Seneca Free Library

Plate of biscuits and gravy.

Cooking With Kids @ Seneca Free Library (Updated November 6, 2026)

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ANNOUNCEMENT (November 6, 2026): On your marks, get set, REGISTER!

Cooking with kids returns THIS THURSDAY (November 12 ) 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM after school!

Registration is now open for kids 9-12 with a signed waiver on file (available at the circulation desk). Classes are limited to 6 participants for safety and instructional purposes. Drop in at the desk or call 785-336-2377 to register your little chef in-the-making today!

REPORT (November 5, 2026): The cooking crew went hard into the classics this week, but made it look effortless. Homemade sausage gravy on home made biscuits (drop style and cutouts!) was the menu for the day, and Deb said the kids did a fantastic job hopping to work and getting things done. This librarian was fortunate enough to sample said B&G, and I gotta say, as someone who doesn’t always like this particular dish, these were pretty darn good! Thank you cooking crew for joining us this week and a very special thanks to Deb Haverkamp for making this program happen!

Forming biscuits.
Rolling biscuits.
Mixing biscuits.
Forming biscuits.
Stirring sausage gravy.
Forming biscuits.
Stirring sausage gravy.
Frying sausage gravy.
Cooking crew enjoys their biscuits and gravy.
Plate of biscuits and gravy.

REPORT (October 29, 2026): Things got corny with our Cooking with Kids crew for this session. Pop-corny, that is! Deb showed the kids three different ways to pop popcorn that don’t involve tossing a bag in the microwave. Then they made homemade applesauce from scratch while they waited for their candy coating to finally set using the “hardball” and thermometer checking method to track the cooking progress. Unfortunately, the sugar boiling was being contrary and put the process behind, but Deb and the kids were able to make their popcorn balls and get them done just as the 5:00 session end rolled around! Thanks to our cooking crew for joining us and having a great time, and a special thanks to Deb Haverkamp for running the session!

Three styles of popcorn makers wait to be used.
Cutting apples for applesauce.
That's a big bowl of popcorn!
Participants watch a dome popper popping corn.
Boiling down diced apples for the apple sauce.
Popping corn the stove top method.
Popcorn ball!
Tasty applesauce from scratch!

REPORT (October 22, 2026): Fabulous fall offerings were on the Cooking with Kids menu as Deb and the kids made Pumpkin Bars and two styles of Apple Dip, one with yogurt and the other with creme cheese. The kids loved the apple dip and most liked the pumpkin bars, which is fair given pumpkin can be a love it or hate it ingredient. Thanks to our cooking crew for joining us and a special thanks to Deb Haverkamp for putting this program together for us!

Kids reading recipes and mixing ingredients.
Kids mixing ingredients and goofing for the camera.
Dishes are a vital part of any cooking project.
Kids cutting apple slices for their dip.
Kids measuring ingredients.
Kids Measuring dry ingredients.
Pumpkin Bar and Apple Slices with Apple Dips.

REPORT (September 3, 2026): The Cooking Crew did it again, this time making fresh baked French Bread and turning it into French Toast with fresh cut melon on the side. Our facilitator, Deb Haverkamp, used a bit of cooking show television magic and brought in pre-baked bread to jump ahead through the proofing and baking phase to give the kids time to make the French Toast and melon, but the kids still got to learn about the difference between quick breads and yeast breads, see how yeast is activated and added, and learn why proofing is necessary for bread to rise and bake properly as they went through the process of mixing and preparing their own dough. The hardest part of the cooking project? Keeping the kids from eating the baked bread before it could be put through the egg wash and fried! Special thanks to Deb Haverkamp for putting this program together and making it such a fun and educational experience. Also, special thanks to the kids and parents who keep making this one of our most popular and successful programs at the library!

REPORT (August 20, 2026): Why stop with afternoon snacks when you can learn to make a full meal? That was Deb’s thought in this week’s Cooking with Kids session! The Cooking crew made barbecue meatballs, creamed peas, and pan fried potatoes, all from scratch, of course. Special thanks to Deb Haverkamp for presenting this fun and educational program!

REPORT (August 6, 2026): Deb introduced the Cooking Crew to some of her favorite kid-friendly after-school snacks which included fresh cut veggies with homemade ranch and corn muffin dogs (think corn dog without the stick). The kids were pretty happy with the results and, admittedly, the test librarians enjoyed what they brought over to share quite a bit! Thanks to our participants for doing such a great job working together and cleaning up, and of course, a big thanks to Deb Haverkamp for putting this session together and sharing this experience with the kids!

Cutting vegetables.
Corn muffin dogs and veggie sticks with homemade ranch.
Mixing muffins.
Putting the hot dog in the "corn muffin dogs."
Muffins going in the oven.
Measuring ingredients.
Mixing ranch.
Measuring and stirring.