Your Kids Can Cook!

Quiche

2011-01-15T13:48:00.000-08:00

What happens when your frig goes out and you have 5dz eggs...

And your plans get cancelled because you have a sick kid?

You make quiche!

What you will need:
Kids
Patience
Eggs (8 per quiche)
Cheese (1/2-1cup cheese)
Bacon/Sausage and/or veggies (like spinach, onion, garlic etc)
Milk or half/half (enough)
Salt and Pepper
Prepared deep dish crusts

Have the kids crack the eggs in a glass bowl. This way you can see the eggshells and remove them with more ease. Because trust me, there will be a lot of eggshells.

Wisk the eggs together. Then clean up any egg that flies mysteriously out of the bowl.

Add milk or half and half. Clean up any spills.

Add salt, pepper and any seasonings you might want in your eggs and mix well.

Make sure your pie crusts are all ready to go. We made 6 because we had a lot of eggs to use. You can freeze what you don't eat. (since we have an upright freezer, this works for us ;))

Have kids cut their additions. My boys are sooo boring that they chose bacon...

And sausage... and this one had to have the fake sausage patties. Whatever.

However, the husband and I are more adventuruos then this... so here is what my quiches will have in them.

Butter, Garlic, and Onion... Saute this until yummy.

Then add a whole package of spinach and fried it up until yummier....

Now you can add all your fillers to your pie crusts. Top with copious amounts of cheese. Yummo.

Now you add your eggs to the pie crusts. Yes, these are mine... kids don't knock it till you try it!

Add any extra things you may have forgotten at this stage... like Tabasco. He won't eat anything green but Tabasco. Such a strange child. Ahem...

Then stir lightly with a fork. Notice this is not a light stir...

Now bake at 425 for 10 minutes... and then lower to 300 for 30 minutes. When they are set up... they are done!

And boy was it divine! The husband and I ate half a quiche at 2:30 in the afternoon... ;)

Is Ming Tsai the Next Iron Chef?

2010-11-10T07:48:00.000-08:00

Not if Toby can help it! He'll head to head with Ming anytime! Hahaha...

Let me just say, if this recipe is a taste of what's coming in Ming Tsai's new cookbook SIMPLE MING ONE-POT MEALS... you must run out and buy it IMMEDIATELY. It's an American meal with an Asian twist. Fabulous!

So, enjoy Toby's preparation of Ming Tsai's Asian Sloppy Joes. And yes, I left in the "Meat vs. spatula malfunction" on purpose... It cracks me up. Specially when he says, "Where's a napkin..." And notice his technique when cutting the bread... He learned that from Food Network. He also threw in the saute thing without help from me!

Side note: Our pickiest eater, Gabe, asked for seconds and he HATES onions and tomatoes. That should be a testament to just how good this meal was!

This recipe can be found at http://www.ming.com/foodandwine/recipes/season-1/asian-sloppy-joes.htm

Ingredients
2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
2 medium red onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 cup celery cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 jalapeños, stemmed and minced, or 1 tablespoon sambal oelek or hot sauce
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
8 ounces chopped roma tomatoes, canned or fresh
1 1/2 cups Hoisin-Lime Sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 to 6 hamburger buns
1 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded (we didn't use lettuce on ours... oops!)

Directions
Heat a large deep, heavy saucepan over high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onions, celery, and jalapeños and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the beef and pork and brown lightly, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and the Hoisin-Lime Sauce and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a slow simmer and cook until cooked down and thickened enough to mound when ladled, 30 to 45 minutes.

Toast the buns and place a bottom half on each serving plate. Top with some of the lettuce, large scoops of the sloppy joe mixture, and more lettuce. Place the top buns over the contents and serve.

Chili in a Biscuit Bowl

2010-11-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

My mom and I did a fun recipe just for kids with no adult help at all... but the videos won't splice together! So, while we work on that video, enjoy this fabulous recipe from Food Network (Paula Dean) for Chili! Since it's getting cold now... Enjoy!

Ingredients
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 cups biscuit baking mix (recommended: Bisquick)
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Flour, for dusting the work surface
1 pound ground chuck
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 (14-ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
Toppings:
Shredded sharp Cheddar
Sour cream
Sliced green onions (white and green parts)
Corn chips
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Invert a muffin tin and spray the underside with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Stir together the baking mix, milk, and cayenne. Shape into a ball. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times. Divide the ball into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a 6-inch circle. Place a dough circle over the back of each muffin cup. Press around the cup to form a bowl shape. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool slightly. Remove the biscuit bowls and reserve.

Brown the ground chuck over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Add the onion and green pepper and continue to cook until the meat is completely browned and the vegetables are tender. Drain off any fat and discard. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, chili powder, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 35 minutes.

When ready to serve, spoon the hot chili into the biscuit bowls. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, and corn chips.

Recipe from : Food Network

Chicken Alfredo with Cheesy Broccoli

2010-11-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

Toby loves to cook. In fact, he is the reason we started this website to begin with. Enjoy the video! Directions are below.

The Video:

The Recipe:
1lb noodles - Cooked and drained. Most people use fettuccine, Toby used regular spaghetti.

Alfredo Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
2 cloves of garlic chopped
2 1/2 cups of half and half
1 1/2 cups of grated Parmesan cheese (make sure its fresh, ours didn't melt well)
Pinch of salt
grounds of pepper, not the cat (you'll see)

Melt the butter and garlic together. Add all other ingredients, mix until well blended and melted. When sauce is ready, add chicken and noodles to the pan and coat well.

Broccoli Cheese Sauce:
Butter
Some half and half
some cheese
(melt together)

Chicken:
Chicken
Pampered Chef Rosemary and Herb seasoning (or any will do)

Shake seasoning on chicken and cook on 350 until done.... 20-30 minutes. Cube and set aside to add to sauce.

Bread:
Sheepherders bread
Garlic
Butter

Combine and broil 3-5 minutes.

Zucchini Bread

2010-11-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

My friend Alicia came over to play today and we decided to make ~~a mess~~ zucchini bread!

Here's what you will need:
3 Cups shredded Zucchini
1 2/3 cups of sugar
2/3 cup of Vegetable oil
2 teaspoons of vanilla
4 eggs
3 Cups of Flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cloves
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
And nuts its you want them... but we didn't.

The Video:

The Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, and zucchini in a bowl. Stir in everything else. Mix well and separate into two loaf pans. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean! Cook for 10 minutes and serve with butter. Yummo!

Chipotle Pork Spare Ribs (Crockpot)

2010-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

A lot of times my mom just throws stuff together that sounds good... and this is one of those times.

Recipe:
6 Boneless Pork Ribs
4 cups of beef broth (or bouillon to make the broth)
2 heaping tablespoons of garlic
1 onion chopped
2 Tablespoons of your favorite seasonings

Now, when I say your favorite seasonings, my mom assures me you can use just about anything! We used Pampered Chef's Chipotle Rub as the seasoning and it made the meat have just a hint of flavor. Not too much that the boys screamed in fire alarm, but enough that is made the broth, onions and meat tasty. So Try your favorite seasonings sometime and tell us what you thought! But this one is excellent!

Directions. Put everything in the crockpot and cook for 3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low.

Kids Cupcake Tip

2010-10-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

I made cupcakes for my birthday yesterday, Happy Birthday me!

Anyway, it was a messy job! I almost forgot to double my water but thankfully my mom was watching and said, "Why is that batter so thick?"

But, when I started to fill the cups I made a mess. Batter was getting everywhere! My mom stepped in and gave me a fabulous idea! I got out a gallon sized bag and put all the batter into it. Then cut off the end and filled the cups in a non-messy fashion!

The cupcakes turned out perfect and I had nothing to scrap off the pan between fills!

So next time you make cupcakes, use this technique! We would have gotten pictures, but batter was all over our hands.

The boys turn to cook...

2010-10-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

I asked my boys what they wanted to cook for this... This is what they came up with.

ENJOY!

On the menu next... Chipotle Spare Ribs in the crockpot, made by Iona.

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese (5 stars)

2010-10-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

When we were in California this summer, our grandmother told us she was going to make this recipe for us, but we ran out of days to cook! So instead, we decided to make it for my dad's birthday. Happy Birthday, Daddy! And I do declare, he loved it and it just maybe his favorite meal ever.

You must watch the preparation... I'm totally going to be the Next Food Network Star... in ten years. In the meantime, Maybe Aarti Sequeira (from Aarti Party - Paarti) will come along and tell us how to turn this fabulous meal even better with Indian spices! Wouldn't that be cool?

The video:

Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank's)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

This recipe can also be found at Food Network.com

Guest Chefs!

2010-09-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

Do you like to cook and are a kid? Guess what? Your Kids Can Cook accepts guest chefs!

All you have to do is leave a comment here on this post and we will be notified that you want to guest post! Darly and Cutie have both done it... Alicia is schedule for next week.

We know our cousins T&A are headed to the kitchen... who's next?
Let us know!

Darly is at it again!

2009-05-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

Darly has been cooking again! This time it is Pizzagna! Mom originally got the recipe from 30 Minute Meals (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/pizzagna-recipe/index.html). But she changed it up a bit to make it easier and something our family would eat.

Here’s our version!

1 pound of pasta – mom never measures and we just use egg noodles, but anything that is kinda wide and curly will work.
2 14 ounce jars of pizza sauce
Your favorite pizza toppings cut into bite size bits
16 ounces of large curd cottage cheese
Shredded mozzarella cheese

First you need a big pot of water. Mom had to help me carry it to the stove cuz it was so heavy! Then add some salt to the water. Ask your mom how much cuz my mom just puts in about 3 palms of her hand and that’s what she told me to do!

Then you wait for the water to boil…and wait and wait. This is a good time to get your pizza toppings cut into bite sized bits if you need to.

Finally you get to pour in the noodles.

Let them cook according to how long it takes to cook noodles where you live. Mom says in Colorado it takes about 10 minutes. Something to do with how high up we are.

Once your noodles are cooked, you can taste them to be sure they are done, drain them. Again my mom did this cuz the pot was too heavy for me.

Now while the noodles are draining you put in the pizza sauce, a trick that mom taught me to get a lot more of the sauce out of the jar is to put in a bit of water, put the lid back on and then shake it up!

let that heat up a bit and then put in your favorite toppings…

and then the cottage cheese...

Mix that up real good and let it get warmed up.

Now put the noodles back in and combine.Dish yourself up a plate and put some shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Enjoy!

Fiesta - A party in your skillet!

2009-05-04T18:08:00.000-07:00

Here is Gabe, doing dinner tonight. We made Fiesta which is a skillet meal from my childhood. Gabe still doesn't like to talk on camera... so enjoy the music while you watch ;) Recipe below.

1pound Ground Beef

1/4 cup Taco Seasoning

2/3 cup water

1 can corn

1 can rotel

2 cups of white rice (not minute rice)

4 cups of water (and two beef bouillon cubes)

Salt and Pepper

When Gabriel points at his wrist... set timer for 15 minutes and simmer. At the end of the 15 minutes add 1 can kidney beans (you didn't see us do this. I forgot to pick back up the camera! LOL). Then simmer another 5-10 minutes until beans are warm and rice is completely cooked.

Microwave the tortilla 15 seconds...

Olives, Cheese and Sour Cream for topping. Tortillas for forks ;) we heated them up 15 seconds in the microwave.

Making Lasagna at age 4?!

2009-04-30T14:38:00.000-07:00

Yup, the proof is here... 4 year old Nathan and 9 year old Iona make their own pans of Lasagna for dinner tonight. I cooked the meat ahead of time, because putting a 4 year old around fire is a bad idea... for anyone ;)

Someone asked why I always have towels all over the surfaces... tip, it's easier to clean up afterwards ;) I just pick them up and shake them over the sink and wash them... my counters stay mostly clean. Now my floors... specially after this one... that is another story. I wish I had a dog. ;)

Lasagna:

Box of uncooked noodles

1 container of ricotta, 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of parsley and 2-3 tablespoons of Parmesan in one bowl

1 whole jar of prepared spaghetti or marinara sauce (make sure it's a big jar)

1lb of sausage (cooked with some garlic and onion... shhhh! Don't tell the boys! ;))

Mozzarella

More Parmesan for the top

And anything else you like in your lasagna ;)

If you bake right away... Bake on 350 for 45-60 minutes COVERED in foil then bake additional 20-30 minutes with no foil. If you make it in the morning and let it sit in frig, you might only need 30-45 minutes covered and 20 uncovered. The covering allows the steam to cook your noodles ;) You can cook the noodles before... but they are a little harder for little ones to work with :)

No Fuss Chicken Cordon Bleu

2009-04-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

So easy my 6 year old did it! But boy did he make a mess! But he had fun and proclaimed, "This is the best thing I ever made!"

He wanted to do a music montage like Gabe, so I said, "Sure why not!"

So enjoy... Toby, making No Fuss Chicken Cordon Bleu.... the recipe just after the video. (And the song is from The Almost not The Dimestore Prophets... he couldn't decide and I forgot to change the credits...)

Ingredients:

6-8 fresh chicken breasts (or equal amount of boneless thighs) cut in half lengthwise

2 cup sliced carrots

2 cans Cream of Chicken

1 cup Sour Cream

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsps Paprika

1 1/4 cup of Swiss cheese

1/3 cup of Ham slices cut into strips

1 Egg

1 cup of bread crumbs

Directions: Put sliced carrots in bottom of 9x13 pan (or two 8 inch rounds). Combine Cream of Chicken soup, sour cream, paprika and lemon juice in bowl. Mix well and pour over the carrots. Slice Chicken breasts into tender strips. Crack an egg on a plate and beat well. Place bread crumbs on additional plate and coat fresh chicken with egg and coat with bread crumbs. Arrange coated chicken breasts over the top of sauce in the pan. Place ham strips over the top of the chicken. Top with swiss cheese.

Baking: Preheat oven on 375 and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes until cheese is bubblely and chicken juices run clear. Serve over egg noodles.

April Fools Sushi!

2009-04-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

I made these MOCK Sushi rolls for my church singing group... but we got snowed out :( So I didn't get to share them and fool my friends. But we ate them. And they were yummy!

What you will need:

Marshmallows

Krispy Rice Cereal

Butter

(Some vanilla if you wish)

Gummy worms (we used bears--they were on sale)

Fruit Roll ups

Parchment Paper

Cooking Hiatus!

2009-03-31T14:20:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the cooking Hiatus!

We have been cooking... but nothing too exciting ;) Tomorrow though.. be sure to tune in... we are doing a sushi post... and sushi like you have NEVER seen it! ;)

Poll of sorts...

2009-03-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

I see from the poll on the bar that most people want to see more stove top recipes... CHECK! We are on it.

But I would like to know a little about our readers... or aspiring chefs.

1. If you are reading with a child, how old is that child?

2. Do they enjoy watching the videos?

3. So they enjoy looking at the pictures?

4. Which do they like better, the pictures or the video recipes?

5. Does reading/watching make them want to try to help in the kitchen?

6. Have you let them try something new lately?

Thanks!

More fun coming soon!

Pizza Bagels by Gabe

2009-02-24T19:12:00.001-08:00

Gabe made Pizza Bagels for us today! Yummm!

He didn't want to talk again, so The Almost will be serenading you ;)

What you will need:

Bagels

Spaghetti Sauce

Pepperoni

Cheese (Mozz Cheese Gabe made mind you)

Olives (and you might need a WHOLE bunch if someone like Gabe is making them)

Bake for 400 for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!

Cake Mugs

2009-02-22T18:30:00.000-08:00

Friday, we had a friend over (Cutie) and made Cake Mugs. It's a fun and super yummy recipe!

First you need these things:
1 coffee mug
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons flour (plain flour, not self rising)
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
small splash of vanilla

Because we had limited space, mom put the milk and oil in for us. But usually you start with the dry ingredients first. We were rebels.

Add your Cocoa..

Add your sugar (this is my friend "Cutie")...

Now the flour... looks something like this at this point...

And a pinch, literally, of salt...

And now we add the eggs....

Last... The vanilla!!

Time to mix... and mix...

And it should look something like this when you are done...

Put it right into the microwave for 3 minutes...

Dont worry when it looks like this! It's suppose to!!!

When it's done... it looks like this... Let it cool... then top with frosting or just eat!! :)

American Girls can cook???

2009-02-21T20:43:00.001-08:00

You gotta check it out... The spot on Darly inspired her dolls to cook!

For reals... Check it out.

http://akadarly.blogspot.com/2009/02/mini-dolls-can-cook.html

Darly Cooks!

2009-02-18T21:00:00.000-08:00

Meet Darly... she is 10 years old... and this is her cooking DEBUT! Please hold your applause till the end... ;)

Hi, I'm Darly (at least that's the roll I play on the intertubes...in real life I have a real name, but mom won't allow me to tell you it!)

My dad's birthday was a few days ago, but he had to work on it, so we decided to bake his birthday brownies when he could be home to enjoy them!

First me being cheezie!

Next I have to cut open all the packages of the mix - mom isn't a baker so we use the mixes.

and squeeze in the chocolate!

smile for the camera while adding the water - Mom says ignore the messy kitchen behind me!

time to measure the oil!

oh now it's time for the eggs! ewwwe! They are always so messy!

Now it's time to mix it all together!

Pour it into the pan!

Put on your oven mits cuz it's hot in there...you did remember to preheat the oven...right?

CAREFUL!!!

Now the hard part...waiting!

FINALLY!

but I still have to wait until they cool or I'll burn my tongue! but they were yummy!

bye!

American Mozzarella

2009-02-18T08:53:00.000-08:00

So Easy, even a kid can do it... an 8 year old kid named Gabriel :)

Recipe will be posted in whole at the bottom :)

What you will need....

And be sure to make it in a stainless steal pot because the Citric Acid will eat thru aluminum.

Pour milk into the pan... watch it glub and laugh when it splashes the 8 year old in the face.

Turn on the heat and put in a thermometer, you need to get the milk to 88degrees Fahrenheit.

While you wait for it to warm... Dissolve Citric Acid in 1/2 cup of water... and Rennet in 1/4 cup of water. Laugh when the 8 year old exclaims "It's exploding!"

about the rennet tab.

Still waiting, prepare your sieve/cheesecloth sifter... Laugh again when he can't get it to stay because static is making it follow him around.

When it reaches 88 Degrees Fahrenheit, time to add the citric acid.

Stir 1 minute and you will see the curds beginning to form.

Then add the rennet solution and it's time to wait. We did school while we waited the 2 hours.

It should start looking like curdled milk/cottage cheese. The 8 year old will let me know that "it's working!!!"

After two hours, we cut thru the curds... in about 1 inch slices. He decided we needed pizza slices since we will be making pizza out of it later.

Now, we have to bring the temp up slowly to 108 and hold it there for 35 minutes... which is not as hard as it sounds...

Stir every 5 minutes to keep curds off the bottom and separated. Turning off the heat when it reaches 108 and turning it back on when it drops below. But with this pan we used, it held it's heat REALLY well and we only have to turn it back on for 30 seconds.

Laugh when the 6 year old crashes waiting for the cheese to get done.

It's been 35 minutes and now it's time to pour the curds thru the cheese cloth, be sure to reserve the whey that you drain out, it can be used for LOTS of recipes in place of buttermilk or sour milk.

I couldn't take a pic of us pouring because, well I was pouring ;)

Allow to drain 15 minutes and it should look like this.

Now break up the curds and salt them. Put 1 cup of the curds in a 2 cup measuring cup and microwave for 45 seconds.

Use a fork to mix the mixture WELL, it should start looking like Mozzarella Cheese now. But you aren't done!

Put it back in the microwave for 20 more seconds and be prepared with rubber gloves or tough hands... when it comes out.. turn it out on a board and time to stretch and knead.

When it's nice and stretchy, form into a ball.

Then drop it into cold salted water, stick it in the frig covered and wait a few hours (12-24) .

When you take the balls out... they will be slimy... Just wash them off... pat them dry and Voila... You have Mozzarella Cheese for Pizza or just to eat :)

Actual Recipe for American Mozzarella:

AMERICAN MOZZERELLA

1/2 tablet "JUNKET" Rennet Tablet (found in baking aisle near canning/custard supplies)
1-1/4 teaspoon citric acid (found in vitamin section)
1 gallon WHOLE milk (do not use ULTRA pasteurized)

"American mozzarella" is the cheese commonly used on American pizza. It is made using citric acid for acidification instead of bacterial fermentation as in other cheeses. It is very elastic, melts well and strings when hot.

Instructions:
1. Warm milk over gentle heat 88ºF (31ºC), take care not to scorch.

2. Dissolve 1-1/4 tsp. citric acid powder in 1/2 cup cool water. Add to 88ºF milk, stir well for 1 minute.
It will began to curd a little; you will be able to see it!

3. Dissolve 1/2 tablet Junket Rennet into 1/4 cup cool water. Stir thoroughly into warmed milk mixture. Let set undisturbed for 2 hours on the back of the stove at room temp. It will start to look like cottage cheese.

4. Run a knife through the curds to break them up in 1 inch sections.

5. Warm the curds and whey over low heat, stirring gently to warm evenly and keep the curds separated until temperature reaches 42º C (108ºF). Hold at 42ºC for 35 minutes, stirring every five minutes to keep curds separated and off the bottom.
I set a timer for 5 minutes and made dinner in the process... or lunch... or breakfast. ;)

6. Collect curds by pouring curds and whey through a fine cloth held in an 8 inch sieve over a 1 gallon container, let drain for 15 minutes.
You may think its drained... but its probably not. I pressed the cheese cloth firmly together and it got rid of most of the whey that was making it watery.

7. Break up curd, mix in 1 teaspoon salt thoroughly. DONT FORGET THIS STEP!
It will really look like dry cottage cheese now.

8. Place 1 cup of salted curd into 2 cup measure.
More or less 1 cup...

9. Microwave on high for 45 seconds

10. Separate hot curd from container with the back of a fork, knead with hands to distribute heat evenly.

11. Heat again for 20 more seconds.

12. Now it's time to stretch and pull and knead. Stretch and fold to make smooth and elastic, shape into a soft ball.

13. Drop into cold, salted water (1/3 cup salt per quart), let sit in refridgerator for a day (or less), store in an air tight container. Use within a week or so.

Fruit Salad...

2009-02-11T20:22:00.000-08:00

Yummy Yummy!

Guess what ladies, gentleman... and your kids?

We are making a bit of fruit salad... and this is IONA!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!

What you need: Pineapples, Strawberries, cottage cheese and knives-- muhahaha! Kids remember, have parent supervision to chop with knives.

First you need to cut the pineapple. This is really why we made this one of the recipes. Do you know how hard it is to cut up a pineapple? Very hard.

You need to cut the top off first.

This is very hard because the skin is sooo tough. Push. Hard. Almost. There. YESS! Got it.

Then you need to cut it into four large pieces.

And take out the core. Be sure to keep your fingers OUT of the way.

Then you cut the pineapple away from the skin.

Cutting it into pieces.

You know me, sample as I go!

Next it's time for the berries. Cut off the tops (greens).

Then slice in half.

Then cut it into slices.

Mix together with the pineapple.

Now put it on cottage cheese, just do it!

This is so good GABRIEL even ate it. He said it tasted like ice cream!

Now we are off to watch a movie... in 3-D!

Next up, more food! Hahahaha! Gotcha!

Snickerdoodles bite the dust...

2009-02-09T13:06:00.001-08:00

This weekend, my cousin came over and wanted to cook snickerdoodles. But she had to leave before she could.

So I offered to make them (with my moms help)... this one just goes to show that they don't ALL work out the way we planned ;)

Here is what you will need.

1 cup butter

3 Cups Flour (divided)

2 eggs

2 cups of sugar

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon of Cream of Tartar

Extra sugar and some cinnamon

Use the mixer and make the butter all soft and mushy.

Then add 1/2 the flour... mix well.

Add the everything else (save the rest of the flour until last)...

Mix well. (and be sure to add in a little at a time the other 1/2 of the flour)

Now comes the hard part... Let the dough chill for 60 minutes in the frig...

But be sure to lick the beaters while you wait (oh and clean up your mess).

It's been a long long hour... time to form the balls of dough!

Roll them between your hands...

Then roll them in cinnamon and sugar...

Be sure to snitch some dough while you do it... hee hee!

Beautiful Snickerdoodles for the oven. Bake for 10 minutes on 375...

A peek after 5 minutes, WHAT IS THAT?!?!

After 10 minutes, It's a gooey mess!!! What happened?!??! Ewwww!

We added, sugar, flour... OH NUTS! We forgot to add the 2nd 1/2 of the flour!!!

Oh well, the dough still ROCKS!!! Yummmm!

This just goes to show... it may not turn out the first time, but it's still fun! And a learning experience...

This has been HomeEc 101 with Iona.

Semi Homemade - Stir Fry

2009-02-01T20:41:00.000-08:00

Hi, this is Iona... Let's get cooking!

Today we are making Stir Fry, my favorite food is chinese and this is close.

What we need....

4 Cups Water

4 Cups Minute Rice

Salt

Stir Fry Frozen Veggies with sauce packet

Marinaded Chicken (we used Mr Yoshida's)

Olive Oil

First you have to pour the 4 cups of water into the pot.

And add salt.

Bring it to a boil and add the rice. The turn off the heat and cover. That is done.

Next we have to heat the pan (mom says skillet) and add Olive Oil (a few Tablespoons). Spread it all around.

Now we add chicken. Be careful the pan might be hot (Mom says of course it's hot).

Now we have to do what we call stir fry. Which means spread it around and mix it all up. Being careful to have everything touch the pan.

Once the meat is almost done, push the chicken off to the sides. So we can make a hole to pour the veggies.

Now we add the veggies to the middle of the pan.

Mix them and stir fry.

Add the sauce to the pan and stir fry more. When it's done it should look like this.

And here is a picture of what my stir fry saw as I was cooking it...

Now it's time to serve! Yummmy! Put the rice on the plate, then put the stir fry mix on top.

Enjoy! Yummmmy!

Eggs for Breakfast...

2009-01-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

Gabe wanted to try making eggs again... but he didn't want to talk... so he asked if I could put MUSIC over his video.. or else he wasn't going to ALLOW the recording... LOL

So here is a video... of him making breakfast sandwhich eggs on a muffin, with one of his fav songs over the top from Hawk Nelson... ;) Almost timed perfectly... just a few seconds short ;)

(DONT look at the crumbs under the toaster... I didnt know they were there until I saw this video LOL!!!)

Tomorrow... Italian Meatballs... from Toby

Quesadillas with left over meat

2009-01-26T18:54:00.000-08:00

Hi! This is Toby again! We are making Kay-suh-deee-yahs with left over turkey. (Or as mom would translate, Quesadillas)

What you will need:

Any kid will do, but we used a 6 year old boy

Butter

Tortillas (tor-tee-yahs)

Lots and lots of cheese

Left over meat - We used turkey

Salsa

Sour Cream

Preheat griddle to 350.... Tell 6 year old to cut off a chunk of butter.

Watch him have fun skating with the butter... "Just like on ice, only hotter!"

Time for the tortillas.... as many as can fit

Laugh when he says, "It's hotter then... (pause) the oven!" when he feels the heat off the griddle.

Now here is where some people do their Quesadillas all wrong... put the cheese on yes... and PLENTY of cheese... Toby says, "More cheese, the cheesier!!"

Tell 6 year old again, it's not time for the tops. DON'T put the top on yet... let the cheese melt a bit before you top it with your left over meat. We used Turkey.

Check for doneness on the bottom before putting on the top... just make a better yummier quesadilla.

Add your tops... then flip and leave for a couple minutes.

Serve to you big brother who exclaims, "These are the best ever, Thanks Toby!"

Serve with Salsa and Sour Cream... and enjoy yourself.

Bisquick Pancakes Plus

2009-01-26T18:17:00.000-08:00

We made Bisquick Pancakes PLUS! Plus meaning the other stuff we put in or on top ;)

Made tonight by TOBY!

Here is what you will need for this recipe:

1 Cute 6 year old

Whipped Cream

Strawberries or your choice of berry

Butter

Syrup

2 cups Bisquick
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp Sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder

Tell the 6 year old to MIX together Bisquick, milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and baking powder, as best as he can. Then when he is not looking stir it up to get the lumps out.

Heat a buttered griddle to 300-350 or so or until your 6 year old says, WOW that is really sizzling!

Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup...

And put batter randomly on the griddle... make fun shapes if you dare.

Then have your 6 year old point out what they are and which one's belong to him.

Wait 3 minutes and show your 6 year old how to turn a pancake... then let him try... they may look funny in the end but satisfaction is the key!

Explain to the frustrated 6 year old that turning pancakes takes much more practice then 30 seconds.

After 3 minutes on both sides they are ready to come off! Step back and watch the fun!

When your 6 year old asks how many he can have... show him...

When the 8 year old brother comes by... Give some to him... only if he says please.

Top with whipped cream, strawberries (or your fruit of choice) and syrup.

Quickly grab a fork, cuzz they don't last long. ;) Then enjoy while someone ELSE cleans the kitchen... thanks Daddy!

Software Computer issues...

2009-01-26T18:16:00.001-08:00

Galore... ;)

So we have reverted to taking pics of cooking instead of video... might be better for your bandwidth anyway. Tonight... a few meals by Toby... one by Gabe... and maybe one by Iona... we will see how far I get ;)

Gabe is shy?!?

2009-01-20T19:16:00.000-08:00

Well this is a new happening ;) Since seeing himself on video... Gabriel has decided he is shy. He wants to COOK for you all, but he doesn't want to talk... so I may dub over him for the sake of his shy-ness. But you can still tell it's him... ;)

Coming up this week we have... More breakfast items (Gabriel made Hockey Puck Breakfast Sandwiches), Italian Meatballs (made by Toby), Pancakes (Made by Iona on a Griddle), Cupcakes, and Pork chops in the oven. And possibly bread... we are debating ;)

I also have the grand idea to make a type of egg roll... but we have to all agree on its ingredients LOL

Anyone else letting their kids cook yet??? I hope so.. it's so much fun!

Mexican Chicken Leftover Enchilada's

2009-01-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

Mexican Chicken is a big hit in our house! But it makes a bunch, so we always have way more leftovers then one family can possibly get through. So we make another meal out of the left overs. And I usually make it when everything is still warm and then stick it in the freezer or frig till tomorrow.

You need:
Mexican Chicken Leftovers (including the yummy sauce)
Mexican Rice (we always serve with Mexican Chicken, this time we used Fajita flavored rice)
Refried Beans
Flour Tortillas
Cheese

Prep not shown: Cut Mexican Chicken and bell peppers up into bite sized pieces. Separate the sauce from the chicken.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400 for 30 or so minutes (until warm).

Egg McMuffin Eggs

2009-01-17T13:00:00.000-08:00

We started off making Egg McMuffins and showing you the whole nine yards... the muffin, the cheese, the egg... but cracking the egg in the pan was... uhh... difficult. He had never done it before. Definitely video to SAVE but not airable ;)

And that was Wednesday morning. So Thursday morning I devised another plan to get Gabriel back in and cracking (LOL--pun intended).

I made some Egg McMuffin Eggs a couple weeks ago that Jake could use each morning if I wasn't up and functioning by the time he went to work. And I thought it would be a great way to teach Gabriel to crack eggs! And it was. I didn't show you ALL 15 egg cracks (LOL) but I did show you #1 and a good one. He got pretty good after some instruction ;)

Gabe: I am making my dad's eggs for his breakfast sandwhiches. You need to use a big pan (like a cookie sheet covered in parchement paper) or a big dish (larger then 9x13) or else your eggs will be too thick. You can half this recipe to make them in a 9x13.

What you will need:

12-15 Eggs

1-2 Cups of Cheese

1/2-1 cup of tomatoes

1 medium onion chopped

3/4 cup of milk

salt and pepper

2 Tablespoons of flour (disolved in a small amount of water or milk)

5-6 pieces of deli ham

Bake on 350 for 15-20 minutes (until eggs are firm but still soft)

Here is how you make them:

Photo bucket cut off the END of the video... so here is what you do after it comes out.

Hiccup!

2009-01-16T21:13:00.000-08:00

We have had a small hiccup in youtube and the production of videos with my software... seems they hate each other ;)

So while I have three... yes three... new videos to show you... I can't seem to get them uploaded onto youtube tonight. I will try again in the morning... and hope for better luck!

Keep cooking kids!

Coming soon: Egg McMuffin Eggs - By Gabe & Mexican Chicken Leftover Enchiladas - By Toby (that everyone scarfed!)

Mexican Chicken for the Crockpot

2009-01-14T10:28:00.001-08:00

(NOTE: I am not sure why some of these are turning out a bit crackly... I might have to get new software, cuzz its definately not the camera)

What you need:

Chicken

1 can Rotel

Taco Seasoning

Green Peppers

Onions

Enchilada Sauce

Here is what you do:

And the last step... is to eat it INSIDE a taco, burrito or just by itself! It's VERY yummy and a big hit... and DONT throw any of it away... tomorrow you will see what to do with all the left overs :)

Toby made Enchiladas! :)

Toby's Chops

2009-01-14T10:24:00.000-08:00

This was our first attempt at recording Toby cooking... He loves to help cook, but doesn't much like talking to the camera... watch and laugh as he looses a chop on the chair.

We didn't START recording till the end so it's not a complete recipe or anything... but it's a wonderful look into how much he loves this.

We made Pasta Roni, Pork Chops (marinaded in Mr Yoshida's Sauce) on the Foreman Grill and Green Beans.

And yes, he ate the WHOLE chop...

Meet the chefs!

2009-01-14T09:36:00.001-08:00

Meet Iona:

Age: 9

Grade: Homeschooled 4th Grader

Favorite Hobbies: Cooking, Dancing, Art, Singing and anything else she can perform with ;)

Personality: Outgoing, Happy, Friendly, Funny and Cute (says she)

Iona is a performer... so I am sure SHE will be the one who does most of the talking... cooking... yakking... stuff.

Meet Gabe:

Age: 7 (8 in a month)

Grade: Homeschooled 2nd Grader

Favorite Hobbies: Legos Star Wars, Video Games, Legos Batman, Hotwheels, Legos Indiana Jones, Cooking, Legos, riding bikes, scooters, skates, skateboards (anything dangerous) and Legos.

Personality: Quiet but loud when he wants to be, Loveable, Caring, Compassionate, Moody and Handsome (says mom)

Gabriel tends to have 'tudes some times... so we will see how this goes.

Meet Toby:

Age: 5 (turning 6 soon!)

Grade: Homeschooled Kindergartner

Favorite Hobbies: Anything brother likes to do EXCEPT go outside. He is a homebody.

Personality: LOUD, Lovable, Shy, Ornery, know-it-all, Handsome (says mom)

It's like pulling teeth to get Toby (the 5 almost 6 year old) to talk to the camera, so hopefully this blog will help pull him out of his shell.

Welcome to, "Your Kids Can Cook!"

2009-01-14T07:42:00.000-08:00

My kids love to cook.

Ages 9, 7 and 5...

Yesterday, while my 5 year old was making dinner (with my supervision, but all by himself) we recorded him on the camera. I also took lots of pics because I scrapbook but the camera was the real winner.

He loves to cook. Not so much being on camera but he does LOVE to help out in the kitchen.

So then my 9 year old comes up with a grand scheme that all the kids should cook all the meals today (that is more then OKAY with me!) so they can get on the blog too.

Then the wheels started turning... why not make a blog showing that ALL KIDS can cook! Not just mine!

So here it is... if you have a video... or pictures of your kid (ages 13 and under) cooking in the kitchen, mostly unassisted... let us know! We would love to share with our readers.

And we hope for LOTS of readers... mainly of the kid nature.

We hope to show kids (of both genders) that cooking is fun! And that it's okay to try new things!

SO, here we go on this culinary adventure!

Guest Blogger

2009-01-14T05:45:00.000-08:00

Do you like to cook? Are you under the age of 13? Then you could be a guest blogger on our blog! Just drop us a line and we would be happy to get a hold of you!

All you have to do is... Have a recipe, cook it/bake it/fry it/flip it and have pics or video to go with it!

Comment on this blog post and we will get back to you ASAP! Be sure to leave an email :)