I stumbled across a brownie recipe that seemed easy enough to attempt some measuring and mixing with my 2 and 4 year old.  It started with a post on the Food Network Site quoting a recipe from Lucy Waverman.  I used it as a guideline but must admit I adjusted to accommodate what I could find in my kitchen without the tedious trip to the grocery store for one or two missing ingredient.  With two kids, who the _ _ _ _ has the energy to pack up and grocery shop for a cooking project with the kids.  Note: no eggs in this recipe so if the kids sneak some batter, that is ok.

The Brownie cooking project worked out and not only was it a great recipe for learning to take turns mashing, measuring, ‘dumping into the mixing bowl’, and mixing, it was absolutely delicious.  One of those sinful recipes that you don’t want to make often as it will call to you everytime you have a coffee or walk past the pan in the kitchen.  Hint: cut up and freeze in small ziplocks so you pull out on a ‘need a small treat’ occasion.

With the kids:

• Two bowls – one for dry and one for wet
• Mixing spoons
• Measuring cups
• Bibagogo bibs as the cocoa will fly!

Recipe

Dry bowl:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder, (I never sift as that is just too much of a process with kids – but feel free if you have more control over the situation with extra little hands!)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

Wet bowl:

• 1 medium to large banana (med-ripe) – Have fun taking turns mashing this with a fork.
• 1/3 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix each bowls then fold in the wet into the dry bowl.  Then let the kids have fun mixing the batter.

We had fun raiding the pantry for handful of things to add.

Ideas:

• Handful of chocolate chips
• Handful of almond crumbs (chopped almonds) or any nuts you wish
• Raisins or other dried fruit
• Small sprinkle of flax seed

Once evenly combined.  Pour into a greased and parchment paper-lined pan.

Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 35 mins or until tester comes out clean.  Cool and cut.

Cut them small as they are sweet and delicious!  Go ahead and freeze and enjoy as needed.

Tags: banana, Banana Brownies, dessert, Freeze, kids' cooking, learning and cooking, picnic, pull out when needed

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 at 4:49 am and is filed under Child-friendly Cooking, Desserts, Eat. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.