Cooking Tips for Kids in the Kitchen

Cooking Tips for Kids in the Kitchen from http://homecooking.about.com/od/holidayandpartyrecipes/a/mothersdaykids.htm

You may need an assistant for this project, so make a date to cook with a parent, adult or older teen to help you out with the chopping and stove work. Here are a few chef's safety tips for you:

• Before you start, you have to wash your hands. Awww...I know this is supposed to be fun, but when you prepare food, it is most important that your hands are clean and free of germs. You wouldn't want to make anyone sick, would you?
• Get out all the measuring spoons, measuring cups, pots and pans that you will be using and have them handy.
• Next gather all the ingredients. You wouldn't want to begin and then find out you're missing something.
• Put on an apron to protect your clothes. Tie back your hair if it's long, or wear a cap to keep your hair away from the food. No one likes hairy food!
• Be sure you know where your kitchen fire extinguisher is located, just in case.
• Read the recipe completely and understand the directions before you begin.
• When you're all finished, be a good sport and wash up the dishes. You can leave the sharp knives for an adult to wash.
• Have fun!

Tasty Turkey Chili Recipe

This easy chili made with ground turkey not only tastes good, it's also heart healthy and designed for kids to make. Feel free to make it ahead and reheat. It's even better the next day.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

•1 large onion •2 tablespoons corn oil
•1-1/4 lbs. fresh ground turkey (ground without skin) •2 teaspoons chili powder
•1/2 tsp garlic powder or 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced •1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
•1/2 teaspoon ground cumin •1- 15-ounce can pinto beans
•1 15-ounce can black beans •1 (14-1/oz) can diced tomatoes in juice, undrained
•1 (6 oz) can tomato paste •1 (14-1/2 ounces) can chicken broth
•1 cup frozen corn kernels •4 to 5 green onions (scallions)

Preparation:

Peel and chop onion with the help of your assistant.
Pour oil into Dutch oven or large saucepan. Place pot on burner. Turn heat to medium. Heat oil for 1 minute.
Add onions to hot oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon, for 5 minutes, or until onion is almost clear.
Add ground turkey to pot. Stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up large pieces. Brown turkey for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in garlic powder or garlic, chili powder, black pepper, and cumin until well combined.
Open cans of pinto and black beans. Pour both into large strainer. Place strainer under cold running water. Rinse beans thoroughly and drain.
With wooden spoon, stir beans, tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, chicken broth, and corn into pot. Heat 5 to 7 minutes, or until thoroughly hot, stirring often.
Rinse and slice green portions of green onions. (Save the white part for Mom to use another time.) You should have about 1/2 cup.
Stir green onions into pot. Remove from heat. Ladle hot chili into bowls. Serve with green salad and cornbread.
Yield: 8 one-cup servings.

Let the kids make a Dump Cake for dessert.

Dump Cake Recipe

This recipe is designed for kids to bake. It's incredibly easy with no mixing involved. Canned fruits are dumped into a baking pan, topped with cake mix, butter, and nuts, then baked. The result is something in between a cake and a cobbler, and amazingly delicious. Adults will also love this recipe.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:
•1 (20 ounces) can crushed pineapple, undrained •1 (21 ounces) can prepared more fruit cherry pie filling
•1 (18.25 ounces) box yellow cake mix •2 sticks of butter or margarine, each cut into 12 slices
•1/4 cup chopped nuts (your choice - optional)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 for glass baking dish). Have a 9 by 13-inch baking pan ready.
Dump undrained pineapple baking dish or pan and spread it out evenly.
Using a spoon, dump globs of cherry pie filling evenly on top of the pineapple.
Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the cherry and pineapple layers.
Cut butter into slices with a butter knife and place slices evenly over cake mix.
Sprinkle nuts on top if you're using them.
Bake for one hour. Use heavy oven mitts to remove the dump cake from oven or let your older helper do it.
To serve, scoop cake out with a large spoon like a cobbler, and dump it on a nice plate. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is delicious with dump cake. Serve warm or cold.
Yield: about 10 to 12 servings