If we’ve learned anything from popular cooking shows like Rachael vs. Guy: Kids Cook Off and Man vs. Child: Chef Showdown, it’s that, with a little know-how, kids of all ages can really cook. Deanna F. Cook’s new book, Cooking Class, uses easy, delicious recipes to teach kids basic cooking skills, vocabulary and safety. Each kid-tested recipe is illustrated with helpful, color step-by-step photos and a rating of one to three spoons to indicate the skill level needed. Try out this granola bar recipe for a fast breakfast or before-soccer snack that kids can proudly say they made on their own.
Grab and Go Granola Bars
Looking for a quick breakfast you can eat on your way out of the door? Mix up a batch of these chewy bars over the weekend. If you wrap them up individually and store them in the fridge, they”ll stay fresh all week long.
Ingredients – Makes 12 Bars
- 3 tbsp. butter, plus more for the pan
- cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
Directions
- Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and set it aside. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, honey, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat.
- Pour the oats into the pot. Stir very well for five minutes.
- Spread the oat mixture into the pan. Press it into the pan with your hands to make it even (you may need to rub a little butter on your palms so they don’t stick to the bars). Press hard!
- Press the chocolate chips into the top of the bars. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled (about one hour).
- Bring to room temperature, then ask an adult to help you cut it into 12 bars with a sharp knife. Wrap the bars individually in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or waxed paper.
- Decorate with personalized labels. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Excerpted from Cooking Class by © Deanna F. Cook. Photography by © Julie Bidwell. Used with permission of Storey Publishing.
