William Penn Life, 2000 (35. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2000-05-01 / 5. szám
Treasured Recipes ith C^ließ \Jilmoá Kid-fnendy cookies The easiest way to get your kids to help you in the kitchen is by asking them to help you make something they like to eat. Try making Unci pogácsa, more popularly known as “thumbprint cookies” because of the dent you make in each cookie to hold a fruit filling. I’ve found that kids love to make the dents, either with a spoon or a (well-washed) thumb. Linci Pogácsa (Unci Cookies) Z* tsp. salt Zi lb. butter 4 eggs separated Vi cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups flour Zi cup crushed almonds mixed with 'A cup sugar Zi cup rasberry jam Beat butter until creamy, add egg yolks one at a time. Add vanilla and sugar. Beat well, fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Add flour and salt. Roll out on lightly floured board to 'A -inch thickness. Cut with round cookie cutter. Brush tops with beaten egg. Press center of cookies with teaspoon to make a dent. Sprinkle with almond mixture. Bake in 325 degree oven for about 20 minutes. When done, fill center with jam. A recipe for cooking with kids It goes without saying~but I'm going to say it anyway—that one of the most important influences on any person's life is that person's mother. But, in my case, my mama's influence went beyond the type of person I became. Although she never realized it, she also influenced what I am: a chef. Mama loved to cook. Our kitchen was her kitchen. It was the place she expressed her personality, her creativity and her love for her family. To work with her in the kitchen was more than a chore, more than a joy—it was an honor. Among my fondest childhood memories were the days I spent helping mama make pierogies. Twice a year, before the Thanksgiving/ Christmas holiday season and before Easter, I would spend a day-literally, all dayin the kitchen helping mama create dozens of those wonderful filled pasta pockets. At the time, my major motivation for helping on those days was to be the first in our house to sample the freshly made pierogies. It wasn't until well after mama passed away that I realized the greatest value of those pierogie days lay in the time I got to share with her. Therein lies the key to how and why parents should get their children to help in the kitchen. Certainly, by helping to prepare and serve meals and to clean up afterwards, a child learns vital lessons in self-sufficiency. But to get your kids in the kitchen-and to get the most out of the experience-you parents must remember the following: • Put less emphasis on the "chore" aspects of helping and more on the fun. • Pick a food your kids love, one they would eat 24/7 (you know, 24 hours a day/seven days a week). For me, it was pierogies; for them, it might be cabbage rolls, cookies or jalapeno poppers. • Assign tasks appropriate to your kids' abilities. Don't give them only simple tasks that may quickly bore them nor ones they may be too young to perform safely. The task should allow them to use their judgment and/or creativity (for example, spooning filling into the pierogies or decorating the cookies). • Show your child how to do the task. Encourage them to ask questions. Have them perform the »tv#, task as you watch (but don't stick your nose in . 1 their work). If your kids seem to know what to do, walk away and let them do their thing while you do yours. Check every once in a while to make sure they're doing the task correctly and ask if they have any questions. • BE PATIENT. A task that may seem like second nature to you is a new experience to your kids. Expect mistakes, imperfection and perhaps a bit of frustration. Stay cool. Be positive and supportive. • There's more to this than meets the eye. You and your kids are making more than a meal or favorite treat. Without trying to sound too heavy, I can attest from personal experience that you and your kids will be strengthening and deepening the bonds between you. That's what you and your kids will truly savor, fiyjij] 10 Williai Píii Lile, May 2000
