With Valentine's, my daughter had a party at school. Being the crazy mother that I am I baked up a storm (Heart-Shaped Cookie Pops, Red Velvet Cupcakes, and a Coffee Cake for the teachers and staff during Parent-Teacher Conferences). Did I mention, she also did a report on Poland and asked me to make some good Polish food for her class? (So, a batch of raspberry kolockies, sausage, pierogies, and sauerkraut).
I love to cook, so today I have included some easy and kid-friendly recipes from my week. Additionally, I have some educational ideas to use as well. The coffee cake you can make with one hand (e.g. holding a baby)*. I will try to feature at least one 'One-handed Recipe' every few weeks. I cook every day--yes, every day. So, I have figured out many ways to involve the kids in cooking and get a homemade dinner on the table every night (plus cookies for the bake sale, brownies for my husband's office, birthday treats for a party...).
*Please take extra care while cooking with a baby. Never hold a baby close to burner, oven, or while working with a knife.
February Recipes
Cookie Pops
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
6 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
lollipop sticks--available in craft or baking sections
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well. Add flour, soda, powder, and salt, beat well. Dump dough onto plastic wrap and work into ball. Pat dough into disk-shape. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 10 minutes to overnight. Roll out on floured board to 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place lollipop sticks into shapes--about half way up. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375oF.
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup water
Food coloring, if desired
Combine and spoon over cooled cookies.
(You can top with sprinkles or other decorations while glaze is still wet)
Sour Cream Coffee Cake--A one-handed recipe
From Betty Crocker’s Cookbook (1991)
Cake
1 ½ cups sugar
¾ cups butter, softened
3 eggs
1 ½ tsp vanilla (or other flavorings)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
1 ½ cups sour cream or yogurt
Filling
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup finely chopped nuts
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350oF. Grease tube, bundt, or 2 loaf pans well. Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternating with sour cream (about three additions of each). Combine filling ingredients in small bowl.
Spoon half of cake batter into pan (if using 2 loaf pans, spoon ¼ batter into each pan, etc.). Sprinkle batter with half of filling mixture. Repeat. Bake for 45-60 minutes. Cool completely and remove from pan.
*You can add other fillings into the middle layer such as 1 cup of cranberry sauce, chopped apples, blueberries, any leftover pie filling, chocolate chips, sweetened cream cheese….
This cake freezes great and stays fresh for several days with well covered.
What kids can do?
Unwrap the butter Let's count the sticks of butter!
Crack the eggs--into a separate bowl first
Measure ingredients How many half cups do I need for 1 cup?
Roll out dough
Cut out shapes What shape are you using? What shape is this? What is your favorite shape?
Mix glaze
Glaze cookies What color is the glaze?
Sprinkle cookies with sprinkles
Spoon dry ingredients and sour cream into mixer
Sprinkle filling
Other ideas:
Read recipe with child aloud--run your finger along words as you read
Ask child to find the numbers on the page
Ask child to find letters, words, and sentences on page (Can you find a W on this recipe?)
If child can read, ask child what to do next after a step
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