Shortly after I mastered the Easy Bake Oven—or the lightbulb burned out, I’m not sure which happened first—I moved my culinary training to the toaster oven. At age seven or eight, I would whip up English muffin pizzas, Mr. Magoo toasted sandwiches (bread, American cheese, and topped with thin slices of bologna), and of course, my specialty, cinnamon toast. Boy, those were the days.
“Where have all the toaster ovens gone?”
Are clean countertops really worth it? I know it is the trend to appear as if you are not cooking in your kitchen—I too am a victim of this sometimes. And the thought of a greasy, boxy, tarnished apparatus taking up 2 cubic feet of counterspace is definitely a sacrifice. But not a day goes by that I don’t wish I could toast my turkey sandwich, melting the cheese and all, without preheating my big oven. And the cleanup of the 5-inch by 8-inch tray was a snap—and who ever cleaned them anyway? They were permanently lined with foil.
I think we are doing our children a disservice by eliminating toaster ovens from our kitchens.
“How are they ever going to learn how to cook?”
The recipes in this week’s post are for the children in our lives. Let’s get them back in the kitchen and out of the drive-thru lines.
The Doll Salad
The first salad I ever ate was in the shape of a doll—my mother was good. This is an easy way to sneak a few healthy bites into your child’s tummy, and a fun activity for spend-the-night company too. Order a pizza and ask the kids to make their own salad. Cut up their favorite fruits and vegetables, and let them go to town.
I used a small stainless cup for the head and to hold the salad dressing. The hair is made from strips of American cheese slices, and I used half of a fresh peach for the body, sliced strawberries for the tutu/skirt, and carrots and celery for the arms and legs. Grapes and blueberries are used for the buttons, shoes, and eyes. Anything your child likes that you have on hand will work. Get creative!
“Children want charcuterie too!”
Tic-Tac-Toe to My Tummy
Fix a children’s charcuterie platter at your next family gathering. Not only is this an activity for the kids, but also it will hold them over until dinner is on the table. I call this Tic-Tac-Toe to My Tummy.
On a small cutting board, arrange saltines and cheese to make a tic-tac-toe board. In small bowls around the board, place some of your child’s favorite fruits, nuts, cheeses, crackers, and deli meats. Anything that fits on the playing board is fair game. Well, you know the rest. The winner eats!
And, how about a homemade trick-or-treat for those special ones in your life? These quick and easy blond brownies are also the perfect sweet bite to end any casual meal. You’ll be surprised how moist and yummy they are!
I’m not the biggest fan of making desserts, so when I find one that is foolproof and quick, I’ll make it over and over.
I use my KitchenAid mixer for this recipe (because it is sitting there), but you can use a hand mixer too—or your arm. I do believe the power of the mixer may give it an extra whip that makes them super yummy.
Yum Yum Bars
Makes 24 (2-inch) squares
2/3 cup butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
1 pound brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¾ cup flour, sifted
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup pecans, chopped
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Combine sifted flour and salt in a medium-size bowl. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture; beat at medium speed until combined, scraping down sides once.
In the preheated oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 9-x-13-inch glass baking dish.
Bake for 30 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE! Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Learn from Leslie: For perfectly cut bars, place pan in freezer for a few minutes to chill before cutting.
Leslie Byars Register
Yields 24 (2-inch) Squares
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
- 1 pound brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ¾ cup flour, sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Combine sifted flour and salt in a medium-size bowl. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture; beat at medium speed until combined, scraping down sides once.
- In the preheated oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 9-x-13-inch glass baking dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE! Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.
