Kid Fun!

Everyone loves to eat, but not everyone knows how to cook.  We believe that if you know the basics of cooking and if you know your way around the kitchen, you'll not only become a great cook, but you'll love it, too!  We hope this section is one that you and the young "chefs" in your life find fun and easy to use every month!

Granola Bars

These granola bars are tastier than store-bought and better for you, too! They are great to take along on field trips or tobogganing - plus you can personalize them with your favourite dried fruits and nuts!

Ingredients you will need to make 36 bars:

• Watkins Cooking Spray 
• 1-1/4 cups/310 ml brown sugar
• 1/4 cup/60 ml butter (or margarine), softened
• 2 tbsp/30 ml honey 
• 1 tsp/5 ml Watkins Vanilla 
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup/250 ml all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp/7.5 ml Watkins Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp/2.5 ml Watkins Baking Powder
• 1 cup/250 ml quick-cooking rolled oats (oatmeal)
• 1 cup/250 ml crisp rice cereal
• 1 cup/250 ml raisins (or any chopped, dried fruit)
• 1/2 cup/125 ml sunflower seed (or your favourite chopped nuts)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
2. Spray a 13 x 9-inch/28 x 20-cm pan with cooking spray; then set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar, butter, honey, vanilla extract and egg white with an electric mixer until it is well blended. 
4. Add the flour, cinnamon and baking powder; and mix well.
5. Using a spoon, stir in the rolled oats, rice cereal, raisins, and sunflower seeds.
6. Press the mixture firmly onto the bottom of the greased pan.
7. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are a light golden brown and the center appears set.
8. With a pot-holder, remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool.
9. Cut into bars. Store in a tightly sealed container.

Spicy Caramel Apples

This sweet treat makes a perfect after-school snack - and it's healthier than candy or cookies!

Ingredients you will need to make 6 caramel apples:

• 6 medium apples
• 6 wooden popsicle sticks
• 1 bag (14 oz/420 g) vanilla caramels (remove the wrappers!)
• 2 tbsp/30 ml water
• 1/2 tsp/2.5 ml Watkins Vanilla
• 1/8 tsp/1 ml Watkins Cinnamon
• Small pinch of Watkins Allspice
• Waxed paper

Instructions:

1. Clean the apples using Watkins Fresh Wash and dry them
2. Push a wooden popsicle stick into the stem end of each apple; then set them aside.
3. Place the caramels, water, vanilla extract, cinnamon and allspice in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH, uncovered, for 2-1/2 minutes, stirring often after 1 minute until caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth.
4. Dip one apple at a time into the caramel mixture and turn until the apple is completely coated. Allow the excess to drip off the apple, then place it on a waxed paper-lined plate. (If the caramel mixture becomes to stiff to coat the apples, return it to the microwave and heat for a few seconds until it becomes smooth again.)
5. Refrigerate the coated apples until the coating is firm.

To make the apples on the stove-top, melt caramels with water, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and allspice in the top of a double-boiler until smooth, stirring frequently. Why do you need a double-boiler? Double-boilers are used to warm heat-sensitive foods such as chocolate or sauces. This prevents scorching or burning the food. A double-boiler is a set of two pots, one which sits partway inside the other. The lower pot is used to hold simmering water, which heats the mixture in the upper pot.

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