While at the library this week with my two little girls, I came across two cute cookbooks for working with children.  This recipe comes from Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers & Up, by Mollie Katzen and Ann Henderson.

The other book, also by Mollie Katzen, is called Honest Pretzels and 64 Other Amazing Recipes for Cooks Ages 8 & Up. We can delve into the second book next month.  This month I thought we could share Hide and Seek Muffins.

from full tummies.blogspot.com

Hide and Seek Muffins

Prep & Cook Time: 1 hour

Yield: 1 dozen muffins

IMG_0747Ingredients:

For Muffin Mix:

(the author suggests you make this in advance to make the rest easier for your kiddo, but I find measuring, especially dry ingredients if my 4 year old Ophelia’s favorite and most successful task)

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 sugar

The wet ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 4 Tbs. melted butter
  • 12 medium sized strawberries, or other fruit in season. . . 1/4 apricot perhaps!
  • 2-3 Tbs. sugar (totally unnecessary when using in season LEF fruit!)

Tools:

  • 1, 12 cup muffin pan
  • small sauce pan for melting butter
  • 2 medium bowls
  • 1/4 cup measure & 1 cup measure
  • measuring spoons
  • whisk
  • timer
  • toothpick

Directions:

  1. Melt butter in saucepan.
  2. KIDS! measure and whisk together “muffin mix” dry ingredients in first bowl.
  3. Preheat oven to 375F
  4. KIDS! Use a basting brush to paint canola oil or remnants from the butter melting, on muffin pan.
  5. KIDS! Break the eggs into the second bowl.
  6. KIDS! Measure and add milk, vanilla, and melted butter.  Whisk about 20 times.
  7. KIDS! Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients.  Mix with a spoon until all the dry ingredients disappear!
  8. KIDS! Use 1/4 cup measure to fill the muffin cups almost to the top
  9. KIDS! Push one strawberry into the middle of each muffin cup with your clean finger.
  10. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted all the way down comes out clean (make sure you insert it into batter and not into the fruit).  Remove from pan to cool.  Cool at least 10 minutes before eating (go ahead set that time one more time so the kids know when they can ask for a muffin AGAIN!)