Cooking with kids

I am currently teaching my annual kids holiday cooking camp. What a delight it is as always. The girls and boys, a 50/50 split are all between the ages of eight and 12, it is always great for me to observe their excitement and abilities, not only in the culinary field but also as team players in their respective groups.

For this week they chopped, stirred, frosted, kneaded, measured, sifted, sautéed. You name it they were enthusiastic to do it. By the third day they were able to make their recipes all by themselves. In the course of this week they made an array of dishes from honey garlic chicken, cheese rolls, cake pops, iced-cookies, pizza and cornbread to name a few. Everything made from scratch.

They also learned a bit about kitchen politics and clean eating. I know that food TV has played a great role in raising the enthusiasm levels about cooking in the minds of the younger generation, this has indeed proven to be an advantage to them. As a result of this they are very open-minded, creative, and passionate about food. If we nurture this wonderful trait we will have many wonderful cooks in the kitchen once again. Here is a taste of great recipes to try with your kids this holiday

Funfetti cupcakes with vanilla buttercream

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 whole eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbs baking powder

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup assorted, brightly-coloured sprinkles + more for top of frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line cupcake tins with paper cases.

Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Break eggs into a bowl.

Add eggs one at a time and beat well, add vanilla and continue beating.

Sift flour and add baking powder.

Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Begin and end with flour.

Fold in assorted sprinkles.

Pour into cupcake tins and fill 2/3 of the way full.

Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Let cool, then frost.

Makes 24

Vanilla buttercream

4 cups icing sugar

½ cup butter

1 tbs milk

½ cup sprinkles

Cream butter and icing sugar until smooth, add a little milk if needed. Spread onto cupcakes and sprinkle with sprinkles.

Spaghetti and meatballs

1 lb ground beef

½ cup bread crumbs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, grated

1/3 cup chopped parsley

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

2 tbs vegetable oil

Combine beef with breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, parsley, oregano salt and pepper.

Mush together with your hands.

Make small balls with the beef, about 2-inches wide.

Place on a plate, when you are finished heat the oil in non-stick frying pan.

Pan fry the meatballs for a few minutes and then place them into the tomato sauce to simmer for about 15 minutes.

Serve with spaghetti.

Basic tomato sauce

2 tbs olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

1 onion, chopped

½ cup grated carrots

1 28oz tin chopped tomatoes

1 tsp dried Italian spices (oregano, or basil)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tsp sugar

In a saucepan, heat olive oil and add garlic and onion. Sauté until fragrant, add carrots and tomatoes, spices, salt, black pepper and sugar. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until sauce is thick and flavourful.

Oven-fried chicken

Although the preparation time for this dish seems a little involved, it can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to cook, the cooking time is mostly unattended. Serve this with mashed potatoes and a fresh green salad.

1 chicken –2-3 pounds cut into serving pieces

½ cup plain yoghurt

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs fresh thyme, finely chopped

½ tsp freshly-ground black pepper

3 tbs grated Parmesan cheese, or your choice of cheese

2 cups fine breadcrumbs

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 tsp salt

Pat the chicken pieces dry. In a medium sized bowl combine the yoghurt, garlic, thyme, black pepper.

Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley and salt set aside.

Dip the chicken in the yoghurt mixture; ensure all pieces are evenly coated. Then roll in crumb mixture.

Place the chicken pieces on a rack and let stand uncovered in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. This helps the breading to stick.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Transfer chicken to a greased baking sheet, bake uncovered for about 30 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.

(Serves 4 to 6)