kidsfood

While Megan (18 months) was taking her afternoon nap, Rachael and I made biscuits ['cookies' to all you U.S.A-ers :-) ]

What did we make?

Ingredients:

small cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 lb. butter

1 dessertspoon (2 teaspoons) honey

1 cup self raising flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup desiccated coconut.

Beat sugar and egg. Melt butter and add honey. Add butter and honey to sugar and egg. Add flour gradually. Add coconut and oats. Put teaspoonfuls on baking tray. Cook in moderate oven until brown. (They may spread a little - or they may not! Ours didn't. They taste just as good, whatever.)

Rachael (aged 3 1/2 years) was fascinated to watch the changes in the mixture as ingredients were added. She declined to taste the raw materials and lost interest before it was time to scrape the bowl. Interest returned briefly when the first batch came out of the oven! She was especially fascinated by the names of the ingredients and repeated them several times as we mixed.

At my Kindergarten, we cooked every week with the children. I always had a line of children waiting for their turn to cook. We made many interesting things, such as blue cup cakes for 'blue week' and green dinosaur food on 'green week'. the children ate the results of their cooking for morning tea. What's green dinosaur food, you ask? Ah-ha! Keep watching this page and one day you might find out!

The cooking programme progressed from simple spreading and sprinkling to recipes which involved the children in chopping, mixing and seeing the changes made in foods as they cook. If you'd like a copy of the year's cooking programme and recipes, email me.

Here's a recipe we made early in the year. It involves spreading, sprinkling and a little mixing. The cooking is done by an adult...................

1. Let the children butter bread for sandwiches and fill with sliced cheese, tomato slices or sliced meat.

2. Let the children pour milk into a bowl, break an egg and tip it into the milk. Let the children mix in the egg with an egg whisk, fork or hand beater.

3. Let the children dip the sandwiches into the egg and milk mixture.

4. Fry the sandwiches, both sides, on a frypan with butter until each side is golden brown.

SOME TIPS WHEN COOKING WITH CHILDREN:

Place your cooking table near the bathroom, and watch for licked fingers, etc. with an 'eagle eye'. Send the 'licker' or 'wiper' immediately to wash hands before continuing to cook!

When letting the children stir or mix with small spoons, have a good supply of extra spoons as children WILL lick spoons and you will need to replace spoons often!