Kids Cook A Book Program

This is a great program to get kids to interact with stories they know and love.  So often we use books to inspire craft projects, why not cooking projects.  I got this idea form a summer reading program in NY that took place in the nineties when I was a kid.  I remember going to the library and cooking recipes the librarians created from picture books.  When the summer was over I got a little cookbook of the recipes we made which I still have!  I would love to know if anyone knows the official name of that summer reading program or if they have any of the materials left from that summer.  A far stretch I know.

Some other great books you can cook from are:
Goldilocks and the Three Bears - Porridge
Pinkalicious- Cupcake decorating
Wemberly's Ice Cream Star- Ice Cream Soup
Stone Soup-Soup with a few nice stones in it
Dirty Harry- Dog Biscuits
The Very Hungary Caterpillar- Fruit Salad
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Hungry Bear-Strawberry Shortcake
The Pumpkin- No bake Pumpkin Pie
The Carrot Seed- Carrot Seed Dip
Hello Pizza Man!- English Muffin Pizzas
Seven Silly Eaters- Silly Surprise
The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming by Lemony Snicket- Latkes or Potato Pancakes

Read the short story "Cookies" from the book Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel When you have finished reading work with children to prepare the No Bake Cookie Recipe.

No Bake Cookies

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. cocoa
1/2 c. butter
Dash of salt
3 c. quick oats
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix first 5 ingredients together in heavy saucepan. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add oatmeal, peanut butter, and vanilla. Drop quickly onto slightly greased cookie sheet or waxed paper. Cool.

Have the child write their name with Sharpie Marker on a piece of wax paper and place the cookies they formed on it.  Place wax paper squares on cookie sheet trays and place in fridge or freezer (dependent on time) for about 30 minutes.  While they are cooling and firming up into cookies now you can do another story.

The Bun by Marcia Brown.  In this folk tale from Russia a crafty bun escapes all sorts of characters in the woods until he meets up with the even craftier Fox.

Baking Powder Biscuits
From the Fannie Farmer Junior Cookbook by Joan Scobey, 1993
Makes 12-15 2 inch biscuits
2 c flour
4 t baking powder
1 t salt
4 T (1/2 stick) butter
3/4 c milk

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into the mixing bowl.
3. Add the butter and cut it into the flour with the pastry blender or 2 dull knives until the granules are about the size of peas.
4. Add the milk a little at a time, mixing with the fork until the dough is soft but not sticky and forms a ball. You may not need all the milk.
5. Sprinkle the pastry board lightly with flour and turn the ball of dough out in the center of it.  Lightly flour the rolling pin and roll the dough out in short quick strokes in every direction, taking care not to press down heavily, until it's about 1/2 inch thick all over.
6. With the 2 inch cookie cutter or the glass cut out rounds from the dough and place them on the cookie sheets.  Press scraps of dough together, roll out again, and cut out more biscuits as before.
7. Bake about 12 to 15 minutes, or until tops are golden.
8. Wearing oven mitts, remove the biscuits from the oven, serve immediately.

A quicker easier recipe for biscuits is to use the recipe on the side of a Bisquick box.  Kids can then use pieces of dried fruit to make a face on their bun before it goes in the oven.  Quick, cute, delicious and easy!