Now, I don't have kids. But I've cooked with enough kids to know that you (the adult) must be organized and under control. And when you're worried about keeping everyone alive, interested, and not crying (including yourself) how do you remember to keep things fun? In comes the lovely
Trish Magwood, mom and celebrity food expert, with great ideas using
Rice Krispies cereal. She shares her best advice for festive baking with the kids below.
Win a Rice Krispies baking prize worth $100!: Share your most memorable kids in the kitchen moment below (of either you as a kid, or you cooking with kids), and you could win a fabulous Rice Krispies baking prize pack.
Start date: Tuesday, December 14, 2010
End date: Tuesday December 21, 2010, 11:59 pm
Winner chosen & contacted via email: Wednesday December 22, 2010
What to do: Share your most memorable kids in the kitchen moment below. (Winner will be chosen at random.)
[caption id="attachment_1213" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Trish Magwood, mom & celebrity food expert"]
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Trish's best tips for baking festive treats with the kids
1. Let the kids decide what to do, and what to call their creation Let kids take ownership over what to bake this holiday. Let them flip through cookbooks, web sites & magazines and decide what they want to make. Let them write out a baking lineup. Title the lineup with the recipe name - such as “
Rice Krispies Winter Wonderland” (
Canadian Living recipe seen at top) with a complete shopping list underneath. Finally, let them name their creation “
Fin’s Rice Krispies Macaroons” or “
Chef Olivia’s Fudgey Rice Krispies”.
2. Baking day: Let the kids do all the measuring and stirring Set up piles of ingredients for each child if there's more than one kid with you. Pull out multiple bowls, spoons, measuring cups and let the kids do the scooping and stirring. As early as 2 years old, a child can stir and add. When the mixing is done and you're using the stove, set up the counter or breakfast table with simple craft paper or wrap paper, markers, glitter etc. so the kids can make labels for their baked goods. This makes for a fun and creative after-school activity.
3. Let the kids experiment - if they cook it, they will eat it. Let the kids experiment with flax seeds, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and other healthy ingredients. Let them add, test and taste – bring on the rewards! They'll be more inclined to try a new granola or muffin or cookie right after they've done the cooking themselves.
4. Let them wrap and decorate the end result After baking, let them do the wrapping, too. Small brown or white pastry boxes or paper bags can be decorated first, and filled second. Have the kids write out the recipe on a holiday recipe card so they can pass on their creations! It’s the perfect gift for teachers and grandparents.
5. Play memory with ingredients! Have one child read out all the ingredients needed in the baking recipe – oats, Rice Krispies, butter, etc. Put them all on a tray. Then cover the tray with a tea towel to see if the kids can remember all the ingredients by touch, smell and taste. Whether it’s flour, sugar, baking soda or Rice Krispies, have them guess what it is. It will turn them into more adventurous bakers!
More festive Canadian Living recipes for cooking with kids:
Don't forget to leave your most memorable kids in the kitchen moment below, for a chance to WIN!
December 22 update: Congrats to Pat B, commenter #43 chosen by
Random.org! Thanks everyone for your beautiful baking stories. Happy Holidays!
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