Works For Me Wednesday Parenting Edition

Today is Works for me Wednesday Parenting Edition! Here is my parenting tip: Kids love to help cook and ziplock bags make it so fun and easy, including clean-up! Here are some recipes to try with your kids. The last one uses a jar. I recommend using the bags that turn to a different color. yellow and blue make green, so your child know s the bag is locked.
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Yogurt Smoothie in a bag
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1/4 c. yogurt(vanilla)
2 tsp. concentrated juice-thawed (orange)
1 tbsp low fat milk
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Put into a snack baggie and squeeze. Stick a straw in corner of the bag and drink. Makes 1 serving.
I think you could use any flavor yogurt and any flavor concentrated juice. I have used grape juice with the vanilla yogurt, some people call them Purple Cows!
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Fudge in a Bag
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 pound box confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ounces cream cheese
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Add all ingredients to a one gallon zip-lock bag and seal. Pass bag around and let everybody help mix it up by squeezing it for 30 minutes. Fudge can be served out of bag or spread on pan and cut. It is kind of a soft fudge but so good.
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Bread in a Bag
2 cups white bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons powdered milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 package Rapid Rise yeast
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup hot water (125 to 130 degrees F)
Extra flour to use during the kneading process
Combine white flour, whole wheat flour, yeast, sugar, salt and powdered milk in a 1 gallon heavy duty Ziploc freezer bag. Squeeze upper part of bag to force out the air. Shake and work bag with fingers to blend ingredients. Add hot water and oil to dry ingredients. Reseal bag. Mix by working bag with fingers, until the dough is completely mixed and pulls away from the bag. On floured surface, knead dough 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Put dough back into bag and let it rest 10 minutes. If working in teams, divide dough in half and shape. Let rise until double in bulk. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack or dish towels.
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Tin Can Ice Cream(or Zip lock Bag Ice Cream, see note below)
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1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Half and Half
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Nuts or Fruit, as desired
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1. Combine ingredients in a one pound coffee can. Place a tight fitting plastic lid on the can.
2. Place inside a 3-pound coffee can.
3. Pack larger can with crushed ice. Pour 1/2 cup rock salt evenly over ice.
4. Place a tight fitting lid on the three pound can. Tape with masking tape. (It is possible for the lid to come off and the contents to spill.)
5. Roll the cans back and forth on a table or the floor for about 15 minutes.
6. Open the outer can. Remove the inner can; wipe lid clean and open.
7. Use a spatula to stir the mixture and scrape the sides of the inner can. Replace the lid.
8. Drain liquid from the larger can. (The salty liquid is called brine.)
9. Replace the smaller can inside the larger can. Pack with additional ice and salt.
10. Cover. Roll cans back and forth for 10 minutes.
11. Open outer can. Remove inner can. Wipe lid clean, open and enjoy.
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NOTE: My family does not drink coffee, so I got coffee cans from my office. However, since leaving there, I have used the Ziploc bag method instead of the tin cans. You use 2 gallon and 1 gallon ziplock FREEZER bags. Personally, I like the bags better.
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Homemade Butter
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1/3 cup whipping cream
1 small jar, (we used baby food jars)
Put whipping cream in jar and shake until the cream is soft ball. Pour off milk, take out butter, stir until butter is firm, salt and eat with biscuits! Yummy!
Note: you have to shake hard, but it does work!
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Ziplock bags just work for me when letting my kids have fun in the kitchen!
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For more great WFMW post see Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer.