"Empowering Your Young Chef!"

Since my wife and I currently have only one child, each stage in his life is new and exciting to us. Brennan’s infant stage---when he just stayed in one place---was delightfully peaceful. Now, he’s two and into everything! To keep our little guy busy, my wife and I find as many activities for him as we can. Cooking is one of those endeavors.

We don’t let him loose in the kitchen unsupervised; instead, we make cooking a family affair. Brennan becomes our “little helper” and does simple tasks like pouring dry ingredients into a bowl, shredding lettuce with his tiny hands, tasting the cookie batter, and assisting with clean-up.

To find “child friendly” recipes, I often sift through cookbooks that would appeal to the younger palate. My latest discoveries are “Kid Food: Top 30 30-Minute Meals” and “Cooking Rocks! Rachel Ray’s 30-Minute Meals for Kids,” both by the popular Food Channel host Rachel Ray.

These books feature such yummy classics as grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken and dumplings, and macaroni and cheese. They also include tasty modern recipes like chicken quesadillas, chili dogs, and of course pizza. What I especially like about the recipes found in the above mentioned titles is that not only do they take just 30 minutes to make, but they are simple enough that children can assist in preparing them.

Other cookbooks both parents and children will enjoy sampling from are the Better Homes and Garden’s “The New Junior Cookbook,” “DK Children’s Cookbook” by Katharine Ibbs, and “The Everything Kids Cookbook” by Sandra Nissenberg. All of the recipes come with easy-to-follow directions, so children can prepare whole meals with little or no help from grown ups. Most of the items found in these cookbooks appear in high-quality photos, so young chefs will have an idea how the finished product should look. Helpful hints are sprinkled between the covers to aid parents in making time in the kitchen fun and enjoyable for their children.

The next time you are trying to come up with activities to keep your youngster occupied, checkout what delicious cookbooks are marinating on the shelves at Columbus Public Library. I guarantee you will find wonderful recipes sure to gain rave reviews around the dinner table. If you have any questions regarding the cookbooks featured in the article or would like to know about the other cookbooks in our collection, feel free to contact me at 564-7116 opt. 4.