It’s universally known. Children love to cook. So, let them get in on the act this holiday season and enhance their reading and math skills at the same time. Here are a couple of easy-to-read recipes that you, and your children, can enjoy right now:  

Buckeyes

1 stick soft butter

1 pound powdered sugar

1-3/4 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

1-12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix soft butter, peanut butter, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add powdered sugar and stir until all mixed together. Roll candy into one-inch balls and place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Melt chocolate chips and shortening on low setting in the microwave. Using a toothpick, dip each ball, covering ¾ of the candy with chocolate. Place on cookie sheet to cool.  

Breakfast Rockets

1/2 cup vanilla or plain low-fat yogurt

1 tablespoon chunky or smooth peanut butter

2 teaspoons sugar

2 cups oat or wheat flaked cereal, crushed to 1 cup

OR 1 cup of low-fat granola

4 small bananas

Plastic wrap

4 popsicle sticks

Measure yogurt, peanut butter, and sugar and place in a small bowl. Mix all that business up!
 Cut four large squares of plastic wrap. Over another bowl; crush flake cereal with hands. Put 1/4 cup of crushed cereal or granola on each plastic wrap square. Peel bananas and insert popsicle stick in one end of each banana. Spread each banana with yogurt mixture and lay on cereal. Turn each banana once to evenly coat with crushed cereal. Wrap each banana in the plastic wrap square. Twist ends to hold. Freeze or refrigerate until ready to eat.  

Ham N' Cheese Ranch Rolls

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese, room temperature

1 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1 envelope Ranch dip mix

3/4 pound shaved deli ham, chopped

3/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced (or thinly sliced cucumber)

12 (8-inch) low-fat whole wheat flour tortillas

In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and dip mix until well blended. Stir in ham and onion or cucumber. Spread each tortilla thinly with ham mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch edge on one side. Roll up and wrap tightly in plastic wrap; chill well. Cut in half for sandwiches - it will make 12. Cut these into one-inch slices for appetizers.  

There is so much joy in cooking (and reading) together. Give your children, and grandchildren, every opportunity to practice these skills. There are times, however, when practice is not enough. So, don’t wait. If you know that your children are struggling readers consider taking advantage of proven intervention with Reading Horizons v5 software.

The program, based on Orton Gillingham strategies is designed to complement and supplement core reading instruction with explicit, systematic phonics instruction.

Reading, cooking and sharing – I love the holidays!