Spring is time to play in the dirt...

I love playing in the dirt just as much as kids do... I love spending time in the garden... I've always been the happiest when my hands are in the dirt! I have garden gloves but they always seem to end up on the ground or the table on the porch :-)

Since Spring is here, let's make some "Dirt Cups" for a great Spring snack! The kids are gonna love it!

Here's the recipe:

2 cups milk

1 (4-serving size) instant chocolate pudding

1 (8-ounce) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (1-pound) package chocolate sandwich cookies

8 (9-ounce) plastic cups

Gummi worms and frogs to decorate

1. Crush the chocolate sandwich cookies & set aside

Note: The kids will love to do this if you put them in a zippy bag and give them a wooden mallet or a rolling pin!

2. Mix milk and pudding in a large bowl. Beat with a whisk until well blended. Let stand for 5 minutes. Yes, the kids can do ALL of this! Remember, you're their "assistant!"

3. Add whipped topping and half of the crushed cookies.

4. Place 1 Tablespoon of the cookie crush in the bottom of each plastic cup.

5. Fill cups about 3/4 full with pudding mixture.

6. Sprinkle with the remaining cookie crush mixture.
Note: Make sure the cookies are crushed to look like "dirt!"

7. Chill about an hour.

8. When ready to serve let the kids decorate with worms and frogs!

Don't be surprised if dirt cups become one of their favorite treats.

Getting Kids into the Kitchen,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach for Kids

Let's Build an Easter Bunny Cake!

This cake has been a long time favorite for the Easter table centerpiece! 

The only thing that has changed seems to be instead of using a basic white cake mix, there are all kinds of cake mix choices out there... why not try a carrot cake (the bunny would like that!)... Anyway, I've made these directions pretty generic so you can let the kids get creative... so here we go...

This recipe makes two bunny cakes... here's what you'll need:

1 box of cake mix of your choice

2 cans frosting

Coconut

Jelly beans

Green food coloring (for grass)

Ingredients to make box cake

Pink construction paper (for the ears)

Let the kids do as much as possible on this... all but using the electric mixer :-)

Preheat the oven to the requirement on the box. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour into 2 round 8-inch or 9-inch layer pans. Bake according to the package directions. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans and then allow to cool completely. 

While the cake layers are cooling either cover two pieces of cardboard with aluminum foil or find  2 flat plates to place the bunnies on. You can also go ahead and cut out the pink bunny ears from pink construction paper.

All righty... let's build bunnies! Here's your road map...

Cut one layer in half. Put halves together with frosting. Stand cake upright on cut edge. Using a sharp knife (adult helper here, please)... cut a V-notch about 1/2 of the way up the semi-circle. Use the cake notched cut out pieces to attach with toothpicks for the tail. The area below the notch will will form bunny's head. The 2/3 area above the notch will shape the bunny's rounded back. Frost with remaining frosting from first  can of frosting.

Generously sprinkle with white coconut... the kids love this part! Use jelly beans for eyes and nose (the nose has to be pink :-)! Place the pink construction paper ears in the bunny's head.

Place coconut in a jar with a drop or two of green food coloring and shake it up, baby! Voila... you've got grass to spread around the bunny! Add some jelly beans to look like eggs in the grass.

This old recipe seems always to please. The kids will be so tickled with their Easter Bunny creation! Isn't it just the best, getting kids into the kitchen?

May you and your family have a blessed Easter!

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach for Kids

Shake it up GREEN!

Hey, all my little leprechauns... Being "green" is not as hard as it sounds and celebrating St. Patrick's Day is always fun! So let's celebrate the "wearing of the green" with Slurpee Shamrock Shakes!

This very easy one needs adult supervision for operating the blender... but let the kids dump the ingredients in and scoop the ice cream! Don your aprons for the green "splatter factor"... or, you could be really wearing green!

Oh, and I suggest that you allow each child to make their own shake... it will only take a few more minutes.

Ingredients for one shake:
1 banana (not a green one, no pun intended)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup green mint ice cream.

Have the kids peel the bananas and break them up in pieces... dump them in the blender. Let the kids measure out the milk... good practice for them... and a little hint here... use a large, 4-cup clear measuring cup... it will help prevent spills and also teaching the kids to shoot for exact measurements. And, they can see what they're doing!

Now, let them scoop out the ice cream and smash it into a 1/2 cup measuring cup... yes, let them cheat just a tad with a bit extra... and plop the ice cream in the blender. The adult helper is always in charge of the blender and can allow the kids to push buttons (your call on this one... but safety is always first)!

The shake only needs to be blended and it will take about a minute (depending on your blender)... you want it smooth and creamy. If the kids like thicker shakes then let them put in more than 1/2 cup of ice cream. If you have any green sprinkles around... pour the shake into a glass and top with green sprinkles... it's magical... watch out for the leprechauns!

Happy Saint Paddy's Day and Happy Cooking!
Jan McCracken, Kids Culinary Chef

Lucky Leprechaun Cookies

These cookies are easy peasy and, of course, they're GREEN!

Here's what you'll need:

1 package instant pistachio pudding mix

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

3/4 cup Bisquick mix

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

And... let the kids do the rest! Mix all of the ingredients together and let them stir till their little heart's content :-) I've said it before... kids do love to stir things up!

Roll dough into 1-inch balls between those little hands! Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and and gently flatten each cookie with the bottom of a glass or if the kids would rather make hash marks on the cookies, use a fork (dip it in ice water if the forks sticks to the cookies dough).

Bake about 8 minutes until just golden..,. maybe 10 minutes (depending on your oven).

Have a St. Patrick's Day Tea Party!

Happy Cooking with Kids,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

A Little St. Patrick's Day History...

What's all the fuss about St. Patrick anyway?

“Well he was not a leprechaun who drank green beer or had a blarney stone or a pot of gold,” explains historian William Federer, who wrote St. Patrick: The Real History of His Life, From Tragedy to Triumph. “He was actually a missionary and he converted 120,000 druids from paganism to Christianity.”

Who was St. Patrick really?

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. But for all his celebrity, his life remains somewhat of a mystery. Many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are false, the products of hundreds of years of exaggerated storytelling.

Patrick preached about Jesus Christ, spread Christianity across the British Isles, and spoke out against slavery. Some historians even call him the world’s first abolitionist!

I love a parade...

The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland, but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers to reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the English army

And then there's the Chicago River...

Chicago is also famous for dyeing the Chicago River green. The tradition started in 1962, when city pollution-control workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges and realized that the green dye might provide a unique way to celebrate the holiday. That year, they released 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river—enough to keep it green for a week!

Today, in order to minimize environmental damage, only forty pounds of dye are used, making the river green for only several hours. Although Chicago historians claim their city 's idea for a river of green was original, some Savannah natives believe the idea originated in their town.

What about corned beef and cabbage?

About 41.5 billion pounds and 2.6 billion pounds of U.S. beef and cabbage, respectively, were sold in 2007. Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patrick's Day dish. The corned beef celebrants eat on St. Patrick's Day may very well have originated in Texas, which produced 6.8 billion pounds worth of beef, while the cabbage most likely came from California, which produced 581 million pounds worth, or New York (580 million pounds).

And, a little Irish Soda Bread for ye?

Irish Soda Bread gets its name and distinctive character from the use of baking soda instead of yeast as the leavening agent.

How 'bout those Shamrocks!

There are 4 places in the United States named Shamrock, the floral emblem of Ireland. Mount Gay-Shamrock, W.Va., and Shamrock, TX, were the most populous, with 2,623 and 1,841 residents, respectively. Shamrock Lakes, Ind., had 162 residents and Shamrock, OK, 125.

Emerald Isle, North Carolina?

Yep! Who wudda thunk right here in the good ol' USA is Emerald Isle, NC, with 3,686 residents!

Irish Americans

A total of 4.8 million immigrants from Ireland have been admitted to the U.S. for lawful permanent residence since fiscal year 1820, the earliest year for which official immigration records exist. By fiscal year 1870, about half of these immigrants were admitted for lawful permanent residence. Only Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Mexico have had more immigrants admitted for permanent residence to the United States than Ireland.

Wearing of the Green Goes Global

Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore, and Russia.

In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick's Day has traditionally been a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use St. Patrick's Day as an opportunity to drive tourism and showcase Ireland to the rest of the world. Last year, close to one million people took part in Ireland 's St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions, and fireworks shows.

Everybody's Irish on St. Patrick's Day!

Patrick's mission in Ireland is said to have lasted for thirty years. It is believe he died in the 5th century on March 17, which is the day St. Patrick's Day is commemorated each year.

The first year St. Patrick's Day was celebrated in America in 1737 in Boston, Massachusetts. The first official St. Patrick's Day parade was held in New York City in 1766. As the saying goes, on this day "everybody is Irish!" Over 100 U.S. cities now hold Saint Patrick's Day parades.

Have a great St. Patrick's Day and give the kids just a little history of the "green day" while you're stirring up something special and green in the kitchen today!

Getting Kids into the Kitchen,
Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach for Kids

How do you say Happy New Year in Chinese?

The kids will have fun learning a little Mandarin Chinese and 
greeting  their friends and family with Happy New Year...

 Here's how to say it in Mandarin Chinese 
which literally means, 
"Congratulations, may you be prosperous."

"Xin [sing] Nian [nee-an] Kuai [kwai] Le [ler]"

The Cantonese, "Gong Hey Fat Choy" is the most popular and probably the easiest for the kids! 

Even though the pronunciations are a little different, both are written the same way 

in Chinese characters.

Here's the Chinese Symbol for Happy Chinese New Year: 
 (恭禧發財)

Please keep in mind that there are more than 150 dialects in China so there are many different greetings that mean the same thing. When I was in China, people in Northern China didn't understand people from other provinces in China! 

The kids might also have a lot of fun trying to draw the Chinese characters for "Happy Chinese New Year"... just do a search online and print out the characters. If you have a light box, it's really fun for them to trace them and then go over the characters with a colored marker! All great learning experiences as we teach our kids to take a glimpse into other cultures and learn what little friends around the world are celebrating.

May you all have a happy and prosperous Year of the Snake 2013!

Gong Hey Fat Choy!

Jan McCracken, Kids Culinary Coach

Chinese Noodle Cookies...

These are sooooo easy and the kids will love them.

Celebration of looking forward to a year of prosperity, food is very important on Chinese New Year... these are drop cookies but because of the Chinese noodles, they resemble "nests." The Chinese prepare some foods in the resemblance of nests as a sign of prosperity for the New Year! Be sure to talk about these fun little bits of history when you're baking the cookies... the kids will love hearing about new things!

Here's what you'll need for the cookies (please substitute the "chips" for your favorite whether it be white chocolate, milk chocolate... whatever the kids choose):

1 (12-ounce) bag butterscotch chips
1 (5-ounce) can chow mein noodles
1/2 can dry roasted peanuts
2 cookie sheets
Waxed paper

Line both cookie sheets with wax paper; set aside.

Melt the butterscotch chips in a microwave-safe bowl until smooth or in a bowl on top of a simmering pot of water. Fold in the chow mein noodles to coat completely.

Gather scant tablespoons of the mixture and drop onto the prepared sheet pans. Refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes.

Have fun cooking for Chinese New Year with the kids!
Jan McCracken, Kids Culinary Coach

Auspicious Fortune Cookies!

Fun for celebrating Chinese New Year! 

Fortune cookies are fun to make and a sure way to get the creative juices running in the kids as well as some good laughs making memories in the kitchen.

Chinese New Year is all about “good fortune” for the coming year so what better way to celebrate than to make your own fortune cookies!

Here’s a recipe that will make 12 fortune cookies:

1 egg white
Tiny amount of vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar 

Have the kids write their fortunes on strips of white paper (pieces about 4 inches x 1/2- inch).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease two cookie sheets and set aside.

Adult helper, please beat the egg white and vanilla until foamy but not stiff with an electric mixer. Have the kids do the measuring and left them sift the flour, salt, and sugar and fold gently. Then they can fold the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture. Kids love learning the "folding" skill!

Place a teaspoonful of the batter onto one of the prepared cookie sheets, and tilt the sheet to encourage the batter to form into a nice round shape about 3 inches in diameter. Repeat, leaving at least 2 inches between the cookies, and sticking to no more than 2 or 3 per sheet as you will need to work with them quickly while they are hot. DO NOT let the kids work with the hot cookies!

Put the first sheet into the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, watching carefully, until the cookie has turned a golden color around the outer edge of the circle (the center should remain pale.

Note:  Have the kids sit on the floor and watch the cookies closely as they can easily burn on the edges! They will love it! 

Remove cookies from the  oven and very quickly lift one of the cookies with a spatula and turn upside down onto a wooden board. Adult needed here, please! 

Place the fortune in the middle of the cookie and fold the cookie in half. Place the folded edge across the rim of a cup or glass and pull the pointed edges down, one on the inside of the cup and one on the outside. Stand the folded cookies in the cups of a muffin tin or egg carton until they cool so that they hold their shape. 

Be sure to mix the cookies up for the kids to make their choices. If you want more cookies, just double the ingredients!

May your Year of the Snake be blessed and propserous,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

Happy Chinese New Year!

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2013 is the Year of the Snake. Celebrating Chinese New Year can be a blast for kids as well as a grand learning experience!

They can learn the appreciation of  Chinese history as well as a lot about the culture while having a great time. Chinese New Year is sometimes called Spring Festival and is the most important of all holidays in China. There are special foods that are eaten during Chinese New Year and I'll be back with some recipes for you and the kids to prepare for your celebration!

It would be fun for you to do a search for Chinese animals for the kids to look up their year of birth and match it with their Chinese animal in the Chinese Zodiac. This is not like fortunetelling and can be a fun-filled research exercise for the kids as they learn about ancient Chinese history.  

The zodiac sign of the Snake symbolizes traits such as gracefulness, intuition, introspection, materialism and intelligence. 

Chinese New Year welcomes the Lunar New Year this year on February 10th. The dates of Chinese New Year change every year. The Snake is the sixth sign of the Chinese Zodiac which consists of 12 Animal signs.  

Happy Chinese New Year!

Come back in the next few days for some fun recipes for celebrating and head to the kitchen with the kids!

Happy Cooking with Kids,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

New Year's Slushies!

Kids adore fancy glasses and if you pop one of those little umbrellas in "anything" they are thrilled... add a garnish of a slice of fresh pineapple or a strawberry on the side of the glass and... wow... they feel very grown up!

So let's make New Year's Eve special and get the kids back in the kitchen. Here's what you'll need for a tasty and fun slushie..

1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 pint pineapple juice
3 ripe bananas 

Ginger ale

Little paper party umbrellas

Fresh strawberries or fresh pineapple for garnish (or a skinny orange slice)

Combine ingredients in a pitcher. Freeze until mixture is slushy, stirring with a wooden spoon. 

Spoon 2 or 3 tablespoons (or more) into a party glass and add ginger ale... bubbles are fun for New Year's no matter your age!

Add some fun New Year's hats and noisemakers (from the $ store) and you have celebrating kids!

2013 Blessings and Happy, Happy New Year,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

Ho Ho Ho... Reindeer Cookies!

Something easy for the kids to do on Christmas Eve!

Do these look like a ton of fun or what? The kids are gonna love 'em! Let's put these reindeer together... 'Tis the season to get kids cooking!

1 (18-ounce) refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough (you can use sugar cookie dough if you'd rather... the peanut butter just makes them "look more" like reindeer)

38 small pretzel twists

48 brown M&M's

24 red M&M's

Put the cookie dough in the freezer for about 15 minutes before calling the kids into the kitchen (just so the dough is good and firm).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the chilled cookie dough on a piece of waxed paper and the adult helper needs to cut the roll into 24 slices. Place the slices on a large ungreased cookie sheet.

Now for the fun... let the kids "pinch" the cheeks of each reindeer making an indentation on each side that makes a reindeer face! Carefully place 2 pretzels at the top of each slice to form the reindeer antlers. Create the eyes and red nose (it must be Rudolph!) with the M&M's. The kids will love this part!

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until just golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely.
P.S. Santa might enjoy a couple of these :-)

Merry, Merry!

Happy Christmas Cooking with Kids,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

Fudge-Filled Cookie Cutters!

All righty... these are so much fun to make and easy, peasy! More great gifts that the kids will be so tickled to give with a big grin and "look what I made!" 

You can pull out your own favorites fudge recipe but I've got a "Peppermint Fudge" recipe here for you that looks soooooo festive and tastes yummy... Does this sound like Christmas or what? Just imagine "this fudge" in the cookie cutters at the top of the post... pretty cool, huh? Let's get started... first of all buy Christmas cookie cutters... they are on sale every where right now. You can even find some large copper ones at some of the dollar stores. Or, you can buy a couple dozen of different shapes and sizes too! And the plastic red and green ones look great too! So many choices :-)...

Here we go...
2 (10-ounce) packages vanilla baking chips
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (add more if you want it more minty!)
1 1/2 cups crushed candy canes
Just a quick dash of red food coloring

Let the kids... Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the inside of the cookie cutters with non-stick cooking spray. Line the cookie cutters up on the parchment paper and set aside. 

Let the kids do the measuring and crushing of the candy canes (they love doing this)! Combine the vanilla chips and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan. We need the adult helper to cook over medium heat. Stir frequently until almost melted, remove from heat and continue to stir until smooth. When chips are completely melted, stir in the peppermint extract, food coloring, and crushed candy canes. 

Remove from heat and pour into the cookie cutters and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Now the kids can place the cookie cutters in plain or decorative Christmas cellophane bags and tie at the bottom.

If you use clear cello bags, let the kids decorate them with Christmas stickers... again, I encourage you to let the kids use their imagination and creativity... ALWAYS!

Merry, Merry!

'Tis the Season to Get Kids Cooking,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

Homemade Christmas Dough Ornaments...

Most of the kids will be out of school as of Friday and goodness knows there's probably still lots to do! If you want something to keep those little hands busy this weekend, let them make dough ornaments in all shapes and sizes!

Even though the tree has more than likely been up and decorated for weeks, the kids will love making these Christmas treasures. They can be personalized and even used as "special" gift tags for Christmas gifts. You think Grandma and Aunt Mary wouldn't love one too? And, with the New Year coming they can make some with a New Year theme... they can be hung like suncatchers in their bedroom windows, given to little friends with a few cookies in a little bag for a "Happy New Year" wish... maybe a new tradition will be created.

These easy little ornaments bring out the creativity in everyone and add to the whimsy of celebrating this blessed season. 

Another great idea is to hot glue a silver safety pin to the back (with assistance from the adult helper)  for a little gift. All, adding that very special "it's homemade" touch!

Let's get started...

Here's the easy recipe:

1 cup salt
1 cup water
2 cups flour

Christmas cookie cutters (plus trains, teddy bears, New Year's, Christmas Story... anything in the "favorite" department)!

Pins for back

Hot glue gun

Suggestions for decorating: Glitter of all kinds (kids love glitter); puff paints; 3-D paint; acrylic paints; silver and gold stars... check your craft bins!
Note: Have the kids write their names and the date on the back of each creation!

Mix all ingredients together. Consistency will be pretty stiff. Add extra flour or water if needed. Roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness.  Cut and shape ornaments. Lift onto a cookie sheet with a cookie spatula. Straightened paper clips work great for poking eyes or adding details. Either take a toothpick and make a hole in the top of the ornament before baking so a red ribbon can be strung through or insert a small loop of flexible wire into the top before baking. Ribbons are great for attaching to Christmas gifts!

Bake at 325 degrees for several hours or until hard. Cool on wire racks.

Paint with acrylic paints. When dry, spray with an acrylic sealer or melt paraffin in a double boiler and dip the ornament in it.

These are great fun... let the kids use their imagination and roll candy canes or add special touches to their Christmas creations. This will keep them busy for a couple of hours while you get some "other stuff" done!

Merry, Merry!

'Tis the Season to get kids cooking,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

Surprise Snowballs!

The kids are gonna love these... 

They are so much fun to make and really fun for the kids to share with their friends... 

Have them offer a Snowball cookie to their friends when they can watch the friend... wait for it... bite into it... Surprise!

Let's get started!

Here's the ingredient list:

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugr

2 cups white flour

6-ounce bag of chocolate kisses

2 candy canes, crushed

Powdered sugar for dusting

Yield:  24 cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar with mixer until smooth (adult helper needed here, please... do not leave children alone with an electric mixer!). Slowly add flour, mixing well.

Wrap cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. While the dough is chilling have the little elves remove the foil from the chocolate kisses (24 of them). Also, place the candy canes in a zippy plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin... the kids really like this part!

Remove dough from the fridge and roll into 1-inch round balls... an easy way to do this is rolling the dough in palms of hands. The kids love getting their hands into it! The balls don't have to be perfect at this point.

Insert a chocolate kiss into the center of each ball making sure it is completely covered by the dough. If necessary, do another quick roll between palms.

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes (be careful not to get too brown or burn!)
Note: I almost always us parchment paper... it is definitely cookie baking BFF!

Put down waxed paper under a cooling rack to catch excess powdered sugar and candy cane sprinkles. Either sift powered sugar over the top of cookies or roll cookies in the powdered sugar. Sprinkle the tops with the crushed candy cane peppermint. Gently have the kids push the cane cane sprinkles with their little thumbs into the cookies so it doesn't fall off!

These are great little gifts. The dollar store sometimes has clear little plastic boxes that would hold maybe 6 cookies... tie with a bright red Christmas bow and attach a candy cane!

Are we having fun yet? Merry, Merry!

'Tis the Season for Getting Kids Into the Kitchen,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

Window Pane Christmas Cookies...

{Photo Source:  Kraft}

The kids will literally sit on the floor with the oven light on and watch these cookies bake as the candies melt. Let the magic begin as dough is transformed into cookies with colored window panes! The kids are gonna love it!

Here's the ingredient list:

18 red and green clear hard candies

2/3 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups all-purpose flour

Sifted powdered sugar 

Cookie cutters of the kids' choice Note: You'll need a large cookie cutter and a matching smaller cookie cutter for some cool Christmas trees, bells, stars... let them use their imagination.

Line cookies sheets with foil and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Have the kids put the red and green candies in separate small "heavy" plastic zippy bags. Crush candies, leaving them coarse. Place each color in a small bowl.

Now let's mix up the cookie dough...

Let the kids measure the ingredients using several measuring cups (just like on the cooking shows)! And, please stop the mixer and let them dump ingredients into the mixing bowl. DO NOT keep the mixer running while those little fingers are near, please. 

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds (an adult helper is needed here, please). Add granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat mixture until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally (if the kids want to scrape, please stop the mixer). 

Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in fourths. 

Now the kids can jump in... the kids will love trying to roll out the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll a portion of the dough 1/4-inch thick. Using 2-1/2- to 3-inch cutters in desired shape, cut out dough. Place cutouts about 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. 

Using smaller, 1/2- to 3/4-inch hors  cutters, cut out two, three, or four shapes from each larger cutout. Note:  The key here is to not let the kids cut out too many shapes so the dough won't hold together... I know, details!

Fill cutout openings with crushed candy. Bake in preheated oven about 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned (have the kids watch carefully so they don't burn). Cool completely on foil. When completely cool to the touch carefully peel foil away from cookies. 

The kids will like this part... using a small brush, dust the edges of cooled cookies with powdered sugar. Makes about 4 dozen. These make great gifts and the kids will be SO proud of them!

Merry, Merry!

'Tis the Season for Cooking with Kids,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

Christmas Cookie Pizza!

{Photo Source:  Cooking Channel}

This Christmas Cookie Pizza is  quick, fun and festive! Merry, Merry! 

Note:  The photo is not an "exact" of this recipe... just a visual to get you going :-)

Warning:  Do not serve this right before bedtime :-) This is a very special treat and loaded with sugar but, hey.... 'Tis the season for "Cooking with Kids!" This one will bring rave reviews and wide eyes from the little chefs in the kitchen.

If sugar is allowed at the school Christmas party, this is another kid's culinary delight that will bring... yup, I made it with a bit of a swelling chest and a smile. On a serious note, you'll begin seeing that when your kids cook, their self-image and self-confidence builds... we'll get "serious" after the holidays... Let's get to the kitchen and create!

Here we go... you'll need two ungreased 12-inch pizza pans. You can buy the disposable ones if you don't have them in your pantry (ALWAYS check the $ store first)!

1 (18-ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough

Please note: You can substitute chocolate chip or your choice of cookie dough

2 cups (12-ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated milk!)

2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups red and green M&M's
Optional: Hot Fudge Topping

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

The kids will have a blast pressing out the dough onto the pizza pans!

Bake from 10 minutes or until just a light golden brown (will depend on your oven). Remove from oven and set aside.

Have the kids measure the remaining ingredients and dump it into a medium-sized saucepan. The adult helper will melt the chips with the condensed milk, stirring constantly. When melted, pour over the baked cookie pizza crusts.

Have the kids sprinkle the mini-marshmallows and the M&M's evenly over the crust.

Return to oven and bake 3 or 4 more minutes until the marshmallows puff up and are just lightly toasted (watch the marshmallows closely as you know, they just keep cooking when you take them out of the oven). If you need more sugar, heat some hot fudge topping in the microwave and drizzle over the pizza at serving time... and, a dollop of whipped cream or a small scoop of ice cream melting over all would make it the biggest "sugar delight" allowed for a very long time :-) !

Let cool and cut into "pizza wedges" for serving. Tah Dah... 'Tis the Season to get Kids Cooking!

Happy Holiday Cooking,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

Santa Tip... 'Tis the Season to Get Kids Cooking!

Santa Tip!

Let the kids do as much as possible! Baking and Christmas cooking is "hands-on fun!" The adult helper needs to be at the helm with anything electric... like the mixer... however, let the kids measure everything out and dump it in the mixing bowl. Stop the mixer and scrap the sides... this is a good time to taste the dough... one of my favorite things!

Even the youngest kids can help stir up batter and do a bit of measuring and they will be thrilled!

Some kids are great "egg breakers" and after they've broken the eggs in a small bowl, do the old-fashioned thing of handing them a salad fork and whipping them up a bit... .is it really necessary to the recipe? Maybe not... but it sure makes them feel important and a real part of the process... and that's what counts!

This is a great time to be able to show kids the "right way" in the kitchen... you'll find them SO eager to learn. Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect!

Let them stir and roll out dough, shape and press dough flat with a glass or a fork... bring out the cookie cutters... and then the frosting and decorating is the icing on the cake (pun intended)!

'Tis the season to get kids cooking! Merry, Merry!

Happy Holiday Cooking with Kids,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

Very Merry Red Velvet Whoopie Pies!

Red velvet cake is one of my long time favorites. I have made them from scratch for years! But there's been an amazing addition to boxed cakes... Yep, there is now red velvet cake mix and it's delish and very moist! 

And... Whoopie Pies are one of the hottest new things for a sweet tooth! Here's, quick, easy, festive and yummy.

All you need is a whoopie pie pan... Hint:  Use your 40% off or 50% off coupon at Michael's and get a great Wilton whoopie pan that you'll use over and over!

Pick up a Red Velvet cake mix (I know Wally World carries them)... you'll need oil and eggs to make the batter. And get some peppermint ice cream and some candy canes for garnish. 

Follow the directions on the cake mix... please let the kids get out all the "stuff" and do the measuring and dumping of ingredients. And the adult helper should operate the electric mixer as in ALWAYS!

Bake as directed in the whoopie pan at the correct oven temperature. Do not over bake! Remove from oven and cool on cooling rack.

While the whoopie pies are cooling, place 3 or 4 candy canes and place them in a heavy duty zippy bag. Let the kids pound them with a small rolling pin or rubber mallet (they really love this part)!

Let ice cream sit on counter for at least 5 minutes to begin to soften so it will spread easily. Spread ice cream on one side of a whoopie pie and then top with the second one. Put crushed candy canes on waxed paper and roll the whoopie pies in the crushed candy cane peppermint on the ice cream for a very festive touch!

Either wrap in waxed paper or put in individual zippy bags until the kids devour them! Enjoy!

Merry, Merry!

Happy Cooking with Kids,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach