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!
I Promise By: LeBron James Illustrated by: Nina Mata
Ages: Preschool through Second Grade
In this amazing book, LeBron James asks children to make a promise to be the very best person that they can become. The text is in rhyming form and the illustrations are extraordinary. The author’s words are very inspirational, not just for children, but for all who read it. Put this one on your read-aloud list.
Tips for Reading:
After reading the story, ask the child to tell you some of the things that they will promise to do in the future.
Additional Books:
- The Name Jar By: Yangsook Choi
- All Because You Matter By: Tami Charles Illustrated by: Bryan Collier
- I Am Enough By: Grace Byers Illustrated by: Keturah A. Bobo
- I Am Every Good Thing By: Derrick Barnes Illustrated by: Gordon C. James
Cooking Time:
All of our recipes are just fun foods that children will love helping to make and will love to eat. Enjoy!
Strawberry Brownie Kabobs
For this simple recipe, all you need are a few ingredients and children can put them on the skewer all by themselves.
Strawberries
Brownie Bites
Large marshmallows
Magic Shell Chocolate Topping
Wooden skewers
- Wash and hull the strawberries, but leave them whole.
- Put a strawberry on the skewer and add a brownie bite.
- Add a marshmallow next to the brownie.
- Add another brownie and then another strawberry.
- Place the skewers in a container and put them in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill.
- Take them out of the freezer and drizzle on the chocolate topping.
- Once the topping is hard, serve and enjoy.
Make as many as you want.
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
These cupcakes are always fun to serve at a party or family event. Children can help by measuring and adding the ingredients, cracking the eggs and putting on the sprinkles.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You will need a 9 by 13 baking pan and heavy duty foil.
12 ice cream cones
1 cake mix of your choice (We used Pillsbury Funfetti Mix.)
- Cover the baking pan tightly with the foil.
- Use the tip of a sharp knife to cut little x’s in the foil.
- Push the ice cream cones into the openings, making sure that they are straight.
- Prepare the cake mix following the directions on the box.
- Fill each cone halfway with cake batter.
- Bake according to the directions.
- Cool completely. While cooling, make the frosting.
Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
Sprinkles
- Using a mixer, cream the butter.
- Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
- Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, scraping the bowl often.
- Gradually add the milk and beat on medium high to high speed until frosting is light and fluffy.
- Add additional powdered sugar or milk to get the right consistency.
- Put the icing into a piping bag and swirl onto the top of each cupcake.
- Add sprinkles.
Makes 12 ice cream cone cupcakes.
Rice Krispies Treat Pops
Most children love Rice Krispies Treats and adding chocolate makes them even better. Children can help by measuring and adding the ingredients, pressing the mixture into the pan, dipping the treats into the chocolate and adding the sprinkles.
Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with butter.
3 tablespoons butter
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Ice cream sticks
Sprinkles
- Over low heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan.
- Add the marshmallows.
- Stir until the marshmallows are melted.
- Remove from the heat and add the Rice Krispies
- Stir until all of the Rice Krispies are coated with the marshmallow mixture.
- Press the mixture into the baking pan. Use a measuring cup to flatten the mixture.
- Allow to cool.
- When the treats are cooled, cut into 16 equal pieces, forming rectangles.
- Push an ice cream stick into each treat to make the pops.
- Press the corners of the top of the rectangles so that they look more like ice cream pops.
- In separate bowls, place the semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate.
- Add 1/2 tablespoon oil to each. Melt in 30 second intervals, stirring after each until smooth.
- Holding a treat by the stick, dip into the melted chocolate.
- Shake sprinkles on the top of each pop.
- Place pops on parchment paper to cool.
Makes 16 pops.
Teddy Bear Race Cars
These adorable snacks or so easy to make and are fun for parties. Children can help by assembling the cars.
Milky Way candy bars, fun size
M & M’s
Teddy Grahams
Chocolate frosting
- Using a sharp knife, cut a slit on the top of the candy bar to hold the bear.
- Stick the bar into the slit.
- Put dabs of icing on the sides of the candy bar.
- Add the M & M’s to form the tires.
Make as many as you want.
