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!
Cook-A-Doodle-Doo! By: Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
Ages: Kindergarten through Second Grade
In our story, the Big Brown Rooster decides to follow in his great grand-mothers foot steps, the Little Red Hen. He finds her cookbook and the fun begins. Instead of making bread, Big Brown Rooster selects strawberry short cake and gets help from the Turtle, Iguana and a Pig. This book really brings reading and cooking together. The side bars on the pages are extremely informative regarding the cooking process. Children will enjoy seeing how this unlikely team made a wonderful strawberry short cake and what happened to it. The authors include the recipe on the last page.
Tips for Reading:
- Before reading, read The Little Red Hen to provide background knowledge.
- During the reading process, discuss with the child the play on words from the text, such as flour/flower, how to “sift” and “measure”, etc.
- After reading the story, ask the child to recall why Big Brown Rooster decided to begin cooking.
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you why it was necessary to make a second Strawberry shortcake.
Additional Books:
- The Little Red Hen By: Paul Galdone
- Tops & Bottoms Adapted and Illustrated by: Janet Stevens
- Duck Soup By: Jackie Urbanovic
- Chicks and Salsa By: Aaron Reynolds Illustrated by: Paulette Bogan
- Dragons Love Tacos By: Adam Rubin Illustrated by: Daniel Salmieri
Cooking Time:
Strawberry Shortcake
This is the recipe included in the back of the book with a couple of minor changes and it is really delicious. Children can help by adding the ingredients, cracking the egg, helping to clean the strawberries and putting the shortcake and berries together.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Using non-stick cooking spray, spray an 8 inch baking pan, either round or square.
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, cold
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup milk
4 cups strawberries, washed and sliced
1 cup sugar
Whipped topping
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture.
- Using a fork or pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles course crumbs.
- Add the beaten egg and milk to the dry mixture.
- Mix until moistened.
- Put the mixture into the 8 inch greased pan and spread until even.
- Bake at 450 degrees for 12 to 18 minutes or until light brown.
- Allow the shortcake to cool on a wire rack.
- While the cake is baking, clean, stem and slice 4 cups of strawberries.
- Add 1 cup of sugar to the strawberries and stir until coated.
- Allow the strawberries to sit until syrup forms.
- When you are ready to serve, slice the shortcake into squares and cut the squares in half.
- Place a half on the serving dish, cover with strawberries and syrup.
- Place the other half of shortcake on the top of the berries.
- Add more berries and top with whipped cream.
Makes 9 servings.
Irene’s Fresh Strawberry Pie
This wonderful recipe came from Judy’s mom, Irene. The pie incorporates fresh strawberries with a shortcake crust. It doesn’t come out of the pan neatly, but once you taste it, it really won’t matter. Children can help clean the strawberries, mix the crust, press the crust in the pan and kitchen clean-up.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. You will need a 9 inch pie pan.
Crust
1 cup Bisquick
1/2 stick butter, softened
3 tablespoons boiling water
- Place the butter into a medium bowl. Add the boiling water and stir until the butter is mostly melted.
- Add the Bisquick to the butter mixture.
- Stir until the Bisquick is moistened, a ball is formed and it is no longer sticky to the touch. Add more Bisquick if needed.
- Using your fingers, press the dough into the pie pan, extending the dough up the sides.
- Bake at 450 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown.
- The crust will puff up as it bakes.
- Place the baked crust on a wire rack to cool completely.
Filling
3 cups strawberries, cleaned and cut in half
1 cup strawberries, cleaned and sliced
2/3 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 generous tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water
Red food coloring
Whipped topping
- Place 1 cup of sliced berries into a pan and add the sugar and 2/3 cup water.
- Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.
- While the mixture is boiling, in a small bowl combine the cornstarch and 1/3 cup water until smooth.
- Add the cornstarch mixture to the strawberries and allow to cook until thick about 2 minutes.
- Add a few drops of red food coloring to the strawberry mixture for a bright red color.
- Remove from the stove and allow to cool slightly.
- Place 3 cups of fresh cleaned strawberries into the cooled pie crust.
- Pour the cooked strawberry mixture over the fresh berries.
- Because the crust is soft, it does not slice in nice wedges.
- Serve with whipped topping.
- If any is left, refrigerate.
Makes 8 servings.
