Let Your Kids Make the Pie!

We all know what children bring to our lives. Around the busy holiday cooking season, though, they bring even more: an extra set of hands and damn cheap labor. There’s no better time to start putting them to work.

Working with kids in the kitchen is easier than you probably think. Most young ones are already good at the basics, like kneading, mixing, measuring, pouring, timing, and cutting. They view cooking as a combined arts-and-crafts project and science experiment in which they get to play and learn at the same time. It’s best to start them off making simple things they already love: pancakes, French toast, brownies, homemade popcorn. Around the holidays, they can graduate to the next level with pies. In our family’s case, that meant apple and pecan. Have one measure the flour while the other slices the fruit with an apple divider, a safe and fun tool. One mixes, the other kneads. You also can have one read the recipe while the other carries out the steps. Making two pies in one session lets them switch duties. Giving kids ownership also greatly improves their willingness and cooperation. Let them buy their own aprons, a few basic kitchen gadgets (vegetable peelers, spatulas, measuring cups, and spoons), and a toolbox for storage. They can decorate their boxes however they want. It could add up to happy young chefs, and maybe they’ll teach you how to make new pies next Thanksgiving.
Apple Pie:Total time: about 3 hours. The kids will take roughly 45 minutes to make and roll the dough. Add 1 hour for chilling the dough and another 30 minutes letting it sit at room temperature. Filling takes about 20 minutes to whip up. Baking time is 45 to 50 minutes for a golden brown crust.
If you are ready let your kids make the pie, customize a unique apron for them first.Happy holidays!