I have long been an advocate of cooking with kids. The cookbook I recently published (see the link to the right) strongly emphasizes getting kids into the kitchen, even if only to sprinkle a spice or stir the pot. I believe that the simple act of being a part of the process of preparing food gives children an appreciation of the energy, the time and the ingredients that go into a good meal, and also an appreciation of the person who prepares the food. There is no guarantee that this will improve kids’ diets-my kids still prefer pizza, pasta and pancakes, but at least they are content with the whole grain, home made varieties. Possibly the most common question that I am asked is “how can I get my kids to eat _____ (fill in the blank)”. I am not sure how satisfying my answer is because I basically tell people that I don’t know. What I DO know however, is that engaging children in planning, preparing and sharing a meal is a sure way to build awareness and appreciation, not to mention basic skills that will serve them (and their family and friends) throughout their lives. And perhaps, they will end up loving (fill in the blank) too!
Recently Solana had a friend over who was thrilled at the opportunity to make a pizza from scratch. They made the dough and rolled it into stars, cut the onions, sprinkled the oregano, grated the cheese and assembled their pizzas…..and they ate every drop!
Pizza Crust:
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1/8 cup honey
1 tablespoon dry basil
2 teaspoons salt
5 to 6 cups unbleached or whole wheat bread flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
Place water in bowl and add yeast, honey and salt. Let mixture begin to bubble (approximately 5 to 8 minutes), then add basil. Add flour one cup at a time and mix until doughy. Dough should be firm and pliable and not sticky. Knead for about 10 minutes, cover bowl with olive oil and place dough in bowl. Cover with moist towel and set in warm place to rise. After approximately 40 minutes, punch down and rise again. After the second rise, cut into pieces about the size of a tangerine for individual pizzas or triple for large pizzas. Roll out on floured surface with rolling pin. Prick with fork or knife and bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375 degrees on a cookie sheet.
PIzza Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/8 cup sherry vinegar
3 cups canned diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried (See Growing Green Flavor, page X)
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped or 2 teaspoons dried
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup tomato puree
In a saucepan, sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil, add the diced tomatoes and seasonings, and simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the tomato puree and simmer another 10 minutes.
Makes 5 cups of sauce–plenty for the lasagna recipe, with a little left over to keep in the refrigerator (up to 1 week) or freezer.
Cooking up the good life 
I love your blog! The slideshow really catches the learning experience and fun.