Kids Cooking and Cookbook Blog

Image by @jozjozjoz via Flickr

On an icy, wind-swept New Year‘s eve, what could warm your heart and stomach more than some hot crusty corn bread? The following recipe is a perfect accompaniment to the black-eyed peas we started yesterday.

Crusty Corn Bread

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup white corn meal
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8 or 9-inch pan.

Children can measure flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized bowl.

Image by jodigreen via Flickr

In the American South, people serve black-eyed peas and corn bread to bring good luck. Here is a recipe from the children’s cookbook, Cooking Around the Calendar with Kids: Holiday and Seasonal Food and Fun by Amy Houts that will get your New Year started right.

Amy suggests you soak the peas the night before.

Black-Eyed Peas

1 pound package dried black-eyed peas
1 ham hock

Image via Wikipedia

In case you haven’t seen this video on YouTube, I just wanted you to have the opportunity to see the illustrations and hear a bit about the story of the cat family and Christmas. Here it is: The Littlest Christmas Kitten

Hope your preparations for this season are well under way. Week from today is Christmas Eve – only 8 more days ’til Christmas.

May this be a joyous time for you and your family.

Lee Jackson

Our book, The Littlest Christmas Kitten, just went up on YouTube at http://bit.ly/er8Qnm – just in time for the season. It’s a children’s story for ages 2 to 12.

This book, illustrated by Kelly Dupre, a talented young artist from Minnesota, captures the excitement of the animals as they sense something important is happening on this Holy Night. Two strangers enter the place where the animals are kept, while a mother cat searches frantically for her little lost kitten. Before the night is over, there is the singing of angels, and animals greeting the newborn child. It is a night to be remembered down through the ages of the cat kingdom.

I forgot to include an image of the new e-book  announced yesterday, Learning Through Cooking Activities.

You can see the cover and read more about it when you go here.

This makes a helpful guide for parents and teachers in their work with introducing learning experiences related to food. With all the new Kindles being bought this Christmas,  include this handy reference in the bundle.  You’ll be glad you did – and your children will enjoy it, too.

Lee Jackson
Parenting and Family Living Specialist