Cooking With The Kiddos - Chocolate Chip Cookies

Don't you just hate those commercials that show the mom and the child "Baking" together with pre-made cookie mix and is narrated how great it is to spend time with your family. Well, I do. It's great for a quick moment. I do not like the pre-made cookie mixes. They're fine once you take them out of the oven, but after a couple of hours, they're hard as a rock, and they don't taste the same as homemade. My mom always made homemade cookies. It only took about 10 minutes or less, to prepare it, and another 10 minutes to bake. Not that long.
Today my oldest son, Tristan and I made Chocolate Chip Cookies. We make them a lot.

Here is the recipe...

1 Cup Butter Flavored Crisco
2 Eggs
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Water
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Beat Until Creamy

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 1/4 Cups Flour

Stir by hand. Add in 6oz (or more) Chocolate Chips.

Drop on ungreased cookie sheet. (I use an air bake cookie sheet)

Bake 10-12 Minutes At 375 Degrees

Here's what we did...

Tristan mixing it all together
I buy the Nestle 72 oz bag,of chocolate chips, since we make them all the time

I roll my cookie dough, to make it easier to place on the cookie pan


Then pry it apart about 1 inch pieces


Place on cookie sheet


Do the same with the rest


After we take them out of the oven, we have it sit on the cookie sheet for about 3-5 minutes


Then we put them on a cooling rack


Tristan taking his first bite


And we got a thumbs up

Tomato Surprise With Ze Tristan - Healthy Snack For Children

Tristan likes to watch Ze Fronk on The Disney Channel. It's actually pretty cute, because Ze Fronk will teach a new recipe and it's healthy, which get's children want to make it and try it too. Well Tristan has been wanting to make Ze Fronk's Tomato Surpise for awhile now, so we tried it today. We didn't quite do it exactly like Ze Fronk, be pretty much.

Ingredients:
Tomato
Cottage Cheese
Jimmies

Cut the top of the tomato


Then gut the insides out


Tristan then stuffed the the tomato with cottage cheese


After he stuffed the cottage cheese he sprinkle the top with jimmies



Whoolah


Tristan's 1st bite

Fun Kid Activity: Making Play-Dough

Today my boy's and I made some play-dough. Well, Brayden kind of got board with it, but Tristan was all for it. All you need is a few ingredients that you may have around the house and that's it! Don't forget the food coloring. I only had 1 color so blue was all we made today.

Basic ingredient ratios:
2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar (optional for improved elasticity)

food coloring (liquid, powder, or unflavored drink mix)
scented oils

Mix all of the ingredients together, and stir over low heat. The dough will begin to thicken until it resembles mashed potatoes.

When the dough pulls away from the sides and clumps in the center,remove the pan from heat and allow the dough to cool enough to handle.

IMPORTANT NOTE: if your play-dough is still sticky, you simply need to cook it longer! Keep stirring and cooking until the dough is dry and feels like playdough.

If you have a problem washing off that food coloring, here is a tip:
Use powder detergent, and put a small amount on to damp hands.
Rub hands together, dry, then under water.
You don't have to scrub as much.