Do you do all the cooking in your household? Is it always up to the parents to prepare every meal? Sometimes it’s good to teach preteens or teens how to make their own meal, so if you can’t make it home in time to prepare dinner, they can still make something that’s filling and nutritious (something other than a peanut butter sandwich). I’m a senior in high school now, and though my parents typically still prepare meals, they can’t always be there. When that happens, I don’t have to order pizza or resort to mac-n-cheese; I can make my own meals. One of my favorites, which is easy to learn and teach, is an omelet. When I was 10, my dad let me help him make omelets. Each time he made them, I would help with a different part. Eventually, I could do it all myself. Here are the steps to create an omelet (like the one pictured):

1. In a medium-sized bowl, beat 3 eggs and an “eggs-worth” of milk (I use 2%) until the mixture is relatively even and a little bit frothy.
2. Cut up whatever extras you want on the inside of your omelet (I like tomatoes and ham) and allow them to simmer in a smaller frying pan.
3. After adding butter to prevent the omelet from sticking, pour the egg mixture into a frying pan that is large enough to let the mixture create a layer no thicker than a centimeter. Allow it to fry until most of the egg mixture has cooked through, except perhaps a thin layer on top.
4. Flip it over! Wait until there is no longer any uncooked egg mixture left over.
5. Turn off the heat. Now’s the time add the “filling” on top of one side of the omelet, add cheese if you’d like, and fold the uncovered half over this one. Salt and pepper as needed, and enjoy!

I like making omelets, because you can add a variety of “fillings” depending on your taste or what’s available in the house. Of all the meals I cook, I enjoy my omelets the most; they are easy to make and taste great!

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On this past Sunday, we took a leisurely hike at a nearby lake with two of our children.  During the hike we discussed dinner for the night, a new meal we wanted to try.  Both kids were excited about this meal and immediately asked to assist with cooking.  The kids are 10 and 12, so they can be very helpful during meal preparation. . .as long as they aren’t bickering over which job each gets to do.

After a trip to the grocery store, it was time to begin our kitchen work.  To prevent any possible arguments, we divided into teams.  My daughter and I began making the chicken-friend steak:  I pounded the steaks, and she sprinkled the seasonings on each.  Once all of the steaks had been browned and were simmering, we turned our attention to the homemade biscuits.  Together we measured, blended, patted, and cut the  biscuit dough.  (To read the recipe for our Cinnamon Biscuits, visit our sister site, Tasty Thoughts.)

Across the kitchen, my husband and son were busy with the preparation of onion rings.  They worked in tandem, with one slicing onions while the other made the coating batter for the rings.  As the onion were deep-friend, my husband did all of the frying while our son prepped each batch.

Happily, we had coordinated the times of everything well, and the dishes were ready for serving at the same time.  The food was delicious, especially for the kids, as they took pride in knowing they had helped to make this dinner.

An afternoon of exercise, an hour of harmonious cooking for four, and a delectable dinner.  What more could one request as an end to the weekend?

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Are you having trouble getting your youngsters to eat their leafy greens? Put them in a shake! I know, it sounds weird and…well…disgusting, but it’s not as bad as you might think. A “greens” shake is actually quite tasty.

When I say “greens” I’m not talking about pale green iceberg lettuce. I mean dark, rich greens, such as kale, collard greens, and spinach. All three are extremely high in vitamin K, vitamin A, and vitamin C, not to mention a host of other health benefits.

One way to get a healthy dose of greens is to put them in a breakfast shake. Chances are, your kids won’t even know the greens are hidden inside! All you need is a handful of chopped greens, some frozen fruit, a liquid base, and a high-powered blender.

The only ingredient I measure is the liquid. I just add the rest of the ingredients a little at a time until the shake is the desired thickness and tastes good.

Greens Shake – Makes four to six servings

2 cups liquid – I usually use a fruit juice, such as apple or pineapple. You also can use a mixture of juices or milk.

Greens – Start with a few clean chopped leaves of your choice. As you get used to having the greens in your shake, you can add a larger amount.

Frozen fruit – I like to use a variety of frozen fruit, but I usually include frozen bananas and a dark fruit like blueberries. (Bananas add sweetness and blueberries disguise the “green” part of the shake.) Here are some good ones to include:

• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Pineapple
• Cherries
• Bananas (this is a good way to use up those slightly over-ripe bananas. Just peel them, cut them into chunks, and put them into a freezer bag and freeze until you’re ready for them.)
  

Be creative, and enjoy!

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I’ll be completely honest and tell you right off the bat that I am not a gourmet cook. I frequently make dinners that consist of baked something and side dishes that come from boxes or cans. I have found, however, a few “shortcuts” to seasoning and adding flavor to meals that would otherwise be bland variations on the same theme.

Enter: Onion Soup Mix.

Dry onion soup mix has to be one of the best innovations of all time—especially for lazy, time/energy crunched cooks like me. Usually all you need is to place the meat (or vegetables) in a baking dish, sprinkle dry onion soup mix over everything, add some butter (or healthy variant), and bake. Viola! Instant fantastic dinner!

Here is a recipe that quickly has become a favorite in my house:

You will need:

• Boneless Pork chops
• Potatoes
• Butter (or some healthy variant)
• Onion soup mix
• Baking dish large enough to hold everything
• Tin foil

The amounts of ingredients you use depend on how many people for whom you are cooking. When I am cooking for just my significant other and I, we get by with two pork chops and one large baking potato.

Cut up the potatoes into either small chunks or thin slices, and put them in the bottom of your baking dish.

Place the boneless pork chops on top of the potatoes.

Sprinkle the onion soup mix over everything.

Add a few tablespoons of butter

Cover your baking dish with tinfoil, and bake in the oven at 400 degrees until the pork chops are cooked thoroughly and the potatoes are soft and easy to bite into. Usually this takes anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to tell you when the pork chops are done.

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