We have all been told to let our children ‘help’ in the kitchen and I have found that not only is it a great way to teach them about cooking, it is also a great way to empower them. What kid does not love the ideas of getting to make their own choices or ‘do what they want’? One way we let our kids have their free rein is when it comes to making Quesadillas. I simply place all of our favorite ingredients (and sometimes throw in new one) out and let them choose and assemble it.
The latest Quesadilla ‘bar’ consisted of whole wheat tortillas, leftover chicken I chopped up, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed peppers, shredded reduced fat Monterey Jack cheese, chopped scallions, minced cilantro and parsley from our garden, fire roasted chili’s, olives and salsa for a topping.
Warning: a little nibbling may occur during creation process…
Does he look like he is having fun?
Loading up on the good stuff.
Enjoying their own creations!
This is truly a great way to entertain the children, use up leftovers, AND create a frugal and healthy meal.
TIPS: I have learned that my lil ones can get a bit distraught if the tortilla is not firm and hold in the ingredients, so you may need to limit the amount of ingredient you place out in front of them so they do not overload. It also aids in the ease of eating by folding the tortilla in half so they end up with a half moon shape. You can always fill the entire tortilla and place another one on top, warm it and then cut it into pizza like triangles.
The ingredients can vary so I will simply tell you more about how we go about creating them. I made a small line across the middle (with salsa) and asked them to keep in the ingredients on one side. Once they finished with the toppings, I carefully transferred it to a nonstick pan (heated on medium), flipped the empty side on top, pressed down firmly and let it warm for about 5 minutes. Once it seems to have crisped just a bit, I flipped it over and finished that side.
I will be posting more ‘lil kids in the kitchen’ throughout the month.
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