Cook It

Cook It – Learn to cook 100 easy recipes
Published at DK Canada

About the book

From breakfast to dinner and snacks to desserts, this children's cookbook is packed with bite-sized lessons on all the cooking techniques for kids to whip up a feast on their own!

Young readers will discover instructions for mastering basic techniques — boiling pasta, making pizza, cooking an egg, or baking bread — each leading to a host of over 100 delicious recipes. Cook It also features a simple picture glossary showing kids the best way to peel, chop, slice, and dice, as well as nutrition facts and menu planners for sleepovers, movie nights, picnics and parties, so kids can plan healthy meals their family and friends will enjoy.

My Thoughts

I’m blessed.   My kids enjoy learning about cooking and my oldest loves to prepare a special meal.  One day after this book has entered the house, he came to me and asked me if we could have pizza for supper. 

“Pizza?   HummmM!   We might not have all we need. “

But he had it all figured out…

“I’ll make the dough from this book (and he proceeded to show me the Cook It book we had just received) and we could put ground chicken, green pepper and bacon.”

“That sounds interesting – sure go ahead!”  And my son left me grinning to prepare the supper.

He proceeded to make the dough from the recipe found in the Light Bites section.

Ingedients

3 2/3 cups white bread flour
1/4 oz active dry yeast
1 pinch of salt
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup olive oil.

You will also need the following equipment:  strainer, large glass bowl, wooden spoon, plastic wrap, baking sheet or pan, and a rolling pin.  

1. Shift the flour into a bowl and add the yeast and salt.  Make a well in the center, then slowly add the warm water.
2. Mix with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients come together.   Add the olive oil and continue to mix until you have a soft dough.
3. Knead firmly using the heel of your hand, folding the dough over as you go.  Do this until the dough becomes soft and spongy.
4. Put the dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place for 30-40 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Pull the dough out on a floured surface, and knead with your knuckles to punch down the air.  Fold the dough over and knead again.  It will become elastic and stretchy.
6. Divide the dough into four balls.  Roll each ball out onto a floured surface until it is about 1/2 inch thick.  Place on a pizza pan or in a metal pan.  You can try different toppings.

We had a yummy meal that night!  And I know for sure that we will explore other recipes from this book.  Already we would like to do the Mashed Potato Pies and the Sunflower Loaves.

The book contains over 100 easy recipes that your kids can explore and experiment to make a meal for you.   It’s a great way to prepare them for life so that they can cook when they leave home.  There are four main sections in the book:

• Breakfast Bites: French toast, four ways with eggs, fruity cereals, fruit smoothies, fruit bars.
• Light Bites: Tomato and couscous salad, tuna and bean salad, picnic salad, tomato soup, butternut squash soup, basic bread, Italian bread, sunflower loaves, cornbread, pizza dough, four ways with pizzas, club sandwich, pita pockets, vegetable platters, four ways with appetizers.
• Main Meals: Lamp hotpot, sausage hotpot, beef pasta, fresh tomato pasta, vegetable lasagna, rice balls, jambalaya, potato salad, fishcakes, mashed potato pies, chili corn carne, mini burgers, BBQ chicken, four ways with kebabs, vegetable tart, tomato and eggplant layers, four ways with sauces, mixed beans stir-fry, rainbow beef, marinated chicken, four ways with roasted vegetables, roast chicken, grilled chicken.
• Sweet Things: strawberry tarts, four ways with cookies, cupcakes, sponge cake, gingerbread, brownies, carrot and orange muffins, frozen yogurt, mint chocolate pots, fridge cake, meringues, blueberry cheesecake,  oat crumble.

Then at the end of the book, your child can learn how to plan a party, a three-course meal and a picnic.

I find it important to prepare our children to be able to cook and be wise in the food that they take.   It is our responsibility as parents to equip them in being young adults who can do more than just boil some water.   That’s why when my kids were younger we used to go to cooking class together and why I still think it is great for them to be able to explore new tastes.   My kids are used to explore new flavors.   One way of doing so is to let them cook themselves.  Sure it takes supervision at first but it will come one day that they can do it themselves.  Why not let them have fun in the kitchen during March Break and prepare something different for a change.

You are not quite ready for letting them loose on themselves with food preparation?  Not a problem.  DK Canada has numerous ideas for you to help entertain your kids during March Break.  Check out the Time to Play Boutique at DK Canada to discover other fun books your kids might like.  From Lego Brickmaster to drawing books, I am sure you will find something interesting for your family!

Cook It is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

     

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.