1.  Burns: If you are cooking with older kids and also have an infant in your care, the only safe place for him/her while you are cooking is in the play pen, high chair or crib.

2. If a child does get burned, put cold water on the burned area immediately.  Then cover the burn loosely with a bandage or clean cloth.  Call the doctor for all burns.

BE PREPARED – know where the First Aid Kit is in your house

Cooking With Kids

Cooking with children has many benefits.  It is a wonderful way for adults and children to have fun together while the children learn important skills.  Cooking activities can: help to develop hand-eye coordination, help to improve small motor skills, encourage the ability to do things in a logical order, and build reading and math skills.  Through cooperation it can give the children an important sense of accomplishment.  There is no other way we can see, smell, taste and share the results of our efforts.

Children as young as a year can begin to help in the kitchen doing very simple tasks such as putting ingredients into a bowl.  By the time children are 3 or 4 they can start to use a knife, but it must always be with adult supervision.  Cooking on the stove should be limited to older children.  Use the back burner whenever you can, and make sure pot handles don’t stick out where little hands can reach them, or where they can accidentally be knocked off the stove.  Make sure that children wash their hands before cooking, and if theyr are handling meat or eggs they should always wash afterwards as well.   Remember to teach children that clean-up is part of cooking.  Here are some recipes to get you started:

Soft Pretzels

1 package yeast

1 tsp. salt

4 cups flour

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 Tbs. sugar

1 egg, beaten

Stir yeast into water.  Add the sugar and salt.  Blend in flour.  Knead until smooth.  Cut into pieces and roll long and skinny.  Let the children make balls, worms, letters, etc.  Put on foil lined greased cookie sheet.  Brush with egg.  Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Fruit Smoothie

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 banana and/or pieces of most any other fruit – melon, berries, peach, etc.

2 tsp honey

dried mint or a sprinkle of cinnamon if you wish.

Put all ingredients in the jar of a blender – don’t fill it to the top, as it needs space to blend.  Blend until smooth.  You can also blend in some ice for a frosty treat

Muddy Hand Cookies

2/3 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa mix

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together.  Add eggs and mix well.  Add dry ingredients, blending thoroughly.  Chill dough until firm.  Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick.  Lay you hand on the dough and cut around it to make your hand print.  Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes

English Muffin Pizza

6 English Muffins, split

1 package shredded mozzarella cheese

1 can or jar pizza sauce

Line a cookie sheet with foil and place English muffin halves on it.  Spread with the pizza sauce.  Sprinkle with the cheese.  Bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes.  Add other toppings (vegetables or meat) if you wish