Kiddie Cuisine

2009-01-08T17:08:00.003-06:00

Simple Oatmeal Cookies

After the girls got to make corn flake cookies, the boys decided it was their turn to do some baking.

Ingredients

1\4 cup white sugar
1\2 cup brown sugar
1\4 tsp baking powder
1\2 tsp baking soda
1\2 cup butter, softened
1 tblsp milk
1 egg
6 packets instant oatmeal
1 cup flour

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except flour and oatmeal packets.

Stir in flour and oatmeal. (The mixture will be sticky due to the milk. If you prefer crisp cookies to chewy ones, omit the milk. If you like your cookies chewy and cakey, add an extra tablespoon of milk.)

Roll dough into 1 1\2" balls and drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet, about 2" apart. Smash the balls down to a thickness of about half and inch. (you can use the bottom of a clean cup to do this)

Bake until light brown, about 8 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheet briefly, then remove to a rack to finish cooling.
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Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

2009-01-08T16:36:00.003-06:00

Peanut Butter Crunch Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup white corn syrup
1 cup Peanut Butter (smooth or crunchy)
6-7 cups Corn Flakes

Directions:

Bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil; remove from heat

Make sure you stir it so it doesn't burn.

While the syrup mixture is boiling, measure out the corn flakes into a large bowl.

Once you've removed the syrup from the stove, add peanut butter and mix well.

Ask a parent or older sibling to help you pour the hot mixture over the top of the corn flakes.

Stir it in until the flakes are coated and sticky.

Use a spoon to scoop out round balls of this, and place it on waxed paper to cool.
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Makes about 30 cookies

2008-03-29T13:48:00.003-05:00

Springtime Cookies!

The girls had so much fun making these for Easter. Sorry the pictures are a bit blurry!

Ingredients:

3\4 cup creamy peanut butter

1\2 cup shortening

3\4 cup sugar, divided

1\2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1-1\3 cups all purpose flour

1\2 tsp. baking soda

1\2 tsp. salt

30 miniature peanut butter cups, halved

60 cake decorator candy flowers

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream peanut butter, shortening, 1\2 cup sugar, and brown sugar. Add the egg, milk and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Shape into 1 in. balls. Roll in remaining sugar; place on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and immediately lightly press one peanut butter cup, cut side down, into each cookie to form a basket. Press a candy flower onto cookie so it appears as if a flower is coming out of the basket. Cool on wire racks.

Yield: about 5 dozen

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2008-03-22T11:07:00.002-05:00

Happy Spring!!!

2008-02-16T08:44:00.003-06:00

Cupid's Cups

Here's a recipe that can be used for any holiday. Simply change the color of jello to red & blue for the 4th of July, green & red for Christmas, yellow & pink for Easter, or come up with your own yummy color combo!

Ingredients:
1 square Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
2 cups boiling water, divided
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Brand Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
1-1/2 cups cold water, divided
Ice cubes
1 container thawed cool whip

Assorted Valentine sprinkles and candies (optional)

Tools:

8 Clear plastic cups (6-oz.)
Sandwich bag
1 cup measuring cup
Whisk
Medium Bowl

Directions:
DRAW - Spoon melted chocolate into sandwich bag, and trim a very small hole in one corner. Use this to pipe the chocolate in a heart design or write a Valentine's Day message on the inside of each clear plastic cups. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.

STIR 1 cup of the boiling water into 1 pkg. of the dry gelatin mix in medium bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in 1 cup cold water; pour evenly into prepared cups. Refrigerate 1 hour or until gelatin is firm.

MEANWHILE, stir remaining 1 cup boiling water into remaining package of dry gelatin mix in medium bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to remaining 1/2 cup cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to gelatin; stir until thickened. Stir in whipped topping with wire whisk until well blended. Spoon into prepared cups. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Before serving, top with cool whip and decorate with sprinkles. Store leftover desserts in refrigerator.

2008-02-14T09:14:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2008-02-11T09:23:00.000-06:00

Valentine Toast

This is a sweet way to make your Valentine breakfast more festive.

Directions:

1. Toast two slices of bread.

2. Cut out using a large heart-shaped cookie cutter.

3. Spread one slice with Strawberry or Raspberry preserves, and place the other on top in sandwich style. (Or eat open face)

*This would look great as part of a breakfast-in-bed for your parents.

2008-02-08T11:42:00.000-06:00

Valentine Cupcakes

To make a classic cupcake, a unique and lovable Valentine cupcake, try this simple idea.

You can use a yellow or white box mix, or your own cupcake recipe, whichever you prefer. Just make them as you usually do, only add red or pink food coloring.
Bake cupcakes; then cool on wire cooling rack.

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While the cupcakes are cooling, draw a small heart on a piece of cardstock. Carefully cut around the heart.
When the cupcakes are cooled, place paper heart in the center of the cupcake. Using a small sifter, shake powdered sugar over cupcake. When you remove the paper, you will have a perfect heart.

2008-01-25T09:14:00.000-06:00

"A friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you anyway!"

2008-01-24T22:45:00.000-06:00

History of Muffins

Muffin - a small, cup-shaped bread, often sweetened and usually served hot.

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The derivation of the word muffin comes from the French word moufflet which is often times applied to bread and means soft.
The two main types of muffins are English muffins and American style muffins. They vary in style as well as flavor and history.
English muffins are a flat yeast raised muffin with nooks and crannies that are cooked on a hot griddle. English muffin history dates all the way back to the 10th and 11th centuries in Wales.

Early English muffins were cooked in muffin rings which were hooplike and placed directly on a stove or the bottom of a skillet.

American style muffins on the other hand are more of a quick bread that is made in individual molds. The molds are necessary due to the mixture being a batter rather than dough.

Muffin recipes first began to appear in print in the mid 18th century and quickly caught on. By the 19th century muffin men walked the streets of England at tea time to sell there muffins. They wore trays of English muffins on there heads and rang there bells to call customers to there wares.
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Three states in the United States of America have adopted official muffins. Minnesota has adopted the blueberry muffin as the official state muffin. Massachusetts in 1986 adopted the Corn Muffin as the official state muffin. Then in 1987 New York took on the Apple Muffin as its official muffin of choice.

2008-01-23T18:19:00.000-06:00

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

A scrumptious breakfast food!

Ingredients:

4 Eggs

1 1\2 cup oil

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 3\4 cup pumpkin

1 tbsp. Cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 cups choc. chips

Tools:

Large mixing bowl
Electric beaters
Measuring cups
Muffin tins

Beat eggs slightly; add sugar, oil, and pumpkin; beat. Add dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill greased muffin cups 2\3 full & sprinkle lightly brown sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min.

2008-01-22T21:40:00.000-06:00

"It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness."
~Charles Spurgeon
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2008-01-17T20:43:00.000-06:00

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Ingredients:
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
1\2 cup real butter, softened
1\4 tsp. vanilla
3\4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3\4 cup mini chocolate chips
3\4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Tools:

Mixing bowl
Electric beater
Plastic Spatula
Measuring cups

Combine the cream cheese, butter and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and brown sugar. Stir in the mini chips.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Shape into ball, wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Before serving, roll in pecans.
Serve with Animal Crackers, Teddy Grahams, Vanilla Wafers, or Graham Crackers.

2008-01-16T14:14:00.000-06:00

"For some, pleasure is a fever they can't shake. For others, it's a disease they cannot seem to catch."
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2008-01-10T18:26:00.000-06:00

...............Ham Spread on Triscuits
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Ingredients:

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1\2 cup chopped Dill Pickles
1\2 chunked, cooked Ham
1\4 cup soft Cream Cheese
1 box Trsicuit Crackers

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Stir together Pickles, Ham and Cream Cheese. Spread on Crackers.
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*For more distinction in flavors you can spread the cream cheese on your triscuit, and top with a slice of ham and dill pickle.

2008-01-07T18:47:00.000-06:00

Keep smiling - it makes people wonder what you've been up to. ~Author Unknown

2008-01-06T13:52:00.000-06:00

Cheese Quesadilla

These are as staple as the classic PB&J, in Mindy's kitchen. We hope you like them as much as we do!
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Ingredients:
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1 package (10) large Flour Tortillas

1 block mozzarella or cheddar cheese

Butter or Margarine softened

Sour Cream (optional)

Tools:

Griddle
Metal Spatula
Butter knife

Heat griddle to 300 degrees. Grate cheese. Butter tortilla shells on one side. Place one tortilla shell (butter down) on hot griddle. Sprinkle with cheese, and place another buttered tortilla on top of that (butter up). Cook until it turns golden brown on the bottom, then flip and cook the other side. Remove from griddle. Cut into slices and dip in sour cream.

Yield: 5 servings

Be sure to try out some of these delicious variations. They're the BEST!

Bacon & Cheddar - Crumble cooked bacon over cheddar.
Ham & Onion w\Mozzarella - Add sliced or diced onion, and chunks of ham.
Chicken & Garlic w\ Cheddar - Shred cooked chicken over the grated cheese and sprinkle with garlic salt.
Salsa w\Cheddar - Simply add your favorite salsa to the original recipe. Or dip in salsa.

2008-01-05T18:41:00.000-06:00

Fun Facts!

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is the leading use of peanuts in the USA.

There are enough peanuts in one acre to make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches.

It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter.

Peanut butter is consumed in 89 percent of USA households.

The world's largest peanut butter factory churns out 250,000 jars of the tasty treat every day.

People living on the East Coast prefer creamy peanut butter, while those on the West Coast prefer the crunchy style.

Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth.

The average child will eat 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before he/she graduates high school.

Americans spend almost $800 million a year on peanut butter.

Americans eat enough peanut butter in a year to make more than 10 billion peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

2008-01-05T17:18:00.000-06:00

Snack Time!

`
Club Crackers, spread with creamy peanut butter, topped with an apple slice. That's all it is, and it's SO yummy!

2007-12-21T08:07:00.000-06:00

Holiday Cooking!

Holiday cooking has kept our kiddie chef (as well as the editor of Kiddie Cuisine), hoppin' busy. Twenty-four dozen (288) cookies were made yesterday, and today we're more than doubling that. We hope to get back to blogging soon....we have some GREAT recipes coming up, so don't give up on us, okay?

2007-12-07T19:36:00.000-06:00

Did you ever wonder???

As we made peanut butter kiss cookies the other night, Mindy's question was, "Why are they called kisses?"

Check out this link for the answer, and see some other fun facts as well...

http://http://www.hersheys.com/kisses/about/funfacts.asp

And here's a link that will take you to a video tour of the Hershey's factory...I thought it was pretty neat to watch!
http://www.hersheys.com/discover/tour_video.asp

2007-12-06T16:50:00.000-06:00

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Ingredients:
48 Chocolate Kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar

Tools:

Electric beaters
Spatula
Cookie pan
Mixing bowl
Medium bowl
Wire cooling rack

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Yield: About 4 dozen cookies.

2007-12-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

Chocolate Turtles

1 recipe in 5 easy steps!

Items Needed:

Cookie sheet
Margarine
Pecans
Kraft Caramels
Hershey's chocolate bar

1. Grease cookie sheet with margarine.
2. Arrange chopped or whole pecans in little stacks (may use any kind of nuts).
3. Top each stack with a Kraft caramel.
4. Bake 10 minutes at 350 or until caramel is soft.
5. Remove from oven and top each with 1 square of regular chocolate bar.

We used chocolate chips on ours, but I do believe that following the recipe and using Hershey's bars would be less messy. :-)

2007-11-15T20:29:00.000-06:00

We'll be out of town for the Thanksgiving Holiday!

Be back in a couple weeks!

2007-11-14T09:20:00.000-06:00

Did you ever wonder???

Almost everyone likes some kind of cookie. Have you ever wondered where cookies came from? .There are thousands of cookie recipes in the world, let's learn a little bit about them...

In America, a cookie is described as a thin, sweet, usually small cake. By definition, a cookie can be any of a variety of hand-held, flour-based sweet cakes, either crisp or soft.

Each country has its own word for "cookie." ---------------------------
What we know as cookies are called biscuits in England and Australia, in Spain they're galletas, Germans call them keks or Plätzchen for Christmas cookies, and in Italy there are several names to identify various forms of cookies including amaretti and biscotti, (bee-SKAWT-tee.) The word biscotto is derived from bis (twice) and cotto (cooked).
The name cookie is derived from the Dutch word koekje, meaning "small or little cake."

Biscuit comes from the Latin word bis coctum, which means, "twice baked."

According to culinary historians, the first historic record of cookies was their use as test cakes. A small amount of cake batter was baked to test the oven temperature.

2007-11-13T08:51:00.000-06:00

Kissable Candies Thumbprint Cookies

-Here's a recipe that if you're like kiddie chef, Mindy, you'll sneak some of the special ingredient while you're waiting for the cookies to finish baking.

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar
1 can (16 oz.) vanilla frosting
Additional powdered sugar
1 cup (8-oz. pkg.) Hershey's Kissables Chocolate Candies

Tools:

Mixing bowl
Electric beaters
Medium bowl
Cookie sheet
Wire cooling rack
Heavy-duty plastic food storage bag
Rubber spatula
Cookie spatula

Directions:

1. Beat butter, granulated sugar, egg yolks, milk and vanilla until fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Cover; refrigerate dough about 2 hours or until firm enough to handle.

2. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Shape dough into 1-1/8-inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar; place on prepared cookie sheet. Press thumb in center of each cookie.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool completely.

4. Spoon frosting into heavy-duty resealable plastic food storage bag. Cut off corner of bag about 1/4 inch from point; pipe frosting into thumbprint indentations. Sift additional powdered sugar over filled cookies, if desired. Gently press 3 to 4 candies into each filled cookie.

Yield: About 3-1/2 dozen cookies.

Vanilla Variation: Increase flour to 2-3/4 cups; omit cocoa.

2007-11-02T10:15:00.001-05:00

The no-mess Lunch

(Not even any dishes to wash!)

Here are some lunch ideas which can make the mid-day meal SO easy!

Mom often let us kids have "Paper napkin" lunches and we would get a kick out of it, plus it was a lot less for her to clean up.

Handing each of us a paper napkin, we would unfold it all the way and lay it on the table in front of us.

Then Mom would come by and place one food item on each of the four squares made by the creases in the napkin. All finger foods, which we loved!

Things like...

Sandwiches
Blueberrys, strawberrys or some such fruit
Carrot sticks
Celery
Pretzels
Peanuts or sunflower seeds

The list goes on.. we all have our finger food favs!

Then for cups Mom came up with a very simple solution so that we don't end up with a billion cups to wash after one day. Each of the children have a water bottle in the refridgerator, and even Connor can reach in and grab a drink anytime during the day. This works well at lunch time too. They all get their water cold from the fridge. No plates, no cups, no utensils. The table doesn't even have to be cleared! Everyone throws away their napkin and puts their water back in the fridge and lunch is over!

2007-10-29T16:33:00.000-05:00

Did you ever wonder???

Why is peanut butter so common? When did it become popular; and why?

Here's the story...

Peanut butter (as we know it today) was invented in the second half of the 19th century. Did you know this product was originally marketed as a health food? Nut butters were valued for their high protein content and easy digestion. At first, peanut butter was a food known mostly to wealthy people who frequented health spas.

Before long, the product was available to the public at large, though companies targeted their promotions to the upper classes. Recipes for early 20th century fancy tea sandwiches included peanut butter. When that market was saturated, companies began adding sugar to make the product more appealing to children. Bingo! The popularity of the product soared and to this day is a staple in many American pantries.

The relationship between children and peanut butter was cemented in the late 1920s, when Gustav Papendick invented a process for slicing and wrapping bread. Sliced bread meant that children could make sandwiches themselves without slicing the bread with a potentially dangerous knife. As a consequence of low cost, high nutrition, and ease of assembling, peanut butter sandwiches became one of the top children's meals during the Depression.

Nationwide food rationing was instituted in the United States during World War II. Each member of the family was issued ration books, and it was the challenge of the homemaker to pool the stamps and plan the family's meals within the set limits. Margarine, butter, sugar, lard, shortening, oils and assorted fresh meats were rationed and expensive. Peanut butter was a good cheap (peanut butter sold for 24 cents a jar) alternative and a readily available source of protein. Peanut butter was not rationed.

2007-10-24T18:10:00.000-05:00

Variations on Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Here are the makers, testers and raters of the PB sandwiches... -

Tropical PB Sandwich

Molly spreads the Peanut Butter (#1 ingredient)

Anna adds a sprinkle of coconut

Aiden scoops on some juicy pineapple

Eli places the marshamallows in his own special pattern

Luke puts on the final ingredient, raisins; and we have a tropical PB sandwich.

Here are some other variations they tried...

Crunchy Honey-butter sandwich

Peanut Butter
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Honey

Butter

Crushed Saltine Crackers

Cinna-Rais PB

Peanut Butter
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Raisins

Cinnamon

Honey-Marsh PB

Peanut Butter
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Mini Marshmallows
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Honey

Apple-Cinnamon PB

Peanut Butter

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Apples (sliced small)
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Cinnamon

Even Connor got in on making this sandwich.

Why not let kids play with their food? It's fun!

2007-10-24T09:55:00.000-05:00

Fancy French Toast Fingers

This is a very simple breakfast\brunch recipe, that everyone will enjoy!

Using only 7 ingredients:

6 eggs

3\4 cup milk

1\2 tsp. salt

1 1\2 cup Strawberry preserves

24 slices day-old bread

Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Cinnamon (optional)

Tools:

Griddle
Medium Bowl
Spatula
Wooden Spoon
Butter knife
Measuring cups
1\2 tsp.
Whisk

Directions:
Whisk together eggs, milk and salt in bowl; set aside.

Spread preserves on half the slices of bread;

Top with remaining bread.

Trim crusts; cut each sandwich into three strips. Dip both sides in egg mixture. Cook on lightly greased hot griddle until toasty brown. (be careful the griddle is very hot!)

Dust with confectioners' sugar and cinnamon if desired.

2007-10-18T16:00:00.000-05:00

Candy Corn Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:
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1 stick butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1\2 tsp. vanilla

1\2 tsp. baking powder

1\2 tsp. salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

1\4 cup unsweetened cocoa

Candy corn

Tools:

Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
1\2 tsp.
Spatula or wooden spoon
Cookie Sheet
Cooling Rack
2 small bowls

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put butter and sugar in bowl and beat well using a wooden spoon or spatula.

Add the egg yolks, vanilla, baking powder and salt, and continue to mix until well combined.

Add the flour and mix until dough forms.
Now split the dough in half, and place in two small bowls. In one bowl put 1\4 cup cocoa, and in the other put another 1\4 cup of flour. Mix in (mashing with a fork works well.)

Now you have chocolate and vanilla cookie dough!

Scoop out level teaspoons of dough and form into balls. Place the balls on a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 min., or until the edges are firm and the cookies feel dry to the touch.

Remove the pan from the oven and immediately press one candy corn in the center of each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for one minute before placing them on the cooling rack.

2007-10-16T16:36:00.000-05:00

Jumble Crumble Rumble

Jumble? Crumble? Rumble???
There's a reason for this funny name! It's a jumble of ingredients made into a sweet crumbly treat, and it makes your tummy rumble with happiness! :-D

Here's Mindy all ready for our first adventure in cooking! Here's what you need...

INGREDIENTS:
1\2 cup light corn syrup

1\2 cup sugar

3\4 cup peanut butter

1\2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1\2 cups of crisp rice cereal

1\2 cup mini marshmallows

1\2 cup peanut butter chips

1\2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

TOOLS:
-Medium Sauce pan
-Spatula
-Small square, or rectangular pan
-1 medium sized bowl
-Measuring cups and 1\2 tsp.

DIRECTIONS:
Combine corn syrup and sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 min. Remove from heat;

Stir in peanut butter until melted and blended. Stir in vanilla.

Pour over cereal, marshmallows and chips, and stir together.

Press into a lightly greased pan.

Cool; cut into squares...

... or crumble it into a small bowl and eat with a fork.
*This would also make a great crunchy ice-cream topping

2007-10-15T22:14:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Kiddie Cuisine!

Hey kids, here you'll find a great bash of yummy recipes that you can make yourself!
I hope you enjoy cooking as much as our featured kiddie chef, Mindy, does.
She'll help you out with pictures and tips along the way.
Enjoy the blog, and don't forget to leave comments to tell us which recipes you like the best!