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!

Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie

This seasonal treat could become your family's newest Thanksgiving tradition! It's so mmm, mmm good!!
This recipe comes from Watkins October 2000 Highlights Catalogue.  

Ingredients you will need to make 1 9-inch/23-cm pie:

• 1-1/2 cups/375 mL gingersnap crumbs
• 1/3 cup/80 mL sugar
• 1/3 cup/80 mL melted butter
• 1 envelope unflavoured gelatin
• 1/4 cup/60 mL cold water
• 3/4 cup/180 mL canned pumpkin
• 3/4 tsp/4 mL salt
• 2-1/4 tsp/11 mL Watkins Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1-1/2 tsp/7.5 mL Watkins Pure Vanilla Extract
• 6 cups/1.5 litres vanilla ice cream, softened

Instructions:

1. Combine gingersnap crumbs, sugar and butter and mix well. 
2. Press the mixture into a 9-inch/23-cm pie plate all across the bottom and up the sides to make the crust. Put this into the refrigerator until needed.
3. In a medium size saucepan, soften the gelatin in cold water, then stir in the pumpkin, salt and Pumpkin Pie Spice. 
4. Stir it over low heat until the gelatin is dissolved, then add the vanilla and put is aside to cool to room temperature.
5. When cool, fold the ice cream into the pumpkin mixture and pour it into the prepared pie shell.
6. Sprinkle additional gingersnap crumbs over the top for decoration, then put it into the freezer until it gets firm (at least 1 hour).
7. Remove it from the freezer 10 minutes before serving to make it easier to slice.

What is beating, folding, stirring, mixing, whisking and tossing? Beat: To mix ingredients over and over again with a spoon until all the ingredients are incorporated. Cake batters, brownie batters and whipped cream are usually beaten. Fold: To gently combine a delicate mixture with a heavier one. A whisk or rubber spatula is usually used in and over-and-under motion. For example, you would fold whipped cream into cream cheese when making a cheese cake. Stirring and Mixing: To combine ingredients evenly in a circular motion, using a fork, spoon or rubber scraper. Stews, soups, and anything that gets stirred would be done this way. Whisk: To use a wire whisk to beat air into your mixture. You whip in a circular motion, very hard and quickly. Eggs can be whisked to make a fluffy omelet. Toss: To mix ingredients lightly with a lifting motion. Salads and pastas are usually tossed. A fork or tongs may be used.

Hobo Dinner
You put everything onto a piece of foil, so there are no dishes to wash. These are great on a grill or for camping trips!

Ingredients you will need to make enough dinner for 4 servings:

• 1 pound/454 g lean ground beef
• 1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Ground Beef Seasoning
• 4 onion slices
• 4 thick slices of potato about 1/2-inch/1.25-cm thick (if you scrub the potato you can leave the skin on; otherwise peel the potato)
• 1 cup/250 mL frozen mixed vegetables
• Watkins Seasoning Salt and Watkins Black Pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp/30 mL ketchup
• 2 tbsp/30 mL Watkins Steak Sauce

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F/200 C.
2. Tear off 4 pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil about 24-inches/60-cm in length. Fold each in have so you have a 12-inch/30-cm square.
3. In a small bowl, combine ground beef and Ground Beef Seasoning. Divide mixture into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a patty and place it on the center of the foil square.
4. Top each patty with an onion and potato slice, and 1/4 cup/60 mL of the mixed vegetables. Sprinkle with Seasoning Salt and Black Pepper.
5. In another small bowl, combine the ketchup and Steak Sauce. Drizzle 1 tbsp/15 mL of this mixture over each patty.
6. Bring the four corners of the foil square up together and twist to seal the packet completely.
7. Place packet on a cookie sheet about 1-inch/2.5-cm apart.
8. Bake for 1 hour. With potholders, remove the cookie sheet from the oven.
9. Be sure to open the packets carefully so the steam doesn't burn you.

What is the best way to mix ground beef? The best way to mix ground beef with other ingredients for hamburgers, meat loaves or meatballs is with your hands, but make sure that you wash them well before and after mixing. Handle the ground beef mixture lightly. Do not over-mix or the beef will be tough and hard when cooked.

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