3 August 2013

How to Make Pasta Sauce for Children - from the Kids Only Cookbook.


We were given the Kids Only Cookbook which the eldest immediately pounced on, took total possession of and, within moments, pronounced he was going to make 'Magic Pasta Sauce.'

Is it only me or would you also want to spend ages flicking through every single section and poring over every precious page before taking a decision about cooking your very first dinner?  Not him.  Far too enthusiastic.

I turned straight into my mother though and made him read 'The Bits You Must Read First' bit (to be able to recognize the symbols for when to ask for an adult's help and how to avoid EPIC fails).  He lingered over the lingo and the 'How To Not Chop off Your Finger' and checked out the chapter headings, reminding me relentlessly it was a 'Kids Only Cookbook' and that I could effectively get lost make myself scarce.

When he eventually let me look inside it - there was 'Morning Munchies' - including 'No Recipe Pancakes' and 'Chocolate and Banana French Toast' waiting for me, swiftly followed by 'Scrummy Basics.' This includes 'Bangers and Mash' and 'Chinese Fried Rice' as well 'Bolognese Sauce' - so all the things they'd like as well as how to make your own fish fingers and chicken nuggets.  But there's also 'Posh Nosh' and 'Edible Presents' (how to impress your adults) as well as a section for when their mates come over plus some stuff I considered to be fairly high brow and adventurous for kids - 'Dreamy Chicken Curry,'  'Fancy Lamb' and 'Chocolate Orange Truffles' for example.

The way my eight year old took to it tells me differently and each recipe is rated by difficulty though from 1 to 3 - Easy to Challenging and it's actually for children aged 7+.

Here's your very own lesson in how to make 'Magic Sauce' (rated in the middle, officially as 'not too tricky').  See what you think of the eldest in his element.  The book is by Sue Quinn.  It's colourful, entertaining, teaches good habits and terminology, confidence and, er, cooking skills!




[Disclosure - we were sent the Kids Only Cookbook in exchange for an honest review.  All words and video clips are our own, obvs.].