If you enjoyed the first two cookbooks in the Made Easy cookbook series, Passover Made Easy and Starters and Sides Made Easy, you’re in for a real treat today because I am reviewing the latest book in the series: Kids Cooking Made Easy!
Kids have been increasingly taking over the kitchen in recent years, and with amazing success (as evidenced by the wild success of MasterChef Junior). And now the hottest series in Kosher cooking has a brand new book geared at the younger set – just in time for Chanukah gifts for the wannabe young chef in your life!
Want to win a copy? Scroll past the recipe for a giveaway!
At a first glance:
As with the previous books in the series, authors Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek have put together an eye-catching and wonderfully laid out book full of fabulous ideas and delicious looking food! The book also has some brilliant features geared at the junior cooks, which I will elaborate on shortly.
Some features I liked:
This book really is all about kids. The food is kid friendly, the recipes are mostly quite easy, and the writing is clear and easy to follow. But the most important factor is the brilliant layout of the book. It cleverly provides the necessary information for young cooks to succeed with the recipe, while at the same time teaching them important kitchen skills. I can’t adequately describe just how smart the layout is, so I figured I would share a page of the book with you!
Every page contains the blue box – cooking school – which selects a term or technique from the recipe to expand on. As you see, the term is printed in the same color blue, which indicates that there’s an explanation of it. There are also icons throughout the recipe that are explained in greater detail on the side – with matching icons. It’s all very intuitive and easy to follow!
Aside from the clever layout, another visual element of the book that I loved was that every recipe has a full color picture. Now you know how much I appreciate pictures in all cookbooks, but I feel like for kids it’s vital for them to see what the end result will be – and this book definitely delivers! Not only does the book have a picture for every recipe, but it’s got a ton of step-by-step pictures to help kids with the more complicated recipes.
I also loved the tone of the book. You don’t feel like the authors are talking down to the reader at all. Rather you feel like they (the authors – both mommies) are guiding the reader and teaching the reader to navigate the kitchen.
Some recipes I can’t wait to try:
Thought a book full of kids recipes wouldn’t excite an adult? Think again! This book is chock full of recipes that had me salivating. Among them:
Teriyaki Beef Sticks – one of my favorite things to order at a Chinese restaurant – I am so going to make this – it looks really easy too!
Hot Dog Garlic Knots – such a clever idea! Two fun foods combined into a great party food.
Toasted Bow Tie Chips – the new favorite snack of anyone who likes the crunchy edges of the baked ziti pan (me!). Love that there are different flavor options!
Peanut Butter Pizzelle Cake – I love icebox cakes, and this peanut butter version looks totally sinful!
Who this cookbook is for:
This book is a must-buy for anyone who has kid(s) or teen(s) who are interested in cooking! It’s great to encourage their interest, and this one will be their prized first cookbook.
Also, because the book contains so many kid friendly options, the book is also a great option for anyone who regularly cooks for kids!
Who this cookbook isn’t for:
If you’re looking for sophisticated, “foodie” type recipes, this book is not the one for you.
Also, as with most cookbooks, anyone cooking for a specific diet such as gluten free will find that a lot of the recipes aren’t for you.
What I didn’t like about this cookbook:
Judging from the point of view that the book is geared at (as opposed to an adult who doesn’t cook for kids very often) this book is a real winner! My only real complaint about is is that it could have had a higher concentration of healthy recipes – except the kids might not have liked it as much, so I don’t know if that could have been changed.
If you aren’t cooking for kids, you might find that a lot of the recipes are pretty basic and simple – but again – that’s the nature of the book.
Lastly, because the book has recipes for sophisticated teens as well as young kids, there will be recipes that won’t work for whichever category your kid falls under. Again, this is because of the balance of the book, not really anything I would have changed, but it is something to be aware of.
Conclusion:
This book is an amazing gift for any young chef or wannabe chef, that will help them hone their skills!
And now – homemade button candy! It’s a lot easier to make than it looks, tastes better than the store-bought variety – and is easily customizable to the color of your party!
Homemade Button Candy:
By Miriam Pascal, OvertimeCook.Com
Adapted from Kids Cooking Made Easy
Ingredients:
4 cups confectioner’s sugar (1 lb box)
3 Tablespoons meringue powder
1/3 cup water
food coloring
flavor extracts
Instructions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine powdered sugar and meringue powder.
With the mixer at a low speed, add the water and stir until combined. Turn the mixer to a high speed and beat until stiff, about 5 minutes.
Remove the mixture from the bowl and separate into bowls for each color/flavor combination. (I did 3 bowls – pink/strawberry, orange/orange and yellow/lemon.) Stir in food coloring and about 1/2 teaspoon extract per bowl and stir to combine. Add a few drops of water, if needed, if the mixture is too thick.
Load each color into a piping bag and and pipe small dots onto strips of plain computer/copy paper. Leave to dry overnight.
Enjoy!
Giveaway Details!
For your chance to win a copy of Kids Cooking Made Easy:
Please note: Each entry requires its own comment!
Multiple entries in one comment will only be counted once! You can do any or all of the following:
Entry #1 – Leave a comment on this post telling me what is the first thing you remember cooking!
Entry #2 – Follow @OvertimeCook on twitter and leave a comment on this post telling me that you did.
Entry # 3- Like Tales of an Overtime Cook on Facebook and leave a comment on this post telling me that you did.
Entry # 4 – Follow @OvertimeCook on Pinterest and leave a comment on this post telling me that you did.
Entry # 5 – Subscribe to OvertimeCook via email (link is on the right sidebar of the blog). and leave a comment on this post telling me that you did.
Entry #6 – Follow Overtime Cook on Instagram and leave a comment on this post telling me that you did.
Note: if you already like/follow etc, that’s fine. Just leave a comment letting me know that!
Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM on Thursday, December 5th. A valid email address or twitter profile must be provided.
Prize can be shipped within the US and Canada.
Giveaway is sponsored by the publisher.
Disclaimer: I was sent a review copy of this book, and the authors are good friends and colleagues of mine. All opinions are my own. There are affiliate links within this post, which means that if you click the links here to buy the book you will help sponsor your favorite food blog!
Thanks for stopping by! Good luck with the contest – and make sure to check out my ultimate list of Hanukkah desserts! -Miriam PS – just a few days left to enter for your chance to win a kitchen-aid mixer! Details here.
I used to cook a quick tomato soup on cold school mornings!
I like you on facebook
I follow you on pinterest
I get your emails, that’s how I got to this post so fast!
Cookies with my grandma!
I already follow you on Facebook.
Does toast count?
I Follow you on FB
And twitter
And Pinterest
And instagram
Boston Cream Pie! I attempted to make it but “forgot” to cream the whites!! It was awful.
I did all 6 steps! Hope I win!! 🙂
I think spaghetti
I already like you on Facebook
I subscribed to your email
I remember learning to bake- Chocolate chip squares was probably the first thing I made on my own.
I subscribe to your email. It’s great!
i made oatmeal raisin cookies with my mom
i follow you via e-mail
Pessach chocolate cake, it was the first thing I remember cookies
I follow you on facebook
I receive your emails (love them)
i get your emails
I have their Pesach cookbook and can’t wait to try this book. I’m always looking for starter books to pass on to the grandkids.
The first thing I remember cooking is (I think) chicken for shabbos – following my mothers instructions
I’m already subscribed to emails!
Pick me
Followed on Instagram
Also facebook
I get you emails
I follow you on Pinterest
The first thing I remember making in the kitchen was cornbread (probably from a mix) for thanksgiving.
The first thing I remember cooking/baking is Manischewitz Passover cake mix
Liked on facebook
Following on pinterest
Following on instagram
Already following by email
First thing I cooked/baked was probably a crumb cake!!
Subscribed!
I liked u on facebook!
I remember making hummus in my grandmother’s kitchen with my mom. WE have made it so many times, I think that is why it stuck!
I follow you on twitter! @anidanelz
I follow you on Pinterest. The first thing I ever made was a duncan heinz chocolate cake mix!!
Hmmm…. must have been macaroni
already an email subscriber
I’m already subscribed to your emails. The first thing I can remember making was helping my mother peel potatoes for a kugel and peeling my thumb in the midst. Still have a scar from it.
I think the first thing I made was caramel popcorn.
The first thing I remember cooking was a cheese omelet.
i have recently subscribed to your blog and today have liked you on facebook and i have to say, you don’t disappoint, there is not one of your recipes that i don’t want to pin, they are all divine!!! would love to win a cookbook, ever since i moved to mexico (and all my cookbooks got stuck at the border) i’ve been living off of food blogs like yours!!! thank you so much! keep ’em coming!!!
i follow you on facebook
I follow you on pinterest
i follow you on instagram
I’m signed up for your newsletters
First thing I remember making was a pound cake. My Mother made the best one and licking the bowl was THE BEST!!
first food probably was macaroni
i follow by RSS
I follow you on Facebook!!
My first baking memory is from when i was a kid helping my mother make chocolate chip cookies for shabbat.
I liked you on Facebook and followed you on twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, I also subscribe to your email list!
I already subscribe to your email 🙂 the first thing I remember cooking is macaroni 🙂
Scrambled eggs. Boring, I know.
The first I remember making was spaghetti.
I follow you on instagram
I follow you on twitter
I follow you on pinterest
I subscribe to your emails
I liked your page on Facebook
The first thing i ever made was scrambled eggs 😉
I Like Tales of an Overtime Cook on Facebook
I Follow @OvertimeCook on Pinterest (rufful)
email subscriber
I Follow Overtime Cook on Instagram
Miriam what is meringue powder and where can I get it? I live in monsey
I follow u on instagram
The first thing I remember cooking (baking) is chocolate chip cookies!
I already LIKE you on FB
I already follow you @OvertimeCook on twitter
I subscribed to OvertimeCook via email
I followed @OvertimeCook on Pinterest
I am a subscriber to Overtime cook via e-mail.
I Liked you on Facebook.
The first thing which I helped cook was chicken soup.
I think it was popcorn, in the machine
Love your blog btw 🙂
Subscribed via email
Um..macaroni?
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I follow you on pinterest
I receive your emails
The first thing I remember cooking is dunkin hines brownies YUM!
Followed on fb!
I follow you on Instagram and I think the first thing I made was scrambled eggs lol
I remember toaster oven pizzas (tomato sauce on English muffins with a bit of mozzerella sprinkled on top….
I follow you on Twitter
I follow on Facebook.
i made corn muffins!
i subscribe via email
First thing I remember cooking is scrambled eggs 🙂 love your site
I baked sugar cookies and felt so grownup rolling the dough;)
I liked you on Facebook and I LOVE your blog! Thank you for sharing your amazing talent!
I followed you on pinterest. I subscribed via email!!
I remember cooking for the first time..mac and cheese.
I just discovered your website and I would have subscribed to follow you by email even if not for this giveaway! All the recipes look sooo yummy and I’m so excited to try some of them, I plan to make the melt in your mouth Hanukah gelt cookies and the sweet potato cupcakes with the marshmallow fluff frosting, ohh I can’t wait they look so good!!!!
I didn’t really do much cooking/baking as a kid, but if I had this cookbook I definitely would have!
Macaroni!
I like your page on facebook
Im following on Pinterest
Love latkes and i follow you on Facebook and receive your emails.
My first recipe I ever made was chocolate chip cookies- they did not come out at all!Now days Baruch Hashem my cooking and baking techniques have improved and my milchig chocolate chip- chunk cookies are a real hit!
First thing I made was pizza subs!
I liked you on Facebook!
Pasta of course!
U bet I follow on Facebook!
Of course I follow tales as well. How do u thinking out your mock cauliflower!
Instagram too!
The first thing I cooked was broccoli kugel (aside from scrabbled eggs)
I follow you on pinterest
I follow you on instragram
I like you on facebook
I follow you on facebook and Instagram! Love your posts!
the first thing i remember cookies was a fried egg.
i like you on facebook
i follow you on twitter
i follow you on pinterest
i follow on instagram as well.
chocolate chip cookies with my neighbor 🙂
I follow you on facebook and in my kitchen 🙂 HUGE overtimecook fan here!
hm…i didnt cook much as a kid- might have been strawberry & mango sorbet
The first thing I remember cooking is chocolate chip cookies. I still love making them to this day!
I follow you on Twitter (@Gsix)
I follow you on Pinterest (under my full name).
The first thing I remember cooking is noodles and cheese!
I follow you on Pinterest.
Chanuka sugar cookies!
The 1st thing i cooked i think was pastrami squares.
I follow you on Facebook!
I really don’t have a clear memory of the first thing. I do remember helping my mother and sister bake challah and kokosh at a young age, also rice crispy treats 🙂 Probably potato kugel is one of the first things I remember making myself.
I dont understand why all cookbooks don’t follow the layout of a kids cookbook! I’d really love to win this one it looks awesome! And a lea schapira/victoria dweck teamup u get a winning result! I can’t remember what I first baked/cooked scrambled eggs rice crisp squares or fried breaded chicken cutlets.
I could make a mean macaroni as long as I can remember…
You should really use raffle copter like all the other contests do.
I follow on Facebook
I follow on twitter
I follow on pinterest
I love baking and my earliest baking recipe is probably brownies. Yum!
I am a Facebook fan of overtime cook 🙂
chocolate chip cookies!
liked on facebook
The first thing I cooked was scrambled eggs the morning after my wedding and I burnt it! Ye, I’ve come a long long way!
The first thing I made today was ur chunky veg soup!!! HUGE hit for my chanuka party so thank u!!!!
The earliest memory I have of cooking is making chulent – and it was beyond awful!!!!
I like you on facebook
I follow you on instagram
The first thing I remember cooking was melted sugar (to make candy) and I burnt myself badly.
Following on twitter.
The first thing I remember making was homemade kreplach with my mother and grandmother.
I run a cooking group for special needs kids and I am so excited about this cookbook!
Liked on facebook.
My first baking memory is baking a shabbos cake with my mother a”h. Whenever I make that recipe with my kids I’m transported back to that time..
I made supper for my family, I think was from Balabusta’s choice, a stir fried type of chicken.
I follow you on Facebook
And twitter
I follow you on pinterest
‘liked’ on facebook
follow on pintrest
following on twitter
signed up for emails
I follow you on facebook
i follow you on Pintrest
I like you on facebook (and in person too 😛 )
I subscribe to your e-mail
I am pretty sure it was either noodles or an egg.
facebook fan
pinterest!
twitter follower
The first thing I ever cooked was pasta. And I still love pasta. Also, I feel like I stalk you and the blog. When can we schedule my next guest post?
First thing I remember cooking was mixing big bowls of stuffing as a kid as my mom didn’t mind not getting her hands dirty
Kneidlach!
Followed on twitter
Liked on Facebook.
Followed on Pinterest.
Liked you on the Facebook and followed in the Instagram.
The first thing I ever cooked was Sunny side up 🙂
Chocolate chip cookies
I don’t remember the first time I cooked or Baked, but it was either a cake or kugel since that’s All my mother let me do
First thing I belive I cooked was macaroni n cheese 😉
I follow on Instagram
I follow you on IG
Following on pinterest
I subscribed to your email list
I follow you on FB
Also follow on Pinterest
And Instagram!
The first thing I remember cooking: fried eggs
My sister and I used to make mock macaroni and cheese every pesach!
I follow you on Instagram
Liked your page on FB!!
i made a really salty and bad tasting chicken soup :/
follow on instagram
liked on facebook
Following on Pinterest.
I follow you on FB
Blondies!
I remember making a bath of crumbly cookies
We are moroccan and the first thing I remember cooking is matbucha saladbelieve it or not.
I follow you on instagram
I subscribe to your newsletters
First thing I remember was probably pesach brownies, with the hand beater and all!!
I get your email updates!
I remember baking oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with my grandmother.
I get your emails, and LOVE to read them! Thanks!
The first thing I remember cooking was farina. I know weird…:)
I liked you on Facebook
I follow you on twitter
I follow you on Pinterest
The first thing I remember making in the kitchen was muffins from the klutz kids cookbook! I follow overtime cook on Instagram and like your Facebook page! Would love to win this book so I can give my kids the same first experience I had cooking and baking!
I follow you on Instagram
I liked you on Facebook!!!!!!!
I first (for a long time) cooked macaroni and cheese 🙂
Like Overtime Cook on facebook
I follow you on Facebook.
The first thing I remember is baking hamentashen for Purim
My first cooking experience was maccaroni!
Snickerdoodles!!
I like you on FB!
I liked you on facebook.
mac and cheese ! ( and still my fave )
I followed you on pintrest
The first thing I remember making is Mac and cheese 🙂
I followed you on instagram!
Chicken blintzes! I follow you on Facebook. You are always ready to share amazing recipes ( I have made many) and tips. Thanks
the first thing I remember cooking was scrambled eggs 🙂
I think the first thing I remember “cooking” was English muffin pizza. It was all uphill from there!
I liked you on facebook 🙂
I “liked” you on FB!
I subscribe to your emails!
The first thing I remember cooking are hot dogs. We just boiled them in water!
I “liked” you on Facebook
… and instagram…
And subscribed to email!
I subscribe to Overtime Cook emails already!
wacky mac!!!!
i remember making cookies with my sister
i’m a fan on facebook 🙂
chocolate chip cookies
Hard to remember but I think chocolate chip cookies.
Like you on Facebook and subscribed to emails!
Pierogies were the first thing I cooked (from a box haha) 🙂
Pasta!
first thing I made was brownie cake. And I follow you on Pinterest. .
The first thing I remember making is hamantaschen with my mom :).. I’m also a fan on fb.
I loved to bake but first thing I cooked was probably a scrambled egg!
The first thing I remember cooking is a sefardi stuffed onions dish when I was 12.
I ‘liked’ you and follow you on facebook.