Review by Booklist Review
Even cooks sans kids will gravitate to Cheney's first, family-friendly production. It's educational, yet easy to understand and to follow, and highly personalized; each of Cheney's three kids--Claire, Grayson, and Peyton--more than contributes his or her own likes, dislikes, and cooking tips. (And a plus: Cheney identifies at least eight ways to conquer the picky eater syndrome.) Cheney offers kitchen tips like use unflavored floss to cut perfect pieces of dough, hang bananas to get longer life, and how to cure overbrowned cornbread. "From scratch" sometimes means adapting ready-made ingredients such as waffle cones and frozen yogurt. There's little to no fussiness about kitchen skills, with even Mom Cheney admitting to mistakes like flipping omelets onto the floor, rather than plates. Family traditions are created, celebrated, and shared, such as the great family bake-off, and the 70-plus recipes reprise favorites with a twist: Nutella-stuffed cupcakes, cheese bread, cinnamon roll oatmeal, homemade salsa, Café Rio chicken salad. It's truly cooking to enjoy, whether solo or en masse.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Ohsweetbasil blogger Cheney offers a practical and appetizing collection designed to get families into the kitchen together to build culinary skills and create memories. Recipes are assigned skill levels to help parents match dishes with a child's capabilities, and Cheney includes a wealth of handy tips such as using frozen blueberries instead of fresh in waffles and making cheese bread doodles pull double duty by turning them into a dessert option using Nutella. Recipes allow for technique development as well, so that kids can learn how to flip banana buttermilk pancakes, roast vegetables for pasta Bolognese, and make broccoli cheddar soup in a slow cooker. Family-friendly sausage--hash brown casserole, banana bread, and garlic butter steak are among the pleasing savory options, but the stars of the collection are the desserts, which include a berry-laden frozen yogurt bark, decadent chocolate cake, mini Twix cheesecakes, and a luscious strawberry pie. Throughout, Cheney offers pointers on topics such as cooking meat, handling picky eaters, and baking bread. Fun, educational, and full of appealing options, this work is sure to inspire a new generation of cooks. (Apr.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
This volume is not just a cookbook but a family fun guide that delivers a great time in the kitchen; it's sure to bring families closer together. The recipes detail all steps, from prep to cleanup, along with dozens of activities. Key lessons include seasoning, knife skills, and kitchen safety. The colorful and easy-to-read recipes are categorized as breads, breakfasts, meats, side dishes, main dishes, or desserts. Cheney includes nondairy alternatives for a few recipes, but the text could benefit from being more inclusive of children with dietary issues, a common reason for fussiness. VERDICT Filled with fun family recipes and ideas for even the pickiest of eaters, this book is sure to be a hit with both parents and children.
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