Seneca Free Library

A fully loaded crepe with whipped cream, strawberry wedges, and blue berries.

Cooking With Kids @ Seneca Free Library (Updated April 24, 2026)

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ANNOUNCEMENT (April 24, 2026): Cooking with Kids takes a brief pause again on April 30 while Deb goes on a more local family adventure. May is looking like a hot time in the “kitchen,” though, so be sure to stay tuned for upcoming Cooking with Kids sessions!

REPORT (April 23, 2026): We like to keep things classy at Seneca Free Library, and what says “classy” like CREPES? More than just thin pancakes, these cultural quick breads beg for delicate adornments, so our Cooking Crew made a light whipping cream and prepared an assortment of tasty berries to go with their creations. Magnifique! Special thanks to our facilitator and cooking guru, Deb Haverkamp, for putting together this fantastic session. Thanks also to our attendees who looked at the building storm and said, “Nah, we got things to cook. Go rain on somebody else!”

Participant slicing a banana.
Participants pan fry their crepes.
Participant prepping her pan for another crepe.
Participants frying up their crepes.
Participants washing dishes.
A crepe with whip creme, sliced strawberries, blue berries, and banana.
A half banana and a bowl of blue berries and sliced strawberries.
A fully loaded crepe with whipped creme, strawberry wedges, and blueberries.

REPORT(March 12, 2026): The Cooking Crew went green for the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day holiday and made 7-Layer salad and broccoli salad. Thank you to our participants and especially to our facilitator, Deb Haverkamp for making this program possible!

Participants chop vegetables.
Participants mix ingredients.
Participants chop vegetables.
Participant frying bacon.
Participants chop vegetables.
Participants spread dressing layer on 7-layer salad.
Participant chops vegetables.
Participants add cheese layer to 7-layer salad.
Participants add bacon bits to top of 7-layer salad.
Participants wash dishes.
Participants wash dishes.
Participants enjoy finished salads.

REPORT (March 5, 2026): Deb and the Cooking with Kids crew made Pecan Coffee Cake with Graham Cracker Crumble Topping.

A nine-by-nine pan of coffee cake.
Participants mix ingredients.
Participants measure crushed graham crackers.
Participant crushing graham crackers in a bag using a rolling pin.
Participants crushing graham crackers in a bag using a rolling pin.
Nine-by-twelve pan of finished coffee cake.
Participants doing dishes.

REPORT (February 5, 2026): With the next two weeks being off from Cooking with Kids, our facilitator, Deb Haverkamp, wanted to be sure the cooking crew got to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Cooking with Kids style! In this session they made strawberry pizza and rice crispy treats with a heart-shaped spin. Thanks to our participants, and a big thanks to Deb Haverkamp for running this session even with the library being closed for continuing education!

Participants with their finished fruit pizzas.
Strawberry fruit pizza.
Participants put the toppings on their fruit pizzas.
Heart-shaped rice krispie treat.
Strawberry fruit pizza.

REPORT (January 29, 2026): Cooking with Kids closed out the month with a full scale meal. Pan fried pork chops, country style potatoes, cream peas from scratch, and fruit salad! What a feast! Great job getting dinner on the table, crew! Thanks to our participants, and a big special thanks to our facilitator, Deb Haverkamp, for all the extra work on this one, including rounding up additional hot plates and groceries to make it happen!

Stirring creamed peas.
Participants pan frying potatos.
Pork chops ready to be seasoned and cooked.
Plate of pan-fried potatoes.
Participant pan frying potatoes.
Participant cutting fruit.
Participant mixing fruit salad.
Participant breading pork chop.
Mixing a bowl of fruit salad.
Participants pan frying potatoes.
Pork chop, pan fried potatoes, and creamed peas.
Cup of fruit salad.

REPORT (January 22, 2026): The Cooking Crew did it again! This time with homemade granola, corn salsa, and guacamole. So fresh and tasty! Great job kids! Special thanks to Deb Haverkamp for facilitating and keeping this program going!

Nine-by-twelve pan of trail mix.
Participants chopping vegetables for salsa.
Participant cutting avocado.
Stirring granola binding agent.
Stirring granola.
Participants mixing granola ingredients.
Participants preparing and stirring salsa.
Participants cutting avocados.
Tortilla chips, corn salsa, and guacamole.

REPORT (January 15, 2026): The Cooking with Kids crew came back with a spicy vengeance this week, but in the most delightful way possible! The crew, mostly new faces this session, took on Taco Soup and Cornbread, which are not only program favorites, but also local favorites as well. But this wasn’t just your usual Jiffy mix cornbread! Librarian, Deb Haverkamp, took the kids step-by-step through how to make thick fluffy cornbread from scratch with way less sugar and none of the preservatives! Thanks to all of our participants for joining us, and especially to our knowledgeable and dedicated facilitator, Deb!

Cornbread and taco soup.
Participants wash dishes.
Participants cutting vegetables.
Cornbread baking in toaster oven.
Participants mixing taco soup.
Participants sharing taco soup and cornbread.
Assortment of dried beans in jars.
Participants checking on soup.
Participants pulling cornbread from the oven.
Participants opening can of tomatoes.
Participants opening can of tomatoes.

REPORT (January 8, 2026): The Cooking with Kids crew kicked off the new year with a program classic. With more new names on the roster than returning champions and unseasonably warm weather cramping the soup-making style, our program facilitator opted for a cooking crew favorite with a burst of color and flavor by making fruit pizza! Thank you to all of our participants for joining us in this first session of the year, and special thanks to our very own Deb Haverkamp for making this the fun and educational experience this program is known for!

Fruit pizza.
Organized platter of cut red grapes, green grapes, pineapple, and strawberries.
Participants chop assorted fruits.
Participants frost their fruit pizzas.
Participants frost their fruit pizzas.
Finished fruit pizza.
Up close picture of fruit pizza.
Participants frosting their fruit pizzas.