“Mom! Mom, where are you?”
“I’m here in the kitchen. What do you want?”
“I’m bored. Kyle is watching TV and he won’t let me change the channel to something I like, he’s a spiteful brother. I’m tired of playing with my Barbie. Can’t I help you? What’cha doing?”
“Well Kelly, I think that’s a great idea. I’m just about to start making supper. It will be such fun if you can help me.”
“What are we having for supper?”
I thought of making a fish bake. “
” Yuk! I don’t like fish”
“You won’t even taste it when it’s done in a sauce and potatoes”
“I don’t want to help you if you’re making fish.”
“Ok, come let’s look through my recipes and see if there is something you like and that’s easy.”
“But I can’t read yet. I’m only 5 remember.”
“Most of the recipes have pictures. Let’s find one that looks nice.”
~~~~~~~
“Ooo! This one looks nice, let’s do this one.”
“Let me see… Yes it’s a cottage pie. It looks easy enough. You go and wash your hands and put on one of my aprons.”
“Aah mom this apron is too big, I want my own.”
“We’ll get you one tomorrow but for now, come here, and I’ll fold it up so that it fits.”
“OK, what do we do first?”
Well first we’ll put the mince in this pan with a bit of butter and brown it. Will you stir it for me?”
” OK, ouch! It burnt me”
“When cooking on a stove you have to be very careful. The plates get very hot. Here, put on these baking mittens, they will be miles too big for you but at least they will protect your hands. Also don’t hold the wooden spoon so low down, hold it higher up then if the fat splatters, it won’t reach your fingers. “
“When will I know when the mince is done? My arm is getting tired.”
“Is all the mince brown?”
“No, some of it is still pink.”
“Keep on stirring till all the mince is brown.”
~~~~~~
“OK, you did well. We’ve put the braised mince in the pot and added some spices, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes and some peas.”
“Why did you put all those other things in the mince?”
“To make the mince taste nice. Now use your glove and put the lid on the pot and we’ll let it cook for a while.
~~~~~~~
“Why did we peel potatoes, mom?”
“Well, as you saw from the picture in the recipe book, the mince is covered with mashed potatoes.”
“So that white stuff on top is potatoes, it doesn’t look like potatoes.”
“I’m going to show you now how to mash the potatoes, but first we must put them in a pot and boil them to make them soft.”
~~~~~~~~
“OK, the potatoes are soft. I think I will throw the hot water off. It’s rather tricky, we must hold the lid tightly with just a little gap. The hot water must run out the pot but not the potatoes. Watch how mommy does it and perhaps next time you can have a turn.”
“I want to do something, you said I could help.”
“I know, I know, you can do the important job of mashing the potatoes.”
~~~~~~~
“My arms are lame…. I can’t mash anymore. You can finish the potatoes. I’m going to play outside.”
“Don’t you want to help me spread the potatoes and put the dish in the oven to brown? We’re nearly finished.”
“Perhaps next time, Mom, I don’t want to help anymore.”
~~~~~~~
“Is the food ready yet, Mom, it smells delicious from outside!”
_______________________________
Here are some more suggestions for dishes you can get your children to help with.
Classic Spaghetti Bolognaise
Ingredients
15 ml cooking oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
400 g beef mince
5 ml dried mixed herbs
420 g tin tomatoes, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 beef stock pot
300 ml water
15 ml worcester sauce
1 packet spaghetti, cooked and drained
Preparation method
Heat oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion for about 3-4 minutes until soft.
Add the garlic and mince and fry until well browned.
Stir in the mixed herbs, and tomatoes then add the Beef Stock Pot, water and Worcester sauce.
Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve the bolognaise over the cooked spaghetti in bowls and top with grated cheese if desired.
Everyone’s Mince and Mac
Ingredients
30 ml (2 Tbsp) vegetable oil
1 onion, grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
500 g lean beef mince
1 Knorr Beef Stock Pot
3 ripe tomatoes, diced
30 ml tomato paste
250 ml (1 cup) water
5 ml Robertsons Origanum
30 ml (2 Tbsp) margarine or butter
30 ml (2 Tbsp) cake flour
500 ml (2 cups) milk
500 ml (2 cups) cheddar cheese, grated
2 eggs, lightly beaten
500 g macaroni
extra grated cheddar, for topping
Preparation method
Preheat oven to 180CHeat oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic until tender. Add the beef mince and fry until well browned.Add the Knorr Beef Stock Pot and allow it to melt into the mince. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, water and Robertsons Origanum. Simmer until the mince is cooked through and the liquid has reduced by half.In the meantime, cook the macaroni until al dente, according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and add to the cooked mince.To prepare the sauce, melt the margarine or butter in a saucepan, then whisk in the flour to form a roux. Cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, all in one go, then cook over a low heat, whisking continuously, until slightly thickened.Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cheddar. Once it has melted, mix in the eggs.Place the mince mixture in a greased ovenproof dish, then pour the cheese sauce over it. Top with extra grated cheddar, and bake at 180 °C for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Seafood Pasta
Ingredients
375 ml water
125 ml low fat milk
30 ml margarine
128 g x 2 packets macaroni and cheese pasta and sauce
15 ml olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
7 ml Robertsons crushed chilli
450 g prawns, uncooked, peeled and deveined
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
250 g asparagus, blanched and halved
200 g broccoli florets, blanched.
Preparation method
Place water and milk in large saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Add Margarine. Once the margarine has melted, add the contents of the Macaroni and Cheese Pasta and Sauce packet and cook over high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan, over medium heat, cook the garlic and Robertsons Crushed Chilli for 2 minutes. Add the prawns, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the red pepper, asparagus and broccoli and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the prawn mix to the pasta, fold in gently and cook for further 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat, cover and stand for 2 minutes before serving. Serve with a wedge of lemon.
Nacho’ average meal
– Create an outdoor summer fiesta for your family with this enticing plate of nachos. With sweet and contrasting pear surprises at the end of every bite, followed by a delicious and different pecan nut crunch, this Mexican speciality is a real winner. It is also super-quick to prepare, taking no more than 5 minutes to put together and 8 minutes – once it has been put into the oven – to melt the cheese and warm the delicious fillings.
If your kids don’t like blue cheese, use Cheddar instead! Top tip: Your kids are sure to ask for seconds, so prepare double portions.
The perfect omelette.
The Perfect Omelette
Breakfast just got a whole lot tastier with this easy-to-whip-up omelette. Ready in minutes, it will teach your cheery children about the importance of flavour combinations, as well as how breakfast doesn’t have to be a boring bowl of cereal each and every morning.
Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Lasagne
Ingredients
250 ml cheddar cheese, grated
250 g tub cottage cheese
10 green lasagne sheets
15 ml oil
250 g mushrooms, sliced
300 ml cold milk
200 ml cold water
500 g chicken fillet, cubed
1 Knorr chicken and mushroom Pan Dry Cook-in-Sauce
10 ml thyme, chopped
Preparation method
Heat oil in a large frying pan and brown chicken.
Add mushrooms and fry for 5 min.
Mix contents of the KNORR Chicken & Mushroom Pan Dry Cook-in-Sauce sachet with 200 ml milk and 200 ml water and add to the chicken, together with the thyme.
Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring.
Layer the chicken and mushrooms between lasagne sheets.
Spread a tub of cottage cheese over the top and sprinkle with cheese
Bake at 180°C for 30-40 min until the pasta is cooked.
American Beef Burgers with Bacon and Cheddar
Ingredients
400 g beef mince
1 onion, grated
1 egg
1 48 gram sachet Knorr Saucy Meatball Dry Cook-in-Sauce
2 onions, finely sliced
15 ml oil (for frying)
1 ml (pinch) sugar
4 hamburger buns
lettuce leaves
2 tomatoes, sliced
4 rashers streaky bacon, cooked
4 slices (100 grams) strong mature cheddar cheese
Preparation method
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Mix the beef mince, grated onion, egg and the contents of the sachet of Knorr Saucy Meatballs Dry Cook-in-Sauce (no need to add water) together and shape into patties.
Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a heavy-based frying pan and sauté the sliced onions until soft and sticky, adding a pinch of sugar and salt (to taste).
Set aside.
Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan and fry the burger patties for about 4 minutes then transfer to an oven tray and cook in a preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until cooked through.
Butter the hamburger buns and layer with lettuce leaves, sliced tomato, beef patties, cheese, bacon and cooked onions.
Serve with various condiments such as barbeque sauce and tomato sauce.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
40 g margarine
40 g plain flour
500 ml lowfat milk, gently heated
100 g leeks, finely chopped
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 Knorr vegetable stock pot
1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
550 g cheddar cheese, grated
300 g frozen mixed vegetables
450 g elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
Preparation method
Preheat oven to 220ºC. Spray 33×23 cm baking dish with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.Melt the margarine in large saucepan, add leek and onion and cook until softened, but not coloured.Stir in the flour and keep on gentle heat for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly. Pour in the milk, little by little stirring constantly and add one of the Knorr Vegetable Stock pot.Reduce heat to low, then stir in red pepper and grated cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and leave on minimum heat, stirring occasionally.Bring a large pan of water for the pasta to a rapid boil. Dissolve the second Knorr Vegetable Stock Pot into it (to season) the water. Add a little olive oil to stop the macaroni sticking. Add pasta, bring back to the boil then simmer until cooked. Drain and put the pasta water back into saucepan and return to heat, add mixed cut vegetables and blanch until partially soft then drain.Stir the drained vegetables and macaroni into the cheese sauce and turn into the prepared baking dish.Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.