Knives
Knives are most precious to chefs. They are the most commonly used tool. Using the right knife makes the job easier and faster. A knife should be razor sharp. When knives are used properly dull knives are more dangerous then sharp. Knives should cut through the food not bruise and smash the food. Knives should always be manually washed, carefully, as soon as you are done using them.
When cooking with kids they are intimidated by the large knives. I always start my Little Chefs out with ...
Cooking Tools
In my search for information to teach my children about cooking, I located a book originally printed in 1896 called The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Farmer, now reprinted by Dover Publications. It is interesting to note that the original book was updated and revised through 1990, the thirteenth edition! Fannie Farmer wrote the original edition teaching the reader cooking methods and techniques and sharing over 1200 recipes. (Is Martha Stewart our modern Fannie Farmer?). I ...
Ten Apples Up On Top
We love reading books that can be interactive, so Ten Apples Up On Top! was a great choice for us. We like this book because we can work on our counting and math skills. Not only that, but Dr. Seuss has great books that hold the younger kids attention.
We have always liked reading Ten Apples Up On Top but I had never really thought about actually balancing apples on our head. So we went right to it with our apples in the fridge. Little Chef K had a blast seeing how many apples ...
Cooking Equipment
If you walk through the cooking section of any store you are overwhelmed with many many different options. One item can come in different sizes and different colors. Some items are advertised to make a kitchen task easier. We have a variety of tools, but we have discovered less is more when beginning to learn to cook with kids. While we use some of the variety of choices, these are the pieces of equipment we use the most.
Saucepan (variety of sizes)
Variety of sizes, one non-stick ...
Do’s In The Kitchen
Before we start cooking we need to learn a few things we should DO to help the cooking process go a little smoother. Following these 7 Do's will also help you have a better experience.
7 Do's in the Kitchen
DO read the recipe all the way through before getting out any equipment or food. Here you will discover the steps to the recipe. You will get a general idea how complicated the recipe is and how long it will take to prepare. Beginners add 2-3 times the estimated prep time.
DO ...
Martha Stewart Cooking School
We started in 2011 with the goal to cook recipes we found from chefs we liked. In 2012 we did some cooking and some crafting. I was always looking for some guideline to teach my Little Chefs the basics. One day I was flipping through the tv guide and discovered the Martha Stewart Cooking School episodes on PBS. I loved watching each episode because it was the basics of cooking. I have never learned the basics so it kept my attention and I enjoyed learning so many new things. I was excited to ...
