Coo U Som Fu!
Being able to cook the food you love to eat is a skill you can have fun with your entire life. You’ll be able to make what you want when you want to eat it, and the results will be beer for you than food you buy already prepared. With this book as your very own cooking coach, you’ll learn how to make delicious snacks, soups, salads, main dishes, and sides not only for yourself but for your friends and family, too!
Any time you work in the kitchen, a parent or other adult should be around to help. But even so, you’ll feel a great sense of independence and accomplishment knowing you can create an amazing meal from scratch. You’ll also discover that cooking is an activity where you can let your creativity flow. And it’s an excellent way to spend time with friends and family.
Whether you want to make yummy treats for a sleepover, cook a special meal for your family, or just have fun and learn some new skills in the kitchen, this book has you covered. Maybe you like to follow a recipe step-by-step so the results are always familiar, or maybe you’re the kind of cook who likes to add your own pizzazz to a dish to make it uniquely yours. With these recipes, you can create your own style of cooking and let your personality shine. So go ahead—flip through the pages, bookmark some delish dishes, and get ready to make food that’ll have your pals saying “OMG, yum!”
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Cookin wi car
When you see this symbol in the book, it means that you need an adult to help you with all or part of the recipe. Ask for help before continuing.
Adults have lots of culinary wisdom, and they can help keep you safe in the kitchen. Always have an adult assist you, especially if your recipe involves high heat, sharp objects, and electric appliances. Be sure to wash your hands before you begin cooking and aer touching raw meat, poultry, eggs, or seafood.
Feat lik o mea it!
In these pages, you’ll find recipes for irresistible snacks like Sweet-n-Salty Popcorn (page 19), which is perfect for movie night, and Fruit & Granola Bars (page 34), for eating on the go. Lunch gets a fab upgrade with dishes like BLT Salad with Avocado (page 45), Greek Salad Pitas (page 40), and Creamy Tomato Soup with Cheese Toasts (page 54). And for dinner, there’s even more yumminess to come! Impress your family and friends with Rosemary Roast Chicken (page 75) or Baked Penne with Spinach & Cheese (page 96). And don’t forget the side dishes! Bet you can’t eat just one of the Sweet Potato Chips (page 101), and everyone will be saying “Mmmmm” when they try a slice of Cheesy Garlic Bread (page 102). All of the recipes in this book are ideal for sharing, so host a special dinner, a pizza party, a potluck, a birthday bash, or any kind of get-together that reflects your ownstyle and serve up some of your new favorite dishes.
-o cookin ips
WATCH THE HEAT
Stovetop burners, hot ovens, boiling water—there’s a lot of heat involved in cooking, so it’s important to be careful when working in the kitchen. Always use oven mis when handling hot equipment, and have an adult help you when you’re cooking at the stovetop, moving things in and out of the oven, and working with hot liquids or foods.
GET HELP WITH SHARP TOOLS
Soon you’ll be chopping, slicing, and mincing, but before you start, make sure an adult is there to help you choose the correct knife (not too big, but not too small either), and be sure to hold the knife firmly at the base. When you’re not using the knife, place it somewhere safe so it can’t fall on the floor or be reached by younger siblings.
STAY ORGANIZED
Staying organized and paying aention are important cooking skills. Before you fire up the stovetop or oven, read the recipe, including the ingredient list, from start to finish. Then it’s time to clear a clean surface and lay out all your cooking tools and ingredients. Once the food starts cooking, be sure to set a timer!
An apron is handy to help keep your clothes tidy when you are cooking.
A baking sheet is great for cooking food in the oven. The big, flat surface of a baking sheet lets you spread out ingredients like cauliflower or potatoes into a single layer so they cook quickly and evenly. You can line the baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper to prevent food from sticking and to make cleanup a snap.
A food processor is a small electric appliance that comes with different blades and disks that can slice, chop, purée, and shred ingredients. It can also knead dough. Ask an adult for help when using a food processor and be careful of the sharp blades.
Frying pans and sauté pansare shallow pans with sloped or straight sides. They can be used for sautéing, stir-frying, and pan-frying. A nonstick pan helps prevent food from sticking and makes cleanup easier.
A ladle is a long-handled spoon with a cup-like bowl. It’s used for serving sauces and soups from deep pots.
Measuring cups and spoons help you measure your ingredients accurately and easily. Choose graduated sets for dry ingredients and a liquid pitcher for wet ingredients.
Oven mis or pads protect your hands from hot pans, oven racks, baking sheets, and baking dishes.
A rubber spatula is helpful for mixing and for scraping foods out of bowls or pans, like when you transfer hummus from the food processor to a serving bowl. Wide, flat metal spatulas are used to flip food over during cooking.
Saucepans are deep pots with long handles and lids used for stovetop cooking, such as boiling and simmering. They come in different sizes—small ones hold 1 to 2 quarts, medium ones hold 2 to 3 quarts, and large ones hold about 4 quarts.