HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME by Charity Mathews, author of “Edible Crafts Kids Cookbook”
I’m passionate about teaching kids to cook, and not just because cooking is such a valuable life skill. Kids who cook also get lessons in math, science, flexibility, patience, teamwork, resilience and more. Who knew all that could come from an adorable summertime treat?
Sunshine Fun Dip with Crunchy Veggies
Here’s your chance to dazzle a crowd with the sunniest, funniest face a veggie plate ever had! Use blue cheese or ranch dressing to flavor the Greek yogurt dip, but watch out -- the result is so yummy (and nutritious) that everyone will want to double-dip!
Ingredients
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 cup baby carrots
2 black olive slices
1 red apple slice
1 cherry tomato, cut in half
Instructions
1. Make the dip. Combine the yogurt and dressing in a small bowl and stir until mixed well. Place the bowl in the center of a plate.
2. Arrange the veggies. Place the pepper strips and carrots in a circle around the bowl of dip so the skinny ends are facing out.
3. Add the face. Put the olive slices in the middle to act as eyes. Add the apple slice underneath for the smile. For a finishing touch, add the cherry tomato halves as cheeks.
Did You Know?
• Since bell peppers have seeds and come from flowering plants, they are actually fruits, not vegetables. This is true for many foods we think of as vegetables!
• Carrots are usually orange, but they come in many other colors, including purple, red, yellow and white.
• Carrots are made of about 88 percent water and bell peppers are even more, at 92 percent!
Did You Know?
Two peanut farmers have been elected president of the United States:
Thomas Jefferson from Virginia and Jimmy Carter from Georgia.
Real hedgehogs have between 5,000 and 7,000 quills!
Peanut the Hedgehog Cracker
What’s brown, pointy and delicious all over? This super cute snack! Grab a cracker and a handful of peanuts to get started. The materials here are everything you need to mkae one hedgehog. Double or triple (or keep going) to have enough to make with a group of friends.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 large round cracker (about 3 inches)
1 raisin
2 candy eyes
25-30 peanut halves
Instructions
1. Set the “glue.” Use a kid-safe knife to gently spread the peanut butter on the cracker. It should be thick enough to hold the peanuts in place.
2. Make a face. Ask an adult to help cut a raisin in half to make a mouth. Roll one half in your hands to make a circle. (Eat the other half!) Place the candy eyes and raisin mouth at the bottom of the peanut butter-covered cracker.
3. Add the spikes. Poke the peanuts into the peanut butter to cover the rest of the cracker.
Top Tips
No candy eyes? Use M&Ms or more raisins.
If peanuts are a no-go, use almond butter and almond slivers instead.
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