ANNOUNCEMENT (October 31, 2025): Deb goes on the road again next week, which means Cooking with Kids will be on break until she gets back. Check back regularly for updates on when Cooking with Kids will return!
REPORT (October 30, 2025)
Sweet treats from scratch were on the menu for this pre-Halloween session. The Cooking Crew made oven-baked donuts with glazed frosting and sprinkles, and vanilla pudding. Did you know there were pans designed for baking donuts instead of frying them? Now you do, and so do the kids and a bunch of parents and staff who had never seen them before either! Tasty donut goodness and yummy, smooth vanilla pudding? Yes, please and thank you! Great job kids! And congratulations, Deb Haverkamp, on successfully testing a new recipe while wrangling a group of wired up boys and ghouls post-Halloween school parties!
REPORT (October 23, 2025)
Five kids. One Instructor. No printed instructions. This week’s cooking with kids emphasized listening skills, experimentation, and cooking by memory. On the menu was barbecue meatballs, macaroni and cheese from scratch, and pan fried onion rings, cauliflower, and fried green tomatoes. Whistle Stop can’t compare with these kids. They did a fantastic job, even if nobody was brave enough to try the cauliflower. Special thanks to this week’s participants and, of course, to Deb Haverkamp, for continuing to make this the fun and educational program that it is!
REPORT (October 16, 2025)
What’s sticky, sweet, and fun to eat (unless you have a severe allergy)? Peanut Butter of course! And in this session, our cooking crew had the opportunity to make not one, not two, but THREE different recipes using this protein packed powerhouse! Facilitator Deb Haverkamp also used the opportunity to introduce and discuss various baking pans and why a recipe might call for one type or size over another. To demonstrate, the kids made Peanut Butter Sheet Brownies and Peanut Butter Granola Bars. While those products took turns baking, the kids also made Peanut Butter Energy Balls. The cooking crew did a fantastic job and managed to get all three projects plus the cleanup done with their fun but focused approach to the session. Thanks to our participants as always, and of course a special thanks to our facilitator, Librarian Deb Haverkamp, who does such a great job organizing and teaching these classes!
REPORT (October 9, 2025)
Fall brings tailgating and football parties, so what better time to introduce the kids to party snacks than cozy season? For this session the Cooking Crew did Barbecue Kielbasa Bites, Ranch Seasoned Oyster Crackers, and Pickle Cheeseburger Skewers (think carb-friendly burger kabobs). We had talked about doing buffalo wings, but then we realized that making them from scratch like we prefer to do would take too much time. We considered nacho dip, but recognized there that the traditional method doesn’t require enough steps or effort to really benefit the kids learning. Both are classic game day options, but we’ll have to leave them for the kids to learn at home.
