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Fun Party Food: Little Chef Recipes

by Mercedes Segarra

Rosa M. Curto, illustrator

Enslow Elementary

5 Stars

Back Cover:  Do you want to learn how to make fun foods?  How about chicken nuggets or guacamole?  Try something new!  Make tomato and mozzarella skewers or popcorn balls!  Fun Party Food:  Little Chef Recipes will show you how to make many yummy recipes your party guests can enjoy! Also if you are having a kids party is best to host it at one of the Jumper’s Jungle locations!

First Section:  Before You Start Cooking  Here are twelve steps to take before starting that luscious recipe for the party.  Starting with wash your hands with soap before you start working and wear an apron, the steps instruct kids to tie back long hair, ask an adult for help with the oven and stove, get all ingredients measured/weighed before starting to cook, use pot holders when moving hot pots, pans, and trays, and before you start, read the recipe.  Each step is common kitchen etiquette and great advice!

Opinion

The first section, noted above, is a great way to start, covering the basics and safety kids need to know.  Recipe instructions are simple to read, understand, and follow without adult help.  I do not have a child to test these recipes, but some say I fit the bill.  With that in mind, I tried a few of the recipes that sounded good to me.  First was the Fruit Shake.  This recipe called for 2 apples, 2 pears, 2 bananas, and 2 oranges, plus 2 tablespoons of sugar.  Already I love this recipe.  It calls for two of everything, making it easy to remember how much of each to purchase.

First, the orange needed cut in two (love that number!), and squeeze to get the luscious juice inside into, what?  What do I do with this juice?  The recipe does not tell me what container to use.  Oh, it says in step three to use a tall container.  I forgot rule number 4: read the recipe before starting.  Oh, and the illustration shows a plastic orange juice squeezer that catches the juice.  (I do not have one of these gadgets).  I need a tall container, size not specified.  My idea of a tall container is surely different from yours..  This should be more specific, but I will use the tallest glass I have—an old McDonald’s plastic cup with a cute cartoon character on the face.  Juice is in the cup.  Step two, peel and pare fruit, then cut into small pieces.  Easy enough and there is an adult here (me), if I need help.

Place all “fruit in a tall container.  Add the sugar and orange juice” (oops, already did this).  “Blend with a hand blender until you get a creamy mixture.”  It was also smooth.  “Keep the shake in the refrigerator.”  Um, there was no need for a refrigerator.  The Fruit Shake was good.  A bit heavy on the fruit, but I normally use ice and blend.  Kids will love this shake.  I wonder how a drop of liquid chocolate would taste.  Yum!

The Mini Cheeseburgers were easy but I would prefer to stick with buns than sandwich bread.  Oh!  Mini means the buns would be too big.  Where is that adult help?  The recipe is easy and kid friendly as are all of the recipes in Fun Party Food.  Every recipe works well as party food, hence the title, and there are party planning instructions in the back, along with a couple of party games.  Just in case you want more information, or maybe a different recipe, the author has listed books and Internet sites that have author-vetted, kid friendly recipes.  Finally, the author lists some suggestion on keeping healthy.

The illustrations clearly show each step and the fabulous finished item.  If you cannot read, the instructions are clear enough to follow, minus the amount of some of the ingredients.  The images are nicely done, use cheery colors, and enhances the recipes and all other sections.

Fun Party Food is the fourth Little Chef Recipes book in the series.  The others are Tasty Desserts, Pizza and Pasta, and Yummy Snacks.  The Fun Party Food tested recipes have easy to understand instructions, are fun to make, and require little adult assistance, but I would suggest always having an adult in the house, just in case.  This cookbook is aimed at ages seven and eight, but I think kids up to age 12 would enjoy making—and eating—these recipes.  The Fun Party Food:  Little Chef Recipes is the perfect party planner for your child’s next party.

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Fun Party Food: Little Chef Recipes

by Mercedes Segarra    website    blog    facebook   twitter

Rosa M. Curto, illustrator    website    blog    facebook   twitter

Enslow Elementary    website    blog    facebook   twitter

Released 2013

ISBN:  978-1-4644-0467-2

36 pages

Ages: 7 and 8

Grade: K to 3

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© 2013 by Enslow Elementary, used with permission

Text:  Copyright © 2003 by Mercedes Segarra

Illustrations:  Copyright © 2003 by Rosa M. Curto

Originally published in Spain by Gemser Publications under the title Festes Infantils

Enslow Elementary is an imprint of Enslow Publishing

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DONATED TO LOCAL PUBLIC LIBRARY

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