My boys both love SKIPPY® peanut butter and it has been a staple in our home since they were small. From spreading it on toast or using it to make classic peanut butter cookies we always have a jar or two in the store cupboard. The best thing about SKIPPY® peanut butter is it isn’t cloying and is smoothly satisfying. The whole family loves it.

I think everyone knows the classic peanut butter and Jelly (Jam as we call it in the UK) and that was what inspired these delicious Peanut Butter and Jelly Scones.

You can buy original American-style peanut butter SKIPPY® Peanut Butter in major UK supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Ocado, Tesco and Costco. Once you have tried it there will be no using any other!

Peanut butter and Jelly Scones

I have always loved scones. My mum was an amazing baker and scones were something she could rustle up on next to no time and me and my Dad devoured them! I wish I had her light touch and ability to just magic something out of nothing. I still love scones and so do the kids. I thought combining the two classic combinations would create an amazing summer recipe and I was so right.

How to pronounce Scone

So how do you pronounce “scone” – well as a northerner it will always be Skon that rhymes with gone for me. For many others it is skone that rhymes with bone.

But rather than get into an argument, I am going to defer to the queen and she is Skon girl!

Jam or Cream First?

This is another hot debate about scones (it seems that we are very invested in scone etiket in the UK).

If you are using Cornish clotted cream, you should spread the jam first, then the cream.

If using Devonshire cream, the cream should go first, followed by the jam. I am a jam then cream girl even when using clotted cream. I guess all those holidays in Devon rubbed off on me!

Tips for Making the Best Scones

• For a better rise, use cold butter—or even frozen butter.
• When it comes to mixing, don’t overdo it; mix until the dough just comes together.
• Avoid over-mixing the dough. Too much stirring will toughen your scones.
• Don’t Twist the cutter – for a even rise a straight up and down is necessary.
• Keep the scones as cold as possible until they are ready to go into the oven. This will make them rise better.
• Place the scones, side by side and just touching, on a lightly greased baking tray that has been dusted with flour. Having the scones close together will help them rise, rather than spread

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Scones

Peanut butter and jelly is a classic American flavour combination. Combine with an English classic to make peanut butter and jelly scones is sure to be a new favourite

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, British

Keyword baking, scones

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Ingredients

• 100 ml whole milk 250ml
• 150 ml Buttermilk
• 3 tbsp peanut butter smooth
• 425 g self-raising flour plus extra for dusting
• 150 g cold salted butter cubed
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
• seedless raspberry jam or raspberry jelly spread
• clotted cream
• smooth peanut butter

Instructions

• Put the milk, buttermilk and peanut butter in a pan together and heat gently, whisking, until the peanut butter has melted into the milk. Don;t worry of the fats of the buttermilk clump. Cool to room temperatureand reserve 2 tbsp of the mixture for glazing.
• Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
• Put the flour into a big mixing bowl with the sugar and add the butter cubes (smaller is better) and then using your fingertips rub together until you’re left with a crumbly mixture. We used to call this tickling the mixture. Cold hands work best at this stage.
• Using a palette knife to stir in the cooled milk mixture. Gently work it all together until a soft dough starts to form using your hands.
• Tip the dough out onto a lightly flour-dusted surface and knead together just 3-4 times to get rid of the big cracks. Pat the dough out to about 3cm thick.
• Dip a 5-6cm round cutter in flour and stamp out rounds by pushing the cutter down firmly – don’t twist (that stops the scones from rising straiught). Gather trimmings together to make as many scones as you can.
• Sit on a floured baking sheet and brush the tops with the reserved milk mixture.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden and risen.
• Split the scones (still warm is best), spread with smooth peanut butter, raspberry jelly and a little clotted cream.

Notes

These scones are best eaten on the day they are made. They freeze well. Make sure they are cold before freezing.

Place in a re-sealable bag or airtight container to protect from freezer burn (a sheet of waxed or parchment paper between them stops from sticking to one another).

Use them within 3 months.

Leave to defrost in packaging at room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving.

If you want to eat them warm place them in an oven preheated to 150c/300F for 5 to 10 minutes or once defrosted put them in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds on high.

As I said we love scones here – Check out our other recipes:

• Savoury Scones
• Lemon and Ginger Scones
• Lemonade Scones
• Vegetable & Salsa Verde Scone Pizza
• Fat Rascals

Tik Tok is a fabulous place when it comes to food trends and inspiring teenagers to get active in the kitchen. Our lockdown 3.0 was filled with Tok Tok wraps for lunch and for weeks Maxi was desperate to make Kinder Bueno Brownies mainly as Kinder Buenos are his favourite, but I kept forgetting to put them on the shopping list (the husbeast is doing all our shopping) until this week.

Indulge in the rich, chocolatey goodness of these easy Fudgy Kinder Bueno Brownies. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create the perfect treat for any chocolate lover.

I wanted to make sure our recipe worked with the size of the packs (which are 172g for four 2-finger Kinder Buenos Bars. Follow our recipe to make the ultimate Thick, Fudgy and Gooey Chocolate Kinder Bueno Brownies with Kinder Bueno Chunks!

The secret to this recipe is the Light Muscarcardo sugar and the good-quality chocolate. It means that you have a sweet caramel element that you don’t get otherwise. You could substitute for standard golden caster sugar, but you do lose some of the fudgy brownie magic.

Up until recently, Brownies have always been a bit hit-and-miss for me. I love them but find that in order to get the center cooked I overcook the edges. I have learned to trust my gut and cover with foil if necessary. Plus using quality ingredients and accurate measurements makes all the difference. I always let them come to room temperature in the square baking tin before cutting them with a knife dipped in hot water.

Aldi and Lidl both do their own versions of Kinder chocolate Bars which will make this more economical. I am tempted to try our Muffin recipe with Kinder Bueno next.

The Ultimate Kinder Bueno Brownies

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Kinder Bueno Brownies

Follow our recipe to make the ultimate Thick, Fudgey & Gooey Chocolate Kinder Bueno Brownies with Kinder Bueno Chunks!

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American, brownies

Keyword baking, brownies, kinder bueno

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Cooling time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Equipment

• 9 inch square tin
• Stand Mixer

Ingredients

• 200 grams Dark Chocolate at least 70%
• 200 grams Butter Unsalted
• 3 Eggs Large
• 275 grams Light Muscarvado Brown Sugar
• 50 grams Cocoa Powder
• 100 grams Plain Flour
• 340 grams Kinder Bueno

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 180 degrees or 160 degrees fan
• Melt your butter and dark chocolate – we do this in a microwave on medium for 2 minutes and allow to cool.
• Cream together the sugar and eggs. The mixture will turn to a light brown and when you stop mixing leave a trail. It will be about twice the origionalvolume.
• Fold in your melted butter and chocolate and sift in the flour and cocoa powder and gently fold.
• Break up all but 2 fingers for the Kinder Bueno and gently fold into the mixture.
• Transfer the borwnie batter to your tin – we use a silicone one and make sure it is well greaced. If you are using a metal one then add parcement paper.
• Break up the reaining two fingers of Kinder Bueno and place on top of the brownie mix and bake for appoximatly 25 to 30 minutes.
• Once baked, leave to cool in the tin completely, and cut into your squares.

Notes

• I like to leave to cool and refrigerate for an hour before cutting.
• These brownies will keep in an airtight container for 5 days.
• Suitable for freezing on the day of making. 

 

You could adapt this recipe for any chocolate bar and it would be perfect if you have any leftover tinned sweets from Christmas such as Heros, Roses or Quality Street, I like the addition of wafers to the brownie mix. I find that milk chocolate is not the best for brownies and we have made these with the white chocolate kinder bueno bars and they were delicious.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking one of these links, I will make a small commission (hopefully enough to keep me in tea all year) – at no extra cost to you! This allows me to keep creating and sharing free tutorials and content for you. Thank you!

I am a huge fan of Callebaut Chocolate and although it seems expensive, however, in the quantity I buy it is comparable with the cost of supermarket brands and so much better quality. Once you have used it there is no going back.

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Growing up I was always encouraged into the kitchen when my parents were preparing and cooking food. I can remember from an early age being given some pastry or dough to play with whilst my mum baked. I guess I was learning through play but back then I had no idea.

So from when my boys were babies I always took them into the kitchen with me when I prepped and cooked food. I would give them pastry or vegetables and sit them in their highchair and let them watch and play.

When they got older then they were given their own knife and allowed to join in the preparation. I have always found that they are much more likely to eat food that they have had a hand in preparing. Plus we seem to have much freer conversations when we are prepping food together as a family, so I am delighted to share our tips to ket kids helping in the kitchen and before you know it they will have a fabulous life skill and be cooking for you.

Top Tips for encouraging Kids to Cook

• Don’t do it when you are stressed, tired or pressed for time and this goes for them too. You don’t want frayed tempers in the kitchen! If your dinner preparation and cooking time are always rushed then choose to get them to help earlier in the day at breakfast or lunch.
• Let them cook the recipe and take the lead, from budgeting, shopping, preparing and cooking.
• Have appropriate sized utensils and equipment for them. Also, let them use the fun stuff such as blenders! My boys both rave over our Ninja Blender as it makes the perfect smoothies and frappuccinos.
• Keep things accessible so they know where things are or even better get out what you need together before you start cooking.
• Don’t panic about the mess, but show them how to clean up as they go by putting things in the sink or dishwasher.
• Make sure they are wearing an apron then you are less likely to worry about stains on their clothes.
• Recipe boxes are amazing for older children to cook on their own – they have all the ingredients and the recipe cards are visual and so easy to follow. Plus you can be totally hands-off which they really love.
• Make it fun – we cooked the alphabet using a different ingredient each week. check out our cooking with kids recipes.

Make sure you check out what my kids top tips are for cooking with other children.

Why should you get your kids in the Kitchen?

Apart from the fabulousness that is not having to cook a family meal, there are many reasons to encourage your children to cook, including the fact that children are more likely to have a varied diet and try new foods.

Maple from Canada agree with this ethos and have a section for education at home to help us parents encourage our children to be curious about food, flavour and origin of produce. The workbooks and supporting activities can be accessed from here.

I am not going to lie as my boys’ have got older it is harder to get them as enthusiastic about cooking. It needs to be more on their terms and they really have to want to be involved otherwise it is just hard work for all involved.

The Maple from Canada Kitchen Adventures section is geared towards different age groups and has one for 14+ with fab age-appropriate tasks to ensure that they engage. Maxi who is 15 took a look and decided he was going to make the King Prawn and Spicy Maple Curry. He did all the shopping for it and then prepped and cooked it all on his own.

The curry is a quick and easy make and absolutely delicious and our food actually turned out looking the same as the recipe book which doesn’t always happen. It is packed with a depth of flavours and he has already said that he is planning on making it again.

As a parent I loved that the kitchen adventures section got us talking about how maple syrup was made and why there are different flavours (golden, amber, dark and very dark), but most of all it was just great to not have to cook dinner!

For Maxi is was great to be able to follow the simple recipe and have bowls of food that turned out great and looking really similar to the picture in the recipe. So much so it inspired him to adapt the French toast recipe to use what we had at home already (brioche bread).

I am so lucky that my husband comes from a farming family and therefore the boys have always been aware of the food chain and where their dairy and beef comes from and loved that Maple from Canada focused on food provenance with the example of maple and explored how other ingredients are important to the areas they’re from for this age group.

It also lead to us discovering why the husbeast and Maxi feel that coriander tastes of soap as Maxi was so engaged that he researched it and replaced it with spring onion.

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King Prawn and Spicy Maple Curry

Course Main, Main Course

Keyword family, prawn, thai

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Cost 15

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400 g shelled king prawns
• 1 bunch spring onion finely chopped
• 30 g fresh ginger peeled and finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic sliced
• 2 red chillies finely sliced
• 3 tbsp Madras curry paste
• 1 1 ⁄2 tins of 400ml coconut milk
• 4 tbsp pure maple syrup preferably amber syrup for its rich taste
• 700 ml water
• 360 g basmati rice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh chopped coriander for garnish
• 1 lime squeezed

Instructions

• In a pan heat olive oil and flash-fry king prawns for 2 – 3 minutes until opaque. Remove from pan and set aside
• Heat more oil and add spring onions, ginger and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes then add half of the red chillies and Madras paste
• Keep stirring together and slowly pour in coconut milk and maple syrup
• Bring to the boil, add water then turn down to a simmer. Reduce liquid by 1⁄4
• Prepare rice according to packet instructions
• Five minutes before serving, add part-cooked prawns to the Madras curry sauce, stir through to fully heat and finish off cooking
• Serve curry with rice. Garnish with chillies, fresh chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime juice

If you like this then make sure you follow our cooking with kids section.

What We Cooked At Home During Lock-Down

For us, lockdown meant that the husbeast was shopping for our family and the teens for their grandparents each week. We were lucky that shortages due to stockpiling were short-lived (apart from flour, yeast and caster sugar), however, we live in a rural part of the country and local supermarkets do not always have the best range of herbs and spices.

Which is where Simply Cook fits into our lockdown cookery experience. Simply Cook is a meal box with a difference. Rather than a complete meal box where you are sent everything to make the meal, Simply Cool supply the herbs and spices required so you can shop locally for the main ingredients and use store cupboard items.

You can 4 boxes of flavour pots in one letterbox delivery (yes, the meal box fits through the letterbox) and a menu card for each meal.

Each menu card comes with a small perforated section with the ingredients needed, so you can take that shopping with you or you can download their app which has the same information.

We loved the fact that the meal boxes have much better use-by dates on them (compared to complete meal boxes that we have had), which worked perfectly during lockdown. Also, the fact that we can shop local and reduce food miles, which is great if you use a local butcher or want to substitute ingredients that someone in the family isn’t keen on (courgettes are seen as the devil’s food here)!

The menu cards have simple easy to follow instructions, so much so that the teens took over cooking using them.

I liked the fact that I didn’t have to have a cupboard full of spices and herbs (which we never us within their use-by date) and that the food was delicious.

What also surprised us was that the food actually looked a lot like the images on the front of the cards, which is really encouraging for the person preparing the meal.

This Moghul Chicken Korma (click here to find out the origins of the Korma) that Maxi cooked was lush and I didn’t need to run around the supermarket looking for 101 ingredients. If you want to get your kids in the kitchen, then check out our cooking with children section.

You can cancel your subscription at any time and it is £9.99 a box and your first box is £3.00 a total bargain, especially as you can pick from range of 38 trial box recipes.

We are back with our A-Z of Ingredients series and this week we are at O is for Olives.  Olives are an aquired taste.  I love them as does Mini, but MadDad and Maxi not so much.  Both of them loved the damper bread with olives.

Ingredients

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 – 1 cup milk
• pinch of salt
• Small amount of chopped olives

This will make two sticks.  We make a savory one with olives and also a plain one to spread with Nutella or jam.

Rub the butter through the flour until it is all crumbly. When the boys were smaller we called it tickling the flour and butter.

Mix the salt, sugar and a little milk at a time until  it forms a dough.

Add your chopped olives.

Divide into two pieces and roll into a snake shape. Wind around a clean, dry stick or a skewer.

Hold over the campfire to cook.

Then try and prevent the big man of the house from eating it all!

If you like this, then make sure you are following our cooking with kids board on Pinterest for lots of simple recipes perfect for getting your kids in the kitchen:

Follow Jen Walshaw’s board cooking with kids on Pinterest.

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See our other A-Z of cooking with kids series here

Thanks to Tesco and their Flame Academy for getting us hooked on letting the kids cook on the BBQ.

These colourful M&M cookies are quick to make, use simple ingredients, and are perfect for baking with kids. With a buttery vanilla base, they’re soft inside, slightly crisp on the edges, and packed with colourful M&Ms. We’ve added step-by-step tips so kids can join in safely and confidently.

Easy M&M Cookie Recipe for Kids

 This fantastic cookie recipe is so versatile and we made it egg-free. Here, we made it with added M&M’s, but you could use choc chips or dried fruit and in the past, we have made it with Cadbury’s Pebbles.

Ingredients

• 150g softened butter
• 150g caster sugar
• 225g self raising flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp milk
• M&M’s

Equipment List

• Bowl
• Measuring spoon
• Scoop
• Scales
• Oven tray
• Measuring scoop
• Fishslice
• Wooden spoon
• Mixer

Step by Step Instructions

The boys always wash their hands, roll up their sleeves and pop on an apron before cooking, before turning the oven on to preheat it.

Tip – make sure that aprons are easily accessible for kids and that they can fasten them easily.  That way they will be empowered to get ready themselves. 

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy – we used the mixer for this.

Tip – If you have forgotten to take the butter out of the fridge then you can microwave it for 15 seconds or grate it.

Add sifted flour milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until all is combined.

Tip – we use a set of scales that is big enough for our mixer bowl to go on, so that the boys can measure straight in to it.

We use the small scoop from this set to measure our cookie dough (it is around a tablespoon). I demonstrated how to level off the scoop using the  side of the bowl and then Maxi took over.

Roll into 24 balls, and place on 2 greased baking sheets before pushing in your M&M’s. Make sure you allow space for the cookies to spread.

Bake in oven 190 C for 15 minutes.  Then let sit on the tray for around five minutes to set before removing using a fish slice to a wire rack to cool before eating.

This recipe is incredibly versatile and we made double and left some in the fridge to make more the day after.  Doubling a recipe is a great maths lesson.

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M&M Cookies – Cooking with kids

These are really simple cookies with not too many ingredients that are perfect for children to make. You can substitute the M&M’s with other chocolate products or even dried fruit

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 24

Author The Mad House

Ingredients

• 150 g softened butter
• 150 g caster sugar
• 225 g self raising flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp milk
• M &M’s

Instructions

• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy – we used the mixer for this.
• Add sifted flour milk and vanilla extract. mix until all combined.
• We use the small scoop from this set to measure our cookie dough (it is around a tablespoon).
• Roll into 24 balls, and place on 2 greased baking sheets before pushing in your M&M’s.
• Bake in oven 190 C for 15 minutes.
• Let sit on the tray for around five minutes to set before removing using a fish slice to a wire rack to cool before eating.

Notes

• For chewy cookies: use brown sugar and add 1 egg yolk.
• For crispy edges: flatten dough balls slightly before baking.
• For even baking: line trays with parchment paper or silicone mats instead of greasing.
• Chill the dough: at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading and boost flavour.

More F is for Flour Posts from the Cooking with Kids Bloggers

Peanut Butter Bars – Still Playing School
Rock Cakes with a Twist – Peakle Pie
Frog (Toad) in the hole – Witty Hoots
Strawberry Whole Wheat Pancakes Milk-free Egg-free – Sugar Aunts
Cheese Drop Biscuits – Frogs Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
M&M Cookies – Mum in the Madhouse
Rhubarb Crumble – Rainy Day Mum

We do to even peel the carrots, just wash them and top and tail them.  This is a beautifully moist cake that is delicious and if you have kids that refuse carrots this will really turn them round.

This recipe is great for making with kids as you do it all the mixing by hand.

How to make the best carrot cake ever

We use our food processor to grate the carrots.  The boys have never had an accident with a grater, but I have skinned my fingers a couple of time!

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The best Carrot cake in the world - c is for carrot

Course Cake

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

• 140 ml vegetable oil plus extra for greasing
• 2 Eggs
• 200 g light brown sugar
• 300 g grated Carrots (grated weight)
• 100 g raisins
• 75 g pecans or Walnuts chopped (optional)
• 180 g self-raising flour
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated Nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp Mixed spice

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 150C/gas 2. Oil and line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper. I just use a silicone one.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the oil, brown sugar, grated carrot, raisins and chopped nuts.
• Sift in the rest of the dry ingredients and bring the mixture together using a wooden or large metal spoon until well combined.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, smooth the surface and bake in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the tin for about five minutes before removing.
• Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

And we also have a topping that we use for special occasions.  Most of the time the cake is eaten or started before I even get this on top of it!

50g cream cheese, chilled
50g Butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
275g icing sugar, sifted
1 Orange, zest only

Beat the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl until well combined. Add the vanilla extract, icing sugar and finely grated orange zest and mix until the icing is smooth and thick and top your cake with it.  this was a real challenge for Maxi and he tried to use a spatula at first but quickly moved on to a butter knife.

If you are feeling extra fancy then you can make some fondant icing carrots as decoration!

More C is for Carrot recipes from the cooking with kids team:

Carrot Cake from Thinly Spread, carrot veggie puffs from Sugar Aunts, carrot dip snack from Still Playing School, mild vegetable curry from A Thrifty Mum, carrot cake muffins from Rainy Day Mum,  carrot salad from Smiling like Sunshine, carrot and coriander soup from Witty Hoots, crunchy carrot salad from Peakle Pie, carrot cake from Mum in the Mad House

I find that a great way of getting them and me out of a funk it to bring them in to the kitchen and make things together.  However, when that fails this is a failsafe way to encourage picky eaters!

We were challenged by by Love Yogurt UK  to produce a recipe for Yogurt Week (19-25 May), which got me thinking about what to make and how to involve the boys.

I love the fact that my boys are active in the kitchen and want to help.  Chopping is one of the things that concerns me, those little fingers, sharp knives and clumsiness are something that concerns me.   However with this chopper thing (yes that is the technical term in The Mad House) the boys have to keep both their hands on the two handles meaning that fingers are away from the blade.

Recipes (I feel ashamed calling these recipes as they are so simple)

Natural/plain yogurt or greek yogurt

Sweet additions

• Honey (not advised for under ones)
• Maple syrup
• Stewed fruit
• Berries (frozen ones are great as you only need a few)
• Mashed mango
• Peanut butter and honey

Savory additions

• Mint
• Basil
• Chopped skinned cucumber with time
• Mustard and honey – my boys love this for chicken
• Chilli sauce – yogurt is a great way to take the heat out of it.
• Avocado, garlic and lime juice
• Tinned tuna

Now you can pretty much dip anything in these sauces, so they are a great way of introducing new foods.  My boys had pineapple, melon and mango to dip and carrots, cucumber and breadsticks.  But you could dip fish or chicken fingers, cheese sticks, toast,  sweet peppers, green beans, asparagus,  sliced apple, sliced pears and baby corn. Another great way to encourage kids in the kitchen is to introduce them to all the food and celebrations days and cook accordingly.

For more information check out @loveyogurtUK on Twitter, the Yogurt Week website or Love Yogurt UK on Facebook.