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!
Hot Dog By: Doug Salati
Ages: Pre-school through First Grade
Hot Dog is the 2023 winner of the Caldecott Medal and the Ezra Jack Keats Award for best illustrations. It is the story of a dog who lives in the big city where it is very hot in the summer. He and his owner decide to escape the city for a bit and they make their way to the beach. The amazing pictures truly illustrate life in the city and a wonderful day at the beach. Readers need to take their time to look at all of the illustrations, which help tell the story.
Tips for Reading:
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you some things about living in a big city.
- After reading, ask the child why they think the owner and her dog decided to leave the city for awhile and where did they go.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you some of the things that the dog did while at the beach.
- After reading, ask the child why the dog and his owner were ready to go home after a day at the beach.
Additional Books:
- Can I Be Your Dog? By: Troy Cummings
- Before You Were Mine By: Maribeth Boelts Illustrated by: David M. Walker
- Clifford Books By: Norman Bridwell
- Pig the Pug Books By: Aaron Blabey
Cooking Time:
Race Care Hot Dogs
Children will love decorating their hot dogs to look like these fun race cars. They can help by cutting the veggies and assembling the car.
Hot Dogs
Cherry tomatoes
English cucumber
Buns
Ketchup ad mustard
Toothpicks
- Cook the hot dogs however you prefer.
- Slice the tomatoes in half.
- Cut the cucumber into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices.
- Using the toothpicks, assemble the 4 wheels and attach to the hot dog bun.
- Add ketchup and mustard.
- Place a half a tomato on the top for the driver and add a piece of cucumber for the steering wheel.
Make as many as you would like.
Hot Dogs and Potatoes
This is an old time classic that kids will love. Children can help by measuring, adding the ingredients, peeling the potatoes and cutting the hot dogs.
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups peeled and cut potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups sliced hot dogs
- Melt the oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the potatoes and spread them into a single layer.
- Season the potatoes with garlic powder, onion powder and paprika.
- Cook for 15 minutes, stirring and turning often.
- Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
- Add the hot dogs and continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown.
Makes 4 servings.
Hot Dog Cookies
Couldn’t resist trying these fun cookies. Children will love helping to make them. They can measure, add the ingredients, help color the dough, shape the hot dogs and buns and add the frosting.
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Red, green and yellow food coloring
Can of vanilla frosting
- Using a mixer, cream together the butter, sugars and egg yolk.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour baking powder and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixer.
- Put 1/3 of the dough mixture into a separate bowl to add the food coloring.
- Add 40 drops of red food coloring and 5 drops of green. May adjust to get the color of a hot dog.
- Refrigerate all of the dough for 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape some of the original dough into bun shapes, about 2 inches long. Form a dent down the center.
- Make the hot dogs the same size as the bun.
- Place the formed cookies into the freezer for 20 minutes. If you don’t, they will spread too much while baking.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
- Allow to cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and return to the rack to complete the cooling process.
- Color a portion of the icing with red food coloring and the rest with yellow.
- Put the icing in two storage bags and pipe on to form the ketchup and mustard.
Makes about 12 cookies.
