Dear Reader,
This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children. Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills. You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story. Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.
*Read to the children in your life every day. You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!
Bear Needs Help By: Sarah S. Brannen
Ages: Toddlers through Kindergarten
This delightful story doesn’t have a lot of words, but the pictures do a wonderful job of telling the story. Bear has a problem, but has difficulty finding someone willing to help him out. This story is perfect for predicting and using the pictures to understand why Bear needs help. This would be a great book to read to children who are beginning to learn how to tie their shoes.
Tips for Reading:
- Before reading the story, read the title to the child and ask him or her to look at the picture to predict why Bear needed help.
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you if his or her prediction was correct.
- After reading, ask the child to recall the animals that were not willing to help Bear. Ask the child why they think that the animals did not want to help Bear.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you who finally helped Bear and how they did it.
Additional Books:
- Ricky, the Rock That Couldn’t Roll By: Jay Miletsky Illustrated by: Erin Wozniak
- Alfie Gets in First By: Shirley Hughes
- Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse By: Kevin Henkes
- King Bidgood’s in the Bathroom By: Audrey Wood and Don Wood
Cooking Time:
Pizza Bears
Since we read a story about a bear, this recipe is perfect. Pizzas that look like bears are fun to make and fun to eat. These Pizza Bears are really great when dipped into sauce. Children can help by assembling the bears, adding the cheese and faces as well as kitchen clean-up.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1 tube (16.3 ounces) large refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
12 slices of pepperoni (for ears)
3 slices of pepperoni (cut to form mouth)
6 small pieces of green pepper (for the nose)
Black olives, sliced (for the eyes)
6 tablespoons of finely shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces pizza or marinara sauce
- Separate the biscuits and place 6 of them on an ungreased baking sheet, 3 inches apart.
- Cut each of the two remaining biscuits into six pieces for the ears.
- Form the sections of biscuits into balls and pinch them onto the whole biscuits to seal.
- Put 1 tablespoon of cheese onto each bear face to cover.
- Place a slice of pepperoni onto each ear.
- Add 2 slices of black olives for the eyes.
- Add a piece of pepper for the nose.
- Use slices of pepperoni to form the mouth. Can use kitchen scissors to cut the pepperoni.
- Bake the bear pizzas in the oven at 375 degrees for 12 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.
- Heat the sauce in the microwave to serve with the Bear Pizzas.
Makes 6 servings.
Snow Balls
This is a delicious treat and perfect to enjoy while reading a story about a polar bear. These Snow Balls are extra special because of the treat inside. Children can help by adding the ingredients, cracking the eggs, putting on the icing and sprinkling on the coconut.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put cupcake liners into muffin tins.
1 chocolate cake mix
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons cream cheese at room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
10 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
- Prepare the cake mix according to the instructions on the box.
- Fill each muffin liner 1/2 full of cake batter.
- Bake for 12 to 18 minutes or when a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake.
- Place the muffin tins on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cupcakes and place back on the rack to cool completely.
- Using a mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, cream and vanilla.
- Beat until creamy.
- Using an apple corer or a spoon, take out the center of each cupcake, 1/2 inch across the top of the cupcake and 1 to 1 1/2 inches into the cupcake.
- Place the cream cheese mixture into a zip lock bag. Putting the bag, corner down into a drinking glass, helps when filling. Cut off about 1/2 inch on the corner of the bag.
- Squeeze the cream cheese mixture into the center of each cupcake.
- Remove the liners from each cupcake.
- Prepare the icing. You can use a canned vanilla buttercream frosting or make the Fluffy Frosting below.
- Frost each cupcake on all sides with frosting. Yes, this can be messy!
- Sprinkle coconut over all sides of the frosted cupcakes.
Makes 20 to 24 cupcakes.
Fluffy Frosting
4 extra large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla
- Let the egg whites sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Using an electric stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- While the eggs are mixing, put the sugar, corn syrup and water into a saucepan.
- Mix completely, cover the pan and bring the mixture to a rolling boil on medium to medium high heat.
- Uncover the pan and continue boiling for 4 to 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 240 to 245 degrees.
- While beating the egg whites at medium speed, carefully pour the hot syrup into the egg whites in a thin stream.
- Add the vanilla and return to high speed.
- Beat the icing on high speed another 8 to 10 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
- Frost each cupcake on all sides. Very messy!
- Sprinkle with coconut.
