Kid’s Corner

Kid’s Corner

Recipes Perfect for Kids to Make

Are you looking for some easy recipes for your kids to make?  I know with all this time at home, my kids want to be in the kitchen with me or just make some things on their own.  We all have a little more time to be patient with them and help them learn more or new skills.  Teaching your kiddos to cook is an important part of growing up.  Someday they will need to do it – girls and boys (fun fact – I have more boys sign up for my cooking classes than girls).  

I have given my kids a day of the week on which they are to make dinner.  They get to choose a recipe and make it either on their own or with my help.  It has been fun for them to make something that they love to eat or have wanted to try.  Here are some easy and delicious recipes your kids might want to try.  Just click on the picture to go to the recipe.

Air Fryer chicken nuggets that are just as tender and juicy as Chicl-fil-A
Baked Ziti might be our family’s favorite dinner. It is easy and never disappoints.
Sloppy Joes are easy for kiddos to make and this homemade version is so tasty.
Buttermilk Pancakes and Syrup – these are better than IHOP and easy to make.
Alfredo sauce is easy and a kid favorite. You might forget you’re at home and not at the Olive Garden.
Instant Pot Ziti is creamy, delicious, and so easy it will become a new family favorite.
Dirt Cake is always a fun recipe for kids. Add some gummy worms for extra fun.
Chocolate Chip cookies are always a favorite for kids to make. These won’t last long so grab one (or three) while they are still warm.
Southwest Ranch Dip – a spicy dip that will satisfy the afternoon snack craving. Easy to make and with chips, on tacos, nachos, or salads.
Lemon sheet cake is a house favorite and a great recipe to make to start to develop baking skills.

If you are looking for a fun project to do with your younger kids this next idea would be a great reading and math activity. The book is fun and engaging and the recipe uses measurements and fractions.

Mrs. Peter’s Birthday Cake

I love children’s story books and I am kind of sad that my children have out grown them.  I won’t get rid of my collection, though.  They will come in handy when I am a grandma so they are staying right where they are.

When I was little, my favorite book was Anatole.  It is about a little mouse in France who goes into a cheese factory at night and rates the cheeses.  He leaves tiny little notes on them for the humans to see in the morning.  His critiques are spot on and the humans soon rely on him for is impeccable taste.  Will the humans find out it is a mouse tasting their cheese?  It is a fun book and I highly recommend it.

While Anatole is still one of my favorites, I also love the book by Mary Ann Hoberman, The Seven Silly Eaters.  It is about a mom that has seven children who like different foods.  As a loving mom, she makes them all what they like : one likes warm milk, another likes pink lemonade, another smooth oatmeal, fried eggs, poached eggs, homemade bread, applesauce!  After so may years, she is exhausted!  For her birthday the children decide to give her a break and make all of their favorite things.  It ends in a disastrous mess, however, that mess turns into a lovely pink birthday cake.  (Is it a coincidence that my two favorite children’s books involve food?)

For my kids cooking class the other day, we read the story and then made Mrs. Peter’s birthday cake.  It was fun to see how all those ingredients came together to make this cake.  We made them into small bundt cakes so they could take them home, but you could make a large bundt cake or just a regular rectangle or circle.  We also made a lemon glaze to add lemon flavor because you don’t get much from the recipe.  You could add more lemon juice to the recipe to make the cake have a stronger lemon flavor if you wanted, but I like the lemon glaze.

This is a great activity for young kids.  The book’s illustrations are so fun – so much to look at on each page.  Also, Mary Ann Hoberman writes in rhyme which I think makes it even more fun to read.  Grab this book at the library or click the link in the title above and snag it on Amazon.  I promise you won’t be sorry.  You and your kids will love it and how fun will it be to make the cake after reading the story?  Great summer activity!

Print

Mrs. Peter’s Birthday Cake

This pink cake made with applesauce and oatmeal brings The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman to life. Topped with lemon glaze, your whole family will enjoy it.

Course Dessert
Keyword Mrs. Peter’s Birthday Cake, The Seven Silly Eaters
Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup oatmeal
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 6 drops red food coloring

Lemon Glaze

  • 3 Tbsp butter melted
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/8 cup lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10 inch tube/bundt pan.

  2. Blend the oatmeal in a food processor or blender until the oats are broken down. It doesn't have to be a fine powder, but you don't want big pieces of oats.

  3. In a bowl, warm the milk to 70°F. Add the lemon juice, stir and let sit until thickened.

  4. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, blending well.

  5. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in oatmeal.

  6. Blend applesauce with thickened milk and red food coloring.

  7. Stir dry ingredients into the egg mixture alternately with the milk/applesauce mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

  8. Pour batter into prepared pan. Set on the middle oven rack and bake for 40-50 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.

  9. Cool cake in the pan or on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove pan from cake.

  10. For the glaze, mix all ingredients together until smooth. Pour over slightly warm cake and let cool until set.