Barbara Walch

Like many of us, I learned to cook at a young age in the typical fashion—making cookies with my mom by my side. We started with sugar cookies then moved on to chocolate chip, progressed to peanut butter (you had to press the dough down with a fork, an added step), then advanced to Snickerdoodles (balls of cookie dough rolled in cinnamon-sugar placed exactly the same distance apart on the baking sheet).

Eventually as a teenager, I tried my hand at making more complex dishes, like cinnamon rolls and cakes totally from scratch. (Remind me sometime to tell you the story about confusing baking soda for baking powder.) I received top honors in my Family Living class in high school for my “well balanced” menu of Ginger-Ale Glazed Baked Ham with scalloped potatoes and roasted carrots. And I’ll never forget my first “dinner party” at age 17 when I made Beef Stroganoff for my entire family.

That I can recall all of this after so many years is not only a testament to my great memory but to a love of cooking for others that has lasted a lifetime. Thanks, Mom, for all the encouragement!

Teaching your child to cook
If you want to spend quality time with your children, you need look no farther than your own kitchen. Just like reading a book together or playing catch in the backyard, cooking can provide a valuable bonding experience. And the life skills your little ones will learn in the process go far beyond basic cooking and kitchen safety. Read More

Additional Recipes
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Spinach Stuffed Shells
Source: Barbara Walch. These can be vegetarian as well, but you can also add finely diced roasted chicken breast, turkey breast, or cooked shrimp to the stuffing mixture, if you like. This recipe would be good for children ages 10 and up, with adult supervision, or for teenagers by themselves.

STUFFING:
• 2 small pkgs. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained well, then squeezed with paper towel to remove excess water
• 1 (15 oz.) container low-fat or part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, drain if too wet
• 1 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend (mixture of mozzarella, asiago, parmesan, provolone)
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 4 oz. chopped mushrooms or other vegetables of choice, chopped finely
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 1–2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg white or 1 whole egg

• 1 pkg. jumbo macaroni shells, cooked according to directions, drained (cook shells until just al dente -- just cooked, but not overdone -- approx. 8 mins.), let cool before handling
• freshly grated parmesan cheese
• favorite marinara or spaghetti sauce (I use 2 jars of Tomasso’s Tomato Basil Sauce or 1 large jar Classico Tomato Basil Sauce)
• fresh or dried basil (optional, if needed to flavor sauce)
• 1 cup finely diced roasted chicken breast, turkey, or cooked shrimp (optional)

1. Soften onion and mushrooms (or other finely chopped vegetables) in microwave, drain and let cool. Drain again on paper towel to remove excess moisture.

2. Mix stuffing ingredients together, including drained vegetables, then stuff each cooked shell with the cheese mixture. Layer sauce on bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, reserving some to serve on the side. Place stuffed shells on top of sauce then cover with foil. (Shells can be frozen at this point, if desired, then thawed before baking. They can also be made the day before and refrigerated. Allow more cooking time if dish is cold.)

3. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins. or until bubbly. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and remaining heated sauce on the side.

Note: This makes a lot of stuffed shells so it’s perfect for a large family or for entertaining. Fill two casserole dishes or more. Or the extra stuffed shells and sauce can be frozen for future meals; I do this in glass casserole dishes. Thaw before baking.

Garden Stuffed Potatoes
Source: WebMD.com, Healthy Eating & Diet. According to the site, this recipe can work for kids of all ages, though an older child or adult should work the microwave and an adult would need to handle the broiler. Younger kids could chop the green onions with a plastic knife, mix the potato and sour cream mixture together with a fork, and stuff the potato halves. Kids 5 and up could use the cheese grater, too.

• 2 large Russet baking potatoes
• 1–2 green onions (the white and part of the green), finely chopped
• ¼ cup nonfat or lite sour cream
• 1 Tbsp. whipped butter or less-fat margarine
• Black pepper, to taste • ½ tsp. parsley flakes
• ½ tsp. Italian herb blend
• ½ cup reduced-fat, shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. minced garlic (or ¼ tsp. garlic powder)
• 1 cup cooked, chopped broccoli florets

1. Microwave or oven-bake (with adult supervision) potatoes until tender (don’t forget to stab with a fork a few times before cooking). Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients (except broccoli) with a fork.

2. Carefully, with adult supervision, cut potatoes in half and scoop out the center, leaving about ½ inch of potato around the skin. Add the scooped-out potato and the broccoli pieces to the mixture in the bowl. Mix with a fork, then spoon into potato halves.

3. Microwave each potato half on HIGH for about 1 minute or broil (with adult supervision) all the potato halves until lightly brown on top. Makes 4 side servings.