Together
Cooking with Kids
Every once in a while, busy moms and dads find themselves home with the kids – without cell phones, soccer practice or play dates to interfere. What could be more enjoyable – and educational – than helping the kids create a memorable family meal?
Pizza, pretzels and frankfurters!
Here are two tasty, fun and easy recipes just for kids. They’ll enjoy twisting the soft pretzel dough into one-of-a-kind buns for Sloppy Joes. Creativity will flow as they make pizza masterpieces using prepared pizza crusts and cookie cutters, and topping with frankfurters and cheese.
Sloppy Joes on Soft Pretzel Buns
Ingredients
1 pound Certified Angus Beef ® ground chuck
Favorite Sloppy Joe mix
Soft Pretzel buns (recipe below)
Instructions
Brown ground beef over medium-high heat until a meat thermometer registers 160ºF.. Mix in Sloppy Joe seasonings and heat through. Serve on pretzel bun.
Soft Pretzel Buns
Ingredients
2 packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 cup warm water
4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup baking soda
2 cups hot water
Pretzel salt
Instructions
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 1/4 cups water; let stand 7 to 8 minutes until creamy.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Make a well in the center; add oil and yeast mixture. Mix together to form dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough about 5 minutes until smooth; adding flour as needed. Dough will be slightly sticky.
Lightly oil large bowl. Add dough turning to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 450ºF. Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and form into fun shapes.
Combine baking soda and hot water. Dip each pretzel into water mixture and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with pretzel salt. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly and slice in half lengthwise for sandwiches.
Makes 8 buns.
Nutritional Information per Serving: 445 Calories; 9g Fat; 3g Saturated Fat; 36mg Cholesterol; 72g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 20g Protein; 1,444mg Sodium; 27% daily value Iron (based on 2,000 calorie diet).
Recipe provided by Certified Angus Beef LLC
Frankfurter Pizza
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 pound Certified Angus Beef ® frankfurters
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 (8-ounce) cans pineapple, well drained
3 green onions, chopped
1 prepared pizza crust
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Use cookie cutters to make individual pizza crusts, if desired.
Slice frankfurters lengthwise, then cut into half circles. Top crusts with cheese, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edges.
Top with frankfurters, pineapple pieces and onions, or other desired ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until hot and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories: 347; Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Cholesterol: 52 mg; Carbohydrate: 33 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Protein: 17 g; Sodium: 430 mg; Iron: 3% of Daily Value
Pizza for grown-ups.
If frankfurter pizza doesn’t sit right with mom or dad, try this grown-up version. It features ground beef, feta and mozzarella cheeses, Canadian bacon and artichokes.
Beef and Bacon Pizza
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 pound Certified Angus Beef ® ground chuck
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese
4 6-inch prepared pizza bread shells
1 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
4 slices Canadian-style bacon, cut into strips
2 teaspoons fresh oregano or basil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. In nonstick skillet, brown ground chuck until a meat thermometer registers 160ºF.
3. Drain artichokes, reserving marinade. Half artichoke hearts lengthwise; set aside.
4. Brush the bread shells with reserved artichoke marinade.
5. Divide ingredients equally on shells; place on a cookie sheet. Bake until cheese is melted, and pizza is heated through (about 7 minutes).
Nutritional Information per Serving: 522Calories; 23g Fat; 10g Saturated Fat; 110mg Cholesterol; 38g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 40g Protein; 1259mg Sodium; 16% daily value Iron (based on 2,000 calorie diet).
Get cooking!
There’s nothing better than spending a little time with your kids. If it helps you get dinner on the table and teaches them new culinary skills at the same time, fabulous!