Cooking Advice

A child cooking activity includes a lot of fun in the kitchen. Cooking with kids opens the door for learning opportunities such as math, science and nutrition with the end result being something yummy to eat. There are lots of simple recipes to use when cooking with kids. Since kids love peanut butter and jelly, I have included this Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffin recipe for you to try with your child.

Before beginning a cooking activity review some health and safety tips with kids. It is important that they wash their hands before, during and after handling food. This reduces any food borne bacteria (germs) being transferred to the food they are going to eat. For more details www.tailgating-recipe.com .Review safety tips on using knives, electric equipment such as mixers and blenders, and basic kitchen rules such as not running or participating in any horseplay during this activity. Provide aprons for the kids to wear and tie any long hair back off the face.

Now you are ready to begin a cooking activity with your child. Pick an easy recipe to begin with and go over the recipe with the child or the group. Set out all the cooking tools that you will need. For more details www.apples-recipes.com This is a perfect time to review math concepts such as measuring, fractions, time and temperatures. You can also discuss science concepts of how certain ingredients like baking powder, baking soda, and egg whites can effect the properties of food.

These Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins are a wonderful snack, breakfast treat and school lunch box item.

Tools needed to complete this child cooking activity:

* Mixing bowls in small, medium and large sizes

* One to two spatulas or large spoons

* Measuring spoons

* Dry-ingredient measuring cups

* Liquid measuring cups

* Muffin pans

Ingredients needed are:

* 2 cups flour

* ½ cup sugar

* ¼ teaspoon salt

* 1 tablespoon baking powder

* ½ cup peanut butter

* 1 cup milk

* 1 egg

* 2 tablespoon melted butter

* 1/3 cup jam (any flavor)

Instructions to make your muffins:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray muffin pans with a nonstick cooking spray.

2. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, peanut butter, egg and melted butter.

4. Add the dry ingredients and stir until the flour disappears. Do not stir too much or the muffins will be tough.

5. Fill the muffin pan wells half full with batter. Top each with ½ teaspoon of jam, then spoon more batter over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Store any leftover muffins in a resealable plastic bag or container. Kids will have some much fun with this cooking activity that they will be asking to cook all the time!

It is always a good time to make something with chocolate.  When the mood seizes you, discovering you haven’t got a crucial ingredient can ruin the mood.  Knowing its “equivalent” or substitution can save the day.  Today, Mom helps cooks and chocoholics with tips on chocolate and includes the world’s easiest dipped strawberry recipe.

Chocolate is made from the bean of the tropical cacao tree.  In its purest baking form chocolate comes powdered, is usually sold in tins and is called cocoa.  There are two types of cocoa in this world; regular cocoa and Dutch cocoa.  Dutch cocoa, or alkalized cocoa has reduced the natural acidity of the cocoa bean resulting in a darker, mellower, more chocolaty cocoa powder.  For the most part, these can be used interchangeably.  Cocoa powder is not to be confused with those packaged hot cocoa drink mixes, which don’t work well in recipes.

Sugar and fat are usually added to cocoa powder for sweetening and consistency – and cake!  In our kitchens, fat can be in the form of cocoa butter, margarine, butter, vegetable shortening or vegetable oil.  Sugars, either powdered or granulated add sweetness and also add to consistency.  Powdered sugar will be smoother.  Once we understand the basics of chocolate it makes substituting ingredients much easier.  Here are some more definitions and equivalents.

Cocoa:  Powdered, chocolate  in its most basic form (beyond the bean).

Baking Chocolate:  Generally sold in bars and measured in squares of 1 ounce each.  Normally has some fat but no sugar content.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate:  Sold in chips or bars.  Normally has some fat plus a small amount of sugar.

1 square (1oz) of baking chocolate = 3 tablespoons cocoa + 1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 cup (or one 6 oz package) of semisweet chocolate  = 6 tbsp cocoa + 7 tablespoons granulated sugar + 1/4 cup shortening

1 cup (or one 6 oz package) of semisweet chocolate  = 6 oz or (6 squares) of semi-sweet chocolate

Classic Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

This will also work with cherries or any other fruit with a skin.  Use about 18 large fresh strawberries, room temperature and patted dry plus 1 pound semi sweet (or any type) chocolate pieces, coarsely chopped.

1.  In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth.  Or heat the chocolate at 50% power for 30 second intervals in the microwave, carefully checking temperature until it is smooth.

2.  Using the berry stem or a toothpick, dip the strawberries into the chocolate.

3.  Cool the berries on wax paper, or put the toothpicks into Styrofoam (or a potato).

More Chocolate Tips:  Make sure the strawberries are completely dry. Even a drop of water in the melted chocolate can cause it to “seize” and make the chocolate grainy.  This recipe will produce tempered chocolate, or chocolate that dries to a hard shine. If the chocolate becomes too thick to work with, add drops of vegetable oil, small amounts of vegetable shortening or cocoa butter (butter and margarine contain water) stirring until it becomes the right consistency. For more of Mom’s cooking tips and apron humor visit her on the web at http://www.MomsRetro.com  Happy cooking!