September 14, 2010
Getting Your Kids in the Kitchen (Baked Egg Cups Recipe)
It's been a long day. You're tired from work. You're tired from cleaning. You're tired from diaper changing, nose wiping and boo-boo kissing. You're tired of driving during rush hour or struggling to fit the stroller in the trunk. You're just plain tired. Now, it's time for dinner.
I'm willing to bet the last thing on your mind when you think "dinner" is inviting your kids into the kitchen, assigning tasks, risking the possibility of larger messes, more dishes and spills. Oh the spills.
Yet I'm here to tell you that the spills, the frustrations, the bite-your-tongue patience is worth it. Cooking with your kids is rewarding, and it can enhance the dinner experience, not just drag it out.
Sure, having your kids underfoot can mean more work, both in the prep and the clean-up time, but once you see the benefits, you may start incorporating your children into more of your kitchen activities.
Here are a few reasons to cook with your kids:- Teach lifelong lessons. By showing your children how to cook, explaining to them why we add ingredients and when, you are teaching them skills that will be useful throughout their lives. It's never too early to learn how to feed and care for yourself and, more importantly, to make the right choices about how and why we do those things.
- Encourage healthy eating. By getting kids touching the food and involved in the cooking process, you're introducing them to new flavors and textures. Show your kids that raw carrots taste different than cooked carrots and that pasta needs to be boiled to get that familiar al dente texture we're so fond of. The more aware of the food they eat, the more chance your children will make healthy choices and not be afraid of those healthy foods.
- Get through picky stages. All of my kids go through a picky period or what I prefer to call an independent phase where they start refusing the meals that are prepared for them. By getting them involved in the process, we've successfully made it through and back out the other side of said phases. We continue to offer the same variety of foods and request they try them. By involving our children in the process of cooking, we enable them to make informed choices.
How to get your kids involved at different ages:
Under Age 5:
- pour pre-measured ingredients
- stir dry ingredients together
- snap tops off beans or peas
- smash crackers into crumbs for crusts and breading
- set the table
Ages 5 to 7:
- all of the above, plus...
- cut soft fruits and vegetables (tomatoes, peaches with pits removed)
- measure dry ingredients
- wash fruits and vegetables
- crack eggs
- decorate cakes and cupcakes with sprinkles
- load utensils and measuring cups into the dishwasher
Ages 7 to 9:
- all of the above, plus...
- measure ingredients
- frost cupcakes and cakes
- wipe down surfaces
- load the dishwashser
- separate eggs
Age 10 and Over:
- all of the above, plus...
- use small kitchen appliances like mixers, food processor or blender
- chop fruits and vegetables
- add/remove things from the oven
- use the stovetop
- everything!
Baked Egg Cups
- Croissant Dough
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 slices of Smithfield Naturally Hickory Smoke Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 3 tablespoons fresh herbs (I used basil and chives)
- 8 eggs
- ¼ cup cream
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin. Roll out croissant dough and cut 4" squares. Press dough into 8 muffin cups. In each cup sprinkle cheese, bacon and herbs, reserving 1 tablespoon of herbs. Crack eggs into cups and top with ½ tablespoon of cream each. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and top with remaining herbs. Bake cups at 375 degrees F until eggs are almost set. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes to finish cooking. Eat and enjoy.Kids can:
- Press dough into muffin cups
- Sprinkle cheese, bacon and herbs into cups
- Crack eggs if older or pour already cracked eggs into the wells
- Pour cream on top
- Sprinkle remaining herbs over the eggs Do you cook with your kids?
