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Cooking with Kids

It is time to prove that time in the kitchen is not time away from the kids.

I have explored my brain to come up with some handy, helpful ways that cooking can involve the kids. So, our goals are to keep it safe and keep it fun!

No Bake Pies

First, let's keep it safe with no bake pies. In these recipes, nothing heats up and the stove does not turn on.

Now, we may have to curb our culinary instincts, which tell us that home-made pie crusts are best. When the kids are around- store bought must do.

Chocolate-Glazed Turtle Pie

Prep Time: 15 min

Total Time: 2 hr 15 min

1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust

1/2 cup PLANTERS Pecan Halves, divided

2 cups milk

2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) JELL-O Classic Turtle Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided

2 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

SPREAD caramel topping onto bottom of crust. Reserve 10 pecans for garnish. Coarsely chop remaining pecans; sprinkle over caramel in crust.

BEAT milk and pudding mixes with whisk 2 min. Stir in 1 cup COOL WHIP; pour into crust.

REFRIGERATE 2 hours. Microwave chocolate and remaining COOL WHIP in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min.; stir until blended. Spread over pie. Top with pecan halves. Let stand 10 min. before serving.

Provided by: coolwhip.com

Fudge-Bottom Candy Crunch Pie

Prep Time: 20 min

Total Time: 1 hr 20 min

2 cups cold milk

2 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided

1 OREO Pie Crust

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

2 milk chocolate English toffee candy bars (1.4 oz. each), chopped, divided

BEAT milk and pudding mixes with whisk 2 min. Microwave 2 chocolate squares on HIGH 1 min. or until melted when stirred. Stir in 1 cup pudding; pour into crust.

ADD half the COOL WHIP and all but 3 Tbsp. candy to remaining pudding. Spoon over layer in crust.

TOP with remaining COOL WHIP and candy. Melt remaining chocolate square; drizzle over pie. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Provided by: coolwhip.com

Cookie Monsters

Cookie Cutter Monsters

Now, in the "keeping it fun" category. Here are some ideas to keep them involved in every step of making a pie recipe. This method works really great with fruit pies.

Roll out! Have them draw a funny face or design in the dough. Use the rolling pin to watch it melt. Every few roll, draw a new cartoon until you get a nice flat dough for the crust.

Glassbottom Creatures. This works great if you have a glass pie plate. Draw some more silly creatures or write some silly messages on the flattened pie dough. Flip the dough face down into the pie plate. Lift to see you creation!

Mix it up! Add all of the filling ingredients together in a bowl, everything except for the fruit. Supply the kids with a spoon (or their clean hands). As you cut the apples, dump them in the bowl and let them mix away. When completed- dump into your fruit filling into the pie dough.

Cookie Cutter Toppers Take your topping dough, and instead of just laying it over the top or using a lattice design, try using cookie cutters (or even a spray oil lid). Cut out great shapes and place them over the pie, overlapping slightly. If you are using a round design, you can even draw silly faces in each circle.

Clean up dash Split the cleaning up. One can take the ingredients and put them where they go and the other can be in charge of putting all the utensils in the sink. I quick wipe down race and you are good to go.

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