Written by Jodie Fitz
February is the month of love! At the Price Chopper/Market 32 Kids Cooking Club we l-o-v-e experimenting in the kitchen and creating new recipes to share with you
What’s on the menu? A Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie Recipe, perfect any time; Stuffed Strawberries turned Owls, WHO are perfect for Valentine’s treats and Mini Taco Bites, perfect for picky eaters and delicious snacks.
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie
2 cups fresh strawberries
1 cup ice
1 cup PICS milk
3 tablespoons PICS honey
1 tablespoon PICS cocoa powder, unsweetened
2 teaspoons PICS vanilla extract
Wash, hull and slice the strawberries before measuring the two cups of strawberries.
Add the sliced strawberries, ice, milk, honey, cocoa powder and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until mixed well and the ice is fully crushed.
Pour and serve!
Lessons for children with this recipe include;
- •Washing fruit
- •Hulling strawberries
- •Slicing
- •Knife safety
- •Measuring ingredients
- •Leveling dry ingredients
- •Blender safety
Silly Stuffed Strawberries
Fresh strawberries
½ cup PICS whipped cream cheese
¼ cup PICS cocoa powder
¼ cup PICS peanut butter
3 tablespoons PICS honey
1 teaspoon PICS vanilla extract
PICS vanilla wafers
Candy eyes
Toothpicks
Wash and hull 4 strawberries. Slice the tip of the strawberries off to create a flat end for your strawberry to perch on a wafer.
Add the cream cheese, cocoa powder, peanut butter, honey and vanilla into a bowl. Fold the ingredients together until mixed well.
Scoop the mixture into a Snap and Seal sandwich bag and seal it. Using a pair of clean kitchen shears, snip one corner of the bag opposite the snap and seal end so it’s just big enough to pipe out the mixture.
Squeeze a small amount on to each wafer and place the smaller end of the strawberry on it. Fill each strawberry generously so that it comes out of the strawberry and can hold the eyes in place.
Add two eyes to each strawberry, as seen in the picture.
Place a toothpick through the wider part of the filled strawberry and add two slices of strawberry, one on either side to serve as wings.
Note: The mixture will fill approximately 5 strawberries DEPENDING on the size of your strawberries.
Nut allergies? Try WOWButter®! It is a peanut free peanut butter alternative that can be found in the allergy friendly aisle at your Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets.
Gluten Free or Dairy Free Wafers? Try Kinnikinnick ® vanilla wafers found in the allergy friendly aisle at your Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets.
Dairy Free Cream Cheese? Try the Daiya vegan cream cheese found in the dairy aisle at your Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets.
Lessons for children with this recipe include;
- •Washing fruit
- •Hulling strawberries
- •Slicing
- •Knife safety
- •Measuring ingredients
- •Folding
- •Piping
- •Crafting with food
Taco Bites
1 pound ground turkey
2 cups fresh spinach
1 pint grape tomatoes
½ cup onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon PICS cumin
1 ½ teaspoon PICS chili powder
1 teaspoon PICS onion powder
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon white pepper
Mini Phyllo shells
PICS Shredded Mexican Cheese
Cook the ground turkey over medium heat. Using a heat resistant silicone spatula, stir the meat breaking it apart as it cooks. Note: Use stove top safety when cooking on a stove top; keep a safe distance from the stove top and pan when cooking and stirring.
Chop the spinach, tomatoes, garlic and onion in a food processor in a pulsating fashion until they are fully chopped. Add the vegetables and garlic mixture to the cooked meat and continue to cook over low heat until the vegetables are soft.
Over low heat, add in the cumin, chili powder, sea salt, garlic powder and white pepper.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the mini Phyllo shells on a non-stick baking sheet. Fill each one with the warm taco meat mixture. Top them with cheese and bake for 8-10 minutes; until the cheese is melted and the edge of the cups are slightly toasted. Note: When removing the baked taco bites, take safety precautions and use oven mitts.
Serve with fun sides for topping: sour cream, guacamole, olives, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, taco sauce and/or salsa.
Lessons for children with this recipe include;
- •Stove top safety
- •Cooking ground turkey
- •Preparing vegetables
- •Food processing
- •Measuring ingredients
- •Baking
- •Oven safety
Cheers to another Tasty Month ~ Jodie
P.S. I can’t wait for next month’s recipes with you.
February’s Community Schedule with Jodie
Sunday, February 2nd – Community Event at Clifton Park/Halfmoon Market 32. Jodie will be on site from 11 AM to 2 PM
Wednesday, February 5th – St. Ambrose Elementary School Visit (closed event).
Wednesday, February 12th – Shaker Elementary School – Family Fun Night Event (Closed Event).
Thursday, February 13th – Charlton Heights Elementary School Visit (closed event).
Tuesday, February 25th – Gardner Dickinson Elementary After School Club Visit (closed event).
Thursday, February 27th – East Greenbush YMCA After School Club Visit (closed event).
Friday, February 28th – Glendaal Elementary School Visit (closed event).
Saturday February 29th – Guilderland Girl Scouts Service Unit Visit (closed event).