Little Acts of Love - Things to do with Kids

     My girls have always told me that I love people with food.  I am afraid this is true.  My Grandmother did it, my Mother did it, and I do it.  Whether my girls will admit it, they do it too, and most likely their children will love people with food also, if I have anything to say about it.  What better way to say I love you?

     Last night I had the privilege of baking a Valentine's Day treat with my Granddaughters.  They are 19 months and three years old, but you are never too young for all the lessons and experiences that can be learned through baking.  Both girls got to help count (for the cup and a quarter of brown sugar, we used 1/4 cup measuring cup so they would have to count to five), got to taste salt, sugar, brown sugar, smell vanilla, flour and baking soda.  Molly decided that vanilla, flour and baking soda smell better than they taste.  I have to agree.  We made Pizookies.  They don't only taste good, but it is really fun to say the name.  Pizookies are a giant cookie served right out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream on top.  Delicious!  Here is the recipe:

Chewy Pizookies

(makes 12 cookies)

Mix all of these ingredients together

     1 cup salted butter

     1 1/4 cups brown sugar

     1/4 cup sugar

     1 egg

     1 egg yolk

     2 Tbsp milk

     1 1/2 tsp vanilla     

Add

     2 1/4 cups flour

     1 tsp salt

     1 tsp baking soda

     1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

(this time we did not add the chocolate chips, but served it with chocolate chip ice cream)

Preheat oven to 375

Scoop six large balls of cookie dough on a 2 separate baking sheets.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Serve warm with ice cream.


Here are some pictures of our Pizookie making adventure.  (Molly has her new pet balloon tied around her wrist in most of these pictures.)

First there is hand washing

More hand washing.

Which measuring spoon should we use ?

Butter in the bowl...check

Sugar tastes Yummy!

Brown Sugar tastes better!

Vanilla smells better than it tastes.

We even learned how to separate eggs.

                                                                                  

    I think this mixer is working pretty well.

Before baking 

After baking

Delicious!

No, Scrumptious!!

I hope that this might inspire you just a bit to teach your children to love others with food, both in the eating and the making!  (PopPop really liked the Pizookies too, but he was camera shy today.)