The Emporia Gazette

February 13, 2012

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Oh my goodness, the clocks just sprang forward, it’s St. Patrick’s Day, spring break and who knows what else, and Easter is only 18 days away.

If you’ve got a house full of kids right now, here are some recipes to keep them occupied, teach them a few kitchen basics and maybe even help you prepare for Easter weekend.

Sometimes, half the battle is keeping those little hands busy. If you can get those little brains going, too, so much the better. Let’s start by making some playthings.

HOMEMADE SILLY PUTTY

2 parts nontoxic white glue

1 part liquid starch

Food coloring as desired

Mix it all together and form into a ball. If it seems too sticky, add a little more starch. Tint with food coloring as desired and keep stored in an airtight container.

The makers of original Silly Putty say getting the silly putty to float is a mental challenge. If you leave it as a ball it will sink, but if you shape it like a boat, it will float like a steel battleship. So far, your child has learned measurements, digital manipulation and the physical theory of displacement. Let them do the dishes and they will learn cleanliness is next to parental happiness.

KOOL-AID PLAY DOUGH

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup salt

1 Tbsp. alum (in the spice aisle)

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 cups boiling water

1 pkg. unsweetened Kool-Aid

Mix dry ingredients together except for the drink mix. Dissolve Kool-Aid in the boiling water and add this along with the oil to the dry ingredients.

Mix until smooth; store in tightly covered container. This way, if little hands make their way to little mouths, you won’t have to call poison control.

SIDEWALK CHALK

1 box Plaster of Paris

Various tempera paint colors

Mix Plaster of Paris following the basic directions on the box. Add tempera paint to achieve desired color. When the plaster reaches the consistency of mashed potatoes, scoop it onto waxed paper. Working quickly, roll the plaster into 1/2 to 1-inch thick rolls. After the plaster is dry, break into pieces and keep an eye on your dining room walls.

BAKEABLE CRAFT CLAY

4 cups flour

1 cup salt

1 1/2 cups water

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Food coloring, optional

1 egg, beaten

Mix together and knead until smooth. Separate into parts and tint with a few drops food coloring if you want. Make shapes as desired, place on cookie sheet and brush egg over the top. Bake at 300 degrees for about one hour, until the clay has a golden color to it. Paint as desired and seal with shellac.

You could make slip-on bracelets, animals, space ships, race cars, small statues, bowls to hold stuff — maybe a Mother’s Day gift?

I always enjoyed paper mache as a child. It was so easy to do, and if things went wrong all you were out was a little paper, a little flour and a little time. You can make piñatas, of course, or tabletop decorations. In some countries, paper mache is a folk art form. Save up your child’s projects, sell them at the Great American Market later this year and start a college fund.

PAPER MACHE PASTE

1/4 cup flour

1 cup water

5 cups lightly boiling water

Mix flour into 1 cup water until mixture is thin and runny, stir into boiling water. Gently boil, stirring, for 3 minutes. Cool before using.

Pour a bit of paste into a shallow dish (like a recycled pie crust pan) and dip strips of newspaper in it to coat. Arrange the strips on a form until it is covered and about three layers thick. Set aside to dry thoroughly before painting.

The easiest form to use is a balloon but you can use bowls, plates or even a cardboard box. You can also make forms out of light wire into any shape and cover with paper mache.

For piñatas, leave a small area uncovered, and, if you are using a balloon, pop it to remove it. After you’ve filled your creation, glue a few layers of tissue paper over the hole to keep your goodies from spilling out.

A balloon could make a nice Easter egg. A big balloon and a little balloon could become a rabbit with construction paper ears. A bowl turned upside down could be used to make your own easter basket — just poke holes in the finished product and string a handle of ribbon or braided pipe cleaners.

The weather is getting better every day. Get the kids out into the fresh air by helping them mix up a batch of bubble-making soap. If they are old enough to do so safely, let them fashion their own bubble wands out of metal coat hangers. Otherwise, anything with a handle and good-size holes in it should work. Try a slotted spoon, a spatula or even a fly swatter.

MEGA-BUBBLE MIX

1 cup grease-cutting dishwashing liquid

10 cups water

3 Tbsp. glycerin (available at pharmacies)

Stir all the ingredients together in a large bucket. Head outdoors and bombard the neighborhood with bubbles.

All play and no snacks make for grouchy kiddos, so here’s a recipe they can help you make, help you bake and then eat to keep their energy up.

APPLE CRISP

6 cups of apple slices (6 -7 apples)

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

Whipped cream or ice cream

To peel an apple safely, your child should hold the fruit in one hand, grip a vegetable peeler in the other, and push the peeler away from anything that might bleed.

Heat oven to 375 degrees and lightly butter an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan. Peel, core, and slice the apples and arrange them evenly in the prepared pan.

Place the oats, brown sugar, flour, spices, and salt in a zip bag, close and let your kids shake it until combined. Cut the softened butter into 1-inch pieces and add to the oat mixture. Close the bag again and let the kids knead or squeeze until the mixture holds together.

Open the bag and crumble the topping evenly over the apples. Bake the apple crisp for 40 to 45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the juices begin to bubble around the edges.

Cool slightly, then serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Allow it to soften a bit and the kids can use the ice cream scoop themselves.

Now that they know how, your children can make Easter dessert and show off for the grandparents. A lesson in caring and sharing. Let’s get cooking!