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!
Tops and Bottoms Adapted and Illustrated by: Janet Stevens
Ages: Preschool through Second Grade
In this clever story, Hare and his family have fallen on hard times and the rich Bear is very lazy and always sleeping. This is the tale of how Hare outsmarts Bear through negotiating the use of Bear’s garden. Through hard work, Hare and his family plant the garden while Bear continues to sleep. In the end, Bear learns that he needs to take charge of his own life and the Hare is finely able to buy his own land for a garden. They lived happily ever after as neighbors and that in itself is an important message. This is a Caldecott Honor book for its amazing illustrations.
Tips for Reading:
- Before reading the story, ask the child to look at the front and back of the book and discuss what they know about how different vegetables grow.
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you the difference between Hare and Bear.
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you how Hare tricked Bear.
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you how Hare and Bear resolved their conflict.
- Visit a farmers market to see the many vegetables that are available and discuss which ones are tops and which are bottoms.
Additional Books:
- Duck Soup By: Jackie Urbanovic
- The Donkey Egg By: Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
- My Lucky Day By: Keiko Kazza
- The Wolf’s Chicken Stew By: Keiko Kazza
- The Rat and the Tiger By: Keiko Kazza
Cooking Time:
Summer Veggie Pizza
Since our story is about growing vegetables, this cold veggie pizza seemed perfect. You can add your favorite vegetables and the crescent crust is perfect. Children can help by pressing the crust into the pan, adding ingredients, spreading the sauce and adding the veggie toppings.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 15 inch by 10 inch by 1 inch cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerator crescent rolls
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese at room temperature
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons ranch dry salad dressing seasoning
4 to 5 cups chopped vegetables (small pieces) such as broccoli, onions, carrots, cauliflower, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc.
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Unwrap and press the crescent rolls onto the greased baking pan, bringing the edges up the side of the pan.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Place the crust on a baking rack to cool.
- In a medium bowl, mix together until smooth, the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise and dry salad dressing.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust.
- Sprinkle the vegetables evenly over the entire pizza.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the vegetables.
- Cut into serving pieces.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Carrot Cake Cookies
If you like carrot cake, this is the next best thing. It even comes with that wonderful cream cheese frosting. Children can help by adding the ingredients for the cookies and the icing, cracking the eggs and putting the frosting on the cookies. Don’t forget kitchen cleanup.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1 cup raisins
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Chopped walnuts for the tops of the cookies, optional
- Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Using a spoon, stir in the crushed pineapple, carrots and raisins.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- Gradually stir the flour mixture into the carrot mixture.
- Add the walnuts. (Optional)
- Using a scoop or a spoon, drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bottoms are brown and the cookies are set.
- Remove the cookie sheets to wire racks to cool for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the baking sheets and return them to the wire racks to cool completely.
Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- Using a mixer, cream together the softened butter and cream cheese.
- Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar.
- Mix until smooth and spreadable.
- Spread the frosting onto each cookie.
- Top each iced cookie with chopped walnuts. (Optional)
Makes 2 1/2 to 3 dozen.
