Some parents can’t wait for the free-stylin’ no-schedule lazy days of summer…other parents count down the days till school starts back the way kids count down the days till it ends! Most probably fall somewhere in the middle with initial excitement over fun plans for the summer and then about three weeks before school starts back a real desire to get back into some kind of routine that doesn’t involve coming up with more activities.
No matter what you think about school being out…it’s happening! So whether you’re a summer lover or not, brace yourself. And you’ll be shocked to find out 🙂 that I like to turn to the kitchen for bracing!
Make some fun food to celebrate the end of school or give older kids some simple recipes to try for themselves. Let them play restaurant for a day or two. You might discover a new cook in the house! Some of my fondest memories with my daughters are of us “playing” in the kitchen together. So when a rainy day comes around or a craving hits, head to the kitchen for some family fun.
Here are a few of my tried-and-true kid-friendly dishes fun for young cooks: Wee Burgers (sliders), Toad-n-a-Hole, quesadillas, fresh fruit cobblers served with ice cream, LuLu’s Mexi-Loco Pie (layered Mexican dip), and Crazy Cheesy Queso Dip. Several of these are featured in LuLu’s Kitchen, and I’ve included one recipe below. But first I want to know, for parents and grandparents out there, what are your favorite kid-friendly dishes to make or let kids make? We need some ideas to get young and old through the summer happy and well fed!
Crazy Cheesy Queso Dip from LuLu’s Kitchen
Queso dip with chips is a universal hit. Homemade queso will make kids feel like they are in a real restaurant! This recipe does involve chopping veggies and handling hot cheese, so you may want to make this yourself for younger kids or for older kids be sure to supervise accordingly.
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chili peppers
1 pound white American cheese
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Salt to taste
1. Melt butter in a heavy skillet. Add onions and bell peppers. Saute 2 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
2. Add chili peppers and cook another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Cut cheese into 1-inch cubes. Place cheese and milk in the top of a double boiler and melt over medium-high heat—if you do not have a double boiler, put a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl over a pot of boiling water.
4. Add onion and bell pepper mixture. Mix thoroughly.
5. Add cumin, coriander, and white pepper. Salt to taste.
6. Serve immediately with tortilla chips. [They now make this itty-bitty crock pots that are sized for hot dips, and this is a great way to keep the dip warm.]
