Honey Peanut Fruit Dip

September 1, 2010 No comments

What You Need:

4 tbsp creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp dry milk powder
2 tsp honey
4 tbsp boiling water

How to Make It:

Place the peanut butter into a small bowl.
Sprinkle with the milk powder.
Add the honey and stir until all the ingredients are blended together well.
Carefully add the boiling water and stir until smooth.

Makes 1 C

This is a great dip to show your children how to make a wonderful after school snack. Use cut up apples, oranges or banana slices for dipping. Even grapes taste great when dipped in this sweet dip. It can also be used as a spread on graham crackers. Just a little hint if you’re making it for them add in some shredded carrots to give them a little of their daily veggies. They will never know it’s there.

Preparation Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 10 minutes

Cooking with Kids, Recipes

Top 10 Reasons for Kids to Learn To Cook Part 2

August 30, 2010 No comments

6. Science – If you ever get the chance to watch Alton Brown in action, you will be amazed at the amount of science that goes into cooking. Help your children prepare for school by teaching them what yeast does to dough and why toast cannot ever be turned back into bread.

7. They ask questions – Questions are an integral part of developing a child’s mind. Letting them ask questions and then figuring out the answers together will build the base for learning in years to come.

8. Expands pallet – Kids with narrow minds develop narrow habits. Letting your child help with the cooking will cause them to expand their pallet and try new things. The act of trying new things will help them out later in life when they are trying to figure out who they are and what they want to do.

9. Passes down or builds new traditions – If your family has traditions, the kitchen is a great place to begin to pass them down. Due to the close proximity, there is plenty of time to talk and explain why things are done certain ways. Also, who wouldn’t want great-grandma’s chocolate cookie recipe?

10. Keeps family history – Explaining why the pineapple upside down cake was made with the pineapple juice due to the sugar rations during the war is a great way to flesh out your family history. So many families in the old days, told stories and built legends in the kitchen, why not try it yourself?

There are many reasons why it is important to get your children in the kitchen. These ten reasons alone should have you grabbing your children and pulling them in close to prepare the family meal. Get out the little blue cup that doubled as your grandma’s measuring cup and begin explaining what things are, why they work and who started these crazy traditions anyway.

Kids Cooking

Top 10 Reasons for Kids to Learn To Cook Part 1

August 28, 2010 No comments

It is important for kids to get in the kitchen and learn to cook. Cooking not only builds confidence and prepares a kid for difficult life situations, but it also teaches them to think on their feet. It also develops the same type of discipline as any form of sports or martial arts. Let’s take a look at the top ten reasons for kids to get dirty in the kitchen.

1. Builds confidence – Remember when you first learned a new skill? It was great; you felt on top of the world knowing that you could do something all by yourself. Cooking is the same way for kids; it is a giant confidence boost for them.

2. Prepares for life – When life gives you lemons, make chicken piccata. Learning to cook helps kids prepare for other life lessons such as organization and following directions. While learning to cook is not only following recipes, you have to start somewhere.

3. Sparks creativity – What kind of new creations will your kids come up with in the kitchen? Maybe they will develop the new family favorite meal. Between all of the different sights, sounds and flavors, all of the senses become aware in the kitchen. Creativity begins to flourish and the imagination starts to think beyond the typical, ordinary cuisine.

4. Develops discipline – Learning to cook teaches the discipline of following instructions and builds the mind. When a kid is in the kitchen, they become the master of their domain and learn to respect everything around them.

5. Patience – Patience is a soufflé, just ask any chef. If your child needs to work on patience, it is important to get them into the kitchen. All good things come to those who wait. Let them experiment with a cake that is not fully baked or garlic that is not completely roasted, then explain the importance of being patient and show them how the finished product is so much better.

Kids Cooking

Canned Summer Tomatoes

August 26, 2010 No comments

What You Need:

12 lbs. whole tomatoes
Bottled lemon juice
Canning salt
Boiling water

How to Make It:

Follow the manufacturer’s directions for preparing your jars and two piece lids.
Wash and peal the tomatoes and cut any large ones in half or in quarters.
Fill the jars with the tomatoes then press them down to release their juices.
Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp of salt to each jar.
If the tomatoes didn’t produce enough juice to maintain a 1/2 inch headspace add enough boiling water to allow for the necessary headspace.
Release any air bubbles and add more tomatoes and water to achieve the correct headspace.
Wipe the rims and seal the jars.
Process the tomatoes in a water bath canner for 45 minutes from the point of boiling.
Allow the jars to cool in a draft free area and then check the seals.

Makes 4 quarts

Anyone who has a garden knows that tomatoes multiply quickly in the summer. This is a great way to savor those tomatoes during the long winter months. Use them in all your favorite soup, casserole or pasta recipes. Adding lemon juice will increase the acidity level of the tomatoes. This ensures a nice fresh tomato taste every time.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Processing Time: approximately 45 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 1/2 C serving)
Calories 44; Fat 1g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 10g; Fiber 2g; Protein 2g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 19mg

Canning Recips, Recipes

Canned Spinach Greens

August 24, 2010 No comments

What You Need:

28 lbs. fresh spinach

How to Make It:

Prepare the jars and caps according to the manufacturer’s specifications and keep them hot.
Wash the spinach well, changing the water 2 or 3 times to ensure all the dirt has been removed.
Place the spinach into a 12 qt. pot and cover completely with water.
Cook the greens over medium high heat for 5 minutes or until wilted.
Remove the spinach with a slotted spoon and cut into smaller pieces.
Reserve the cooking liquid.
Pack the spinach loosely into the prepared jars and add enough cooking liquid to maintain a 1 inch headspace.
Release any air bubbles and add more cooking liquid if necessary to keep the right headspace.
Wipe the rims and place the lids onto the jars.
Process the spinach in a pressure canner at 10 lbs. of pressure for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Allow the pressure to drop on it’s own to 0 and let the jars stand in the unopened canner 10 minutes.
Remove the jars carefully and place them in a draft free area to cool completely.
Check the seals to ensure that all your jars have vacuumed sealed correctly.
Boil the spinach for 15 minutes before tasting or eating.
.
Makes 7 quarts

Okay so you’re not Popeye and don’t really like spinach. That’s ok because with this recipe you can use any type of your favorite greens. Collard greens, mustard greens, Swiss chard or even turnip and beet greens will work just fine. Be sure to always select tender stems and leaves to ensure you have a product that is well worth the time and effort.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Processing Time: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes
Standing Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour 55 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 1/2 C serving)
Calories 55; Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 10g; Fiber 7g; Protein 6g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 53mg

Canning Recips, Recipes

Half Pint Tomato Paste

August 22, 2010 No comments

What You Need:

16 lbs. of plum tomatoes, cubed
3 C of sweet bell pepper, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp salt
3 garlic cloves
Bottled lemon juice

How to Make It:

Place all the ingredients except the lemon juice into a 6 qt. pot.
Place the pot over medium heat and slowly cook for 1 hour, stirring often.
Remove the bay leaves and press the mixture through a sieve.
Place the mixture back into the pot and cook over medium low heat for 3 hours, stirring often.
Prepare the canning jars and caps according the manufacturer’s directions.
Pour the hot tomato paste into the jars and leave a 1/4 inch headspace.
Add 1/2 tbsp of the lemon juice to each jar and release the air bubbles.
Add more of the tomato mixture if necessary to maintain the correct headspace.
Wipe the rims of the jars and tighten the lids on by hand.
Place in a water bath canner and process for 30 minutes from the point of boiling.
Remove the jars carefully and allow them to cool in a draft free area.
Check the seals and place any jars that did not seal correctly in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks.

Makes 16 half pints

To check the thickness of your tomato paste, place a spoonful of the paste in the middle of a plate. After 1 minute check to see if water is seeping out around the paste. If there is water cook for an additional 30 minutes then recheck. If you have an over abundance of tomatoes this is a great way to use them up. This tomato paste can be used in sauces, soups or even as a pizza sauce. Add your seasoning to the paste just before you are ready to use it to give a rich flavor.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 4 hours
Processing Time: approximately 30 minutes
Total Time: approximately 4 hours 45 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 1/2 C serving)
Calories 48; Fat 1g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 11g; Fiber 2g; Protein 2g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 455mg

Canning Recips, Recipes

Sweet Pickle and Bell Pepper Relish

August 20, 2010 No comments

What You Need:

6 cucumbers
2 green bell peppers
2 red bell peppers
3 onions
1/4 C of pickling salt
5 qts of cold water
3 C of sugar
2 C of cider vinegar
2 1/2 tsp celery seed
2 1/2 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp turmeric

How to Make It:

Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and chop very fine to measure 6 C.
Remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers and chop very fine, measuring out 3 C.
Peel the onions and chop very fine to measure 3 C.
Place the cucumbers, peppers and onions into a 5 qt. bowl and sprinkle with the salt.
Add enough cold water to completely cover the vegetables.
Let the covered vegetables stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
Run the vegetables under cold water to rinse and allow them to thoroughly drain.
Place the sugar, vinegar, celery and mustard seeds and turmeric into a 5 qt. pot.
Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Place the vegetables into the pot and return to a brisk boil.
Reduce the heat to medium high and cook the vegetables for 25 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated.
Prepare the canning jars and two piece caps as directed by the manufacturer.
Lightly compact the hot relish into the jars leaving a 1/4 inch head space.
Release the air bubbles and add more relish if necessary to preserve the correct head space.
Wipe the jar rims and hand tighten the lids.
Process the relish in a water bath canner for 10 minutes from the point of boiling.
Cool in a draft free area and check the seals before storing.
Any jars that are not sealed correct should be refrigerated and used within 2 months.

Makes 7 half pints

There’s nothing like a good relish to liven up burgers, hot dogs or your favorite salads. Try adding a little of this relish to tuna salad, macaroni salad or even to salad dressing. Make your own Thousand Island dressing and add a little of this sweet delight to give it a special touch.

Preparation Time: approximately 30 minutes
Standing Time: approximately 2 hours
Cooking Time: approximately 25 minutes
Processing Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 2 hours 05 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 2 tbsp serving)
Calories 51; Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 13g; Fiber 0g; Protein 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 499mg

Canning Recips, Recipes
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