November 3, 2011

Living Cookbook 2011

Southern Living has published another winner with their Kids Cookbook. Recipes are divided into ten main sections: Snacks and Beverages; Breads; Eggs & Cheese, Main Courses; Soups, On the Side; Sweets; Voyages; Fun Food; and Party Time.

The cookbook begins with some basics about cooking tools and equipment. Color photographs show such kitchen basics as measuring cups and measuring spoons, a colander, electric mixer, dutch oven, rubber spatula, and tongs. Directions on how to follow a recipe and what a proper place setting should look like are also covered. Terms such as chop, mince, slice, cube, dice, and julienne are masterfully explained and are accompanied by full color photographs.

What I loved best about this book was the full color photographs of every recipe. I like to know what the end product should look like. I am basically challenged in the kitchen so photographs are really important to me.

I had the opportunity to test may of the recipes from the book with a budding eight year old chef. The first recipe we tried was Ranch Snack Munchies from the section on Snacks and Beverages. This recipe took just six ingredients and it was so tasty. There is a secret ingredient in this recipe that makes it so much better than a packaged mix!

Who doesn't love the smell of fresh baked bread coming from the oven? The Cinnamon Raisin Bread that we made from the bread section was so easy to make and everyone who came into the kitchen could hardly wait for it to cool before they cut into it. This recipe makes a such beautiful loaf that it would be the perfect gift for anyone.

There were so many good recipes in the Eggs and Cheese section that it was difficult to chose just one. There was my all time favorite food macaroni and cheese (Better-Than-The-Box Mac and Cheese) but my child chef decided that we should try the Bacon-Cheese Cups. The cups, or child size portions, are just the perfect portion perfect for children. This was a really unique variation of a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit but it was so much tastier!

I think that one of the most fun recipes that my young chef and I found was the recipe for Doggie Treats in the section on Fun Foods. Several interesting ingredients went into this recipe and my Bichon Frise, Paddington, never left the kitchen while the biscuits were baking. Paddington gave this recipe a resounding Woof!

I am not sure who had more fun with the recipes in this book - my young chef or me. Children will definitely love this cookbook.

Includes a glossary of important words and a recipe index.

You can find this book at your local public library. If you have young children you will definitely want to add this book to your cookbook collection.

ISBN: 9780848731786

Compiled and edited by Elizabeth Taliaferro

Oxmoor House, 2007