Written by Jodie Fitz

Spook-tacular Kitchen Fun!

I’m so excited for spook-tacular kitchen fun at the Price Chopper/Market 32 Kids Cooking Club. Check out this month’s menu:

Spider Pizzas

Mini whole grain pitas

Pesto sauce(s)

PICS shredded mozzarella cheese

Constellation grape tomatoes

PICS sliced olives

PICS nonstick cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Coat a baking sheet with the nonstick cooking spray.

Spread approximately 1 tablespoon pesto on each pita.  Sprinkle approximately ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese on each pita as well.

Build a spider on top:

  • 1. Select one larger grape tomato for the body of each spider and one smaller grape tomato for the head.
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  • 2. You will need 4 olive slices for each spider. Cut three in half and place them as legs around the body; three on each side.  Cut one olive slice in quarters.  Place two as antennae. 
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  • Bake your spider pizzas for 8 – 10 minutes; until the cheese is melted and the pita toasts.

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Pesto:  You can use your favorite pesto.  Or, at Price Chopper/Market 32 you can experiment with various pesto flavors.  In this photo, I used both a traditional pesto and a sun-dried tomato basil and cheese combo by Delallo that can be found in the pasta sauce aisles.

Note: Some premade pesto can be thick and need to be diluted.  If so, start with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to 1 tablespoon of pesto.  Increase the oil in half-teaspoon increments until the consistency is spreadable.

Tomatillo Salsa with Witch Hat Chips

3 tomatillos

¼ cup sweet onion

1 half green bell pepper, seeds removed

1 small clove garlic

4 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon PICS balsamic vinegar

Remove the outer husk of the tomatillos.  Wash the tomatillos before using then in the salsa recipe; they can have a sticky residue from the husk. Cut into quarters.

Place the tomatillos, sweet onion, green bell pepper, garlic and cilantro into a mini food processor.  Using the pulsate feature, chop and mix the ingredients together.  Stir in the balsamic vinegar.

Basic Witch Hat Chips

1 package Cedar spinach wraps

Witch hat cookie cutter

2 tablespoons PICS canola oil

Sea salt

PICS nonstick cooking spray

Place the spinach wraps, one at a time, on a cutting board.  Use the cookie cutter to cut witch hat shapes.  The wraps should yield approximately 8 hats depending on the size of your cookie cutter.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Coat a nonstick baking sheet with the nonstick cooking spray.  Baste each hat lightly with the canola oil.  Salt them.  Bake them for 5-7 minutes until the edges start to toast.  Let them cook completely to finishing the crisping process.

Looking for flavor? Try one of these two mixtures.

Lime Lover Chips

2 tablespoons PICS canola oil

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

¼ teaspoon PICS onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

 

Combine these ingredients in a small bowl.  Baste the chips with the mixture.  Follow the baking instructions above.

Spiced Chips

2 tablespoons PICS canola oil

¼ teaspoon PICS onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

 

Combine these ingredients in a small bowl. Baste the chips with the mixture. Follow the baking instructions above.

Monster Bites

 

Chocolate soft-baked cookies

1 tablespoon PICS butter

16 PICS marshmallows

¼ cup PICS peanut butter*

2 cups PICS cocoa crisp rice cereal

Chocolate sprinkles

Candy Eyes

 

Make your monster feet by cutting a soft chocolate baked cookie into quarters.  Cut a ‘V’ shape out of each quarter center to create the monster base.  Place the cookie feet on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper.

Place the butter, marshmallows and peanut butter in a glass bowl.  Place in the microwave for one minute.  Stir the ingredients together.

Add in the cereal and stir so that everything is mixed well.

Roll the mixture into small balls; two inches in diameter. Roll in the chocolate sprinkles.  Place each ball on the cookie feet and add eyes.  Refrigerate overnight.

*Peanut Allergy?  Use WOWbutter® as a peanut butter alternative.

Where is Jodie this month…..

Look for me at:

Saturday, October 19th

12:30pm Main Stage

Allergen & Gluten Free Expo

Crossgates Mall

1 Crossgates Mall Rd.

Albany, NY

 

Sunday, October 20th

11am

Petite Retreat Expo

Saratoga Dance Museum

99 South Broadway

Saratoga Springs, NY

 

*Saturday, October 26th

10am – 1pm

Saratoga Fall Festival

Saratoga Olive Oil

484 Broadway

Saratoga Springs, NY

 

*Saturday, October 26th

 2pm – 5pm

Halfmoon Trunk or Treat Festivity

Halfmoon Town Hall

2 Halfmoon Plaza

Halfmoon, NY

 

*I’ll be sharing a recipe with families and trick or treaters at both these events.

The Kids Cooking Club is also visiting:

Stevens Elementary, Burnt Hills, NY

Clifton Park YMCA After School Program, Clifton Park, NY

 

If you would The Kids Cooking Club to visit your school or event please email me at [email protected]

Cheers to a tasty month!  Stop back next month for more holiday fun in the kitchen ~ Jodie Fitz