Empower your kids (grandkids, nieces, nephews, etc.) in the kitchen! Start from an early age and cooking will be as simple as following a few rules and eating the end product. You'll also be modeling how to change a recipe to their tastes which might lead to creating their own recipes! Here are some tips and ideas for younger kids.
Ages 4 to 7 years:
•Allow them to measure some of the ingredients, such as flour, water, sugar
•Allow them to sift dry ingredients
•Let them spread butter or peanut butter on bread for sandwiches
•Let them stir the batter for muffins, cake, pancakes
•Children this age can learn to set the table correctly
•Ask for their decisions such as chocolate or white cake, oatmeal or vanilla cookies
Ages 6 to 8
•Let chop nuts for cookies using the Food Chopper
•Children can make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the Cut ’N Seal
•Allow them to open cans and drain, using the Pampered Chef can opener
•Let grate carrots and mix carrot and raisins and other salads
•Let frost cookies or cupcakes
•Show them how to peel potatoes, carrots and apples with the Vegetable Peeler
•Children can use a My Safe Cutter to cut up cooked potatoes or other soft foods
Ages 8 to 12 years:
•Let mix and bake cookies or a cake from a mix, supervising the removal from the oven, setting the oven temperature and timer, and use of the mixer, if used.
•Let mix together potato or macaroni salad, including chopping onion, pickle and other ingredients.
•Let them turn pancakes or French toast on the griddle.
•Allow to make biscuits, Jell-O, pizza or macaroni and cheese or other pre-packaged convenience foods with minimal supervision.
More tips and ideas next week!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
RoW - Strawberry Ice
The summer is in full swing which means hot weather and a need to cool down. Use my Product of the Week, the Manual Food Processor, to make this fast, simple and cool Strawberry Ice.
The Pampered Chef ® Strawberry Ice Recipe
2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) cold water, divided
2 cups (500 mL) frozen unsweetened strawberries
Cinnamon Crunch Chips (optional)
Place sugar and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the water in (1-cup/250-mL) Prep Bowl; stir. Microwave on HIGH 20–30 seconds or until sugar is dissolved, stirring once. Add remaining water; stir. Place frozen strawberries in Small Batter Bowl. Microwave on HIGH 30–50 seconds or until strawberries are slightly thawed.
Add one-third of the strawberries to Manual Food Processor; cover and pump handle until coarsely chopped, scraping down sides as necessary. Add and coarsely chop remaining strawberries, one-third at a time, until all berries are coarsely chopped.
Add sugar mixture to strawberries. Cover and process to desired consistency. Serve ice immediately with Cinnamon Crunch Chips, if desired, or place in freezer until ready to serve.
Yield: 6 servings
Nutrients per serving: (1/4 cup/50 mL): Calories 35, Total Fat 0 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 9 g, Protein 0 g, Sodium 0 mg, Fiber 1 g
Cinnamon Crunch Chips
2 7-in. (18-cm) flour tortillas
1 tbsp (15 mL) Sweet Cinnamon Sprinkle
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly spray tortillas with water using Kitchen Spritzer. Sprinkle tortillas with sprinkle. Using Pizza Cutter, cut each tortilla into six wedges; arrange in a single layer on Large Round Stone with Handles.
Bake 8–10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and crisp. Remove chips from baking stone to Stackable Cooling Rack; cool completely.
Yield: 12 chips (6 servings)
U.S. Nutrients per serving (2 chips): Calories 35, Total Fat 1 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 6 g, Protein 1 g, Sodium 90 mg, Fiber 0 g
© 2009 The Pampered Chef used under license.
The Pampered Chef ® Strawberry Ice Recipe
2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) cold water, divided
2 cups (500 mL) frozen unsweetened strawberries
Cinnamon Crunch Chips (optional)
Place sugar and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the water in (1-cup/250-mL) Prep Bowl; stir. Microwave on HIGH 20–30 seconds or until sugar is dissolved, stirring once. Add remaining water; stir. Place frozen strawberries in Small Batter Bowl. Microwave on HIGH 30–50 seconds or until strawberries are slightly thawed.
Add one-third of the strawberries to Manual Food Processor; cover and pump handle until coarsely chopped, scraping down sides as necessary. Add and coarsely chop remaining strawberries, one-third at a time, until all berries are coarsely chopped.
Add sugar mixture to strawberries. Cover and process to desired consistency. Serve ice immediately with Cinnamon Crunch Chips, if desired, or place in freezer until ready to serve.
Yield: 6 servings
Nutrients per serving: (1/4 cup/50 mL): Calories 35, Total Fat 0 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 9 g, Protein 0 g, Sodium 0 mg, Fiber 1 g
Cinnamon Crunch Chips
2 7-in. (18-cm) flour tortillas
1 tbsp (15 mL) Sweet Cinnamon Sprinkle
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly spray tortillas with water using Kitchen Spritzer. Sprinkle tortillas with sprinkle. Using Pizza Cutter, cut each tortilla into six wedges; arrange in a single layer on Large Round Stone with Handles.
Bake 8–10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and crisp. Remove chips from baking stone to Stackable Cooling Rack; cool completely.
Yield: 12 chips (6 servings)
U.S. Nutrients per serving (2 chips): Calories 35, Total Fat 1 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 6 g, Protein 1 g, Sodium 90 mg, Fiber 0 g
© 2009 The Pampered Chef used under license.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
TSoW - Dorm Room Survival/Shower
Kids will soon be back in school, and that includes the ones going off to college! Did you know that college kids eat, too? Gasp! But, do they know how to fend for themselves in the wild areas of the college quads? Why not set them up with everything they will need to make, eat and store food? Host a Dorm Room Survival Show and stock your college-bound eating monster, and your friends', with the essentials. We'll make a microwave only recipe that they can make in their mini micro-fridge and show them an alternative to McDonalds and dry ramen. And, I have an electronic dorm room cookbook that everyone will receive via email after the show!
What are you waiting for?
Dorm Room Survival Tools From The Pampered Chef
Small Micro-cooker- heating up soups ….cooking macaroni and cheese, ramen noodles…or to make a “pot of tea” in the microwave!
Small Bar Pan- use in oven,microwave, or toaster oven. Cook up bacon, hot pockets, reheat pizza, Easiest Fudge Brownies (recipe included), or bake 4 ready-made cookies or an individual sized frozen pizza.
Cut N Seal- make your own hot pockets and crustless p&j sandwiches!
Small Bar Board- small cutting jobs, easy to store
Small and Large Batter Bowls- tuna and noodles in the microwave… mixing bowl, storage bowl for leftovers. You’ll use them for everything!
Quik Stir Pitcher- mix up OJ, or iced tea…will fit in fridge
Apple, Veggie, Mango, Pineapple Wedgers – promotes healthy snacking (apples, pears)
Small bowl, Small Squares- perfect size dishes for one, easy to store and stack, guaranteed, break and chip resistant, can microwave in them
Food Chopper- Save yourself time so you have more time to study! Great for apartment living too, when you have to do all your own cooking!
Manual Food Processor- whip up a quick batch of salsa to share!
Hot Pad/Trivet- use as an oven pad, a trivet, and to open jars
8" Saute Pan- Lifetime Guarantee, nothing sticks, perfect size (get the whole set at half price and give your student the smaller pieces!)
Twixits! – mandatory for closing bags of chips, pretzels, frozen waffles, or the bag of dirty laundry…also good for identifying your tube of toothpaste.
Tool Turn-About – Fill it with the remaining items on this page! Use some compartments for desk/craft supplies, too (scissors, pens, ruler, glue stick, highlighters,etc.)!
Can Opener- won’t rust, easier to use, won’t have to replace it in a year because it won’t turn, no sharp edges, lids can be put back on top of the can
Mini Serving Spatula- dish up those brownies easily, perfect small size
Paring Knife with case- safe to store (case) great for smaller cutting jobs, lifetime guarantee
Small Spreader – for spreading margerine, peanut butter, jam, icing, mayo, etc.
Cheese Knife- No small wire to break! You won’t have to replace this, works much better than a knife.
Skinny Scraper- small cans, peanut butter jars, stirring, can’t melt it.
Small or Mini Mix N Scraper- more like a spoon and spatula in one! Can use in cookware and won’t melt!
Citrus Peeler- won’t break a nail opening oranges or grapefruit!
Grapefruit Knife- Perfect for avoiding the “Freshman 15” (weight gain)
Mini Whipper- Whip up chocolate milk, and anything else that you need a whisk for
Bamboo Tongs- retrieve toast and bagels from the toaster without electrocuting or burning
Bamboo Spoons- won’t stain or crack
Small Bamboo Spoons- smaller jobs, serving up dips or salsa
Easy Opener- open up jars, sodas, bottles much easier, sticks on your dorm fridge
Monday, July 25, 2011
Product of the Week
I liked the Theme Show of the Week so much that I decided a Product of the Week - PoW - would be fun, too! So here we go with the first PoW!
The Manual Food Processor is a go-to product for my kitchen and when traveling. It has a small footprint - about 6" in diameter - and has a 3 cup volume. I have waited for a while to purchase a food processor because I wanted to have a spot for the processor to live. And, the $450 price didn't encourage me to invest, either. So when the Manual Food Processor came out this Spring, I was so excited! I wouldn't have a huge monster on my counter or taking up cupboard space. And who really wants to wrestle that out just to shred some green onions?
I have used this to make salsas (tomato based and tropical), egg salad, blizzards, tapenades and just general food processing! I even have a facebook page dedicated to the Manual Food Processor that you can join. I only allow recipes, tips and ideas - no sales!
If you do want to try the Manual Food Processor for yourself, let me know! We'll get together and make some Mango Confetti Salsa or Strawberry Ice or whatever! If you don't live near me we can still figure it out. Want to have it for your own? Check out my website, click on Order Products, Choice 2, Ok to Continue, New Products. Or you can contact me directly via email, facebook, twitter, phone, etc.
The Manual Food Processor is a go-to product for my kitchen and when traveling. It has a small footprint - about 6" in diameter - and has a 3 cup volume. I have waited for a while to purchase a food processor because I wanted to have a spot for the processor to live. And, the $450 price didn't encourage me to invest, either. So when the Manual Food Processor came out this Spring, I was so excited! I wouldn't have a huge monster on my counter or taking up cupboard space. And who really wants to wrestle that out just to shred some green onions?
I have used this to make salsas (tomato based and tropical), egg salad, blizzards, tapenades and just general food processing! I even have a facebook page dedicated to the Manual Food Processor that you can join. I only allow recipes, tips and ideas - no sales!
If you do want to try the Manual Food Processor for yourself, let me know! We'll get together and make some Mango Confetti Salsa or Strawberry Ice or whatever! If you don't live near me we can still figure it out. Want to have it for your own? Check out my website, click on Order Products, Choice 2, Ok to Continue, New Products. Or you can contact me directly via email, facebook, twitter, phone, etc.
#2581 Manual Food Processor — $49.00
Just drop in ingredients and pump the handle! Our unique curved blades chop, slice and blend ingredients in seconds. The more you pump, the finer the cuts. Includes a handle lock for convenient storage, measure marks for easy measuring and nonskid base for stability. 3 cups. Vessel and blade post are dishwasher-safe.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Cooking with Kids
COOKING WITH KIDS
Tips, hints and recipes for kids in the kitchen series
You know the pleasure you get from preparing and serving something that your family loves? Children can experience the same satisfaction when they help prepare food for themselves, their friends, or the whole family. It builds their confidence and self esteem and you can get dinner done while spending quality time with them. Just make it fun. Kids will eat what THEY make!
In fact, some professionals believe that cooking is as educational as it is exciting for children. Helping to cook involves several valuable skills important to child development:
•Planning a series of steps in a process
•Using mathematical skills to measure ingredients and time the cooking of foods
•Reading and interpreting written instructions used in recipes
•Expanding creative boundaries
•Mastering teamwork when cooking with adults and other children
Pampered Chef has the products to enable kids to do a good job in the kitchen, eliminating the frustration and impatience because they can “do it themselves!”
Supervision is the key to cooking with kids…they develop cooking skills at different rates so it’s important to have an adult introduce children to skills that match their ability levels. Preparing meals can be more fun and a lot of help when the whole family is involved. Try the following:
All Ages:
•Require washing hands before helping or independent cooking experiences.
•Encourage cooperation in kitchen clean-up.
•Stress safety with cutting tools, ovens, stove tops and appliances.
•Provide simple recipes and instructions.
•Have ingredients on hand for spur-of-the-moment cooking opportunities.
•Be available for help
Ages 3 to 5 years:
•Encourage to “help” - pour or dump ingredients when making cookies, Jell-O etc.
•Let them have their own set of measuring cups & spoons for the sandbox and wading pool or bath.
•Let them tear lettuce for salad, wash fruits and vegetables together.
•Enjoy the clean-up…let them lick the bowl or spoon, “because they were such good helpers”
More age appropriate tips next week!
Tips, hints and recipes for kids in the kitchen series
You know the pleasure you get from preparing and serving something that your family loves? Children can experience the same satisfaction when they help prepare food for themselves, their friends, or the whole family. It builds their confidence and self esteem and you can get dinner done while spending quality time with them. Just make it fun. Kids will eat what THEY make!
In fact, some professionals believe that cooking is as educational as it is exciting for children. Helping to cook involves several valuable skills important to child development:
•Planning a series of steps in a process
•Using mathematical skills to measure ingredients and time the cooking of foods
•Reading and interpreting written instructions used in recipes
•Expanding creative boundaries
•Mastering teamwork when cooking with adults and other children
Pampered Chef has the products to enable kids to do a good job in the kitchen, eliminating the frustration and impatience because they can “do it themselves!”
Supervision is the key to cooking with kids…they develop cooking skills at different rates so it’s important to have an adult introduce children to skills that match their ability levels. Preparing meals can be more fun and a lot of help when the whole family is involved. Try the following:
All Ages:
•Require washing hands before helping or independent cooking experiences.
•Encourage cooperation in kitchen clean-up.
•Stress safety with cutting tools, ovens, stove tops and appliances.
•Provide simple recipes and instructions.
•Have ingredients on hand for spur-of-the-moment cooking opportunities.
•Be available for help
Ages 3 to 5 years:
•Encourage to “help” - pour or dump ingredients when making cookies, Jell-O etc.
•Let them have their own set of measuring cups & spoons for the sandbox and wading pool or bath.
•Let them tear lettuce for salad, wash fruits and vegetables together.
•Enjoy the clean-up…let them lick the bowl or spoon, “because they were such good helpers”
More age appropriate tips next week!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
RoW - Recipe of the Week - Three Cheese Garden Pizza
Sharing recipes of fast and tasty food is a favorite of mine. I enjoy hearing how people have modified the recipes to suit their family's tastes, how much they loved it and requests for different types of recipes! There is just something special about a satisfied customer that I love! Here is the first post in the Recipe of the Week series. I plan to post a new (hopefully tested by me!) recipe each Saturday. If you have requests you can post them in the comments. It might be better if you email them to me at jensenkate@gmail.com. This recipe is also a "New Consultant Recipe" which means it can be made with only the products in the New Consultant Kit.
Three-Cheese Garden Pizza
Garden-fresh vegetables and a trio of cheeses make this pizza a winner. You can serve it as an appetizer or a lighter main dish at around $2 per serving!*
1 pkg (13.8 oz) refrigerated pizza crust
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp vegetable oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, pressed
4 oz cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 small onion
2 plum tomatoes
1 medium zucchini
1 cup mushrooms
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly brush 1 tsp of the oil over Large Bar Pan using Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush. Unroll dough onto bottom of pan, gently stretching and pressing dough to cover bottom. Place remaining oil in (1-cup) Prep Bowl. Press garlic into oil using Garlic Press; brush evenly over dough. Bake crust 7 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, grate cheddar and mozzarella cheeses using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with grating blade; place in Classic Batter Bowl. Grate Parmesan cheese over batter bowl using Microplane® Adjustable Grater. Add Italian seasoning using Adjustable Measuring Spoon; toss lightly using Small Mix ‘N Scraper® and set aside. Using Ultimate Mandoline, slice onion and tomatoes using v-shaped blade; slice zucchini using crinkle cut blade. Thinly slice mushrooms using Utility Knife.
3. Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture evenly over crust; layer evenly with onion, zucchini, tomatoes and mushrooms. Sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Bake 15–18 minutes or until crust is golden brown; remove from oven to cooling rack. Cut into squares using Pizza Cutter. Serve using Mini-Serving Spatula.
Yield: 6 main dish servings or 12 appetizer servings
U.S. Nutrients per serving (1 main dish serving): Calories 350, Total Fat 15 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Cholesterol 35 mg, Carbohydrate 36 g, Protein 17 g, Sodium 810 mg, Fiber 2 g
Cook’s Tips:
• Brushing the bar pan with about 1 tsp vegetable oil will produce a crisp, evenly browned crust.
• For best results, layer vegetables over the pizza in the order as directed in Step
• Prebaking the pizza crust will help keep it from getting soggy when topped with vegetables that have a high water content.
• Sprinkling some of the cheese on the crust before topping the pizza provides a barrier between the crust and the moist toppings.
• Italian Seasoning Mix can be substituted for the Italian seasoning, if desired.
*Prices based on main dish serving size. Prices are estimated and vary regionally.
Around $2 per serving!*
Three-Cheese Garden Pizza
Garden-fresh vegetables and a trio of cheeses make this pizza a winner. You can serve it as an appetizer or a lighter main dish at around $2 per serving!*
1 pkg (13.8 oz) refrigerated pizza crust
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp vegetable oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, pressed
4 oz cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 small onion
2 plum tomatoes
1 medium zucchini
1 cup mushrooms
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly brush 1 tsp of the oil over Large Bar Pan using Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush. Unroll dough onto bottom of pan, gently stretching and pressing dough to cover bottom. Place remaining oil in (1-cup) Prep Bowl. Press garlic into oil using Garlic Press; brush evenly over dough. Bake crust 7 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, grate cheddar and mozzarella cheeses using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with grating blade; place in Classic Batter Bowl. Grate Parmesan cheese over batter bowl using Microplane® Adjustable Grater. Add Italian seasoning using Adjustable Measuring Spoon; toss lightly using Small Mix ‘N Scraper® and set aside. Using Ultimate Mandoline, slice onion and tomatoes using v-shaped blade; slice zucchini using crinkle cut blade. Thinly slice mushrooms using Utility Knife.
3. Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture evenly over crust; layer evenly with onion, zucchini, tomatoes and mushrooms. Sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Bake 15–18 minutes or until crust is golden brown; remove from oven to cooling rack. Cut into squares using Pizza Cutter. Serve using Mini-Serving Spatula.
Yield: 6 main dish servings or 12 appetizer servings
U.S. Nutrients per serving (1 main dish serving): Calories 350, Total Fat 15 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Cholesterol 35 mg, Carbohydrate 36 g, Protein 17 g, Sodium 810 mg, Fiber 2 g
Cook’s Tips:
• Brushing the bar pan with about 1 tsp vegetable oil will produce a crisp, evenly browned crust.
• For best results, layer vegetables over the pizza in the order as directed in Step
• Prebaking the pizza crust will help keep it from getting soggy when topped with vegetables that have a high water content.
• Sprinkling some of the cheese on the crust before topping the pizza provides a barrier between the crust and the moist toppings.
• Italian Seasoning Mix can be substituted for the Italian seasoning, if desired.
*Prices based on main dish serving size. Prices are estimated and vary regionally.
Around $2 per serving!*
Friday, July 22, 2011
Now Hiring!
I really love what I do. Friends (and future friends) invite me into their home and trust me enough to take care of their friends and family. We make good food from easy and inexpensive recipes while learning tips and techniques that will get fresh food on the table in under 30 minutes. While the guests taste the recipe we all put together I take some time to talk about why I started as well as why I continue with Pampered Chef after more than 5 years. I'll share my story soon, but I would like you to take a moment to read through this next section. I do know that Pampered Chef might not be for everyone, but everyone does have a reason to try it out!
I don’t know which one of you- drops a child off at daycare, is a single mom or dad, has college tuition to pay for.
I don’t know which one of you has an adjustable mortgage, a car payment and student loans to pay off
As I look at you I don’t know which one of you dropped a child off at day care leaving them screaming, not having a vacation an adjustable mortgage rate that has gone up.
What I do know that this business has provided so many an opportunity to live their dreams.
What are YOUR dreams? Let's get together and see how Pampered Chef can help you achieve them!
I don’t know which one of you- drops a child off at daycare, is a single mom or dad, has college tuition to pay for.
I don’t know which one of you has an adjustable mortgage, a car payment and student loans to pay off
As I look at you I don’t know which one of you dropped a child off at day care leaving them screaming, not having a vacation an adjustable mortgage rate that has gone up.
What I do know that this business has provided so many an opportunity to live their dreams.
What are YOUR dreams? Let's get together and see how Pampered Chef can help you achieve them!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Theme Show of the Week
I love that my business allows me (and my ADHD brain) to do shows however I want! And, it gives me the opportunity to offer THEME SHOWS! There are so many themes in my arsenal and I can modify them to suit your needs. So I decided to create a Theme Show of the Week series, or TSoW. Without further ado, here is the first TSoW!
COLD STONE SHOW
Talk about yummy!! Oh wow! If your guests love the ice cream concoctions they get at Coldstone Creamery they’ll love this! I'll teach you how to make “Cold Stone” treats at home with a few simple ingredients and tools. GREAT for a hot summer treat without breaking the bank.
Tools we get to play with:
*Manual Food Processor
*Cool and Serve Square Tray
*Stoneware
*Forged Knives
*Easy Accent Decorator
*Simple Additions
...and more!
COLD STONE SHOW
Talk about yummy!! Oh wow! If your guests love the ice cream concoctions they get at Coldstone Creamery they’ll love this! I'll teach you how to make “Cold Stone” treats at home with a few simple ingredients and tools. GREAT for a hot summer treat without breaking the bank.
Tools we get to play with:
*Manual Food Processor
*Cool and Serve Square Tray
*Stoneware
*Forged Knives
*Easy Accent Decorator
*Simple Additions
...and more!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Does it PAY to become a Direct Seller?
Check out my friend, Michelle Zito, at one of her fun shows that was highlighted on the Today Show. Keep in mind that there are many ways to do shows and what you'll see is what works for Michelle.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Changes
I have been updating my blog with my Pampered Chef calendar, links to my specialized facebook pages (recipes, how-to pages, clubs, etc) and setting up consistent posts! I'm so excited with everything that has changed for the better! You can now see when things are. Like the Clubs I am holding (check out the facebook page for more info), open show dates and who is hosting a show, and my personal website where you can Order Online!
Please take a moment to check it out, let me know what you do and don't like and suggest me to your friends! I'm working on this becoming the "hub" of my passion and my business - getting people back in the kitchen without the fear!
Please take a moment to check it out, let me know what you do and don't like and suggest me to your friends! I'm working on this becoming the "hub" of my passion and my business - getting people back in the kitchen without the fear!
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