Easy Recipes to Try with the Kids

Cooking with your kids is not only a great way to keep them busy, but also a great way to spend some quality time together! Whether you’re making some delicious pastries, or making a meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner, cooking can be fun, exciting, and can spark lots of creativity. Below are a few recipes from our alum chefs for you and your kids to try!  

No Box Mac & Cheese – Chef Timothy Hollingsworth 
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Ingredients:

• 3 Cups Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
• 3 Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 9 TBSP Butter
• 1/3 Cup Flour
• 3 Cups Milk
• Salt
• Pepper
• Aleppo Pepper
• Chopped Chives
• Breadcrumbs
• Big Shell Pasta

Directions for Béchamel Sauce:

1. In a large pot melt 6 TBSP butter.
2. Add flour and cook out for 4-5 minutes.
3. Add milk and let simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add Salt, Pepper and Aleppo Pepper to taste.
5. Add Cheese and heavy cream whisking occasionally to emulsify.

* A stick blender is optional to remove any graininess.
Directions for Breadcrumbs:
In a pan, toast breadcrumbs with remaining 3 TBSP butter.
Procedure:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees.
2. Add cooked pasta to your pot of Béchamel sauce and mix.
3. Transfer to an oven safe pan and add your toasted breadcrumbs.
4. Bake for 15 minutes.
5. Garnish with chopped chives.

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Check out the video of Chef Timothy Hollingsworth and his kids making this delicious recipe here.

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Little Goat Diner Pancakes – Chef Stephanie Izard 
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Ingredients:

• 200 Grams Sourdough Starter
• 3 eggs
• 200 Grams All Purpose Flour
• 69 Grams Canola Oil
• 20 Grams Melted Butter
• 80 Grams Sugar in the Raw
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 3 Grams Baking Soda
• 6 Grams Baking Powder
• 300 Grams Buttermilk

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients and whisk.
2. Use a spoon to transfer to pan
3. Wait until pancakes start to bubble then flip. 

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Her son absolutely loves them! Check it out here. 

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Orange Madeleines – Chef Ludo Lefebvre 
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​Ingredients: 

• 4 ¾ Ounces unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp pure honey
• 3 Large eggs
• 4 Ounces caster sugar
• ½ Ounce light brown sugar
• 4 ¾ Ounces self-rising flour, sifted
• 5 Whole orange zest
• 1 Whole lemon zest

Directions:

1. Melt the butter and honey in a saucepan and simmer until golden brown. Leave to cool.
2. Whisk the eggs, caster sugar and brown sugar together for 8-10 minutes in a stand mixer, until the mixture has tripled in volume and looks like a “ribbon” when the whisk is lifted.
3. Fold the sifted flour and melted butter through the egg mixture until it is all incorporated, then add the orange and lemon zest. Pour into a plastic container and rest in the fridge for 3 hours.
4. Grease the madeleines molds with butter, then dust with flour.
5. Pour the madeleine batter in each mold and cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 15 minutes, until firm and golden gold.

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Check out the fun video of Chef Ludo and his son Luca making them here. 

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Biscuits – Chef Ravi Kapur 
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Ingredients:

• 4 ½ Cups flour
• 2 Tablespoons baking powder
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons salt 
• 8 Tablespoons butter
• 1 ½ Cups buttermilk
• 4 Tablespoons melted butter to brush them with

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients (except melted butter) to make dough
3. Knead dough
4. Roll dough and use a biscuit cutter (or circle cookie cutter)
5. Place biscuits on a cookie sheet and coat with melted butter
6. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown

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Check out Chef Ravi Kapur and his son’s biscuit making competition here. 

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Sugar Cookies – Chef Duff Goldman

Ingredients:

• ¾ Cup (150 grams) sugar
• ½ Cup (113 grams) butter
• 1 Each egg 
• 1 Teaspoon (5 grams) vanilla extract
• 1 ⅓ Cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour 
• 1 Teaspoon (4 grams) cream of tartar
• ½ Teaspoon (3 grams) baking soda
• Pinch of kosher salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar on medium high until it’s light and fluffy. 
3. Add the egg and mix to combine.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add the flour to the stand mixer and mix on low speed until a nice dough forms. Let chill for 15 minutes in the fridge.
6. Cover two sheet pans with parchment. 
7. You can either roll the dough out with a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out your favorite shapes with a cutter or paring knife or you can roll 1- to 2-inch balls with your hands. Then arrange them on the sheet pans with enough space so the cookies can spread without running into each other.
8. Bake for 14-18 minutes, until the cookies are about to brown. Cool the cookies on a wire rack completely before decorating with royal icing, frosting, or whatever you choose!

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Check out the recipe here.

Now it’s time for you and your little one to become all-star chefs of your own! Happy cooking!
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