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Little Chefs Little ones of all ages can be lead into the kitchen to help with baking a meal. Even when they are still too young to talk, getting them close enough to the cooking action, they appreciate the excitement of dinner preparation. You can entertain and delight you children by having them help you prepare the family meals. We sometimes forget how important time is with our children. They love listening to you tell them about the time you put peas in your socks so you wouldn't have to eat them. Relating funny stories and explaining nutritional values during meal time will make a lasting impression on your children. While you delight them with your wit, give them pieces of food to sample. Let them wash and slice vegetables. The time spent preparing food at a young age will benefit the whole family. 1)If children are of the age where they have developed their motor skills, they will be delighted to run the vegetable chopper or cut the tops off the carrots for you. 2)Allow the children stir together the dry ingredients for muffins, cupcakes, etc. Let the children stir the egg mixture and mix everything together. They can even spoon the batter into the pan. Once the meal is finished, they will devour it and brag to the other members of the family about their accomplishment. Allowing little ones to participate in the kitchen, gives them a sense of accomplishment. In some sense they feel more in control over the foods they eat. Feeling more in control, children will devour what they help to prepare. A favorite family dish is vegetables with pasta. The children can cut up the vegetables, cut up the sprigs of dill, and help mix the pot with your guidance. Veggies with Pasta This dish is a favorite kid friendly tasty recipe. This provides some family time in the kitchen and gets children to eat their vegetables. Although this pasta recipe started as only pasta and carrots that cook at the same rate, you might want to test the cooking time for the other vegetables that we included. Some variations on the recipe may include different rates of cooking for other vegetables like broccoli, snow peas, sugar snaps, etc. separately, and then mix with pasta after both are cooked. Ingredients: *8 ounces of pasta *One 10- ounce package of pre-peeled baby carrots *2- small zucchinis cut up into bite sized pieces *1 cup of fresh broccoli tops *3 sprigs fresh dill *2 tablespoons of unsalted butter *Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Instructions: 1. Fill a large pot 2/3 full with water and set over high heat to boil. 2) Place the carrots, zucchini, and broccoli and pasta in a plastic pitcher. 3) When the water boils transfer the pasta carrots, zucchini and broccoli to the pot 4). Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon, approximately 8 minutes. 5) Test the pasta - it should be slightly chewy but not hard or stiff, the vegetables & carrots will be done also. 6) Drain the combination into a colander-- While cooking let the children use scissors to snip the fresh dill and place in a bowl. 7) Place the pasta and vegetables back in the pot, 8) Melt the butter over the pasta and vegetables 9) Add the dill. 10) Add salt and pepper to taste. 11) Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings ---------- For more great kid friendly suggestions log onto http://www.kidapprovedmeals.com |
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