cooking/baking projects with kids- ideas please

Muffins are always a big hit here. They are so simple to make that the kids get to do a lot of the actual work and they don’t require a mixer or anything. I usually let one kid mix the wet ingredients and one the dry. So many fun and healthy variation you can try on a basic recipe, maybe teach them about a base recipe and let them each choose the mix ins for their own batch?

Since it is rainy in you area maybe a pot of soup too? My kids love to dump stuff onto a large pot and stir :o) it simmers all day and we get to enjoy the aroma and with muffins and soup you’d have dinner done.

The latest issue of Food Network Magazine has a fun article about quick bread that has a really fun chart breaking down the recipe and variation options to creat your own recipe.

And speaking of food network, sometimes for a treat I’ll turn on a show or two in the afternoon and we’ll all take notes and get ideas together for recipes to try and then sort of do our own “cooking shows” together. (yes, I did just feel slightly embarised writing that :o) But seriously it gets the kids (and me! ) all inspired about cooking.

One last thing we have had fun with is menu planning. I’ll tell each of the girls 5&6 to plan out a whole supper menu for us. They’ll draw pictures and I help with the words and then I grocery shop for their ingredients next time I’m out. Although if you have slightly older kids or need a field trip taking them and teaching them how to economically grocery shop could be fun. The process is good because lots of topics come up as they plan their menus, taste, color, nutrition, what things go-together, a balanced meal, etc.

Anyway, I could go on and on, I love to cook (and eat :o)