Carlton Cooks is a rescue dog. While at the shelter he spent time watching various cooking shows. Once adopted, he honed his kitchen skills while creating meals for his new family. Now on his blog this canine chef shares kitchen secrets and recipes that kids and their grownups can do together!
On New Year’s Eve, people talk about making resolutions. Making
a resolution is just a fancier way of saying that you are making a plan. On New
Year’s Eve people make resolutions or plans for the coming year.
What do you want to do in 2020? I think 2020 is going to be a fun date to write at the top of all of my papers! 2020 is also a great year to wear as a pair of glasses just like the glasses I am wearing in this picture. Most of all, I think 2020 will be a great year for us to cook together. This year, I resolve and plan to share many more recipes and activities with all of you. Email me and let me know what kinds of food you would like to make together.
Happy New Year!
Or as my friend, Rusty the Retriever says, “Yappy New Year!”
Today’s cooking tool is a wooden spoon! Every cooks needs a good wooden spoon or two. I have one wooden spoon to use for sweet recipes like pancakes, and another wooden spoon that I use for savory foods like spaghetti sauce and stew!
Every cook needs a good wooden spoon or two
Wooden spoons don’t get hot to the touch.
Wooden spoons don’t scratch pots and pans.
Wooden spoons will not melt.
Wooden spoons are non-reactive. This means that
they will not change the taste or color of your foods the way that metal spoons
can sometimes do.
Keep your wooden spoon in good shape by rubbing it occasionally with mineral oil to keep the wood from drying out and cracking. Never let your wooden spoon sit in a sink filled with water. Instead, put the spoon in the dishwasher or wash and dry it by hand each time you finish cooking. Make sure it is completely dry before putting it away and your spoon could last for years!
A reader asked me this question. “If you knew you were going to get stuck on a desert island that had plenty of food, but you were only allowed to bring 10 kitchen tools with you, what tools would you bring?” What a great question! Each week, I’ll share one new cooking tool and explain why we need it and how to use it. Today’s tool is soap and water for clean hands.
Use one pump of soap and warm water. Time yourself by singing the ABC song as you wash.
Soap and Water!
The first thing every good cook needs to do is wash
their hands.
Our hands and paws are our most
important kitchen tool and we use them every time we cook! Clean hands won’t
spread germs. Clean hands also help keep our foods safe to eat.
Warm water works best to dissolve dirt and wash germs away. It takes about 25 seconds to sing the ABC song. Time yourself by singing the ABC song as you wash. For really clean hands, sing the song twice. Wash each finger, the front and backs of your hand, and your wrists. Germs love to hide in the space between your finger and fingernail. Clean your nails with a nail file or scrub under them with a nail brush. Rinse your hands under running water and dry them with a clean towel.
Whether I am swimming in it or drinking it, I love water!
Today is officially the first day of summer! I know many of
you have lots of fun plans during this break from school. How much time will
you spend outside this summer?
Did you know the bodies of both dogs like me and humans like you are made up of 60 % water? This summer remember to drink water to stay hydrated. When used as a verb, hydrate means to supply something with plenty of fluid. Hydrate your body by supplying it with plenty of water. I have a recipe for infused water that is delicious!
Did you know the bodies of both dogs and humans are made up of 60 percent water?
Water helps our bodies.
Water helps make saliva so that we can eat and digest food.
Water in our bloodstream transports the carbohydrates and proteins from foods we’ve eaten so that our bodies can use them as energy.
Water helps our joints move easily so that we can run and play.
Water delivers oxygen to our bodies as well.
Water keeps us cool by allowing us to sweat.
Water helps our bodies get rid of waste.
Your brain is made up of 73% water? If you get a headache after playing outside you may be dehydrated, which is the opposite of hydrated. Drink some water and you may start feeling better.
Our bodies get water not only by drinking, but also with some of the foods we eat. Can you think of an example of a fruit or vegetable that is filled with water? (If you said watermelon, I agree!)
So this summer don’t let your brains or bodies dry out! Drink water to stay hydrated. And if you want to see my favorite recipe for water, click here for my Fruit and Vegetable Infused Water recipes.
Make the infused water that tastes best to you. And then email me your favorite recipe!
You can mix anything you want into a glass of water to give it a different flavor. Some companies add sugar to water to try and make it taste better. Can you think of examples? If you said soda pop and sports drinks, you’re right.
I like to stay hydrated using my favorite drink recipe. It is called Fruit and Vegetable Infused Water. The flavors from the fruits and vegetables help to flavor the water. You can add any fruit, vegetable, or herb to your water to make an infusion. Or you can add a combination of these things. The choice is yours. Make the Infused Water that tastes best to you. And then email me your favorite recipe!
When I make Infused Water, I like to pretend I am making a magic potion that will give me superpower energy all day long. Today I am making different infused water recipes with fruits, vegetables, and herbs from my garden and refrigerator.
You can add any fruit vegetable or herb to your water to make an infusion. Or you can add a combination of these things.
I made four infused waters.
Watermelon and Lime
Grapefruit and Rosemary
Cucumber and Mint
Strawberry and Basil
Which one do you think will be the best?
Add a few pieces of your favorite fruit or vegetable and a
leaf or two of your favorite herb. The infused flavors will become stronger the
longer the water sits. Your infusion foods will last through a few refills of
your glass. And when you are finished drinking water for the day, you can eat
the fruits and vegetables that infused your water!
Good cooks know the word: infuse. To infuse means to steep (a fancy word for soak) something in liquid without boiling to remove the parts that will dissolve in water.
INGREDIENTS:
Fruit,
vegetables and herbs of your choice that have been washed
Water
Ice
TOOLS:
One paring
knife
One cutting
board
One drinking
glass or water bottle
DIRECTIONS:
Use a water
glass or reusable water bottle.
Next, add 2-3 leaves of the herb of your choice and ¼ cup chopped fruit or vegetable of your choice.
Fill your glass 2/3 full with cold water.
Add ice as
desired.
Remember, the flavors will get stronger as the water sits.
Make sure you empty and clean your infused water glass daily.
Rescue Dog and Canine Chef Carlton Cooks wishes you a Happy Mother’s Day!
TORTI-YUM
TORTILLA BREAKFAST
If you add the words Tortilla +Yum together, you get Torti-Yums! Torti-Yums are made with tortillas, eggs and cheese. They are a perfect recipe for Mother’s Day Breakfast.
Each year on Mother’s Day my favorite humans make Torti-Yums as a breakfast in bed for their mother. Some of the recipe is easy enough to make by yourself, but to be safe, you must have an adult nearby to just in case you need help.
Did you know there is no difference between a white egg and a brown egg? They both taste the same. White-feathered chickens lay white eggs, and brown-feathered chickens lay brown eggs.
So, if you want to make an egg-cellent breakfast for your Mom or other special grownup in your life, then grab some eggs and let’s start cracking!
TORTI-YUMS are an easy tortilla breakfast recipe for kids to make on Mother’s Day.
Good cooks know the word: Broil. To
melt, crisp or cook food under direct heat. The broiler is the burner/heating
element on the ceiling of your oven and cooks your food from above.
2. Next, break the eggs and use the whisk or a fork to scramble them until they are a light yellow color. Set the eggs aside.
Scramble the eggs and shred the cheese.
3. Place the box grater on a plate or cutting board. Shred the cheese and set aside.
4. Using the pastry brush, brush both sides of the tortilla with butter.
5. Place the tortilla in the sauté pan and cook over medium heat two minutes on a side until the tortilla is lightly browned and slightly crisp. Remove the tortilla from the pan and place on the cookie sheet.
Butter both sides of the tortilla and brown it until slightly crisp.
6.Pour the remaining butter in the sauté pan. Over medium heat, pour the eggs into the pan and stir the eggs until they are cooked.
7. Finally, place the browned tortilla on a cookie sheet. Top the tortilla with the scrambled eggs and then cheese. Have your adult place the cookie sheet under the broiler for 30 seconds (count to 30) or until cheese is melted.
Top the tortilla with scrambled eggs and cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese melts.
8. If desired, serve the Torti-Yum with salsa.
Serves one person for breakfast in bed, at the kitchen table, or anywhere else you like to eat breakfast!
On Wednesdays my family travels around the world. We don’t go by train or car or plane or boat. We travel in our imagination. We gather at the table, spin a globe of the world, and see where it will lead us for the week. We read about the places that we’ve landed, learn about the people who live there and the foods that they eat. And then we try some of those recipes at home.
Today we’ll begin our travels near my home by the Sandia Mountains in New Mexico. In Spanish, the word Sandia means watermelon. Do you suppose that the first people who lived here named the mountain for its beautiful pink color at sunset, or because they had such great luck growing melons and squash in the fertile soil near the mountain? My guess is that it was probably a little bit of both.
Sandia means watermelon in Spanish
Let’s make Watermelon Agua Fresca for Kids. In Spanish, agua fresca means fresh water. What ingredients do you think we’ll use? If you guessed watermelon and water, you are right!
Good cooks know the word: Garnish. To decorate something, usually food. In this easy to make Watermelon Agua Fresca for Kids, we will use mint as our garnish.
INGREDIENTS:
½
cup of cold water
6
cups of cubed watermelon
1
lime
1
Tablespoon of Honey (sugar can also be used)
I
can of club soda or other sparkling water
Optional
Ingredient: Mint Sprigs
TOOLS:
Measuring
spoons
Liquid
and dry measuring cups
One
blender
One
citrus juicer
Mixing spoon
DIRECTIONS:
1. Have your adult cut the watermelon into 1- inch slices and remove the rind.
Have your adult slice the watermelon so that you can cut the watermelon into cubes.
2. Cut the watermelon slices into 2- inch cubes or chunks.
3.Have your adult cut the lime in half.
The lime juice goes into the Watermelon Agua Fresca. The slices will garnish the drink.
4.Juice half of the lime and set the juice aside.
5.Have your adult cut the remaining lime into slices.
Add the ½ cup of water, lime juice, honey and watermelon chunks to the blender and blend until smooth.
Blend the watermelon, honey and lime to make Watermelon Agua Fresca for kids.
Add ice to each glass.
Pour the watermelon agua fresca into
the glass until it is ¾ full. Add sparkling water to fill the glass.
Easy to make Watermelon Agua Fresca for kids!
Garnish with a lime slice and mint
sprig.
Makes 6 servings.
PS- Today we are using use mint as an optional
ingredient. This means that if you have mint you can add it to the recipe, and
if you don’t have mint you can leave it out of the recipe without ruining the
drink.
Mint is fun and easy to grow in your garden. Make sure
you plant your mint in a pot because it is a very bossy plant and will take
over your entire yard if you are not careful!
Yesterday was my FurEver-Versary. 5 years ago today I joined my FurEver family after they took me home from the shelter. I knew I wanted to adopt them the minute I saw them. I am so glad they felt the same way about me.
Today is National Puppy day in the United States. I wasn’t a puppy when I was adopted. I was a full-grown dog, and the biggest, oldest dog in the shelter! But my nickname at home is Puppy Chow, so in honor of both days, I thought I would celebrate by making some Puppy Chow for Children. The snack recipe got its name years ago when people decided that the mixture looked like dog chow in a bowl.
