Week 4 Lesson

This week the kids learned how to make scones from scratch. We used plain Greek yogurt to make these gems. 

The kids were introduced to a microplane grater, citrus juicer, a regular cheese grater (which we used to grate the frozen butter). 

I taught the kids how to probably zest an orange. You should never grate the same part of the orange. 

The kids learned about the natural oils found in the zest of citrus. We combined the zest with the sugar and infused the sugar by releasing the natural oils of our orange zest. The kids were fascinated by the aroma.

Week 3 Pizza Puffs

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

serves 48 mini bites

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (Optional)
1 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus more to grease pans)
1½ cups whole milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups shredded 4-cheese pizza blend (We used mozzarella cheese)
1 (5 ounce) package mini pepperoni rounds

Preheat oven to 350°F.  

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, seasoning, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, sugar, milk and egg. Stir together with a fork.  Mix in the pizza blend cheese and pepperoni.  Set aside.

Prepare (2) 24 cup mini-muffin pans by greasing with olive oil (or spray with cooking spray).

Mix batter and add 1 heaping tablespoon scoop to each muffin cup.  Bake until golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes, remove from muffin tin and serve with favorite marinara sauce.  

Week 2 Lesson Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

MThis week the kids had so much fun creating and making donuts that are not fried, but baked! I told the kids these donuts could be made gluten free by simply using gluten free all purpose flour or by using oat flour. The kids were introduced to tablespoons vs teaspoons as well as measuring liquid ingredients in a liquid measuring cup and dry ingredients in regular cups. For this recipe we used two separate bowls. One for dry ingredients and one for our wet ingredients. The kids were taught how to fold in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. They learned not to over mix the dough. The kids were also introduced to pastry brushes, they had fun using them. I explained to the kids that coconut oil can be used vs. butter. I also told the kids they can use cupcake tins or use the pastry bag and make round circles directly onto parchment paper. Hope you enjoy making them as much as we did. 

Week 2- Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup flour or oat flour
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• For topping:
• 3 Tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 cup sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon (mixed together)

Instructions

1. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Add to the dry mixture and stir till just combined.
3. Spoon batter into a ziplock bag and snip off the corner. Squeeze the batter into a well greased donut pan. We used coconut oil spray.
4. Bake at 375° for 11-12 minutes. Let cool for a couple minutes, then remove to cooling racks. While still warm, brush all sides of each donut with melted coconut oil or butter, then dip in the cinnamon sugar mixture till well coated.

Week 1-Lesson Potato Tacos

Welcome to Cooking and Baking Class!! I had a great week meeting all the new kids who are taking my class this trimester. 

This week the kids learned how to properly peel a potato before boiling. They also learned how to check a potato to see if it's done. I taught the kids that when they are in a hurry, dicing a potato will help cook it faster. They also learned how to grate cheese using a hand grater. I introduced the kids to grapeseed oil and taught them that different oils have different levels of smoking and burning. We used grapeseed oil to brush on our tacos to bake them instead of frying them. I taught the kids that whenever possible, choose a healthier oil/fat to cook with and anything can be baked instead of fried.

Week 1- Potato Tacos (Baked in the Oven)

Potato Tacos

4-5 potatoes (peeled, cut, diced and boil)
1 tsp smokey paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
2 TBS shredded cotija cheese
12 corn tortillas
Grapeseed oil

Directions:
Preheat oven at 375 degrees.
Drain cooked potatoes, using a masher mash potatoes until smooth. Add in ingredients and mix together. Place tortillas in a napkin and microwave for 1 minute or until pliable. Fill with potatoes and fold in half. Place on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, brush with grapeseed oil on both sides of taco. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Add lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa and additional cheese. Serve and enjoy.