Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe

Where The Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak

Monster Cookies


Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup raisins, optional
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)



How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe

The Paper Bag Princess,  by Robert N. Munsch

Microwave Carmel Popcorn

Ingredients

4 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

How to make it:

Place the popped popcorn into a large brown paper bag. Set aside.

In a 2 quart casserole dish, or other heat-proof glass dish, combine the brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Heat for 3 minutes in the microwave, then take out and stir until well blended. Return to the microwave, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave, and stir in the baking soda.

Pour syrup over the popcorn in the bag. Roll down the top once or twice to close the bag, and shake to coat the corn. Place bag into the microwave, and cook for 1 minute and 10 seconds. Remove, shake, flip the bag over, and return it to the microwave. Cook for another 1 minute and 10 seconds. Dump the popcorn out onto waxed paper, and let cool until coating is set. Store in an airtight container.

Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, by Judi Barrett

Meatball Cupcakes


Ingredients:
Vanilla cupcakes
Vanilla spray icing (with a narrow hole tip, such as Betty Crocker Cupcake Icing)
One Ferrero Rocher candy for each cupcake
1/2 to 1 cup seedless raspberry jelly

How to make it:


Spray the icing loosely on top of the cupcake using the writing tip. Wiggle the can about to make it pile up like spaghetti noodles.

Add the Ferrero Rocher candy on top of the "noodles" to make a "meatball"

Place about 1/2 cup of the raspberry jelly in a microwave safe container. Heat on high for 10-30 seconds until melted and easy to pour. Pour over the Ferrero Rocher candy to make it look like spaghetti sauce. Make sure the jelly has cooled or it will melt the frosting.

Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe

The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss

Trufula Trees

a.k.a. Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods



Ingredients:

Pretzel Rods
White candy bark (or white chocolate chips)
Sprinkles
Cotton Candy



How to make it:

Melt the candy bark in the microwave according to the package instructions. Carefully pour the melted chocolate into a glass. Dip the pretzel rod into the melted chocolate and let the excess drip off back into the glass. Roll the pretzel rod into the sprinkles that have been spread across a plate. Add a tuft of cotton candy to the top to make a Trufula tree. Enjoy.



You can change this recipe by using dark chocolate and/or not using the cotton candy.

Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe

If You Give a Pig a Pancake, by Laura Numeroff

Pancakes



Ingredients:

1 egg
1 cup low fat milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt



How to make it:

Beat egg, milk and vanilla together. Combine remaining ingredients and stir into the batter, just until somewhat smooth, but slightly lumpy. Don't over mix.

To make the pancakes, pour a little batter onto a hot griddle. Leave at least 2 inches of space between pancakes. Allow them to cook until the tops of pancakes are bubbled, then turn with spatula. Cook just until the underside is lightly browned.
Makes ten 4" pancakes. Recipe may be doubled. Unused batter may be stored in the refirgerator. Thin with a little cold water if the batter becomes too thick.


****
Because of our early Saturday soccer game, we actually moved this to Sunday, today.   We made whole wheat and honey pancakes with enough left over to freeze.  During breakfast, I ready the story to the kids.  Even Erik was enjoying himself.  Or was it the pancake with agave syrup?

Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe

Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson

Purple Cow
from Iowa Farmer Today Online


Ingredients:
3/4 C. 1 percent low-fat milk
1 1/2 T. frozen grape juice concentrate
1/4 C. fat-free vanilla yogurt

How to make it:

Combine ingredients in a container with lid and shake until well blended. Pour into a tall glass.

Annika and Morgan prepare the Purple Cow mixture.

Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe

Flicka, Ricka, Dicka Bake a Cake, by Maj Lindman

Æbelskiver (filled pancakes)

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
4 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Fillings such as jam, peanut butter, chocolate ganache, or fruit



How to Make It:
In a bowl, whisk together the flour baking powder, salt and sugar. In a small bowl. Lightly whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the milk and the 4 Tbsp melted butter. Whisk the yolk mixture into the flour mixture until well combined; the batter will be lumpy.

In another bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff but not dry peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently stri the whites into the batter in two additions.
Put ¼ tsp. butter in each well of the Filled Pancake Pan. Set over medium heat and heat until the butter begins to bubble. Pour 1 Tbsp batter into each well. Put 1 tsp of the filling of your choice (lingonberries, chocolate chips, or red bean paste for us) in the center of each pancake and top with 1 Tbsp batter. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Using two wooden skewers, flip the pancakes over and cook until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling. Serve immediately with syrup or whipped cream (or powdered sugar). Makes about 40. [Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen]

Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe

Slow Loris, by Alexis Deacon

No Bake Orange Balls



Ingredients:
1 stick margarine
1 pound vanilla wafers (finely crumbled)
1 six ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed)
1 pound powdered confectioners sugar
1 ounce bag coconut



How to make it:

Melt the margarine in a pan on top of the stove, or you can microwave (stirring after a few seconds so that the margarine doesn't separate). While the margarine is melting, crumble up the vanilla wafers. The wafers can be put in a ziploc bag and mashed. When the margarine is melted, add the crumbled vanilla wafers and powdered sugar plus the orange juice concentrate. Stir well.


Store the orange balls in the refrigerator or they can be kept in the freezer for a few weeks

Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe

The Little Red Hen, by Phlemon Sturges

English Muffin Pizza



Ingredients:


English Muffins
Pizza sauce
Pepperoni or other topping
Mozzarella cheese, shredded.



How to make it:


Slice English muffin in half. Spread with pizza sauce. Add topping and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle

Fruit Salad




Ingredients:

2 cans (20 ounce size) pineapple tidbits (or cut fresh pineapple)
2 cans (11 ounce size) mandarin oranges, drained
2 large bananas, sliced
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
2 cups strawberries, sliced
4 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. honey

How to make it:

Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Combine pineapple, oranges, bananas, kiwi and strawberries in a large bowl. Stir together reserved pineapple juice, lime juice and honey in a small bowl. Pour over salad; toss to coat.

Erik enjoys the story while his sisters make the fruit salad.

Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe

Good Night Gorilla, by Peggy Rathmann

Two Scoop Banana Splits




Ingredients:


1 or 2 favorite flavors of ice cream
1 or 2 favorite flavors of sundae sauce
1/2 banana per split
Whipped Cream (optional)


How to make it:
Slice the 1/2 banana into two pieces vertically or into slices. Place two scoops of your favorite ice cream onto the sliced bananas. Drizzle with your favorite toppings. Add the whipped cream

Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe

Curious George Goes to an Ice Cream Shop, by Margaret and H.A. Rey




Ice Cream in a Bag


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk or half & half
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons rock salt
1 pint size plastic food storage bag (e.g. Ziploc)
1 gallon size plastic food storage bag
Ice cubes


How to make it:

Fill the large bag half full of ice and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
Put milk, vanilla and sugar into the small bag and seal it.
Place the small bag inside the large one and seal it again carefully.
Shake until the mixture is ice cream which takes about five minutes.
Wipe off the top of the small bag, then open it carefully. Enjoy!

Story Time Chef's Cookbook

Earlier this summer, I received a cookbook as a gift from someone at Ingrid's preschool, Risen Savior Lutheran School.  The cookbook has been used for an ongoing class on Friday - lunchtime stories and cooking classes.  I saw a poster of kids books and the accompanying food item the kids would be learning to cook.  When I inquired about it, I found out that Ingrid was too young for the cooking classes which was meant for 4-5 year olds.  I said, "no problem" and thought that was the end of it.  I told her that I would try one of the recipes at home with the kids since we are reading these books to them.  I was so happy when she gave me the whole printed cookbook in a binder.

I counted the pages and found 26 recipes and 26 books.  Some of the books featured in the cookbook are those we already own.  Others are new to us.  Then I had an idea.  I could post one recipe and book each Saturday on the blog to show the kids about cooking and reading together.  I could add pictures of the creations from the cooking or the reading.  I decided to add more books to create an entire year's worth of recipes and reading.  Of course, if I start mid year, the recipes will span two blog books.  No worries, I decided.  I will create a separte cookbook for the kids from each of the recipe posts.

So here goes with our first Saturday Story Time Book and Recipe.  Enjoy!