*Read to the children in your life every day. You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime?
Illustrated by : Nadine Bernard Westcott Ages: Toddlers through Kindergarten
Children need to hear the sounds of language. Reading rhymes to children exposes them to sounds and reinforces phonemic awareness, a vital component for the reading process. Peanut Butter and Jelly is a favorite play rhyme that children will want to hear and read over and over again.
Tips for Reading:
- Read through the entire book without interruption so that the child can enjoy the rhyme.
- Read the book again so that the child can join in on the repetitive parts.
- Together make up hand and body motions to accompany the story or follow the ones suggested on the last page of the book.
- To reinforce rhyming words, play the game “I Say, You Say”. Example: I say cat. You say____. (hat, bat ,etc.) I say pig. You say____. (big, dig, etc.)
Additional Books:
- One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish By: Dr. Seuss
- Llama, Llama Red Pajama By: Anna Dewdney
- A Frog in the Bog By: Karma Wilson and Joan Rankin
- Big Red Barn By: Margaret Wise Brown
- My Truck is Stuck! By: Kevin Lewis and Daniel Kirk
*All of the books listed can be found on Amazon and most can be found at your local bookstore or library.
Cooking Time
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
This easy cookie recipe incorporates peanut butter in the cookie and jelly or jam on top. They are delicious and fun to make. Children can help pour in the measured ingredients and crack the egg. They can also help roll the dough into balls and put the jelly or jam in the center once the cookies are baked.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
1/2 cup butter 1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup peanut butter 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed) 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg Finely chopped peanuts or sugar for rolling
Strawberry or grape jelly or jam
- Using a mixer, cream butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar (3 to 5 minutes).
- Add egg, beating well.
- In a separate bowl, blend the flour, soda, baking powder and salt with a whisk.
- Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture.
- Chill dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Using a 1 inch melon scoop or teaspoon, shape the dough into 1 inch balls.
- Roll the balls in finely chopped peanuts or sugar. (Can roll half of the batch in nuts and half in sugar.)
- Place on parchment lined cookie sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Using thumb, press in the center of each cookie to make a well for the jelly or jam.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until set and lightly brown.
- When done, place cookie sheets on racks to cool for 5 minutes.
- Press the center of each cookie to deepen the well for the jelly or jam.
- Remove cookies from baking sheets to racks to completely cool.
- When cooled, add jelly or jam of your choice to the center of each cookie.
For just peanut butter cookies, do not roll the balls in peanuts or sugar. Place the balls on the cookie sheet. With a fork dipped in flour, flatten each cookie in a crisscross pattern. Sprinkle each flattened cookie with sugar and bake.
Quick and Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam
There is nothing like strawberry jam made from freshly picked strawberries during season. A special treat for children is to actually go to a farm and pick the strawberries themselves. The berries that they eat while picking are free. Another great place to find fresh berries is your local farmers market. This freezer jam will taste like fresh strawberries and can be enjoyed throughout the year. Children will remember their picking experience every time they enjoy this sweet jam.
2 cups crushed fresh strawberries in season (about 4 cups before crushed)
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 cups sugar
1 pouch pectin (We use CERTO)
- Measure the exact amount of prepared fruit into a large bowl.
- Add sugar to the strawberries, mix well and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Combine the pectin and lemon juice in a small bowl.
- Add pectin mixture to the fruit mixture and stir constantly for 3 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Pour into prepared containers, leaving a 1/2 inch space at the top of each for expansion in freezer. Cover with lids.
- Let stand at room temperature 24 hours or until set.
- Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year.
- If frozen, thaw in refrigerator before using.
Quick Buttermilk Homemade Bread
Just in case you really want to go the whole way and make bread for your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, here is a fairly easy alternative. Easy, because you only knead the dough for 5 minutes and it only has to rise once. Children can help add ingredients and would love to knead the dough. The bonus is how wonderful your home will smell while the bread is baking.
2 packages active dry yeast (make sure it has not expired)
3/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 1/2 to 5 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup shortening (Crisco)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
Melted butter to brush on top of loaf
- Grease or spray 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
- In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water.
- Add buttermilk, 2 1/2 cups flour, shortening, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly.
- Beat 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally.
- Stir in 2 cups flour. (dough should remain soft and slightly sticky)
- Turn dough onto well-floured board or counter-top.
- Knead for 5 minutes, adding flour until no longer sticky.
- Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangle, 18 x 9 inches.
- Roll up, beginning at short side.
- Press each end to seal, fold ends under loaf.
- Place seam side down in greased pan.
- Brush loaf lightly with melted butter.
- Let rise in warm place until double in size, about 1 hour. (Dough in center should be about 2 inches above pan.)
- While rising, heat oven to 425 degrees.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from pan.
- Brush loaf again with melted butter, cool on wire rack.
**Whole Wheat Bread: Substitute 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour for the first addition of flour; substitute 2 cups whole wheat flour for the second addition of flour.
