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2 (Or
More) Cooks Are
Better Than 1!
- Looking
for a fun activity to do with friends?
- Seeking
a new adventure with your spouse or date?
- Want
to spend some quality time with a child or grandchild?
Try cooking
together!
Many people
no longer cook because they're too busy with other activities. Make time
to cook by making cooking "the activity."
To begin,
there are two types of cooking situations. Here are some strategies for
cooking together for each. Use one or more strategy as best fits your
setting.
Situation
One: Working with Inexperienced Cooks
Strategy
A.
Give beginning cooks simpler-to-master tasks, such as chopping foods,
arranging foods, etc.
Strategy
B. Demonstrate how to do tasks before assigning them. Don't assume
anything.
- True
story number one: a woman was helping another person make cookies.
As she read "drop dough on cookie sheet," she heard a loud "clunk!"
The other person - following directions to the letter - had dropped
the bowl of dough on the cookie sheet!
- Another
true story, different people: a recipe called for "egg whites."
Looking at the egg, this new cook saw the egg shell as the "white" part
of the egg. The cake was rather crunchy!
Strategy
C. Plan a menu with foods that can be prepared at different times. You'll
be able to focus more on helping the beginning cook. For example, include
a food that can be in the oven baking while the other foods are prepared.
Situation
2: Working With Experienced Cooks
Strategy
A.
Divide tasks in a recipe.
Strategy
B. Prepare different recipes.
Here are
some more tips to make your "cooking together" experience a success:
- Be tolerant
of how the finished foods look. One person might cut the strawberries
in a Yogurt Strawberry Parfait recipe into uniform slices. Another might
just hack the berries into bits! Remember: they'll taste the same either
way.
- Check
the cupboards for ingredients and necessary cooking equipment before
you begin cooking. Otherwise, you may need to abandon your recipes for
reservations at the nearest restaurant.
- Serve
snacks if you serve alcohol while cooking together. Alcoholic beverages,
an empty stomach and kitchen knives aren't the best of companions.
- Include
a back up food plan if cooking untested recipes at a party. Your main
dish recipe may read better than it tastes. A pizza in the freezer could
save the day.
- Supplement
"cooked together" foods with "ready-to-eat" foods. Trying to make everything
from scratch can put you in a "frantic" rather than "fun" mood. Example:
no "rule" says you have to make rolls or bread from scratch. Buy a product
that complements your menu and enjoy!
- Play
some special music while you're cooking and eating together. Example:
if you're experimenting with foods from a different country, listen
to a tape or CD of music from that country. This adds to the experience.
Also, when people hear that music again, they'll remember the good times
they had while cooking.
Here's a menu
and sample recipes for a meal you might cook with friends or family. All
recipes are for 4 people and are easy to adjust upward or downward for other
numbers. Look to the end of this article for a recipe you might cook with
a child or grandchild.
Menu
& Timeline Tips for Cooking Together
Meal in
a Potato
Spinach-Orange Salad
Whole Wheat Rolls (purchased)
Yogurt-Strawberry Parfait
- Start
potatoes baking before completing other menu steps.
- Prepare
salad next; refrigerate.
- Slice
strawberries, grate cheese for later; refrigerate.
- Set table,
start cleaning food preparation dishes.
- Complete
the potatoes. Set other foods on table.
- Enjoy
your meal!
- Clean
table, assemble dessert and complete your first meal of Cooking Together!
Meal in
a Potato
(4 servings,
1 potato each)
To make
this recipe a true meal, add leftover meat, poultry, fish, or mashed beans,
and vegetables like chopped spinach or broccoli to the potato.
- 4 large
potatoes
- 1 tablespoon
oil
- 4 tablespoons
grated lowfat cheese (mozzarella or cheddar)
- 1/4
teaspoon salt
- 1/8
teaspoon pepper
- 1/8
teaspoon nutmeg
- Nonfat
or lowfat sour cream or yogurt (optional)
- Preheat
oven to 425 degrees F. Scrub potatoes well. Dry with a towel. Rub the
outside with oil. Prick with a fork in several places. Bake about 45
minutes - 1 hour until potato is soft.
- Cut off
a cap lengthwise. Scoop out some of the pulp and mix with the cheese,
salt, pepper and nutmeg. For a creamier filling, mix in nonfat or lowfat
sour cream or yogurt until desired consistency is reached (about 1 to
2 tablespoons per potato or to taste). Spoon back into potato. Replace
cap. Serve.
Per Serving:
Calories: 262
Total fat: 4.1 grams
Saturated fat: 0.9 grams
Cholesterol: 1 milligrams
Sodium: 204 milligrams
Source:
adapted from Food, Family & Fun, USDA Food & Consumer Service Department.
Spinach-Orange
Salad
(4 servings,
about 1 cup each)
- 4 cups
spinach (torn-into-pieces)
- 2 medium
oranges, sectioned
- 2/3
cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1/2
cup sliced red onion (optional)
- 2 tablespoons
vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons
vinegar
- 1/4
cup orange juice
- 1/2
teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4
teaspoon pepper
- Place
spinach in bowl. Add orange sections, mushrooms, and onion. Toss lightly
to mix.
- Mix oil,
vinegar, orange juice, ginger, and pepper well. Pour over spinach mixture.
Toss to mix.
- Chill.
Per Serving:
Calories: 110
Total fat: 7 grams
Saturated fat: 1 grams
Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
Sodium: 25 milligrams
Source:
Using the Food Guide Pyramid: A Resource for Nutrition Educators,
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture/Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services/Center
For Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
Strawbery
Yogurt Parfait
(4 servings,
about 1 cup each)
- 1 pint
lowfat frozen vanilla yogurt
- 2 cups
sliced strawberries
- 8 mint
leaves (optional)
- Layer
yogurt and berries in parfait glass.
- Garnish
with mint leaves and serve.
Note:
For variety, use other berries or sliced fresh fruit in season.
Per
Serving:
Calories: 130
Total fat: 2 grams
Saturated fat: 1 grams
Cholesterol: 5 milligrams
Sodium: 60 milligrams
Source:
Food, Family & Fun, USDA Food & Consumer Service Department.
Special
Considerations for Cooking
With Children
When first
cooking with children, you may have more fun by choosing foods that don't
have to be ready by a specific time. If everyone's hungry and waiting,
there's a tendency to take over rather than give children time to learn.
For starters,
make a simple snack together, such as this cookie recipe. Directions are
included for tasks that children can help with. Calories and fat are lowered
in this recipe by substituting applesauce for some of the fat.
New Oatmeal
Raisin Cookies
(Makes
30 cookies)
- 3/4
cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons
margarine or butter
- 1 fresh
large egg
- 2 tablespoons
lowfat milk
- 1/4
cup canned applesauce
- 3/4
cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4
teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2
teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8
teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4
teaspoon salt
- 1-1/4
cup quick oats
- 1/2
cup raisins
(IMPORTANT:
When working with an electric mixer, children need to STOP the mixer when
adding ingredients or scraping down the side of a bowl.)
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees F.
- Guide
children in using an electric mixer on medium speed. Cream sugar and
margarine or butter until smooth and creamy.
- Ask child
to slowly add egg. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute.
- Child
can slowly add milk and applesauce. Mix for 1 more minute. Scrape the
sides of the bowl.
- In a
small bowl, help child combine together flour, baking soda, cinnamon,
nutmeg, and salt. Add dry ingredients gradually to the creamed mixture
and mix on low speed for 2 minutes, until blended.
- Add oats
and raisins and blend for 30 seconds on low speed. Scrape the sides
of the bowl.
- Child
can portion dough by rounded teaspoons (about 2 inches apart)onto lightly
greased cookie sheets.
- Bake
for 10 - 13 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Per Cookie:
Calories: 70
Total fat: 1.3 grams
Saturated fat: 0.3 grams
Cholesterol: 8 milligrams
Sodium: 42 milligrams
Source:
Food, Family & Fun, USDA Food & Consumer Service Department.
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