MONROE - If you have any doubts that cooking can be fun, just ask Monroe summer school students.
Elementary-age students in "Cooking Fun" learn how to make a variety of tasty and healthy snacks. The popular class is open to first- through third-graders in each hour-long class during both the first and second session of summer school. Fourth- through sixth-graders can take a similar class called "Cooking Corner."
This the first year Tara Koster, Title 1 Math teacher at Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy, has taught "Cooking Fun." She's found the kids really enjoy learning how to make fun snacks.
"They really like the haystacks and corn dogs," Koster said. "A lot of kids said they made them at home."
Here's a few of the recipes the kids try during the class:
PB PITAS
1 package small pita breads, cut crosswise in half
16 teaspoons peanut butter
16 teaspoons strawberry fruit spread
1 large banana, peeled and thinly sliced
Directions:
1. Spread inside of each pita half with 1 teaspoon each peanut butter and fruit spread.
2. Fill pita halves evenly with banana slices.
Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings.
PURPLE COW JUMPED OVER THE MOON
3 cups vanilla frozen yogurt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup thawed frozen grape juice concentrate (undiluted)
11/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Directions:
1. Place frozen yogurt, milk, grape juice concentrate, and lemon juice in food processor or blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
Serve immediately.
Makes 8 (1/2-cup) servings
SANDWICH WRAPS
4 10-inch flour tortillas
4 tablespoons honey Dijon mustard or mayonnaise
1/2 pound deli meat (roast beef, bologna, turkey, ham)
8 slices cheese (American, provolone, or Muenster)
1/2/ cup shredded carrots
1 cup lettuce
Directions:
1. Spread each tortilla with 1 tablespoon mustard or mayo
2. Put on meat, cheese, carrots, and lettuce.
3. Roll up, and cut in half.
4. Eat and enjoy.
Makes 8 servings.
BANANA SPLIT SHAKES
2 large, peeled bananas
1/4 cup milk
5 maraschino cherries
1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
2 cups chocolate frozen yogurt
Directions:
1. Chop bananas. Place in resealable plastic bag and freeze until solid.
2. Combine bananas, cherries, and chocolate syrup in a blender.
3. Cover; blend on high speed until smooth.
4. Add 1 cup of frozen yogurt at a time. Cover and pulse on high speed after each addition until smooth.
5. Pour into 6 small glasses.
6. Garnish with additional maraschino cherries, if desired.
Makes 6 servings.
CORN DOGS
8 hot dogs
8 popsicle sticks
1 package refrigerated grand-size biscuits
ketchup and mustard
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Insert one popsicle stick halfway into each hot dog. Set aside.
3. Separate biscuits. Press them down.
4. Squirt in a little ketchup down the center of the biscuit.
5. Place hot dog in center of the biscuit.
6. Fold dough around the hot dog, pinching the edges to seal.
7. Place corn dogs, seam side down on greased baking sheet.
8. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before eating.
Makes 8 servings.
BANANA ROLL-UPS
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons chocolate chips
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1 8-inch flour tortilla
1 banana
Directions:
1. Combine peanut butter, chocolate chips, and 1 tablespoon milk in medium microwavable bowl.
2. Microwave on medium (50 percent) for 40 seconds.
3. Stir well and repeat, if necessary, to melt chocolate. (Add more milk, if necessary, for desired consistency.)
4. Spread peanut butter mixture on tortilla.
5. Place banana on one side of tortilla and roll up tightly.
6. Cut into 6 to 8 slices.
HAYSTACKS
12/3 cups peanut butter or butterscotch chips
1 tablespoon shortening
21/2 cups chow mein noodles
11/2 cups mini marshmallows
Directions:
1. Line tray with wax paper.
2. Place chips and shortening in medium microwavable bowl.
3. Microwave on high (100 percent) for 1 minute. Stir.
4. If needed, microwave another 15 seconds at a time, stirring in between. They are done as soon as the chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.
5. Add chow mein noodles and marshmallows. Stir to coat.
6. Drop mixture by heaping teaspoons onto waxed paper.
7. Let them stand until firm or refrigerate several minutes until firm.
8. Store in a tightly covered container.
Makes about 24 servings.
PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY MUFFINS
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup jam or jelly
2 cups flour
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 cup skim milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Whisk together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Place milk, eggs, sugar, salt and peanut butter in a blender and blend to combine.
4. Pour over dry ingredients. Stir just to moisten.
5. Line a muffin pan with paper baking cups. Pour in mixture to fill1/3 of cup.
6. Place 1 teaspoon of jam/jelly in the center of each muffin, then add muffin mixture to be2/3 cup full.
7. Bake for about 15 minutes
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before eating.
Makes 12 servings.
Elementary-age students in "Cooking Fun" learn how to make a variety of tasty and healthy snacks. The popular class is open to first- through third-graders in each hour-long class during both the first and second session of summer school. Fourth- through sixth-graders can take a similar class called "Cooking Corner."
This the first year Tara Koster, Title 1 Math teacher at Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy, has taught "Cooking Fun." She's found the kids really enjoy learning how to make fun snacks.
"They really like the haystacks and corn dogs," Koster said. "A lot of kids said they made them at home."
Here's a few of the recipes the kids try during the class:
PB PITAS
1 package small pita breads, cut crosswise in half
16 teaspoons peanut butter
16 teaspoons strawberry fruit spread
1 large banana, peeled and thinly sliced
Directions:
1. Spread inside of each pita half with 1 teaspoon each peanut butter and fruit spread.
2. Fill pita halves evenly with banana slices.
Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings.
PURPLE COW JUMPED OVER THE MOON
3 cups vanilla frozen yogurt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup thawed frozen grape juice concentrate (undiluted)
11/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Directions:
1. Place frozen yogurt, milk, grape juice concentrate, and lemon juice in food processor or blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
Serve immediately.
Makes 8 (1/2-cup) servings
SANDWICH WRAPS
4 10-inch flour tortillas
4 tablespoons honey Dijon mustard or mayonnaise
1/2 pound deli meat (roast beef, bologna, turkey, ham)
8 slices cheese (American, provolone, or Muenster)
1/2/ cup shredded carrots
1 cup lettuce
Directions:
1. Spread each tortilla with 1 tablespoon mustard or mayo
2. Put on meat, cheese, carrots, and lettuce.
3. Roll up, and cut in half.
4. Eat and enjoy.
Makes 8 servings.
BANANA SPLIT SHAKES
2 large, peeled bananas
1/4 cup milk
5 maraschino cherries
1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
2 cups chocolate frozen yogurt
Directions:
1. Chop bananas. Place in resealable plastic bag and freeze until solid.
2. Combine bananas, cherries, and chocolate syrup in a blender.
3. Cover; blend on high speed until smooth.
4. Add 1 cup of frozen yogurt at a time. Cover and pulse on high speed after each addition until smooth.
5. Pour into 6 small glasses.
6. Garnish with additional maraschino cherries, if desired.
Makes 6 servings.
CORN DOGS
8 hot dogs
8 popsicle sticks
1 package refrigerated grand-size biscuits
ketchup and mustard
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Insert one popsicle stick halfway into each hot dog. Set aside.
3. Separate biscuits. Press them down.
4. Squirt in a little ketchup down the center of the biscuit.
5. Place hot dog in center of the biscuit.
6. Fold dough around the hot dog, pinching the edges to seal.
7. Place corn dogs, seam side down on greased baking sheet.
8. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before eating.
Makes 8 servings.
BANANA ROLL-UPS
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons chocolate chips
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1 8-inch flour tortilla
1 banana
Directions:
1. Combine peanut butter, chocolate chips, and 1 tablespoon milk in medium microwavable bowl.
2. Microwave on medium (50 percent) for 40 seconds.
3. Stir well and repeat, if necessary, to melt chocolate. (Add more milk, if necessary, for desired consistency.)
4. Spread peanut butter mixture on tortilla.
5. Place banana on one side of tortilla and roll up tightly.
6. Cut into 6 to 8 slices.
HAYSTACKS
12/3 cups peanut butter or butterscotch chips
1 tablespoon shortening
21/2 cups chow mein noodles
11/2 cups mini marshmallows
Directions:
1. Line tray with wax paper.
2. Place chips and shortening in medium microwavable bowl.
3. Microwave on high (100 percent) for 1 minute. Stir.
4. If needed, microwave another 15 seconds at a time, stirring in between. They are done as soon as the chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.
5. Add chow mein noodles and marshmallows. Stir to coat.
6. Drop mixture by heaping teaspoons onto waxed paper.
7. Let them stand until firm or refrigerate several minutes until firm.
8. Store in a tightly covered container.
Makes about 24 servings.
PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY MUFFINS
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup jam or jelly
2 cups flour
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 cup skim milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Whisk together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Place milk, eggs, sugar, salt and peanut butter in a blender and blend to combine.
4. Pour over dry ingredients. Stir just to moisten.
5. Line a muffin pan with paper baking cups. Pour in mixture to fill1/3 of cup.
6. Place 1 teaspoon of jam/jelly in the center of each muffin, then add muffin mixture to be2/3 cup full.
7. Bake for about 15 minutes
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before eating.
Makes 12 servings.