Herb Cooking for Kids

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Herb Cooking for Kids

 

(Or How to Make a Big Mess)

 

My three boys love to help me in the kitchen. They especially love

cooking with herbs because herbs smell so goodóand they get to

channel their energies into smashing, chopping, grinding and beating

the daylights out of things and itís acceptable behavior!

 

My youngest son enjoys herbal tea parties with all the trimmings. We

make it a real occasion-- setting the table, brewing the tea, making

an herbal centerpiece, preparing the herbal snacksómaking it a very

special treat. We even practice our table etiquette in our finest

English accents. It tickles me to hear my rowdy little boy

saying, " I say, old bean, do be so kind as to pass the crumpets. "

Even his two older brothers have been known to join in the fun.

Herbal tea parties can be a fun painless way to teach children

proper table manners. The herbal snacks can be something as simple

as mint jelly dabbed on the top of a sugar cookie or chopped sage

mixed into a soft cheese and spread on crackers.

 

Peter Rabbitís Tummy Tea

 

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add 3 tablespoons of dried

chamomile flowers and 6 whole cloves. Immediately remove from heat,

cover and steep for 20 minutes. Strain and sweeten with sugar, honey

or dollops of mint jelly. Chamomile has a soothing effect on rowdy

youngsters helping to turn them into perfect little ladies and

gentlemen at least for a few minutes!

 

Purchased tea blends can be easily altered into special treats by

the addition of spices (cloves, cinnamon) or herbs (lemon verbena,

pineapple sage, bee balm, anise hyssop, lemon balm).

 

Rosemary Shortbread

 

These tea cookies are rich, crumbly and satisfying. My kids love

making these because they get to wrestle (their word) the dough and

get flour all over the place. Pack them away in a cookie tin, then

proudly serve them at your next herbal tea party.

 

1 cup butter

1 cup very fine granulated sugar

3 cups flour

3-4 heaping tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

 

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Thoroughly cream the butter and

sugar. Add 2 and one half cups flour and mix. Turn out on a board

floured with the remaining one half cup flour. Wrestle (knead) in

the rosemary along with the flour until the dough cracks on the

surface and doesnít stick to the board. Roll it one-fourth inch

thick, then cut into shapes. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet 50

minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on racks.

 

" Beat It " Dip

 

Lot of fun for kids to make. They can get as rambunctious as they

like " beating " the ingredients all together.

 

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

2 very ripe Roma tomatoes

2 teaspoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon minced oregano

1 teaspoon minced basil

1 teaspoon minced chives

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Let the kids " beat " all the ingredients together until they are worn

out (the kids, not the ingredients). Put the kids to bed to rest and

put the dip in the refrigerator to chill overnight. Serve with chips

or crackers.

 

Herb Chop Butter

 

Adult supervision needed with this recipe because kids get to use

knives!

 

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1 tablespoon minced basil

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon minced marjoram

1 teaspoon minced sage

 

Chop, chop, chop all herbs and garlic. Combine with all other

ingredients. Smear (their word) generously on bread or biscuits.

Broil in oven until toasty brown. Store butter in refrigerator or

can be frozen.