Cooking With Kids

The staff at Yayme! love to encourage cooking in the kitchen with kids and that is why we are so proud of our Little Chefs range.  Our personalised range of recipe books and aprons will have your kids looking and feeling like a professional in no time at all.

Cooking helps children with many important life skills such as learning how to follow instructions, fostering important kitchen skills, teaching independence and allowing them to express their creativity.  It doesn’t really matter what they are cooking as any recipe will give them these skills and more.

Here is a yummy Anzac Muffin Recipe which gives a fun spin on the traditional Anzac cookie we know and love.  Perfect for a lunch time treat or as a snack when they come home from school.

Anzac Muffins

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups  milk
  • 100g butter
  • 4 tbsp golden syrup
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup dessicated coconut
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (topping)
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats (topping)

Method

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk with the butter and golden syrup. Bring to the boil and whisk in the baking soda. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, brown sugar and coconut.

Whisk the egg into the milk and butter mixture.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, folding until just moist. Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin cups.

In a bowl, combine the brown sugar and rolled oats for the topping. Spoon topping evenly over each muffin cup. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Cool in the tin for 5 mins and then let cool on a wire rack.

For other great recipes, check out Kidspot.

Investment Cooking

As my week days are really busy, I like to prepare myself on the weekend with some “investment” cooking.  This alleviates the pressure to prepare dishes when I get home on a regular basis.

Osso Bucco is one of my kid’s favourites - inspired by Gary Mehigan of MasterChef fame.  Osso bucco is a very cheap cut of meat, but the flavour is just amazing.  Traditionally this is cooked with veal osso bucco, however I find beef osso bucco shanks just as good.  The price for this can vary between $4.50 per kg up to $8.50 per kg.

Osso Bucco

Ingredients

  • 4-5 pieces of osso bucco, lightly dusted in seasoned (salt & pepper) flour
  • 1 bowl coarsely chopped onion
  • 1 bowl diced carrots
  • 1 bowl diced celery
  • 1 leek, coarsely chopped (my special ingredient)
  • Garlic – to taste
  • 500 ml beef, chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 cups of wine (red or white)
  • 1 large can chopped tomatoes
  • Salt to taste
  • Parsley and grated lemon rind

Method

Brown off in olive oil in a deep oven proof dish, remove from pan.

Sauté onions, carrots, celery, leek and garlic.

Add stock, wine and bring to boil, add chopped tomatoes.

Add browned and seasoned osso bucco.

Cover dish and place in a medium oven for approximately 2 hours.

Before serving grate some lemon zest and add chopped parsley.  Serve with either mash or pasta.  Yum!

This recipe serves approximately 6 and always tastes better on day two.