Cooking with Kids: Sweet Tooth edition

After the semi-disaster that was my Asian theme, and needing a boost in my morale, I decided to do one devoted to all things sweet.  While this means a little baking at home on my part (because baking dozens of cookies in a toaster/convection oven is hell), it was worth it.

   The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman (Illustrated by Marla Frazee, who I LOVE).

This is about 7 children who all will ONLY eat one thing, and of course none of them are the same thing.  Their poor mother gets run ragged, and so for her birthday they decide to surprise her by all making her their favorite things.  It's all a disaster and they hide the mess in the oven.  Well, the 7 things they love all combined to make a cake.  The author has a recipe, which we linked, but ahhh anything that's a fraction doesn't show.  Soooo you have to look up other recipes and kinda fudge it.  It turned out well, but I will say that it helps to do a lemon glaze on it for extra flavor.

Then the Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins. 

Of course we made chocolate chip cookies to go with this book.  The kids were pretty good with following directions, and once they were cooked there were no complaints from anyone.

The Donut Chef by Bob Staake.

About dueling donut chefs who keep getting fancier and fancier, and when someone comes in asking for glazed, one realizes just how far afield he's come.  We made donuts, and if you think I brought hot oil into a room full of kids you are CRAZY.  Y'all - there is no shame in a biscuit donut, especially one that is baked, and that is EXACTLY what I did.  But were these shaken in a bag with powdered sugar?  Oh no, they were glazed.  Did they still taste like biscuits?  Yeah.  But did the kids care? Of course not.  This recipe is easy enough that you can have 2 and 3 year olds help you too.

Other books you could use for this theme:

Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parrish.

Really, you could use any Amelia Bedelia book.  Seriously - pick one.  I guarantee you she bakes in it.  In fact, it frustrates me that in the book where she gets fired they hire her back because she bakes so well! (spoilers)  Why not give her the money to start up her own bakery?!  *sigh*

Cupcake by Charise Mericle Harper.

Whopper Cake by Karma Wilson.