Dining with Mimi: April Cooking with “The Littles”

Recipe: Sun Kiss Loquat Cobbler

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Life in 2020 has a nuance that I was not expecting when the new year started. None of us predicted our covid-colored-world and where we would find ourselves. Most of us have retreated to our protective shells until the wind of change blows this pandemic away. For young families, it is a great time to cook with your little ones.

By this point, parents may be running out of ways to occupy their children. Teaching them the basics in the kitchen is something that everyone should learn. It will also provide a special bonding time that little ones crave. If you teach them to cook now, they’ll be able to help you in the kitchen later. Who doesn’t need a helping hand in the kitchen?

Rules for Teaching the Littles

1. Patience is key to teaching littles to cook. (Have wine on hand if patience evaporates)

2. Everyone needs an apron. (or pin a dishtowel)

3. Select a recipe that may be evenly divided if you have more than one little. Cookie recipes are easy to separate between multiple children.

4. When they make a mess teach them to clean as they go. (breathe and sip wine)

5. Teach them to start with best practices such as:

- locate and place ingredients on counter

-locate all baking pans and utensils needed

-completely read the recipe out loud first

-a clean kitchen is a ready kitchen

6. Teach them to cook a recipe they will like to eat. Cooking will help them to see food differently which may help with picky eaters.

7. While dish is cooking, everyone helps clean up.

8. After cooking dish, sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Ask them questions. Do you like it? What could we add to make it better? What do you want to make next?

9. Give them a cookbook and allow them to pick out something that they want to eat. A cookbook with pictures works great.

This month you will find loquats bountiful hanging from trees everywhere in our county. Cook Sun Kiss Loquat Cobbler with peeps. Peaches or strawberries may be substituted as well. This recipe is very easy to make with one child. If you have two children, make a pan for your house and one to give away.

Ingredients

2 ½ Cups Loquats or substitute Strawberries or Peaches

1 stick unsalted butter

¼ Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup Pecans chopped

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1 ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla

¼ Teaspoon Salt

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

1 Unwrap butter halfway and rub gently along sides and bottom of baking pan.

2 Place butter in glass bowl and melt in microwave for 1 minute.

3 Using a paring knife I cut loquats into small pieces with no particular size or shape. Toss seeds.

4 As fruit is cut place in baking pan.

5Sprinkle ¼ cup brown sugar over the fruit.

6 Sprinkle the pecans over the fruit.

7 In glass bowl add the remaining ingredients one at a time and stir until complete.

8 Pour batter evenly over the fruit mixture. Do not stir.

9 Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: This will be very hot when it comes out of the oven. A scoop of ice cream served along with this will make the little ones howl with delight.

Enjoy your time with the littles. Before you know it, they will want to borrow the keys to the car and you may have to pay them to spend time with you.

If you want a cookie recipe for the littles, look for Updated 100 Year Old Oatmeal Cookie Recipe at www.diningwithmimi.com .

Love from Mimi’s Kitchen, www.diningwithmimi.com