Gumball Hula Hoops!

Whoop there it is!  The HOTTEST Christmas gift we have seen this year – The Gumball-filled Hula Hoop! If you live in or near Austin, stop by Kids Cook! and grab this “Santa” gift for the kids in your family—fun for grown-ups too! www.kidscookaustin.com  

Set- up “Candyland” in your own home over the holidays and create a cupcake bar with assorted colors of cupcakes & frostings ( use food colors to dye vanilla cupcakes & frostings a rainbow of colors)  and have the kids frost and decorate cupcakes using small gumballs. 

For more fun and kid-friendly cupcake recipes check out the Pink Princess Cupcakes Cookbook with 30 recipes and full page  photography of every cupcake in the cookbook . http://www.kidscookingshop.com/author-signed-pink-princess-cupcakes-cookbook 

Tis the season to be jolly – Merry Merry to one and all!

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Kids Earth Day Eco-friendly Recipes and Activities

Earth Day 2010

Celebrate Earth Day this year with these kid-friendly recipes, activities and eco-friendly products  that will keep you and your family Earth-friendly year round!

Two great cookbooks for familes and kids that have excellent recipes are the Green Princess Cookbook  for kids ages 6 and older http://kidscookingshop.com/author-signed-green-princess and the Simply Organic Cookbook for kids and their families http://kidscookingshop.com/simply-organic-cookbook 

For a great selection of family -friendly and eco-friendly products check out items like these 100% cotton 13″ square napkins which can also double as a placemat.  The sewn-in label leaves a space to write your child’s name and they  are just perfect for kids ages 3 and older. Take a look at all the different designs http://kidscookingshop.com/eco-friendly-products?page=2

Every chef needs an apron and here are a selection of cotton fabric aprons that boast an acrylic coating (not PVC) and it meets the Oeko-Tex 100 Standard which certifies that the cloth does not contain harmful chemicals and components. Both Eco-and human-friendly these aprons fit kids ages 2.5-6 years. Take a look at all the assorted colors and patterns http://kidscookingshop.com/eco-friendly-products.

Here are some simply sensational  eco-friendly recipes that kids will love to make and parents will love them to eat. Happy Earth Day today and every day of the year!

Earth-friendly Edamame Dip

Makes about 2 ½ cups

 Ingredients

1/2 cup frozen organic edamame, cooked, cooled, and shelled
1/2 cup organic vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped organic red onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh organic cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoons organic rice vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin organic olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons organic Asian chili garlic sauce
1 (16-ounce) can organic white beans, drained

Let’s Start Mixing!

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor, and process about 45 seconds or until smooth and creamy.

2. Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 3 days.

Cornbread-in-a Recycled Can

Makes 10-12

Ingredients

1 cup natural organic flour

1 cup stone ground organic cornmeal

2/3 cup Turbinado sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 free range brown egg

1 cup plain soy milk

1/3 cup organic canola oil

Supplies

Medium sized mixing bowl

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Whisk

10-12 recycled cans (approximately 5 ounce size), washed and dried

Cooking spray

Sheet pan

Let’s Start Stirring!

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously spray the inside of each can with cooking spray and sprinkle about ¼ teaspoon cornmeal inside each can to coat the bottom and lower portion of the sides of each can. Place cans on sheet pan and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder with a whisk. 3. Stir in egg, milk and Canola oil until well combined.

4. Pour batter into prepared cans, filling ¾ full. Bake in preheated oven for 15 -20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

5. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve in cans or remove before serving.

Hooray for Homemade Honey Butter

 For Homemade Butter

Makes about 1 cup

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/8 teaspoon all natural sea salt

For Honey Butter

Makes about 1 ½ cups

1 cup organic or homemade butter, room temperature

1/4 cup local organic honey
1/4 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon Fair Trade vanilla

 Let’s Start Shaking!

For Homemade Butter

You’ll need: 2 pint size Mason jars and 2 marbles chilled in freezer for 30 minutes, one medium sized bowl, and a 6 inch strainer.

1. Divide heavy cream evenly between 2 chilled jars and drop a marble into each jar. Secure lid and start shaking.

2. At first you will hear the marble moving, but after about 5-10 minutes, the cream will be so thick that you won’t hear or feel the marble. The sides of the jar will also become coated with thick cream. Keep shaking for another 5-10 minutes. While you are shaking the jar, you will begin to hear the marble again and see the cream on the sides of the jar begin to disappear. During this time the butter will be forming.

3. All of a sudden you will see small lumps of butter with a milky liquid in the jar…Your butter is ready! Remove lid and pour butter and liquid into the strainer over the bowl. Rinse the butter with cold water and let it sit in the strainer for 5 minutes. Remove strainer with butter and discard liquid in bowl.

4. With a paper towel carefully pat butter dry to remove any drops of water. Place it in small container and stir in salt. Store covered in refrigerator.

For Honey Butter

1. In a medium bowl combine room temperature butter, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.

2. Remove from bowl and spoon onto unbleached parchment paper or waxed paper in a horizontal line shape. Roll into a log and refrigerate. Slice sections of honey butter as needed.

Honey Butter may store wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.

Kid-friendly Green Cuisine Tips
“Bee” sure to choose local honey for all your recipes! Honey from a local beekeeper is produced with minimal stress for honey bees – good news for you and the honeybees. Local honey tastes better and makes healthy eats because it contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants – No other sweetener can make that claim. It’s also a great choice for replacing (those not so healthy) refined sugars.

 

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Kids Cook! A recipe for success

 

Cook-up some fun in your very own kitchen and see what you and your kids will learn!

For this set and more kid-friendly kitchen products check out http://kidscookingshop.com and enter KCS0410 to take an advantage of a 20% doscount on every product—even sales items through April 19th.

• Kids are more apt to try new foods if they have a hand in

preparing them. Even the most finicky eaters will feel good about the foods they make and will want to try each and every one of their masterpieces.

• Cooking at an early age establishes healthy eating habits, especially when your child cooks with nutritious ingredients. It’s important to have these healthy items on hand: fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and whole grains.

• Inviting your kids in the kitchen to help cook promotes working together, gets the dinner on the table faster, and, most importantly, creates family memories.

• Kids get a lesson in all of their subjects when cooking. (the school teacher in me)
  Following a recipe helps kids become familiar with different units of measure.
  Cooking helps kids learn new words and their meanings, such as dice, fold and cut in.

• Experimenting with different ingredients and discovering flavors that complement each other allow kids to practice their scientific skills. Watching the combination of yeast, sugar, and warm water…a miracle in itself!

• Family recipes have a history and origin. Sharing those traditional family recipes with your children will give each dish special meaning.

• While you’re cooking, give your child a task. Whether it’s lightly stirring a few ingredients or helping decorate holiday cookies, your child will gain a little independence, which will increase his or her self-esteem…BIG!

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KIDS FUN with Foods on-a-Stick

FUN WITH FOODS ON-A-STICK!!!  Stick it! Kids love to create and craft and there is nothing more creative than organizing foods on a stick! March 28 is “Something on-a-Stick Day” and there ‘s no better way to celebrate than by stacking-up some cooked Tortellini and veggies en brochette! Make sure kids stay safe and successful when cutting foods by using our kid-safe, kid-friendly safety knife sets.  http://kidscookingshop.com/saftey-knife-set-pink-orange

TOTEM POLE TORTELLINI STICKS Makes 8

8 8-10-inch wooden skewers
8 ounces cheese tortellini, cooked and drained
8 sticks of string Mozzarella cheese cut into 1/2 inch chunks
8 cherry or grape tomatoes
16 pitted Kalamata or green olives (or combination of both)

Optional Garnishes:
Drizzle of olive oil
Grated parmesan cheese
Chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley and fresh basil

Let’s start making totem poles!

1. On each wooden skewer, thread the cooked tortellini (put each one on side ways, not through its hole), tomatoes, olives, and chunks of string cheese.
2. Garnish and serve immediately, or store covered in refrigerator until ready to use and garnish before serving.

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Kids St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

Its’ fun to be GREEN! This St. Patrick’s Day let the kids wear their green inside and out. Our St. Paddy’s Day recipes for kids are fun, fast , festive and perfect for parties or family celebrations.

SHAMROCK SHORTBREAD

Makes 6-8 pieces of shortbread

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, (not margarine) room temperature

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

Green decorating sugar or green sprinkles

Let’s Start Baking!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

 1. Cream butter and powdered sugar in mixing bowl. Add vanilla and stir to blend.

2. Stir in the flour, about 1/4 cup at a time, and work into the butter blend until it forms a dough ball. Knead the dough for a minute or two in the bowl until it looks smooth.

3. Put dough ball in the center of prepared sheet pan. Starting in the center, press down dough ball to form a flatter, larger round circle. With a table knife,*score dough into 6-8 pie shaped pieces, then *dock each piece 3-4 times with the tines of a fork. Optional: Cut out shamrock shapes with cookie cutter and dock each shamrock shape before baking. Shamrock shapes should be placed about 1/2 inch apart on sheet pan. Decorate with optional sugars or sprinkles before baking.

4. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before breaking apart scored pieces into shortbread triangles or removing shamrock shapes from sheet pan.

Kids Cooking Shop Kid-friendly Tips 

 1. “Score” dozen’t mean the numbers on a scoreboard at a sports event in cooking school! Here’s what it does mean: To make shallow cuts in the top surface of a food. In this recipe the shortbread dough is scored to create a clean line when shortbread is broken apart after it has been baked and cooled.

2. Dock or prick means: To make small holes in the surface of a food. These small holes allow hot air to escape which keeps the dough from blistering or puffing- up while baking.

LEPRECHAUN LIMEADE

Serves 6-8

 Ingredients

 1 liter sugar free lime flavored sparkling water, chilled

1 liter sugar free cherry flavored sparkling water, chilled

Limes, juiced

1- 4 ounce bottle green cherries, drained

Let’s Start Stirring!

1. One 6-8 ounce serving: Pour juice from one lime into glass. Then pour in equal amounts of chilled lime and cherry flavored sparkling waters. Add ice and garnish with a green cherry and a slice of lime.

2. Punch bowl: Put 2 liters of flavored chilled sparkling waters into punch bowl. Add juice from 8-10 limes, ice cubes, 10-12 cherries, and 4-6 lime slices. Stir to blend and serve.

Leaping Leprechauns …This is luscious limeade!

ST. PATRICK’S O’ SALSA

Makes about: 11/2 cups

Ingredients

 1 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped and drizzled with 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice (to keep from browning)

1/4 cup plain yogurt

6 Tablespoons prepared pesto

1/8 teaspoon cayenne or 2-3 dashes of Tabasco sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Garnish

1 Tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro or parsley or

1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil

Let’s Start Mixing!

1.  Combine chopped avocado, yogurt, pesto, cayenne or Tabasco, and salt and pepper in mixing bowl. Cover and put in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours before serving. Serve with lots of “greens” such as broccoli, sugar snap peas, celery, green tortilla chips, green bell peppers and green onions.

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Banana Recipe – National Banana Bread Day

Bonkers for Banana Bread! February 23 is National Banana Bread Day. Banana bread, banana muffins and banana cupcakes are the very best way to use-up over ripe bananas for both a delicious and healthy family treats. Keep over ripe bananas ready-to-go for baking by placing the over-ripe bananas into freezer with the skin–on. When ready to use, simply remove bananas from freezer, thaw 10 minutes, peel and mash according to banana bread, cupcake or muffin directions.

Fresh Banana Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup super fine granulated sugar

2 cups self-rising flour

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

11/2 cups ripe bananas, mashed; about 3-4 bananas

1 teaspoon apple pie or pumpkin pie spice

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Let’s Start Mixing!

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly spray the inside of each liner or mold with cooking spray before adding the batter. Set aside until ready to use.

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy with a hand mixer.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. Stir in Vanilla extract and mashed bananas.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together self-rising flour, apple pie spice, and ground cinnamon then stir into the butter and egg mixture.
4. Divide batter evenly between cupcake cups and bake for 15- 20 minutes.
5. Carefully remove cupcakes from oven and place on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from cupcake pan and place each one on rack to cool for 30 minutes before frosting and decorating.

 From the Pink Princess Cupcakes Cookbook, Barbara Beery 2010 http://kidscookingshop.com/barbaras-pink-princess-series  Looking for an Eco-friendly way to bake-up some cupcake and muffins? Take a look at our super selection of colorful silicone baking cups in all sorts of fanciful-kid-friendly shapes.

 

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Olympic Popcorn-Kids Week-end Recipe

Popcorn is about as All-American as I can imagine! It’s the week-end so cozy-up with the kids and watch the Olympics while noshing on some healthy, fresh popcorn laced with red and blue dried fruits.

 

1. Simply pop-up your favorite popcorn.

2. Toss -in 1 cup of dried fruits. To show off our All-American colors use 1/2 cup of dried blueberries and 1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries.

3. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, toss and crunch a bunch!

For the perfect popcorn serving container, check out our red, white and blue retro popcorn servers especially priced for the Olympics.

http://kidscookingshop.com/retro-popcorn-box

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Kids Recipe President’s Day-Fresh Cherry Tarts

She can bake a cherry pie “quick as a cat can wink it’s eye” with these super easy, mini-sized, kid-pleasing fresh cherry tarts! Get cooking in style with an adorable little cherry blossom printed apron http://kidscookingshop.com/print-apron-cherry-blossom or a red and gold snappy-striped apron http://kidscookingshop.com/apron-yipes-stripes.All at Kids Cooking Shop!

Kids Recipe President’s Day-Fresh Cherry Tarts

Ingredients

Makes 8 individual tarts

8 pre-made individual graham cracker crusts

6 ounces cream cheese or mascarpone, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ cup

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 pound fresh sweet cherries, such as Bing, pitted and halved

2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

1 teaspoon fresh orange juice

Let’s Make Tarts!

1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, vanilla, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add cream, and beat until combined. With a spatula equally divide the cream cheese mixture between the 8 tarts crusts and spread mixture across the bottom crust of each one. Divide cherries equally and Scatter on top of each tart. Set aside while preparing glaze.
2. In a small saucepan, combine jam and 1 teaspoon fresh orange juice; heat over low until liquefied, about 2 minutes. Using a pastry brush, brush cherries gently with glaze. Refrigerate tarts for one hour before serving.
3. Garnish with whipped cream and more fresh cherries.

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Chinese New Year Recipe- Tray of Togetherness

TRAY OF TOGETHERNESS Throughout the Chinese New Year season, it is customary to offer guests an assortment of treats from a Tray of Togetherness called chuen-hop – a circular or octagonal shaped tray filled with an assortment of symbolic foods to provide a sweet beginning to the New Year. While it is possible to find togetherness trays made of expensive wood such as teak, inexpensive versions made of plastic are readily available in Asian grocery stores throughout the New Year season. The tray has eight compartments, as the Chinese consider the number eight to be extremely lucky. These trays traditionally offer sugared fruit and vegetables, including winter melon, coconut, lotus seed, lotus root, water chestnut, carrot and tangerine. And what a great idea to get kids to try new fruits and veggies! Assemble a Tray of Togetherness with plenty of fresh and dried fruits, assorted nuts and cheeses, crisp fresh carrots, celery and broccoli and for a really sweet burst of color, steam some beautiful red beets and cut them into small cubes for easy munching. Toss in some fortune cookies and enjoy A Chinese new years tradition any time of the year!

For even more family fun, pass out a set of chopsticks to everyone and have them use their chopsticks to sample all of the goodies in the Tray of Togetherness. Check-out our clever chopsticks http://kidscookingshop.com/clothes-pin-chopstick-set

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Chinese New Year Kids Recipe-Long Life Noodles

The long life noodles dish is as symbolic for the Chinese New Year as birthday cakes are for birthday celebrations in the United States. Unlike Americans, many Chinese do not celebrate individual birthdays but instead, everyone turns a year older and celebrates on New Years.  The trick is to follow the ancient Chinese custom by not breaking the noodles as you eat. We promise lots of laughter and hopefully not too much of a mess!

LONG LIFE NOODLES

INGREDIENTS

1 package (8 ounces) soba noodles

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

3 cups sliced assorted summer squash

3 tablespoons tamari

1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

2 cups snow peas

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 tablespoon minced cilantro

2 green onions, thinly sliced

LET’S START MAKING NOODLES!

1. Prepare soba noodles according to package directions. Drain, cover, and keep warm in a pot.

2. Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in peppers, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.

3. Stir in squash, tamari, broth, and rice vinegar. Sauté 3 minutes and toss in snow peas, carrots, cilantro, and onions. Cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Toss with sesame oil.

4. Scoop the warm noodles equally onto plates in small round nests and top with stir-fried vegetables. This dish is good served warm or at room temperature.

To eat your Chinese Long Life Noodles in authentic style, take a look at our cool chopsticks for kids http://kidscookingshop.com/chopstick-kidsr-set-2and  beautiful  enameled rice bowls which work equally as well for noodles. http://kidscookingshop.com/nice-rice-bowl

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