Recipe Ideas
Crunchy Munchy Nachos
Ingredients
- tortilla chips
- grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- chopped tomatoes
- shredded lettuce
- cooked ground beef or turkey, if desired
- sour cream
Directions
- Place cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, meat, and sour cream in separate bowls.
- Have children taste each ingredient before cooking, describing its texture.
- Spread chips on a microwaveable plate.
- Have children sprinkle chips with meat and cheese.
- Microwave for one minute, or until cheese melts.
- Sprinkle with tomato, lettuce, and sour cream. Ask children to describe food textures as they eat.
Pattern Pizzas
Ingredients
- English muffins
- pizza or tomato sauce
- mozzarella cheese, sliced
- carrots
- red peppers
- pepperoni, sliced
- Options: small cubes of pineapple and ham; other vegetables
Directions
- Cut vegetables and cheese into small cubes and julienne strips. Cut pepperoni slices in half. Place in small bowls to share.
- Show how to spread sauce on half a muffin and create a pattern with the toppings.
- Have each child create a pizza pattern.
- Bake at 350º until cheese is melted.
- As children eat, they can discuss how the patterns changed during cooking.
Colorful Cookies
Ingredients
- packaged sugar cookie dough (or your favorite recipe)
- solid-color hard candies
- flour for rolling dough
- Option: color dough with food coloring
Directions
- Place candies in zippered plastic bags, according to color. Crush the candies with a rolling pin or with the bottom of a can. Place in bowls by color.
- Roll out dough on lightly floured surface.
- Have children cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Then use smaller cookie cutters to cut out centers of the cookies.
- Place cookies on cookie sheet.
- Have children sprinkle crushed candies into the cut-out cookie centers. (Several colors placed next to each other will give a stained-glass effect.)
- Bake according to directions, until candies melt and cookies are light brown. Cool.