Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
• 1 pound shaved deli ham
• 1 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Melt butter and set aside.
2. Cut entire pack of rolls in half horizontally, keeping all top and bottom halves intact.
3. In 9-by-13-inch pan, place bottom halves of rolls and cover with ham and cheese.
4. Cover ham and cheese stacks with top halves of rolls. Drizzle butter mixture over tops of rolls.
5. Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes. Separate rolls for serving.

Peanut Butter, Jelly and Banana Sliders

Prep time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4-6

• 1 package (12 rolls) King's Hawaiian Original Sweet Rolls
• 4 tablespoons salted peanut butter
• 4 tablespoons strawberry jam
• 2 bananas, sliced

1. Cut entire pack of rolls in half horizontally, keeping all top and bottom halves intact.
2. Spread peanut butter on bottom halves followed by strawberry jam. Top with banana slices then top halves of rolls.

Source: King’s Hawaiian

(Culinary.net) Main dishes can sometimes be a challenge for the average home chef. Whether you’re looking for something healthy and filling for a family of five or just cooking up something mouthwatering for a couple to share, it can seem difficult to manage.

With a million ingredients and a laundry list of directions, making a weeknight dinner can feel like a daunting task. However, this meal can reassure you that sometimes cooking is easy, fun and totally and completely worth it. This is a recipe you can make at a moment’s notice with a handful of ingredients, which you may already have in your pantry.

This Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu is perfect for families, couples and even individuals looking for a scrumptious main course. It’s wholesome, appetizing and covered in cheese and cracker crumbs for a gooey yet crunchy finish. The best part is it’s easy to make.

It features a simple seasoning, lightly seared chicken breast and three toppings. It bakes for just 20-25 minutes and it’s done. It doesn’t get much easier than that. Fresh out of the oven, the first bite is steaming with hearty chicken cooked to perfection and melty cheese dripping onto the pan. This recipe may quickly become a family favorite as kids can fall in love with the mixture of different textures and a main ingredient almost every child likes: chicken.  It’s also fun to make together. Kids can even help sprinkle the cheese and cracker crumbs. Or, if you’re in a rush, an adult can make it in just a few moments. On busy nights, it’s a perfect meal to bring the family together around the table between soccer practice and getting homework done.

For more easy recipes and main dishes that make cooking fun, visit Culinary.net.

Watch video to see how to make this recipe!

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

Servings: 4

• 1          tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4          boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1          teaspoon pepper
• 2          tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 4          slices deli ham, folded in half
• 6          ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
• 20        butter crackers, fine crumbs

1. Heat oven to 475 degrees.
2. Brush baking sheet with oil.
3. Place chicken on baking sheet. Pat dry with paper towel and season with pepper.
4. Brush mustard over chicken. Top with ham and cheese. Sprinkle cracker crumbs over cheese.
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Serve.

(Family Features) Hosting a crowd can be exciting and rewarding, but it can also come with plenty of challenges. One of the simplest ways to make mealtime stress-free when entertaining is to focus on ingredients that can be incorporated into a variety of different dishes.

From quick appetizers to grab-and-go snacks, you can crowd-please with ease by using Eckrich Smoked Sausage and Deli meats. Whether you're celebrating an occasion, hosting a family gathering or watching a game, using a convenient option like deli meat means all you have to do is add it to your favorite recipes for an extra boost of flavor. This season, whip up some delicious Quiche Cups in Muffin Tins for a combo of deli ham, eggs and other simple ingredients for a speedy dish that can ward off your group's hunger and allow for more quality time together.

Find more recipes for entertaining with ease at Eckrich.com.

Quiche Cups in Muffin Tins

• 5 eggs
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• nonstick cooking spray
• 18 thin slices Eckrich Deli Ham

1. Heat oven to 350° F.
2. In bowl, whisk eggs. Add milk, cheese, onion, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to combine.
3. Spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place one slice ham in each chamber.
4. Spoon about 3 tablespoons egg mixture into each chamber so each is three-fourths full.
5. Bake about 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and tops begin to brown.
6. Remove from oven and cool about 10 minutes.

Source: Eckrich