Nursery-school cooking project

[Fat Guy]

I have to go in to my son's nursery school later this month and demonstrate a talent. Since I have no talents, I figured at least I could cook something.

The school has a kitchen, however any prep or whatever would have to be done in the classroom. Example: it would be possible to have each kid decorate a cookie, then I could take them up to the kitchen and bake them. Except (see below) most cookie recipes could be tough.

No knives.

There's also a portable burner that could be used in a classroom, for what I have no idea.

In terms of allergy and dietary restrictions: no nuts or seeds, no dairy (that means no eggs either), everything has to be kosher. I was told no flaming desserts either.

Given that my top picks -- made-to-order omelettes, bananas Foster -- are out of the question does anybody have any ideas?

[s0rce]

My first thought was that it would be best if you could involve the class in your demo. I was thinking making chocolate chip cookies and have everyone go into groups and mix the ingredients, make the dough, assemble the cookies, and then with some supervision bake them. There are vegan cookie recipes so I'm sure there is some way to make them egg-less and still good.

The size of the groups would depend on the number of supervisory people you have available. I think that the kids would have more fun playing with dough and maybe experiencing the baking process than just eating some cookies which is a relatively commonplace activity.

[Pam R]

How much time do you have with them? Would challah work? I did a cooking class with twenty 6-year-olds this summer and the challah day was successful. The only problem is that I was stuck there for hours baking all of them after they were done.

eta: Why does no dairy = no eggs?

Edited November 6, 2008 by Pam R (log)

[Fat Guy]

eta: Why does no dairy = no eggs?

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It's an allergy issue.

[Fat Guy]

The size of the groups would depend on the number of supervisory people you have available. I think that the kids would have more fun playing with dough and maybe experiencing the baking process than just eating some cookies which is a relatively commonplace activity.

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Eleven kids, three teachers, and me.

How much time do you have with them? Would challah work?  I did a cooking class with twenty 6-year-olds this summer and the challah day was successful.  The only problem is that I was stuck there for hours baking all of them after they were done.

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There's no set time limit but we're talking about three-year-olds. I imagine 15 or so minutes would be best, attention-span wise.

[Pam R]

OK. Forget the challah. Pita? Shortbread made with a good-quality margarine (Earth Balance is the best parve margarine for baking)?

[snowangel]

Can we assume that the ingredients can't be those that were processed in a plant that also processes nuts would be out?

It's really too bad about the dairy, because pigs in a blanket could be ideal.

[Chris Hennes]

It's really too bad about the dairy, because pigs in a blanket could be ideal.

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The idea of Kosher Pigs in a Blanket cracks me up...

I'm having a hard time coming up with much of a list of things you could make that are Kosher, vegan, and nut-free, let alone things that meet that and can be made in 15 minutes, without a knife or a real kitchen. Pita could be fun, but it would be best if they could see them bake so they could witness the "poof" action---think you could sell them on letting the kids into the kitchen, too?

[ambra]

Funny, I was going to suggest pigs in blankets too...or pizza.... I guess there is no oven either....that dairy thing is a killer

[EllenC]

What about a simple ramen? Can the children use scissors? Maybe they could snip the green onions and help put the noodles in the broth you make on the hot plate. Then you could show them how to use chop sticks. I find that if you make the kid friendly ones with a rubberband and the paper cover, most 3 year olds can do it. Fun and interactive and safe. (Inspired by your avatar actually.)

Just a thought.

Ellen

[jaynesb]

I don't have any of those kids cooking books but maybe take a look through them in a local bookstore/library. The egg/dairy thing will be a little tough though.

Puff Pastry Shells? That's always fun and kids will love to see how they change.fruit pastries or tarts or even palmiers or chocolate turnovers (Pepperidge Farm is pareve and I don't see anything about eggs on my package of the sheet sized ones.) The shells might work. Not sure if you would be able to have prepared cut-up fruit but worst case, maybe some canned fruit could work.....

This might be too simple and not involve a lot of cooking but maybe dipped pretzels with sprinkles and stuff.

fried rice if everything is you are allowed to do all the chopping ahead of time and also prepare the rice in advance.

failing all other options, you could teach them about warmed potato chips....

jayne

[baroness]

Here's an eggless, kid-friendly cookie:

Aggression Cookies

1 c brown sugar, packed

1 c margarine

2 c rolled oats

1 c flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

Place all in a large bowl; mush together with your fingers to make a firm dough. Form into balls and bake at 350F for about 10 to 12 minutes.

You could provide raisins, chocolate chips, etc. for them to decorate their cookies before baking.

[Fat Guy]

Oooh. I definitely need to test that recipe.

[sheetz]

What about something deep fried, especially something that would puff up during cooking? Kids, and even adults, are always fascinated by things like that. Chinese prawn crackers probably aren't kosher, but you can also fry cellophane noodles or rice crusts. Even Indian puri bread.

[rooftop1000]

How about making some hummus in a food processor and cutting up some veggies

maybe carve some easy stuff like radish or tomato skin roses or scallion brushes

tracey

all I did back as a kindergarten mom was carve the tomato roses

[Kerry Beal]

I'm thinking something in a no bake cookie or rice crispy square.

[heidih]

Interesting ideas. Harking back to the "talent" thing and the possible "wow" factor. Could you use the portable burner to boil some sugar syrup and make those sugar threads with a whisk? That seems more magical and talented to me as opposed to a participatory cooking class. Maybe do some more elaborate cages and nests ahead as the prop and then show them the "abra ca dabra" magic of heated sugar.

[CaliPoutine]

I'm thinking something in a no bake cookie or rice crispy square.

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There is a good no-bake cookie recipe made w/ chinese noodles.

[Pam R]

Interesting ideas. Harking back to the "talent" thing and the possible "wow" factor. Could you use the portable burner to boil some sugar syrup and make those sugar threads with a whisk? That seems more magical and talented to me as opposed to a participatory cooking class. Maybe do some more elaborate cages and nests ahead as the prop and then show them the "abra ca dabra" magic of heated sugar.

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Or seafoam candy. It's candy-making and a science experiment all in one.

[Soupcon]

Stephen

With my fist born,s montessori class (he was aged 3 at the time) I took graham crackers, tons of royal icing made with meringue powder and many different kinds of small candies to make gingerbread houses with them. The royal icing was the glue which held the houses together and acted as snow and a base to glue on the candy decorations. Each house uses pre sized (by you) lengths of crackers for the walls and longer lengths for the two roof pieces. I cut the end house pieces so as to support a peaked roof. The houses require you help the children glue the houses together carefully and apply the royal iceing and ornaments and the let them dry overnight to be taken home the next day. The kids, teachers and parents loved this so much I did this every year my children were at montessori and then for many years of my childrens public schooling years up to grade 6 when it even expanded to include the whole school. You will have just as much fun as they do. When I undertook this activity, the children were the ones to make and decorate the houses with the adults only aiding them (not doing for them) and the children used their fingers to apply the royal icing and candies. They were allowed to apply as many candies in as many ways as their could think of.

Edited November 7, 2008 by Soupcon (log)

[iguana]

...I took graham crackers, tons of royal icing made with meringue powder and many different kinds of small candies to make gingerbread houses with them....

That is exactly what I was going to suggest-- Martha has some good directions for these:

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/house...es&rsc=header_2

Too bad about no dairy, because making fast mozzarella or butter in a blender would be a great demo.

Another possibility might be making a batch of bread dough and having the kids make turtle-shaped rolls. Here is a reference for the shaping, but you could use any other bread dough as their dough uses peanut butter:

http://www.grouprecipes.com/76978/turtle-rolls.html

Good luck and let us know how it works out!

Jen

[snowangel]

Interesting ideas. Harking back to the "talent" thing and the possible "wow" factor. Could you use the portable burner to boil some sugar syrup and make those sugar threads with a whisk? That seems more magical and talented to me as opposed to a participatory cooking class. Maybe do some more elaborate cages and nests ahead as the prop and then show them the "abra ca dabra" magic of heated sugar.

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Or seafoam candy. It's candy-making and a science experiment all in one.

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I like this idea better than the graham cracker/royal icing thing. It's not just something to eat, but an experiment in the making!

So, another question, Steven. Does the school (and/or the parents) have a preference over savoury or sweet? If you have sugar paranoid parents, what about trying to make some sort of dip out of tofu (seems like it would work with all of the allergies) and some baby vegetables?

[Fat Guy]

I don't think there's any institutional preference for sweet or savory, but I think a tofu-and-vegetable project is a risky proposition in terms of the kids' preferences.

Regarding a couple of earlier suggestions, there isn't much available in terms of special equipment like a food processor.

So far the ideas that strike me as most likely to appeal to the kids are the ones that involve decorating stuff. Something that involves a dough -- preferably one the kids can be involved in mixing -- that gets portioned out, they can decorate it with various stuff, I guess each kid's creation gets put on a piece of wax paper with his or her name on it, then it gets baked in the oven in the kitchen upstairs, and a little while later the kids can have their masterpieces.

[Pam R]

I guess each kid's creation gets put on a piece of wax paper with his or her name on it, then it gets baked in the oven in the kitchen upstairs, and a little while later the kids can have their masterpieces.

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Exactly. But use parchment paper, not wax. Put their names on their paper with a Sharpie and it goes right into the oven.

[maggiethecat]

I guess each kid's creation gets put on a piece of wax paper with his or her name on it, then it gets baked in the oven in the kitchen upstairs, and a little while later the kids can have their masterpieces.

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Exactly. But use parchment paper, not wax. Put their names on their paper with a Sharpie and it goes right into the oven.

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Thank God sugar isn't on the the verboten list. I like the cookie idea and I'd recommend a shortbread recipe subbing marg for butter --shudder. Easy and quick to make, no eggs. Take or buy a coupla cute cookie cutters -- car, turtle, gingerbread person, provide sugary decorations and let the kids go to town.

Is there any lit somewhere out there suggesting that butter is bad for lacto dietary allergies?