The best way to get kids to eat healthier, better-balanced meals is to bring them into the kitchen and involve them in the meal preparation process.

TIPS:

1: Kids are going to enjoy making this – they can do almost the whole thing by themselves. Let them measure the ingredients, cream the butter and cream cheese together, and roll the snowball.

2: Kids of all ages tend to marvel in the fun of rolling out cookies and cutting them into shapes; and this recipe is so elementary that they can do it with little or no parental supervision.

3: This is a gift that kids will really get into from start to finish, as they can play a role in the entire process.

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Recipes & Tips »»»

Kids Dish Holiday Recipes ©

Cream Cheese Snowball
1 8-oz. block of cream cheese (softened)
2 tbls. butter (softened)
4 tbls. powdered sugar
2 tbls. vanilla
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
½ cup crystallized sugar

1. In a mixing bowl combine the softened cream cheese and butter until well blended.
2. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon zest. Continue to mix until all is incorporated.
3. Place mixture into the refrigerator for at least one hour or until very well chilled
4. Just before serving, form cream cheese into a ball then roll into crystallized sugar.

Kitchen Helpers: Kids are going to enjoy making this – they can do almost the whole thing by themselves. Let them measure the ingredients, cream the butter and cream cheese together, and roll the snowball.




Ginger Snap Snow Flakes
1 box gingerbread mix
2 tbls. flour
2 tbls. butter
¼ cup water
½ cup crystallized sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the gingerbread mix and flour, and set them aside.
3. In a microwave-safe measuring cup, combine the butter and water and heat 20 to 30 seconds or until butter is melted.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together and stir together to form a ball.
5. Divide the ball in half and allow the dough to rest five minutes.
6. On a lightly floured work surface roll one of the balls out to 1/8 inch thick and cut out with snowflake-shaped cookie cutters.
7. Place the cut outs two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with crystallized sugar.
8. Repeat with the second piece of dough and bake for 9 to 11 minutes depending on the size of the cookie cutters.
9. Remove from oven and cool completely. Serve with cream cheese snowball, and store extra cookies in an air-tight container.

Note: This dough freezes well and can be made one month in advance. Try also cutting into people shapes and icing them for a real Holiday treat.

Kitchen Helpers: Kids of all ages tend to marvel in the fun of rolling out cookies and cutting them into shapes; and this recipe is so elementary that they can do it with little or no parental supervision.



ADVOCATE-TESTED RECIPE
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Cookies with Holiday M&Ms
Yields 4 dozen cookies. Recipe is by Tracey Koch

2 sticks butter
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1½ cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
3 cups quick or old fashioned oats
1 cup M&M candies, preferably in holiday colors


1. Cream together the butter and sugars.
2. Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat well.
3. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
4. Add the oats and M&Ms into the flour mixture and combine the wet and dry ingredients.
5. Once the dough is all incorporated, divide into four equal pieces.
6. Wrap each of these pieces into plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes to one hour.
7. Once dough has chilled, on a lightly floured work space roll each piece of dough into a 12-inch log.
8. Wrap each dough log in plastic and then in parchment. Tie the ends with yarn or ribbon. Label the cookies and write out the baking instructions. Decorate them with holiday stamps or stickers. The cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.

Baking instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Slice dough into 12 one-inch slices and place them on a baking sheet.
3. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden.

Kitchen Helpers: This is a gift that kids will really get into from start to finish, as they can play a role in the entire process.

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