Fun Kids Recipes!

Super fun kids recipes here!

Kid's Size Loaf of Yummy Bread

Here's a recipe for a kid's size loaf of delicious, wholesome bread. It's perfect for little hands to knead and mold.

In a small bowl, mix together:

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/2 tsp. yeast
• 1/2 tsp. honey

Stir together and then let mixture sit for five minutes. The yeast will start to bubble and rise. Then add:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt

Knead the mixture for ten minutes, adding sprinkles of flour as needed so little hands don't get too sticky.

When the dough is smooth and like elastic, place it in a bowl and let it rise until it is twice the original size. Make sure it is warm and free from drafts.

Spray vegetable cooking spray on the sides and bottom of a small loaf pan.

Punch the dough down. Form it into a loaf. Place the dough into the prepared loaf pan.

Let the loaf rise until double the size.

Bake the loaf in the oven at 350 degrees F. for 20 - 25 minutes.

@MyCozyKitchen2011

In the Childhood Memories

"In the childhood memories of every good cook, there's a large kitchen, a warm stove, a simmering pot, and a mom."

Barbara Costikyan

Quote: Sermon in a Loaf of Bread

"In a sermon on the feeding of the five thousand by our Lord, a minister lately spoke of the lad who brought the barley loaves and the woman who made them. Little did she think as she pounded the grain, and mixed the dough, and tempered the heat of the oven, that her loaves were to feed the gathered companies, who sat down in orderly ranks on the green grass, and were refreshed by a meal presided over by Christ. As little do we know whereunto one small act of ours may grow. The obscure agents in this world are oftener stronger than those which are seen."

~

Signs 5/29/1884

The Kitchen, an Interesting Room

Edith Schaeffer shares insights from her experience as a homemaker and mom in her book "The Hidden Art of Homemaking". Her goal is to share creative ideas for enriching everyday life. I love how she expresses herself and shares what sounds to be a very delightful time in the kitchen with her children.  See what you think.

"For growing children at play, there is nothing so interesting as really 'doing things'. To 'help cook' is one of the most enjoyable things of childhood --- to say nothing of being a sure way of producing good cooks.  A child can cut up carrots at a very early age, with no more risk of injury than from falling down outside at play! A child can mix and stir, knead the dough and be given a piece to make a roll man, cat or rabbit with raisin eyes. A child can fry eggs or make scrambled eggs ---- one of mine did every morning from the age of three! The kitchen should be an interesting room in which communication takes place between child and mother and also among adults. It should be interesting in the same way as in an artist's studio, as well as being a cosy spot in which to have a cup of tea while something is being watched or stirred, or while waiting to take something out of the oven."

Now, doesn't that just create the most pleasant word picture in your mind? I hope it inspires you to make your kitchen such a place! It inspired me!

Cooking up Math & Science Concepts

Cooking experiences are a great way to teach math and science concepts. Quantity, temperature, time, size, and shape can all be taught and reinforced during food preparation. Here are some terms to assist the teacher-parent as they teach their child these concepts.

• QUANTITY:  degrees, package, pint, a few, dozen, tablespoon, both, cupful, quart, square, less, long, some, pound, a dash, enough, pinch, double, slice, approximate, short, more, ounce, teaspoon, whole, cup, half, bunch
• TEMPERATURE:  hot, degrees, chill, cold, heat, lukewarm, cool, preheat, frozen, warm, boiling, steaming
• TIME:  instant, gradually, timer, overnight, slowly, alternately, next day, hour, second, minute, a little while, quickly
• SIZE:  large, huge, small, miniature, little, bite-size, tiny, chunks
• SHAPE:  round, cube, square, rectangle, circle, oval, oblong, fluted

More about Tasting Games

Tasting games are an ideal way to encourage children to note how foods taste, look, smell, feel, grow, identify what part of a plant they are from, and how they are used. It is good to ask your child "do you know what you are tasting without peeking?" or to extend the game by using a blind fold to keep them from seeing the food they are trying. Ask them "can you tell what you are tasting when you can't see it?" Or "try holding your nose when tasting".

Here are some sample tasting experiences:

Bitter - baking powder or orange rind

Salty - potato chips or peanuts

Sour - lemon or pickles

Sweet - brown sugar or sweet chocolate

• Variety of fresh fruits like apple, banana, peach, pineapple, grape, or strawberry
• Variety of cheeses like cheddar, Swiss, Jack, Roquefort, cottage cheese (or vegan alternatives)
• Variety of raw vegetables like tomato, carrot, peas, celery, cauliflower, spinach
• Variety of melons like watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, or cranshaw
• Variety of milks like soy, rice, whole dairy, skim milk, buttermilk
• Variety of white creamy foods like mayonnaise, Veganaise, sour cream, sweetened whipped cream, unsweetened whipped cream

Tasting Parties and Language Arts

Tasting parties are a fun way to expand a child's food experiences and to reinforce verbal skills. They also assist the child in developing problem-solving skills. To conduct a tasting party, the parent-teacher selects a variety of foods, both familiar and new. Care should be taken to select foods that have varying qualities and flavors. Variety is key! Generally, it is best to stick to sliced, whole foods rather than mixtures and blends. To participate, the child is blind-folded and then given a food to taste. From their bite of food, they guess what it is and then use as many ADJECTIVES as they can to describe it. Have them describe flavors and textures. It is fun for them to rate each food on a scale of 1 - 10. The teacher-parent can place the items in order (or make a list) so that the child can see and evaluate how they rated the food tasted after the tasting party. They might be surprised which food(s) they liked best! 

Here are words that the teacher-parent can use to guide the child with their descriptions:

• Flavor:  tart, bitter, spicy, bland, sweet, salty, mild, tangy, blend, mellow, sour
• Texture:  mealy, smooth, tender, crisp, rough, wet, stiff, hard, lumpy, tough, stringy, dry, compressed, mushy, soft, creamy, firm, crunchy, moist, granular, sticky
• Mixtures:  batter, dough, sauce, gel