Week TEN: Recap!

Today was the last class of the session, so we made party food! We ate watermelon and made cupcake, chex mix and sandwiches. We started the class with some summer fun -- using cookie cutters to chop watermelon.

RED, WHITE & BLUE CUPCAKES:
We decided to spunk up some cupcakes with food coloring... some of our artists even mixed the food coloring to create a lovely marbleized cake batter. This is a fun recipe, and the colors can be altered to suit any holiday or event. Try red and green for Christmas, pink and blue for a baby shower, purple and red for Valentine's Day or use all the colors to make a rainbow-colored treat!

CHEX MIX:
After our cupcakes were placed into the over, we went on over to our homemade chex mix station! Delicious! The wonderful thing about making your own mix is that there are no rules. You can use chips, crackers, nuts, dried fruit... even candy. Just have fun!

SANDWICHES:
We ended class experimenting with our sandwich station. We had raspberry jam, orange marmalde and soy butter. We also tried brie cheese with honey that was still on the honeycomb! Very tasty! A sandwich station is an easy way to please everyone, and encourage diners to try new flavor combinations.

Week TEN: Sandwiches, Chex Mix and Red, White & Blue Cupcakes

SANDWICHES
Ingredients:

• 2 slices white or wheat bread
• One or more of the following: grape jelly, bananas, Nutella, honey, apricot jelly, cheese, chips

Directions:

1. Spread one or more of your favorite ingredients onto one piece of bread, then the other.
2. Stack bread pieces on each other to make a sandwich.

CHEX MIX
Ingredients:

• 2 cups criss-cross corn/rice cereal (like Crispix)
• 1 cup tiny pretzel twists
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat wheat crackers
• 1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar crackers
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon ginger stir fry sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• Cooking spray
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250°F.
2. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Combine butter and next 4 ingredients; drizzle over cereal mixture, tossing to coat. Spread into jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake for 30 minutes or until crisp, stirring twice.
   

RED, WHITE & BLUE CUPCAKES
Ingredients:

• White cake mix, and ingredients needed
• Food coloring (red and blue)
• Baking cups
• Whipped cream

Directions:

1. Prepare your favorite white cake mix, then divide the batter evenly among two small bowls. 
2. Add red food coloring (about 50 drops) to one bowl and blue food coloring (about 35) to the other. 
3. Line 16 muffin pan wells with baking cups. 
4. Evenly distribute the red batter among the cups, then the blue. As you go, gently spread each layer of batter with the back of a spoon to cover the color underneath.
5. Bake the cupcakes according to the directions on the back of your white cake mix box. 
6. Before serving, remove paper wrap, and top each with a whipped-cream cloud.

Week NINE: Recap!

Today we made flavored butter, popovers, and smoothies! Can you believe it's already week nine? Next week's class will be our last one of the session. Good thing we'll go out with a Fourth-Of-July theme bang (pun intended)! :)

POPOVERS:
Popovers can be tricky to make, so it is important to make sure the oven is fully preheated to 375°F. We made smaller popovers, so we cooked them for less time than the recipe called for. I would suggest using a popover pan if you try these at home -- it will simplify the process a bit. These are a real treat, and are best enjoyed wih a pinch of powdered sugar on top!

FLAVORED BUTTER:
I love going to restaurants that have flavored butters. My personal favorite is maple butter, which is so easy to make! Just soften 1 tablespoon of butter in the microwave for about 10 to 20 seconds and add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Stir together and voila! Maple butter!
You can also mix butter with your favorite jam, as we did in class. Keep in mind that the proportions are always half butter, half of the other ingredient. Today we made blueberry, blackberry, and orange butter. Yum! A perfect addition to a popover!

SMOOTHIES:
This was my favorite part of class today. Each child had a chance to press the pulse button on the blender and they were so excited! This is such a great healthy snack, and the possibilities are endless. Substitute your favorite fruit or even throw in some ice cream for a tasty dessert!

Week NINE: Popovers, Flavored Butter and Smoothies

POPOVERS
Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 6 eggs lightly beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Grease 8 deep, 7-ounce pottery custard cups, or popover pans.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy using a mixer on low, then beat in the milk and butter. 
4. At low speed, beat the flour and salt into the egg, milk, and butter mixture. 
5. Pour about 3/4 cup of the batter into each of the greased custard cups. Bake for 1 hour. 
6. Make a slit in each to let out steam; bake 10 minutes more. Remove from oven, and from cups.

FLAVORED BUTTER
Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter, softened
• Flavoring of your choice (strawberry jam, maple syrup, orange marmalade, raspberry jam)

Directions:

1. Mix butter and flavoring at a 1:1 ratio.
2. Serve immediately on your favorite baked goods, and refrigerate leftovers.

SMOOTHIES
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1 cup frozen fruit (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries or peaches)

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in blender.
2. Blend until smoothie is desired consistency.

Week EIGHT: Recap!

This week we made fruit salad, doughnuts, and caprese sandwiches -- a Dad-friendly meal, to be sure!

CAPRESE SANDWICHES:
This is a sandwich that is so easy and yummy - and regrettably I never think to make it! Sometimes the easiest things to make are the hardest to remember. These sandwiches are satisfying, hearty and fresh... especially right now, as tomatoes are in season. These were loved by both Taste Buddies students and their adult helpers!

FRUIT SALAD:
Fruit salad is a delicious and healthy go-to snack. Use your favorite fruits or what's in season to personalize it just for you!

DOUGHNUTS:
Wow! I was so impressed at how well the Taste Buddies came together, listened and carefully pulled these off! It was definitely a learning experience for both myself and them. Because they are fried in hot oil, we had some extra help from our grown-ups. Something we learned in class, that may be helpful for when you try these at home, is not to roll the dough, because that allows to much air in the donuts and they will not cook all the way. Tasty and fun, but be careful!

Week EIGHT: Caprese Sandwich, Fruit Salad and Doughnuts

CAPRESE SANDWICH
Ingredients:

• 1 small ciabatta roll
• 2 tomato slices
• 1 slice of mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh basil
  

 Directions:

1. Slice ciabatta roll in half, lengthwise.
2. Place sliced tomatoes on one half of bread.
3. Add mozzarella and basil
4. Top with remaining bread half.

FRUIT SALAD
Ingredients:

• 1 apple
• 1 orange
• Pineapple
• Grapes
• Melon
• Strawberries
• Other favorite fruits
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/2 cup lemon-lime soda

Directions:

1. Mix orange juice, lemon juice, and lemon-lime soda.
2. Pour over chopped fruit.

DOUGHNUTS
Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup buttermilk, chilled
• 1 quart vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. 
2. Cut butter into flour mixture using your fingers.
3. Add buttermilk and stir until a dough forms (dough will be sticky).
4. Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and knead gently 4-6 times. 
5. Flour dough and a rolling pin, then roll out dough to 1/2 inch thick.
6. Cut out as many doughnuts as possible with floured cutter. 
7. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut more doughnuts.
8. Heat oil in a 5-quart heavy pot until thermometer registers 375 °F. 
9. Working in batches, slide doughnuts into oil and fry (about 1 minute per side or until browned).
10. Transfer to paper towels to drain. 
11. Cool slightly and toss in cinnamon sugar.

I’m Yours by Jason Mraz