Getting Kids involved in the kitchen....

My kids love to help me in the kitchen and I'm sure yours
do to. With summer approaching I wanted to find some fun
recipes I could do with my kids. Here are a few sites I found.....

Kids Central Kitchen

Kids Health Recipes

Family Fun Recipes

That's My Home

The Fun Place

What are some things you like to make with your kids??

Play Dough Cookies

I got this recipe from my blogging buddy Emily

3/4 C butter
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
2 and 3/4 C flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
assorted food coloring (gel or paste works best)

In a bowl cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla. Beat until smooth. In a bowl combine flour,
baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the creamed
mixture. Stir until soft dough forms. Divide dough into Fourths.
Tint each with a different food coloring. Wrap in plastic and
chill for two hours. Preheat oven to 350. Shape colors into
3/4 inch balls. For each cookie place one pink, one orange,
one green, and one blue ball together and roll to make
one giant ball. Roll into a 12 inch long snake, and then
starting at one end coil roll to make a cookie. Place cookies
2 to 3 inches apart on greased cookie sheet to allow for
spreading. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned.
Enjoy!!

Breakfast Cake

Cake:
1/2 c. oil
2 beaten eggs
1 c. milk
3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Topping:
1 c. brown sugar
4 Tbsp. flour
4 tsp. cinnamon
4 Tbsp melted margarine

Combine oil, eggs, and milk. Sift together dry ingredients; add to
milk mixture. Mix well. Pour 1/2 into greased 9x12 inch pan.
Sprinkle topping over mixture, then spread or dot remaining cake
mixture on top of topping. Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 to 40
minutes.

Crock pot cordon Blue

4-5 chicken breasts
4-5 slices of Swiss cheese
4-5 slices of deli ham
1 can cream of chicken
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs

Place slices of cheese and ham on each chicken breast. Roll
up and secure with toothpicks. Place chicken in the bottom of
crock pot. Mix soup and milk. Pour over chicken breasts.
Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Pink Delight Salad

1 (160z.) Cool Whip
1 can cherry pie filling
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 pkg. miniature marshmallows
1 (80z.) sour cream
1 small pkg. flaked coconut
1 can condensed milk
1 (130z) can crushed pineapple, drained

In large bowl, mix ingredients well and refrigerate.
Makes a big salad.

Oriental Gabbage Salad

Salad:
1 head of cabbage (shredded)
2 Top Ramen (crushed, raw)
green onion, chopped
2 chicken breasts cooked and diced
Sliced almonds

Dressing:
2 T. sugar
salt
pepper
3/4 c. oil
2 T. white vinegar
2 pkg Ramen flavoring

Break uncooked Ramen noodles into pieces, then place noodles
and almonds on a cookie sheet and bake in oven at 400 degrees
until golden brown (only takes a few minutes).

In large bowl, combine chicken pieces, shredded cabbage, and
baked noodles and sliced almonds.

In small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over
salad and toss. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
10 ounces marshmallows
12 ounces chocolate chips
6 cups Rice Krispies

Directions:
Grease a 9x13 inch dish. Microwave butter, marshmallows,
and chocolate chips on high for 2-3 minutes. Stir.
Add Rice Krispies. Mix well. Spread into dish. Chill, then cut
into squares.

Paula Deen's Old Fashioned Meat Loaf

This is my favorite meat loaf! Photo and recipe courtesy of Food Network's, Paula Deen.





1 pound ground beef
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

Topping:
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix all meatloaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf.
Topping: Mix ingredients for topping and spread on loaf. Bake for 1 hour.

Frosty Strawberry Cake

1 angel food cake
6 cups strawberry ice cream, slightly softened
1 pint whipping cream
1⁄2 cup sugar
Red food coloring
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
Sugar to taste

Slice the cake twice horizontally to make three layers.
Spread half of the softened ice cream on the bottom
layer. Cover with the middle layer of cake. Spread remaining
ice cream on top. Then cover with top layer of cake. Freeze
cake until hard. Mix whipping cream and 1⁄2 cup sugar.
Mix in enough red food coloring (a drop at a time) to turn
whipped cream pink. Remove cake from freezer and frost
with whipping cream. Return to freezer until serving time.
Slice strawberries and sprinkle with sugar. Garnish cake with
strawberries.

Easy Fish Tacos

Maybe this doesn't sound appetizing, but its surprisingly delicious! We all love it-even the kids!

1 box(18 oz.) fish tenders or fish sticks
8 corn tortillas
3/4 c. sour cream
1/2 packet taco seasoning
1/2 c. store bought guacamole(or you could go crazy and make it yourself:)
1/4 c. heavy cream
Shredded cabbage or lettuce
Diced red onion(optional)

Bake fish sticks according to package directions. While fish is baking, combine sour cream and taco seasoning in one bowl. Combine guacamole and cream to create "avocado cream" in another bowl. Microwave tortillas(wrap in a wet paper towel) for one minute. To assemble taco, place fish sticks in tortilla, top with sour cream mixture, then with the avocado cream, then with the cabbage and onion. Yummy and easy!

Tamale Pie

2 lb ground beef

2 medium green and/or red sweet peppers - seeded and chopped

1 (11 oz) can cheese soup

2 (2 1/2 oz) cans olives

1 (8 oz) jar of salsa - 3/4 cup

1/4 cup water

2 (8 oz) pkg corn muffin mix

3/4 cup shredded cojak or colby cheese

cherry tomatoes (optional)

In a 12" skillet, cook ground beef and peppers until meat is brown.  Drain.  **Stir in soup, olives, salsa, and water.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Meanwhile, prepare corn muffin mix according to package directions.  Spread half the batter into a greased 9x13 pan.  Spoon hot meat mixture over muffin batter.  Spread remaining batter over meat mixture.  Bake at 350* for 30-35 minutes, or until muffin layer is golden.  Top with cheese.  Serves 12-15.

**You can also add a can of corn or green chilies to the meat mixture.

Chicken Grape Salad

1 lb. chicken, cooked, and diced
1 pkg. bow tie pasta
1 c. mayo
1 c. coleslaw dressing
1/2 c. sliced almonds
1 c. celery, chopped
A bunch of green grapes, cut in half

Cook pasta according to package and cool. Add mayo
and coleslaw dressing to noodles. Mix in other ingredients.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.