Kids Cuisine

It’s getting to that point in the summer where many kids start whining that they are bored. They are sick of all the typical summer activities and need something else to do. I think it might be time to blow their minds in the kitchen. Almost every kid I know gets a kick out of food that doesn’t taste the way they expect. Why not try one of these ideas out on your kids? Keep them guessing, and make eating an adventure:

• Mashed Potatoes and Gravy: Sure this is one of the basics of traditional cooking, but what about going cold and sweet instead of hot and savory? Stir ice cream until it is smooth and creamy, then dollop on a plate and top with caramel or butterscotch “gravy.” Yum!
• Candy sushi: We’ve talked about this one before on Kid’s Cuisine. You can make very cute and realistic sushi rolls with Rice Krispies Treats and Fruit Roll-ups. Gummy worms or bears work great as the filling.
• Go spicy: Last night I made a dish that looked pretty much exactly like spaghetti with plain red sauce. But instead of using marinara or other Italian sauce, the red came from a freshly made mild salsa. It was delicious and a little surprising to the palate. You can even top it off with crumbles of cheese from Latin America to complete the look.
• Sweet burgers: When my husband was a kid, he was famous for a recipe called “Sweetburgers.” That recipe is pretty gross, and this isn’t it. Instead, cut brownies into patty-sized rounds or squares and place inside a sweet roll. Slices of red fruit and bright green fruit roll-up provide lettuce and tomato. If you are feeling ambitious, cut a pound cake into long and skinny pieces and lightly broil for french fries. Then of course you will need a little strawberry jam for the ketchup.
• Meat cake: This is pretty much the opposite of sweet burgers. Instead of a boring meat loaf, why not shape yours into a layer cake, with mashed potatoes for icing.

Try these out with your family, and drop a line if you have other food mysteries to try out!

(Photo from the absolutely awesome Black Widow Bakery — go check it out!)