v 3 issue 21: Stir it Up

This weeks issue features ultra-cool cooking gadgets and more that will have your children blending, shaking and measuring while having fun in the kitchen.


Cover by Suymey Benson








1 The Zebra Mix Cupcake & Frosting Kit packs a combination of all-natural and organic ingredients into a reusable zebra striped tin. Unfold the included Safari Baking Map and follow the step-by-step instructions. The end result is 12 yummy cupcakes and a boatload of fun! Enter code: TTW25 for 25% off total order when checking out. Your credit will apply after checkout.

2 This apron dramatically improves the style of any cook. Start with their favorite yummy color choice, add initial... stir in more color and you are left with the perfect way to keep their outfits stain-free. Thank you Em Tanner Designs for yet another fabulous personalized goodie! Enter code: TOTTRENDS for 20% off purchases.

3 Stir up some magic with this Fairy Tale Cookie Baking Kit at Kidscentralkitchen.com. With the help of a happy pink spoon, children can transform the included sugar cookie mix into delicious baked treats sprinkled with fun. Mix, measuring spoons, cookie cutters, sprinkles & the happy spoon come wrapped in a pearly white bowl. Enter code: KTW20 for 20% off.

4 Add ice & rock salt in one end of the Play & Freeze, then add ice cream mix in the other. Now, shake it, roll it, and pass it around. After about 20 minutes you have a pint of ice cream that is ready to eat! No electricity needed.

5 The Playful Chef kids Cooking Kit is stocked with utensils, kitchen accessories, recipes, and educational tips for kitchen curious kiddos. The accessories are kid-sized for small hands, measuring tools are color coded, and the recipes are broken down into 10 steps for easy instruction. Perfect for 6 to 12 year olds.

6 The Handstand Kids Italian Cookbook contains healthy Italian recipes for children of ages 3 to 12 years. Each recipe is rated for difficulty by the garlic system, and the utensils/ingredients are accompanied by Italian translations. Slip the book and a chef's hat into a pizza package...and you've got the kit for $25.00. Enter code: KTW20 for 20% off the entire purchase.

7 Cook It in a Cup! is a spiral-bound recipe book full of quick meals & treats kids can make & bake in the included silicone baking cups. Since the treats can be baked and eaten out of the cups, these recipes mean less clean-up & more fun!


Having Fun in the kitchen
Here are a few kid-friendly recipes and healthy snacks, as well as recipes your children can make themselves.

Cheesy Carrot Balls
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 bar)
2 ounces grated cheddar cheese
1 carrot, grated

Instructions:
In a medium mixing bowl combine all ingredients. With slightly wet hands roll into balls. You will get between 1 and 2 dozen balls depending on how big you make them.

These are fun and yummy for kid's lunches. There's just something about food that's round! Can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.


Apple Nachos with Peanut Butter Sauce
Ingredients:
1 apple (diced)
1 banana (halved and sliced)
2 whole pita breads
1/4 cup butter, melted (1/2 stick)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup of whole milk
1 tablespoon of honey

Instructions:
Cut the pitas in half so you have two half circles, then cut in half again, creating 4 triangle shapes from each. Separate and pull bread apart at the edge where it's still attached. Brush pita chips with butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 400 degrees F for 5 - 7 minutes. While baking, prepare sauce by melting together peanut butter, honey and milk in a small saucepan. Serve chips drizzled with sauce and add sliced apples and banana to the plate for a fun lunch or after school snack.


Turkey Lunch Kabob
Because food on a stick tastes better!

Ingredients:
cheddar cheese, cubed
ham, chicken or turkey breast cubed
green pepper
cherry tomatoes
kabob skewers - *NOTE: for very small children you may want to cut off the sharp point of the kabob or use plastic skewers

Instructions:
Cut cheese and meats into cubes. Cut pepper into chunks.Thread onto skewers alternating cheese, meat, veggies. This makes a great sandwich replacement and makes veggies like peppers and tomatoes more fun for little fingers to try.


French Toast Fresh from the Oven
Ingredients:
8 ounces stale bread, remove crusts and cut into cubes
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups of milk (or half and half)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts (chopped)

Instructions:
Butter a 9- by 9-inch baking dish. Layer the bread cubes in bottom.
In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour over bread cubes and cover. Chill for one hour.
Once chilled, make the topping!

In a small bowl, stir together butter, sugar, and walnuts with a fork until mixture is crumbly and butter is evenly distributed. Sprinkle this mixture over the soaked bread cubes. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.


Get Kids Involved in Food Preparation
First remind your kids that you should always wash their hands before preparing food. Kids love helping in the kitchen and here is your chance to teach them the right way. To help them really feel like chefs, aprons are also great to have on hand.

- for younger kids storybooks with cooking involved are a good place to start building an interest in helping.

- ask questions and talk about what will happen when you do certain things, like chop something up, or put something in the oven ... this gets their interest even if they aren't doing the action themselves yet.

- the simplest tasks can get even a toddle involved in food prep, stirring the macaroni, pouring the milk, etc.

- clean up afterward is a time when everyone can help as well.

- gathering of ingredients is an important step and one that most kids can handle, "please bring me 3 carrots, and 2 sticks of celery" and a good beginning to helping out in the kitchen area

- teach them to make something that they can make with little help from you, a scrambled egg, a grilled cheese sandwich, a bowl of soup, a fruit salad, etc.

- look for kids sized kitchen gear and alternate tools for little fingers, for example kids could use a rolling pizza cutter to cut up veggies instead of a big sharp knife.

- get kids their own cookbook and let them choose a recipe, there are a variety of kids geared cookbooks on the market today to choose from.

- let them experiment with different foods, textures, ingredients, combinations, sauces, dips etc.... even if you think something sounds gross and they want to try combining it let them try a small amount, it's the best way to learn about foods.

- don't take over, as adults and parents we tend to want to do things for them when we see a little bit of a struggle or when we think they might not succeed, try to take a different approach, stand back and be observant but don't help unless they ask you too or if it's with something sharp or extremely hot.