Cooking With Kids Just Got Easier
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Do you ever cook with your kids? My seven-year-old loves to help us cook, so I have gradually been giving him more responsibilities in the kitchen. It started with him helping us add ingredients or stir. Now, with supervision, I sometimes let him do the cooking.
So much can be taught and learned by having young children help prepare a meal for the family. They will learn about planning, science, math, kitchen safety, and they will have a great sense of pride and accomplishment. Kids who help their parents cook may also develop a more mature palate and be more willing to try new foods, especially foods that they have helped prepare.
Now, cooking with kids has just gotten easier with just one product. This weekend my son made homemade spaghetti sauce with very little help from me thanks to Dorot Gardens pre-chopped fresh herbs.
Like most other kids, one of my son’s favorite foods is pasta and tomato sauce. When I asked him what he wanted to help make for dinner, this was his obvious choice and with it being one of his favorite meals, he was so excited to help. With that, we took out the electric hot plate and he went to work. Aside from chopping the onions and measuring the dry spices, he was able to do all of it himself.
Since a seven-year-old isn’t ready to use a sharp knife to chop herbs, Dorot Gardens has done all of the work for him. The garlic and basil we used for this recipe were already chopped and ready to go so all he had to do was squeeze two teaspoon-sized cubes of each out of the bubble package and drop them in the sauce. As his sous chef, this was also a convenient time saver for me.
ABOUT DOROT GARDENS
There is nothing like using fresh herbs for optimum flavor in all of your recipes, but it isn’t always convenient. I have had more fresh herbs than I can count go bad because I only needed a tablespoon or so. With Dorot Gardens pre-measured frozen herbs and garlic, you don’t have to worry about all of the waste. They are picked from their fields at the peak of freshness then flash frozen into convenient trays within 90 minutes of picking. The trays are then frozen for convenience and freshness that will last up to two years, so they are full of the great flavor you expect with the convenience you crave.
EASY HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Just look at this proud kiddo! He was so excited to cook dinner for all of us, and this recipe really couldn’t be more simple. If you want to make homemade spaghetti sauce with your kids, the recipe for our sauce is down below. It’s easy enough that a seven-year-old can do it, and tasty, too! Serve with pasta, ravioli, tortelloni, or anything else you would serve with tomato sauce and dinner is done!
Easy Weeknight Spaghetti Sauce
Making homemade spaghetti sauce isn't as hard as some people think it is. This recipe is so quick and easy that you can make this sauce on a weeknight for a delicious homemade meal.
Ingredients
- 1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 15oz can tomato sauce
- 1 small - medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup cooking wine , either red or white
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp course ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 2 tsp crushed garlic
- 2 tsp basil
Instructions
- Coat the bottom of a warm pan with extra virgin olive oil. When hot, add the onions and saute until fragrant and translucent. Add garlic.
- Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, all spices, sugar, and tomato paste to the onions, combine thoroughly and simmer for as long as possible, but for a minimum of 30 minutes.
