I don’t know if you remember that Chef Kyrie and I had been cooking out of the Ratatouille cookbook..I think April may have been the last time we did though. I have felt bad about not making more from HER cookbooks so I promised her she could choose a recipe and we would make it.

She chose escargot.

So…here you go, Chef Kyrie’s Escargot based on the recipe from the Ratatouille Cookbook

We made the mistake of making these for dinner. They are very time consuming and would be better made as a lunch or snack. By the time you make enough for 8 people it is past bedtime…. :/

Flour tortillas, cut off the rounded edges to make a square.

Cream cheese softened

deli black forest ham, sliced on a 1 setting

deli Havarti cheese, sliced on a 1

organic baby salad greens

gherkin pickle, sliced in half at an angle

chives

chopped walnuts if you like

warm the tortillas. Spread with softened cream cheese, the place some of the lettuce on top. Sprinkle with the walnuts. Lay on a slice of ham, then the Havarti.

Roll up tightly. Slice in 2 equal pieces to make the snail shell. Place a gherkin, cut side down, next to the “shell ” to make the head and neck. Poke holes in the top of the gherkin and slice cut chives for antennae. The antennae are actually the hardest part.

Make these with your kids..they really are fun..and worth the time you invest.

Image:MaryeAudet

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Not too long after Chris walked in the door last Friday he indicated his desire to buy and cook us some steaks on the grill.

How can you turn down an offer like that?  He bought some incredible steaks and marinated them in a rub for three hours.  Then he grilled them to absolute perfection.  In the image above he is being carefully supervised by Nick as he puts the rub on the steaks.

Alot of people have asked me how I end up with kids that not only cook, but cook well. One, I have said before, Marc and I are blessed with incredible kids.  There is no doubt about it. We definitely got the pick of the crop.

The other thing is that they have always been expected to be responsible for helping, and eventually creating, meals.  Our family spends alot of time in the kitchen together.  School work is often done at the counter as I am preparing a dessert, or something for Baking Delights.  When I am trying to figure out what filling or flavor to use it tends to be a family  brainstorming session.

Most of all I have always let them experiment. If they wanted a strawberry jam and salami sandwich on date nut bread they could have it.  Kids need the freedom to create and experience food without people telling them what is and is not good. Surely the first time someone thought about putting chili with chocolate there was some nay-sayer that told them it would taste awful.

Messes can be cleaned up.  Bad combinations can be thrown out. Learning to love cooking and working with food…well there is no substitution.

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(Those are my youngest three children;Sean 9, Nick7, and Kyrie4..and my grandchildren Amanda 6 and Gabe 4. Lots of help as you can imagine.)

And proceeded to mix, stir, melt, and measure.

Please note the sugar spilling over the side of the bowl. :/

The batter is very liquid, although I would not call it thin..and the kids had a great time licking fingers and waiting for the “lickers and the bowl” to be done. Being a nice mom I used numerous spoons so that everyone had something to lick.

When you cook with your kids give everyone a job. Messes can be cleaned up later but the time spent with your kids can’t. Trust me. My oldest is 26..and sometimes I wonder how she got to be that age, having kids of her own! It seems like the chaos will never be over..until it is.

Well, unless you have 8 kids and then by the time the youngest moves out you are senile and no longer know what is going on around you.

Anyway..everyone gets a job. Everyone gets to do something. Let them get their hands and faces dirty, and so what if the floor is sticky. Teaching them to love cooking has another benefit. It teaches them to work with you. When your kids are 4 or 5 this is not such a big deal but when they are 14 and 15 you will notice that they come into the kitchen, begin helping you chop something and unload every thought in their minds. At that point it is priceless. How do I know?

I have raised 4 teenagers so far. They all talk to me about everything. The post-teenagers seem to be normal adults…and they still talk to me about (almost) everything. Food and cooking foster communication.

Chocolate Bouchons from Ratatouille’s What’s Cookin’ Cookbook

3/4 c flour

1 c fair trade cocoa

1 tsp salt

3 eggs

3/4 c plus 2 tbs sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm

1 c chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350. Place the silpat muffin liners in a muffin tin.

Sift the flour, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.

Mix eggs and sugar until thick and lemon colored. This will take about 3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then part of the butter. Continue alternating ingredients until they are all mixed in. Add the chocolate and mix well.

Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 -25 minutes, until tops are shiny and a toothpick comes out clean but not dry.

After a few minutes turn the bouchons upside down and let them cool upside down. Take the muffin cups off when they are cool. Dust with confectioners sugar. Eat the same day as they are baked. Makes 12.

YUMMY! They were very moist, very rich, very chocolatey. The kids had a great time and so did I…and now…I need to go clean up the kitchen.

Was it worth it?

Yep.

Images: (c)marye audet apron strings and simmering things

Content (c) marye audet for Baking Delights

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Images: (c)2006-2008 Marye Audet, Apron Strings & Simmering Things

Content: (c)2008 Marye Audet, Baking Delights

Chef Kyrie and I found ourselves at the store yesterday and as we were engaging in our second favorite activity (cooking being first, book browsing being second) we came upon a book. A cookbook to be exact.
Now, my favorite movie, personally is Mostly Martha, the German version with subtitles. It is a movie, appropriately about a chef. A rather cranky chef. Chef Kyrie’s favorite movie is Ratatouille. It, too, is about a chef. A rat chef. In fact, she often asks me if the rat (referring to herself) can help me cook.
So when I saw her face light up..and her eyes widen I knew she had found gold in the form of a book and I mentally counted my money.

What’s Cooking? A Cookbook for Kids is a cookbook linked to the movie, Ratatouille. It has some amazing, kid-friendly recipes. I fell in love with it. Who could resist Gusteau’s Grilled Cheese, or one of my personal favorites, Faux Escargots. The faux escargots are sliced meat and cheese roll-ups with a pickle attached to that they look exactly like adorable snails on the plate.
With glorious creations like the Eiffel Tower Cookie Sundae, which looks exactly like mini Eiffel Towers, I can easily use this book in a fun homeschool unit study about France.
Each recipe has fantastic photography so your child can see what the finished product should look like. The ingredients are simple, and easily available, and the instructions are numbered for easy reference. Most of the recipes have no more than 3 steps. Each recipe has an illustration of the characters from the movie in different actions, and certain recipes have “Gusteau’s Tip”, extra information to help make the recipe better, or explain a certain detail a bit more.

The book is perfect for preschool chefs through maybe 3rd grade, although at my house the older siblings have all ready asked Chef Kyrie if she wants them to help her make a recipe from her cookbook.

The binding is a covered spiral, so the book lays flat, and the cover and pages are sturdy. This is not one of those books that will fall apart halfway through the third recipe you make from it. It is put out by Disney/Pixar.

If you have a small chef, or a small chef wanna-be Chef Kyrie gives this book 5 stars.

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There are a lot of different types of Easter baking I love to do.  Adorable duckling, chick, and lamb cookies…Easter Bonnet cakes, special breads and rolls, the list goes on and on.  But before I share those recipes with you this week I want to share this one, because it is the most special of all.

Resurrection cookies are a fun project for parents and kids to do together, and they help children understand the absolutely fabulous thing that happened on that First Easter Morning.  The cookies must be made exactly as written, and the Bible readings must be done at the same time for this dessert to b at it’s best.  I have included links to the various scriptures so that you can print them out to read as you do the recipe and the Bible doesn’t get all floury with your “white thumb”. LOL!

These must be started the night before Easter.

Resurrection Cookies

• 1 cup whole pecans
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 3 egg whites
• a pinch salt
• 1 cup sugar
• a zipper baggy
• 1 wooden spoon
• scotch tape
• Bible

Preheat oven to 300F.
Before you do anything else put the whole pecans in zip-loc and let your children beat them with a meat mallet, or hammers,  to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested. He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read: John 19:1-3

Allow each child to smell the vinegar. Put 1 teaspoon vinegar into mixing bowl.
Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar
to drink. Read: John 19:28-30

Add the egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life
to give us life. Read: John 10:10-11

Put a little of the salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest
into the bowl. If you have a lot of kids like I do put the pinch of salt INTO the bowl and then allow them to taste a little of  salt or you will have too much salt in the recipe! Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers,
and the bitterness of our own sin.  Read:Luke 23:27

So far the ingredients would not make a very good dessert!  Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to
know and belong to Him. Read: Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks form.  Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins
have been cleansed by Jesus. Read: Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper covered cookie sheet.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.
Read: Matthew 27:57-60

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.
Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read: Matthew 27:65-66

Now, go to bed.

Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight.
Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read: John 16:20,22

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked
surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow!

On the first Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read:Matthew 28:1-9

This may be the most important recipe that you make this Easter. 

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First of all, I know the color looks a little weird in this picture. I had to play around with it quite a bit. I took the picture of these cookies at night (I dared not wait for day, because we have ..you know, some sort of leprechauns or pixies or something that eats them during the night) and we use the spiral, eco friendly bulbs. Now, they may be eco friendly for sure but image friendly they are not, and you come out with very yellow pictures. I played around with them and ended up with this. I even considered black and white..so if you must have some beautiful images head over to Leftover Queen and look at Jenn’s pictures.

Second, I realized that I hadn’t done a Cooking with Kids post in awhile. Erin and Shiloh made these together the other day. Shiloh is in heaven having Erin back in the house, and they are having a great time together. It is a bit more difficult for me, a 25 year old is no longer a teen, and moving back in with mom and dad with a husband and two kids is a weird adjustment for everyone. I think we are doing o.k., though.::::twitch:::

Pictures aside, these cookies are fantabulous. You have to really like butterscotch. They taste a bit like pecan brickle ice cream.

Butterscotch Buckaroons

2 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 c shortening

1/2 c butter

1 c sugar

1 c light brown sugar

2 eggs

2 c oatmeal

1 tsp almond

6 ozs butterscotch chips

6 oz of toffee pieces

1/2 walnuts or pecans

Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.

Blend butter and shortening together, creaming well. Add eggs, and beat until light and fluffy. Add extract. Add flour.

Stir in oats, nuts, toffee, and butterscotch chips.

Drop by teaspoon on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 mnutes, or until golden. Do not overcook.

About 3-4 dozen.

All content on this page (c) 2008 http://bakingdelights.com

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I have one child that is the fussiest eater ever. Well, I won’t hide it from you..it is Kyrie. At age 4 1/2 she is pushing 32 pounds. Whatever. All of my kids are lean. They play hard, work hard, and generally eat enormous amounts. Except Kyrie.
But. If you can put something on the table, especially something she helped make, and then add something to dunk it in….aha!…getting her to eat is no problem. Here is a recipe for breadsticks. They are easy to make, and you can let the kids help without much stress or mess. Serve them with the dip that follows or any number of others. Kyrie likes them with hot artichoke spinach dip.

Oh. she doesn’t have makeup on in the picture..It was my first attempt at playing with the photoshop program.

They are sticky so prepare to have doughy hands.  I like to let the kids do the shaping of the bread sticks.  They can create traditional sticks or make hearts, circles, and other shapes.  In fact, if your child is learning letters and/or numbers let them shape the sticks into different letters before baking!

Easy Breadsticks

1 pkg. yeast
1 1/3 c. warm water
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
Coarse Sea salt
3 to 4 c. flour ( I use a mix of whole wheat, rye, and white)
1 Tbs. honey
1 egg white, slightly beaten

Dissolve yeast in water in a large bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the flour, the oil, honey and 1 teaspoon salt. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Cover and let rise in warm place until double, about 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Stir down dough by beating about 25 strokes. Turn dough onto generously floured surface. Divide into 24 equal parts.

Roll and shape each part dough into a rope, about 9 inches long, sprinkling with flour if dough is sticky.

Place on greased cookie sheet.

Brush with egg white; sprinkle with salt.
Bake until crust is deep golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and immediate take from cookie sheet. Makes about 18

Pizza Dip
1 8 oz.package cream cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 Tbs chopped fresh basil if available
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 c pizza sauce, homemade or canned.
2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

optional
1 Tbs chopped black olives
2 Tbs chopped pepperoni
2 Tbs chopped mushrooms
1/4 c cooked italian sausage

In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and Italian seasoning.
Spread in an ungreased 9-in. microwave-safe pie plate or flat casserole.
Combine mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and sprinkle half over the cream cheese.
Pour the pizza sauce on top, and add the rest of the cheese, green pepper. onion and any of the optional ingredients you want.
Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted
Let stand for 1-2 minutes

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You know,  kids like parties, at least mine do.  They always want to know if we are going to have a Superbowl party, and several don’t even like football.  Here are a couple of recipes that kids can do for their own Superbowl party, so that when you are passing the Buffalo wings they won’t be staring at you with puppy eyes!

Ham & Cheese on Pretzel Sticks

Take cubes of ham  and carefully push onto small pretzel sticks. Repeat with cubes of cheese.

Fruit and Veggie Plate with Peanut Butter Dip 

Slices of Apple, Pear, and Banana,Celery, and Carrots

Mix dip:

1/2 c peanut butter

3 Tbs honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

Blend well.

Granola Peanut Butter Hors D’ Oeuvres

Toast, cut with cookie cutters into football shapes.

Spread with peanut butter.

Sprinkle with granola

Cinnamon Roll Ups 

Flour tortillas

Cream cheese

Cinnamon

Sugar

Chopped pecans or walnuts

Spread warm tortillas with cream cheese. Sprinkle wiht sugar and cinnamon mixture. Toss on some choppped pecans.  Roll.  Cut on the diagonal in 2 pieces. Serve.
Tie Dyed Tortilla Chips 

Ranch Dip

Set these out for the kids and add some coloring pages, and crayons for the littler kids and some wordsearches for the bigger ones. You can find some good ones here.

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I know that I don’t often look at the side bar of a blog to see what fascinating bits of information might, MIGHT, be found there. I am much more prone to delve into the blog post and read.

I don’t ask for directions when I am lost either.

Be that as it may, I would like to direct your attention to the side bar because in the past week I have added several permanent pages.

I just thought if you needed how-to information it would be easier to check the sidebar than sift through the entire blog. I figured it would save you time, and frustration. I figured you would then nominate me for every blog award out there have more time to devote to cooking and baking.

I am so thoughtful that way.

SO…here is a list of the newest pages and a little about each.

• Cooking With Kids FAQs: Age Appropriate Activities
  this pretty much says it all. What activities you can do with your kids at different ages, and ideas for getting them used to helping in the kitchen and developing a love of cooking.
• Food Glossary: Dairy Definitions Every wonder what buttermilk really was made from or what the difference between cream cheese and cottage cheese was? Wonder no more.
• Fat Content of Milk and Cream If you need to substitute in recipes it is good to know just how much fat, or lack of it, is in the various types of milk.
• Food Safety FAQs If you don’t want to keep telling your kids to wash their hands before they make cookies then print this out.
• Step By Step, Pictorial Guide To Roasting A TurkeyI wanted to make it easy to find for next year…

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Play-do, play-dough, however you spell it kids love it. There are so many wonderful things about it, learning experiences, motor skill development..but one thing that isn’t fantastic about it is the taste.

I don’t know about your kids but mine always seem to go through a stage where they are putting the art supplies in their mouths. I have always been careful about environmentally friendly things but still the idea of salt dough in my child’s mouth was kind of ucky.

Here are some recipes that you can not only make with your children but you can let them create sculptures and then eat them! Fun..fun…fun.

Chocolate Modeling Clay

I learned to make this when I was doing wedding cakes. You can make awesome chocolate flowers by manipulating the chocolate with your fingers.
10 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup light corn syrup
In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in microwave for 2 minutes; stir. If chocolate is not melted, put back in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time and stir until smooth. Be careful, if the chocolate gets over 100 degrees it will seize up and not work.

Add corn syrup to the chocolate and mix well until the chocolate play-do forms a clay like substance. Knead to get it the right consistency

Peanut Butter Play-Do

18-oz creamy peanut butter
1/3 c honey
3/4 cup non-fat dry milk

Mix ingredients together, using varying amount of dry milk to achieve the correct consistency.

Another Peanut Butter Play Do

1 c. peanut butter
1 c. corn syrup
1 1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 1/4 c. powdered milk

Cream Cheese Play Dough

8 oz package of cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Mix together using more dry milk as needed for the correct consistency. Food coloring or Koolaide powder may be added for color.

Vanilla Playdough

1 c. butter
1 1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 1/4 c. powdered milk
1 c. white corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Candy Play-do

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 pound powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Food coloring (or kool aide)
1/4 tsp salt

Mix all other ingredients then add powdered sugar. Knead until smooth, then sculpt and eat.

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