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!
Goodnight, Veggies By: Diana Murray and Zachariah OHora
Ages: Toddlers through First Grade
This is a great bedtime story that also introduces young children to many different vegetables and how they grow. Children will love seeing all of the veggies as they prepare to rest for the night. Hopefully, they will be encouraged to try vegetables that they have never had before. This fun book is also done in rhyming verse.
Tips for Reading:
- Before reading the story, ask the child to tell you what his/her favorite vegetables are.
- After reading the story, ask the child to help you find rhyming words such as heads/beds, night/tight, etc.
- After reading the story, go back through the book and point to different vegetables and ask the child to identify them.
- After reading, ask the child to point to a vegetable and tell you if we eat the part that grows above the ground or below.
- If possible, plant some of your favorite veggies in the spring, take care of them throughout the summer and enjoy harvesting them.
Additional Books:
- Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt By: Kate Messner Illustrated by: Christopher Silas Neal
- In a Garden By: Tim McCanna Illustrated by: Aimee Sicuro
- If You Plant a Seed By: Kadir Nelson
- The Tiny Seed By: Eric Carle
- We Are the Gardeners By: Joanna Gaines Illustrated by: Julianna Swaney
Cooking Time:
Celery Bugs
Making these fun bugs is the perfect way to support children’s creativity and nutrition. Just show them a few ideas and let them design these delicious bugs on their own.
Celery
Peanut butter
Veggie Dip
Blueberries
Grapes
Apple
Cherry or grape tomatoes, multi-colored
Carrots
Cucumber
Chives
Candy eyes
Any other fruits and veggies that you would like.
- Clean celery and slice into 2 to 4 inch pieces. Cut off bottom so that it lays flat for filling.
- Fill celery with the peanut butter or veggie dip and begin creating.
Make as many as you would like.
Confetti Tortellini Salad
This pretty salad is a perfect way to get kids to eat their veggies. Children can help cut the vegetables, add the ingredients and kitchen cleanup.
1 1/2 cups refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
- In a medium saucepan, cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain.
- In a bowl, combine the cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, onions and garlic.
- Add the cooled tortellini.
- Sprinkle veggies with cheese.
- Add the salad dressing and toss.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes 6 servings.
Dirt Cups
This dessert is so much fun and really good to eat! It does look like dirt and the gummy worms add a special touch. Children can help by adding the ingredients, cracking the egg, pressing the dough into the muffin tins, adding the pudding, worms and topping.
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 box instant chocolate pudding, serving size for 4
1 cup milk, cold
1/2 cup sour cream
24 gummy worms
1/2 cup Oreo crumbs
Cookie Cups
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Grease mini-muffin cups (24 cups).
- Using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa and salt.
- Add the cocoa mixture to the butter mixture and beat until combined.
- Using a 1 inch melon scoop or teaspoon, divide the dough into 24 equal portions.
- Roll into balls.
- Press each ball into each mini-muffin cup, covering bottom and up the sides.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until firm.
- Remove to a wire rack to slightly cool.
- Run a knife around the inside edges of each mini muffin to loosen. Place back on the rack to complete cooling process.
Dirt Filling
- Using a mixer, beat the pudding mix, milk and sour cream for 1 minute or until smooth.
- Spoon the filling into each cookie shell.
- Insert 1 gummy worm partway into the filling in each shell.
- Sprinkle cookie crumbs over filling.
Makes 24 dirt cups.
