GRAND Spring 2021 Vol. IV Ed. I

Cooking with
Grandkids
Dinner & Dessert
Most children love helping out in the kitchen, particularly if it involves the
devoted attention of a grandparent. Asking your grandchildren to help
cook a meal not only teaches them lifelong cooking skills, it is a perfect
way to bond and share. Food has always been a source of connection. A way to
share your culture and heritage. And children enjoy the sense of responsibility,
confidence and self-reliance that comes with serving a dinner they helped to
prepare.
When getting children to help with meal prep, figure out a few age-appropriate
tasks:
• Young children can help with measuring and stirring. They like to wash
vegetables and can use a butter knife to slice soft foods like mushrooms.
• Older children are ready to learn new skills. They can slice with small paring
knives, grate cheese, read and follow simple recipes.
Here are two simple recipes that are perfect for children of all ages to help out
with. Older children, ’tweens and teens can even take the lead, with you helping
them instead!
Emillie Parrish writes from Victoria
and Saturna Island. She is the author
of the Pacific Northwest lifestyle blog:
BerriesAndBarnacles.com.
Cinnamon
Cookies
Making cut-out cookies is probably one of
my daughter’s favourite activities. While eating
cookies is nice, she really likes looking
through our collection of cookie cutters and
choosing which shapes to make. After we’ve
rolled out the dough twice, she gets to make
a few free-formed cookie shapes. It’s like
edible playdough.
This cookie dough is strong and reliable.
I’ve added a bit of cinnamon for flavour, but
you could leave them plain and decorate afterwards
instead.
½ cup of white or brown sugar
½ cup of butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2½ cups of flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1. Cream the butter and sugar together in
a large bowl.
2. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract,
until smooth.
3. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder
and salt. Stir to combine. The dough will be a
bit stiff, so knead gently to bring everything
together.
4. Place the dough in a plastic bag and
refrigerate for at least 2 hours before baking.
5. When ready to bake, start by preheating
the oven to 375˚F and grease two cookie
sheets.
6. Divide the dough in half and only work
with half at a time, leaving the other half in
the fridge.
7. Lightly dust the counter and rolling pin
with flour, then roll out the dough until it’s ½
cm thick.
8. Cut out as many cookies as possible and
transfer to the cookie sheets. Place the remaining
dough back in the fridge, then work
with the second ball of dough.
9. After both balls have finished a first
round of cookie cutting, roll both balls out
together for a final round of cookie cutting.
The remaining scraps can be turned into
hand-formed “playdough” cookies. They won’t
be as soft as the cut cookies, but they’ll still
taste good.
10. Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes.
Cool slightly before removing from the cookie
sheets. Store in an air-tight container for up
to a week.
18 GRAND grandmag.ca