Recipe Tuesday...Kids in the Kitchen

I don't know about your minions but mine love to be in the kitchen with me when I cook.  Sometimes it gets on my nerves because they are always under my feet and in my way but other times I love it, especially when I see them smiley and happy.  My kids love to bake and, for some reason, cook eggs, I think they like breaking the eggs because they are messy kids and really enjoy breaking things.

 

This is not my kitchen but this is usually what it looks like after the kids get through with it.

Do you let your kids in the kitchen if so what do you let them help with or what do you let them make or bake?

Here are some recipes from Kraft that your kids can help out with.

Mini OREO Surprise Cupcakes

Prep time

10 min

total time

52 min

makes

24 servings

what you need

1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix

1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 egg

2 Tbsp.  sugar

48 Mini OREO Bite Size Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

1-1/2 cups  thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

make it

HEAT oven to 350°F.

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package. Mix cream cheese, egg and sugar until well blended.

SPOON half the cake batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Top each with about 1-1/2 tsp. cream cheese mixture and 1 cookie; cover with remaining cake batter.

BAKE 19 to 22 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 5 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

FROST with COOL WHIP. Top with remaining cookies. Frosted cupcakes can be stored in refrigerator up to 3 days.

kraft kitchens tips

Size-Wise

At 24 servings, these are the perfect sweet treats to serve at your next party.

Black Forest-Stuffed Cupcakes

Try our recipe for Black Forest Stuffed Cupcakes.

Make it Easy

For easy portioning of cream cheese mixture into cake batter, spoon cream cheese mixture into large resealable plastic bag; seal bag securely. Snip small corner of bag with scissors. Squeeze about 1-1/2 tsp. of the cream cheese mixture over batter in each muffin cup.

Cheesy Pizza "Fundue"

prep time

5 min

total time

8 min

makes

4 servings

photo by: 

kraft

what you need

1 cup spaghetti sauce

6 oz.  VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 cups  cut-up fresh vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, celery, red peppers)

4 slices Italian bread (1 inch thick), cut into 1-inch cubes

make it

PLACE spaghetti sauce in medium microwaveable bowl; cover with paper towel. Microwave on HIGH 1 min.

STIR in VELVEETA and Parmesan. Microwave 2-1/2 min. or until VELVEETA is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute.

SERVE with vegetable and bread dippers.

kraft kitchens tips

SUBSTITUTE

Prepare using VELVEETA 2% Milk Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product. Variation with other dippers, such as cherry tomatoes, button mushrooms, sliced zucchini, broccoli florets, breadsticks, chicken and ham chunks, and cooked tortellini or farfalle (bow-tie pasta).

HOW TO DOUBLE

Double all ingredients. Place spaghetti sauce, VELVEETA and Parmesan in medium saucepan; cook on medium-low heat 5 min. or until VELVEETA is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Serve with suggested dippers. Makes 8 servings.

Here are some guidelines for cooking skills by ages for the kiddos, also by Kraft.

cooking skills by age

Match your kids' skill levels with various tasks for safe kitchen fun. Here are some suggestions for age-specific tasks:

3-Year Olds

• Wash fruits and vegetables
• Stir ingredients in a bowl
• Tear lettuce
• Pour liquids

4-Year Olds

• Grease pans
• Open packages
• Peel oranges or hard-cooked eggs
• Snip fresh herbs with dull scissors
• Mash bananas with a fork

5-to 6-Year Olds

• Measure ingredients
• Cut soft foods with a blunt knife
• Set the table
• Garnish food

7-to 8-Year Olds

• Help plan the meal
• Roll and shape cookies
• Beat ingredients with a whisk
• Find ingredients in a cabinet or spice rack
• Make a salad

9- to 12-Year Olds

• Open cans
• Use a microwave oven
• Prepare simple recipes with few ingredients
• Use an oven (with supervision)
• Use a knife (with supervision)
• Shred cheese and vegetables

13- to 16-Year Olds

• Prepare recipes with multiple ingredients
• Prepare recipes independently