Cooking Contest for Kids

[imlearning2cook]

I am new to cooking (like as literally no experience). My neighbor challenged me to a cooking contest with her 7 year old(and she knows how to cook). The kids are going to be judging the food. Any tips?

[briteblsn]

Keep it simple. Don't over think it. Get the kids involved, even if it's just stirring something. Cassaroles are KING! (I'm the mom of 6... trust me on this...)

A really easy and tasty dish that kids like (or at least mine did...) is 2 cans of chili in a cassarole dish, about a cup of shredded cheddar over the top and stir up a box of "Jiffy" corn muffin mix (according to the directions) and spread that over the top of that. Bake it in a 400* oven for about 45 minutes. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving. It's easy, it's fast and it tastes good. If you need something "fancier"... there are a TON of things to do... just don't panic! :)

[CookLikeJulia]

You know what kids like, cook something simple and sweet. Something chocolatey, or cheese.

[vagriller]

On his birthday, my 7 year old son got to pick what we had for dinner. He picked pancakes, bacon, sausage, tomatoes, strawberries, and on and on. We limited the menu to 4 or so items, but pancakes are a big hit with kids. You can make them from scratch or with a mix, and kids can be very involved in the process. Cracking eggs, stirring, even ladeling batter on the griddle if they are careful enough.

[vagriller]

Another recipe that might be good for kids is sort of a homemade chicken nuggets. I have a recipe for some, and they are coated in a mixture of parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, and possibly bread crumbs. Very simple and good.