cooking with kids

Full of veges and flavour, these easy chicken pies make a quick and kid-friendly dinner!

Open chicken pies

(about 500 grams) Lilydale Free Range Chicken Breasts

(320 grams) frozen vegetables

x 30 grams packet spring vegetable soup mix

mayonnaise

cheddar

(25cm) puff pastry

Mixed salad leaves,

This basic batter recipe for crêpes and pancakes is a versatile foundation for either sweet or savoury fillings

Classic Crêpes

plain flour

whole milk

eggs

unsalted butter,melted,

Classic crêpes

Sift the flour with a pinch of salt into a medium-size bowl and make a well in the middle. Mix the milk and 100ml of water together. Break the eggs into the well and start whisking slowly. Add the milk and water in a steady stream, whisking constantly and gradually incorporating the flour as you do so.

Whisk until the batter is smooth and all the flour has been incorporated. Set the batter aside to rest for 30 mins, then whisk the melted butter into the batter.

Heat the pan over a medium heat. Very lightly grease the pan with melted butter. Using a ladle, pour roughly 2 tbsp of batter into the pan and swirl it around so the bottom of the pan is evenly coated. You want to use just enough batter to make a delicate, lacy pancake. Cook the pancake for about 45 secs on one side until golden and then using a palette knife or fish slice, flip the pancake over and cook the other side for about 30 secs until it freckles.

Slide the pancake out of the pan and either serve immediately or stack on a plate with baking parchment in between. Continue until all the batter is used up.

This saltine toffee is easier than the real deal and so much ore tasty. Perfect for last minute holiday gifting. 

Christmas Bark 

saltine crackers (about 1 sleeve; enough to line a rimmed baking sheet)

unsalted butter

brown sugar

salt

vanilla extract

semisweet chocolate chips (about 11 ounces)

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange the saltine crackers in a single layer on the baking sheet. 

Place the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring just a few times, for 3 minutes. The mixture will be thickened slightly and homogeneous. 

Working quickly, pour the hot toffee mixture over the crackers, spreading it so most of the crackers are completely covered. 

Bake until the toffee is bubbling and both the crackers and toffee are beginning to brown, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Let the chocolate melt for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to spread the chocolate into an even layer. Set aside to cool for at least 2 hours before cutting into 30 pieces.

Kids will love these easy-to-make no-bake treats!

Chocolate Clusters

pkg. (225 g) Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate

butterscotch chips

butter

Kraft Peanut Butter

chow mein noodles

peanuts

Place chocolate, chips, butter and peanut butter in large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM 3 to 4 min. or until chocolate and chips are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring every 2 min. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. 

Drop tablespoonfuls of the noodle mixture into 36 (1-inch) mounds on waxed paper-covered baking sheets. 

Refrigerate 30 min. or until firm. Store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator.

Have you ever made ice cream with your kids? Well, this 2 ingredient ice cream is the ideal recipe to start with. Get them to fold in their favourite flavours for a special treat.

2 ingredient ice cream recipe

pouring cream

tin sweetened condensed milk

This is a basic fudge recipe made from pantry ingredients. You can add flavours like orange or peppermint and even add fruit and nuts.

Easy chocolate fudge recipe

395 g sweetened condensed milk

milk chocolate (roughly chopped)

https://resources.newscdn.com.au/cs/video/vjs/stable/build/index.html?id=Nyc3R4NzE6KKZkzHhmJfcEgueM9pbw9k&=domain=kidspot

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An easy pancake batter recipe with tips on how to make the best pancakes every time with sweet or savoury toppings

Perfect pancakes recipe

semi-skimmed milk

sunflower oil

Put 100g plain flour and a pinch of salt into a large <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-mixing-bowls">mixing bowl</a>.

Make a well in the centre and crack 2 eggs into the middle.

Pour in about 50ml from the 300ml of semi-skimmed milk and 1 tbsp sunflower oil then start <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/best-gadgets-making-pancakes">whisking</a> from the centre, gradually drawing the flour into the eggs, milk and oil. Once all the flour is incorporated, beat until you have a smooth, thick paste. Add a little more milk if it is too stiff to beat.

Add a good splash of milk and whisk to loosen the thick batter. While still whisking, pour in a steady stream of the remaining milk. Continue pouring and whisking until you have a batter that is the consistency of slightly thick single cream.

Heat the <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/best-gadgets-making-pancakes">pan</a> over a moderate heat, then wipe it with oiled kitchen paper.

Ladle some batter into the pan, tilting the pan to move the mixture around for a thin and even layer. Quickly pour any excess batter into the mixing bowl, return the pan to the heat.

Leave to cook, undisturbed, for about 30 secs. If the pan is the right temperature, the pancake should turn golden underneath after about 30 secs and will be ready to turn.

Hold the pan handle, ease a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/best-gadgets-making-pancakes">palette knife</a> under the pancake, then quickly lift and flip it over. Make sure the pancake is lying flat against the base of the pan with no folds, then cook for another 30 secs before turning out onto a warm plate.

Continue with the rest of the batter, serving them as you cook or stack onto a plate. You can freeze the pancakes for 1 month, wrapped in cling film or make them up to a day ahead.

Debbie Major&#8217;s flapjack recipe uses stem ginger for extra oomph. Cooked until gooey or crisp – either way these tasty treats are best enjoyed alongside a cup of tea.

Easy ginger flapjack bars

demerara sugar

golden syrup

1½ tsp ground ginger

chopped stem ginger

rolled oats

jumbo oats

You’ll also need…

Grease the cake tin with a little butter. Melt the butter, demerara sugar and golden syrup in a large pan. Remove from the heat and stir in a pinch of salt, ground ginger, chopped stem ginger, rolled oats and jumbo oats. Press into the tin with the back of a spoon. Cook for 25 minutes for a chewy bake or 30 minutes for crisp.

Remove the tin from the oven and leave for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the outside of the flapjacks, then score into 12. Leave until cold before cutting into bars.

Kids can help with this Japanese dish. They can help cook the sticky rice and then roll and assemble the pieces with their preferred ingredients

Simple sushi

sushi rice

milliliters rice wine vinegar

golden caster sugar

tbsp rice wine vinegar

soy sauce

bag nori (seaweed) sheets

onion

(optional

pickled ginger

KIDS the writing in bold is for you. ADULTS the rest is for you. TO MAKE SUSHI ROLLS: Pat out some rice. Lay a nori sheet on the mat, shiny-side down. Dip your hands in the vinegared water, then pat handfuls of rice on top in a 1cm thick layer, leaving the furthest edge from you clear.

Spread over some Japanese mayonnaise. Use a spoon to spread out a thin layer of mayonnaise down the middle of the rice.

Add the filling. Get your child to top the mayonnaise with a line of their favourite fillings – here we’ve used tuna and cucumber.

Roll it up. Lift the edge of the mat over the rice, applying a little pressure to keep everything in a tight roll.

Stick down the sides like a stamp. When you get to the edge without any rice, brush with a little water and continue to roll into a tight roll.

Wrap in cling film. Remove the mat and roll tightly in cling film before a grown-up cuts the sushi into thick slices, then unravel the cling film.

TO MAKE PRESSED SUSHI: Layer over some smoked salmon. Line a loaf tin with cling film, then place a thin layer of smoked salmon inside on top of the cling film.

Cover with rice and press down. Press about 3cm of rice over the fish, fold the cling film over and press down as much as you can, using another tin if you have one.

Tip it out like a sandcastle. Turn block of sushi onto a chopping board. Get a grown-up to cut into fingers, then remove the cling film.

TO MAKE SUSHI BALLS: Choose your topping. Get a small square of cling film and place a topping, like half a prawn or a small piece of smoked salmon, on it. Use damp hands to roll walnut-sized balls of rice and place on the topping.

Make into tight balls. Bring the corners of the cling film together and tighten into balls by twisting it up, then unwrap and serve.

This recipe is part of Food Editor Barney's 'cooking with kids' series. Here, Barney and his daughter Maisie make chicken skewers with peanut sauce

Chicken satay

ginger

garlic

lime

tsp clear honey

tbsp mild curry powder

peanut butter

pack skinless chicken breast

coconut milk

vegetable oil

cooked rice and lime wedges,

cucumber

tbsp white wine vinegar

sweet chilli sauce (optional)

coriander leaves picked (optional)

KIDS the writing in bold is for you. GROWN-UPS the rest is for you. Make a yummy marinade. Peel the ginger and help them to finely grate it and tip it into a bowl. Repeat with the garlic and lime zest. Halve the lime and get your child to juice it, then mix it in a bowl with the honey, soy, curry powder and peanut butter. Get them to give it a good mix, adding a small splash of water if it’s too stiff, then help them spoon two-thirds of the mix into a small pan. Set aside for Step 4.

Now for some chicken bashing! Put the chicken in the sandwich bag, one breast at a time, getting your child to flatten each one with a rolling pin or a meat mallet – this isn’t essential, but they like doing it.

Mix the chicken with the marinade you made. Cut the chicken into strips, tip it into the remaining third of the peanut-butter mix, then get your child to stir well. Cover with cling film and chill until required. This can be done up to 3 hrs ahead.

Cook your tasty sauce. While the chicken is marinating, pour the coconut milk into the pan and get your child to stir together with the peanut butter mix. The sauce needs to be heated gently and stirred – suitable for confident seven- or eight-year olds, under strict adult supervision.

'Sew' the chicken onto the skewers. The chicken needs to be threaded into ‘S’ shapes onto the skewers. Get your child to thread the skewers away from themselves, being careful of the sharp points. Younger ones might find this a little fiddly, so they could just push on small chunks.

Paint the tray with oil and cook the chicken. Heat the grill to high and get your child to brush a baking tray with oil. They can then line up the skewers on the tray. Grill the skewers for about 10 mins, turning occasionally, until lightly charred.

Make cucumber ribbons with a peeler. Using a swivel-blade peeler, get your child to peel the cucumber into a bowl, then carry on peeling the cucumber flesh into ribbons until they get to the seeds. Repeat with each side of the cucumber.

Mix a dressing for the cucumber. Get your child to mix the vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves – explain what dissolves means. Add the sweet chilli, if using, then pour over the cucumber. Add coriander if your child likes it, or serve on the side for the grown-ups. To serve, put the skewers on a platter, the sauce and salad in bowls, and serve with rice and lime wedges on the side.

Let little hands stir, roll and cut out the shapes, then sandwich with strawberry jam for fun, fruity biscuits

Jammy dodger flowers

strawberry jam

caster sugar

vanilla paste

To make the biscuits, mix together the butter and sugar in a bowl with a wooden spoon until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla, and continue to beat by hand until fully incorporated. You will need to scrape the edges of the bowl down for this part.

Tip the flour into the mixture and fold together until fully combined, then shape into a ball. Roll the dough out onto a floured sheet of baking parchment to a depth of around 5mm. Transfer the sheet to a baking tray and put in the fridge for 10 mins to firm up.

Remove from the fridge and press out your biscuits using a 6cm flower-shaped cutter (you could use any shaped cutters to make these). You will need 16 base biscuits and 16 top biscuits, with small holes or flowers of around 3cm cut out of them.

Recombine your dough off-cuts and reroll them on a floured surface. Try to be fairly quick doing this, as the mixture will warm up and get sticky. If it does, just pop it back in the fridge to firm up again.

Once the shapes are cut out, arrange on 2 baking sheets lined with baking parchment and leave to cool in the fridge for 10 mins.

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Bake the biscuits for 7 mins, then take them out of the oven and sprinkle the tops with caster sugar. Return all the biscuits to the oven and cook for a further 5 mins. Take out and allow to cool fully on a wire rack. When cool, spread jam on the bottom biscuit and top with another biscuit, sandwiching them together. Will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container.

Teach 8-14 year olds how to make fairy cakes and guarantee a fun kitchen activity

Iced fairy cakes

self-raising flour

tsp vanilla extract

icing sugar

food colouring, sprinkles, marshmallows etc

Ask a grown-up helper to turn the oven on to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put a paper case in hole of a 12-hole bun tin.

Put the sugar and butter (it must be soft or you won’t be able to mix it properly) in a bowl and mix it together. Sift in the flour.

Break the eggs into a separate bowl (spoon out any bits of shell that fall in) and add them to the bowl with the vanilla. Mix everything together.

Divide between the cases using a spoon, scraping it off with a knife. Ask a grown-up helper to put the tray in the oven for 20 minutes.

Mix the butter and icing sugar to make a creamy icing. Add colouring, if you like. Push an icing nozzle into an icing bag, then scoop in the icing.

Let the cakes cool completely in the tray. Pipe icing onto each cake and decorate with marshmallows or sprinkles, or whatever you like.

Kids will love to help assemble this easiest ever pasta bake with streaky bacon, beef mince, a crème fraîche sauce and gooey mozzarella

Easy classic lasagne

olive oil

rashers smoked streaky bacon

celery stick, finely chopped

carrot

beef mince

tomato purée

tomatoes

tbsp clear honey

pack fresh egg lasagne sheets

fraîche

ball mozzarella

freshly grated parmesan

basil leaves

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Use kitchen scissors to snip the bacon into small pieces, or use a sharp knife to chop it on a chopping board. Add the bacon to the pan and cook for just a few mins until starting to turn golden. Add the onion, celery and carrot, and cook over a medium heat for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 min, then tip in the mince and cook, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for about 6 mins until browned all over.

Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 min, mixing in well with the beef and vegetables. Tip in the chopped tomatoes. Fill each can half full with water to rinse out any tomatoes left in the can, and add to the pan. Add the honey and season to taste. Simmer for 20 mins.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To assemble the lasagne, ladle a little of the ragu sauce into the bottom of the roasting tin or casserole dish, spreading the sauce all over the base. Place 2 sheets of lasagne on top of the sauce overlapping to make it fit, then repeat with more sauce and another layer of pasta. Repeat with a further 2 layers of sauce and pasta, finishing with a layer of pasta.

Put the crème fraîche in a bowl and mix with 2 tbsp water to loosen it and make a smooth pourable sauce. Pour this over the top of the pasta, then top with the mozzarella. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top and bake for 25&ndash;30 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve scattered with basil, if you like.

These doughnuts are baked, not fried, and any kid will be delighted to find one in their lunchbox!

Iced doughnuts

(75 grams) plain flour

baking powder

(55 grams) caster sugar

(60 milliliters) milk

egg, beaten

dark chocolate melts

100s and 1000s

This creamy porridge is the perfect breakfast treat.

Creamy vanilla porridge with brown sugar apples

(180 grams) rolled oats

(750 milliliters) milk

300 milliliters pure (thin) cream,

vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

Brown sugar apples

red apples, cored,

honey

Fluffy vegetarian tortilla is a great meal to make with older children - this one's filled with peppers and potatoes

Spanish omelette

waxy potato,

onions,

red pepper, finely chopped

pack chives

Finely slice the onions and chop the red pepper, removing the seeds. Cut the potatoes into roughly ½ cm slices.

Heat a knob of butter in a medium (about 24cm) frying pan over a low heat and cook gently for 10 – 15 until starting to go brown, add the peppers and cook for a further 5 mins.

Put the potatoes in a steamer over boiling water for 10 - 12 mins to soften. If you don’t have a steamer, put in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and simmer gently for around 8 - 10 mins until just cooked through and drain well.

Break the eggs into a jug and beat with a fork, season with a generous grind of pepper and a pinch of salt. Use scissors to snip the chives into small pieces and stir in.

Heat the grill. Add a little more butter to the frying pan and add the potatoes. Pour over the egg mixture. Cook for 15 mins until almost set and golden brown underneath - you can use a fish slice to lift the omelette up and check. Put the frying pan under the grill. Make sure the handle is outside the oven as it will become very hot and can burn. Cook for a further minute or two and serve.

The latest in our cooking with kids series looks at kneading, rolling and sauce skills- then let your child build their own pizza from their favourite toppings

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