Kids in the Kitchen

CONVINCING KIDS TO eat at designated mealtimes can be a challenge. But what better way to get them excited about food than to nurture their inner chef?

These recipes were designed with kids’ appetites and involvement in mind, which is why we’ve included vegetable chopping tips for those old enough to wield a knife, as well as recipes with ever-exciting hand mixers and blenders. Just be sure to supervise children closely throughout their culinary adventures— particularly around hot ovens and stovetops—so that everyone enjoys a safe and fun experience.

BASIC CHOPPING SKILLS

• When chopping circular vegetables, first cut them in half, then place the flat side on the cutting board. This will keepvegetables from rolling around.

• When cutting, tuck fingers holding the food inward so if the knife does slip, it will graze the flat part of your finger, ratherthan the tip. There are some great shields available for kid chefsto protect their fingers and get them in the habit of tucking.

Fluffy Pancakes

Get kids involved in whipping up this weekend treat for a lasting family tradition. Serve with fresh blueberries, or homemade raspberry sauce and whipped cream.

½ cup white flour ½ cup whole-wheat flour 3 tsp baking powder 2 Tbsp sugar ¾ tsp salt

1 egg1 cup buttermilk1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp melted butter, slightly cooled

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg, add the buttermilk and vanilla, and whisk to combine.

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and slowly stir to combine. Drizzle in the melted butter, stirring continuously.

Heat a fry pan over medium heat and add a knob of butter. Once the butter has melted and started to foam, use a muffin scoop (or large ice cream scoop) to drop rounds of batter into the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes on each side until cooked through.

Stack cooked pancakes on an ovenproof plate in the warming tray of your oven (or in the oven on low—about 150°F) until serving time.

Colourful Cookie Bars

This simplified take on a kid-favourite foregoes traditional circles for a fluffy pan cookie that’s equal parts colourful, soft, and oh-so-tasty.

1 cup butter, softened¾ cup sugar¾ cup brown sugar1 ½ tsp vanilla2 eggs, room temperature2 ¼ cups flour1 tsp baking soda1 tsp salt1 Tbsp milk powder

2 cups colourful candies (Smarties or M&M’s)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper. (You can spritz cooking spray over any areas not covered by parchment.)

Cream together the butter, sugars, and vanilla. Mix in the eggs one at a time.

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and milk powder in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture and stir to just combine. Stir in the candies.

Press mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Let the pan cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. You can leave the pan to cool on the counter, or pop it into the fridge—this will make the bars much easier to cut.

Tip! When adding eggs to other ingredients, crack each one into a separate dish first. This way, if a bad egg or a piece of shell falls in, you won’t contaminate the batter. t8n