Dear Vonnie - Cooking Together

Each Thursday, I will do my best to answer your questions. I don't pretend to be an expert, but I know it's not easy being a wife and mother. It can be frustrating and discouraging, yet very rewarding. I'd be glad to listen to you, pray for you, and share some of my thoughts with you.


Dear Vonnie,

I am babysitting some children (ages 6 and 8) and I would like to cook something with them. What are some fun and easy things I can make with them?

Signed,
Needing Ideas




Cooking with kids is fun. They love to feel grown-up, plus make something to eat.

First have them wash their hands and, if you want, you can tie aprons around them. Ones that cover their chests are best.

A younger child can dump ingredients that you have measured. Older children can help read and measure. If you decide to double a recipe, it might help to pencil in the adjusted amounts. (Let them do some of the multiplying to practice their math skills.) Of course, everyone likes to stir. I found using a timer or a certain number of strokes per child kept the arguments to a minimum.

Children love to roll and cut and sprinkle.
Here's a few fun recipes to try:

MR. ROGER'S PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
1 cup peanut butter
1 Tbl. margarine
3/4 c. nonfat dry milk
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 cup raisins
Mix well. Roll into balls.
Roll in crushed graham crackers.

CINNAMON STRIPS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
4-5 Tbl. cold water

melted butter or margarine
cinnamon & sugar mixture

Stir with fork or mush with clean fingers. (You could also use either a store-bought pie crusts or left over trimmings from making a pie.) Mold dough in a ball. Roll thin with a rolling pin. Cut into shapes or long strips. Brush melted butter on them. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 for about 5 min.
(Watch closely, because they burn easily.)

MONKEY BREAD
3 cans of biscuits
cinnamon & sugar mixture
1 stick of butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar

Cut biscuits into quarters with sharp knife or scissors. Roll quarters in cinnamon and sugar. Put in a large bowl. Melt butter in saucepan, adding brown sugar until bubbly. Pour over biscuits and stir well and pour into a bundt pan or 9x13" pan.Bake at 325 for 1/2 hour. Invert on a plate. Serve hot.

Teach kids safety around the stove.
Make clean-up a fun part of the whole project.
Share the result with others.

Have fun together!
Laugh
Lick the spoon and bowl
Learn new things

Here are some more fun recipes:
Dilly Beans , Jello Popcorn Balls , Ice Cream in a Bag

Also, check out these cool websites:
Captain Cook's Tuck Box
Kids a Cookin
Spatulatta