By STEPHANIE FAROH
Extension Educator, Purdue Extension Kosciusko County

Some of my favorite childhood memories are of baking with my mom and grandmothers. Do you bake with your kids and grandkids? I realized how lucky I was to have these baking “lessons” when I was in college. Many of my friends didn’t know the difference between a liquid measuring cup and a dry measuring cup, or that you need to pack brown sugar to properly measure it, or that over mixing or sneaking a peek by opening the oven door can cause the center of your cake to fall. If you have the opportunity to share your baking skills with others, know that you are passing down life skills that your friends and family will appreciate for years to come.

Baking is best when it is shared with others. I love to share this hobby with my niece and nephews. We talk about the importance of washing our hands and keeping the food safe to share with our friends. They enjoy checking the measurement lines for me, dumping each ingredient in the bowl, stirring, and watching how the baked goods change in the oven. Their favorite part, of course, is enjoying the end product. By the time we’re finished, the kitchen is a terrible mess, but the lessons learned and the time spent with them is worth it.

Here is one of our favorite recipes:

Peanut Butter Cookies (Egg-Free and Dairy-Free for my niece’s allergies)

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (If you need a peanut-free option, try nut-free butters instead)
• 1/2 cup dairy free butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Mix peanut butter, sugars, vanilla, and butter until well blended.
• Add all other ingredients and mix.
• Form dough into ¼ in. balls, place on ungreased cookie sheet, and mark a crisscross pattern on each cookie with a fork.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool completely and store in air tight container.

For other tips and recipes to make with your friends or family, visit http://www.homebaking.org/familyfun.

Research consistently shows that teaching nutrition and food education and providing children with hands-on cooking experiences changes what they are willing to eat. Learning to eat healthfully at a young age can adapt your palate to preferring healthy foods. Teaching the importance of wellness at an early age will help set kids and teens up for a lifetime of healthy living. So invite your kids to join you in the kitchen and learn together how to cook and bake with healthy options. Enjoy “Bake for Family Fun Month,” start a new tradition, and help your kids make memories.

Here’s to a healthier you!