As a parent and seasoned home cook, I've found that getting kids into the kitchen turns picky eaters into enthusiastic participants. They'll devour dishes they've helped create. These five simple recipes use familiar ingredients kids love, making cooking a joyful family activity. Each serves 4.
Ingredients: a package of spaghetti, "Knacki"-type sausages
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Cut the sausages into small pieces, about 2 cm thick at each end.
Thread the sausage pieces onto the spaghetti—roughly 5 pieces per 5 strands.
Cook in boiling water just like regular spaghetti.
Drain, toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and serve these fun sausage necklaces.
Ingredients: puff pastry, a jar of Nutella-type chocolate-hazelnut spread
Preheat oven to 425°F (thermostat 7).
Unroll the puff pastry.
Spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread evenly with a spoon, keeping the layer thin.
Roll the dough into a log and slice into 1 cm thick pieces.
Place flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
Ingredients: puff pastry, two slices of ham, a packet of grated cheese
Preheat oven to 425°F (thermostat 7).
Unroll the puff pastry.
Lay ham slices on half the dough, sprinkle with grated Gruyère, and fold over.
Cut the semicircle into 2 cm strips.
Twist each strip like wringing a cloth, without breaking, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake until golden brown. Cool before serving.
Ingredients: 4 small chicken cutlets, unsweetened corn flakes, two eggs
Cut cutlets into bite-sized pieces and season with salt.
Place corn flakes in a freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin or bottle.
Beat the eggs in a bowl.
Dip chicken in egg, then coat with crushed corn flakes.
Cook in a frying pan or oven at 400°F (thermostat 6; preheat if baking).
Ingredients: rectangular pizza dough, a jar of tomato sauce, three slices of ham, 3 mushrooms, grated cheese
Preheat oven to 425°F (thermostat 7).
Unroll dough on a baking sheet, stretching it out.
Spread tomato sauce edge-to-edge with a spoon.
Scatter chopped ham and thinly sliced mushrooms over the sauce.
Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Bake until cheese melts and crust is lightly browned. Cut into squares to serve.
