Keep Kids Busy in the Kitchen

Magic Butter

Do you find that the children want to get involved with the preparation of a special meal, but you are too busy or you have nothing for them to do? Give them the very special job of making "magic butter."

Fill a plastic jar half full of heavy whipping cream and secure the lid. A small baby food jar works great. Explain to the little ones that you're counting on them to make magic butter for the meal but that it will take a lot of work. Show them how to shake the jar with a rhythm, and suggest a magical chant such as, "Milk is for cookies, butter is for bread. Milk go away, send butter instead."

Before long you'll have creamy magic butter for your meal. You may need to add some salt to it for flavor before spreading it on bread.

Homemade Popsicles

The cost of convenience snacks can quickly eat up your grocery money. Fight back by making these frozen gelatin treats your kids will love. You can even have them make the popsicles themselves, that's how easy they are!

1. Add orange soda instead of water to a large box of orange gelatin.
2. Also mix in the contents of a small box of orange gelatin without any more liquid.
3. Stir until the powder is dissolved, and then pour the mixture into clean ice cube trays.
4. Put the trays in the freezer and wait for the gelatin mixture to set up a bit.
5. Insert toothpick in each cube, pop the trays back in freezer, and several hours later you'll have delicious treats that only cost you pennies to make.

Try variations with different flavors of soda and gelatin, or make mini ice cream bars by softening ice cream and letting it refreeze in the ice cube trays.

You can also buy specialized popsicle trays (some of them even come with individual handles) if you want to make larger Popsicles. They are sold at many kitchen stores and online.