by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children,Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is….) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

Teens Need to Learn about Cooking

         Summer is a good time to let teens into the kitchen to learn how to use some of the appliances and prepare food.  Most schools no longer offer a home economics class and it is left to the family and individual to make sure teens have the basics needed to care for their future families. True, we can buy much food already prepared.  However, there are certain basics all should know about working in the kitchen.  

         All children can do something in the kitchen, but teens, especially, need to spend enough time there to learn about safety, measuring ingredients properly, and food preparation.

         What should a teen learn about safety?  They should learn not to let electricity and water come together.  Appliances need to be plugged in and unplugged with dry hands.  Knives should be used properly.  Cutting should always be done away from the body and not toward it.  Dull knives can be just as dangerous, or more so, than sharp knives.  Utensils and hands should be kept away from beaters or blades.  Knowledge of the fact that sugar in cooking makes a hotter temperature can prevent many burns.

         Although students learn about measurements in school, they need the practice of using that knowledge in cooking.  Their understanding depends on usage of the facts.  Teens need to learn that filled measuring cups and measuring spoons need to be leveled across the top with a flat blade for accuracy.  Doing this as a teen gives them the idea of amounts so that when they are older, they will be able to “eyeball” amounts in certain recipes.

         Here is a recipe that most teens really like.  It is one where the sugar mixture will get very hot, so a deep pan and long handled stirring spoon should be used to keep spatters from burning the hands. 

No Bake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookies (Boiled)

2 c. sugar (If you mix the cocoa and sugar together first, it is easier to get the lumps out of the cocoa.)

½ c. milk

1 stick butter

3-4 rounded Tbsp. cocoa

1/2 c. peanut butter

2 ½ to 3 c. quick-cooking oats

1 to 2 tsp. vanilla

½ to 1 c. chopped nuts (May substitute coconut for nuts.)

Boil sugar, milk, butter and cocoa for 1 to 1 ½ minutes; start timing after mixture reaches a full rolling boil. Stir occasionally until mixture comes to a boil; then, stir constantly while boiling. Remove from heat.  Add peanut butter and vanilla; stir to melt.  Add oatmeal. Add nuts and coconut, if desired.  Beat until blended; then, drop on waxed paper or aluminum foil. Work quickly so mixture won’t get firm before you finish.  (If cookies are runny, they were not cooked long enough.  If they get hard and crumbly, they were cooked too long.)

Don’t forget to clean up the kitchen.  Don’t leave it for mom to do!