6 fun and delicious recipes you can make with your kids

Children love meddling in the kitchen, whether it's to make themselves a Nutella sandwich or just to taste their mother's food by dipping their fingers in it. So who are we to stop them from wanting to be the next Gordon Ramsay?

We know it can be a cumbersome task to keep sharp and dangerous utensils away from kids and make sure they follow instructions, but cooking with your young 'uns is the best way to bond and get to know your child.

Here are six easy-to-make sweet and savory dishes we've compiled that you can make with your kid(s):

1. Baked nachos:

PHOTO: KIDS SPOT

The lovely crunch of the tortillas and cheesy bites mixed with meat will leave every child's mouth watering. This recipe from Kids Spot is a fun way to incorporate all the needed vegetables in your child's diet; add as many as you like, there are no boundaries when it comes to this dish.

Serves - 4
Prep Time - 10 minutes
Cook Time - 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 an onion, finely chopped
1 capsicum, finely chopped
1 cup tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 cup canned corn, drained
400g kidney beans, drained
1 cup grated cheese
175g tortilla chips
sour cream (to serve)

Directions:
- Preheat the grill to high.
- For the salsa: In a bowl add the chopped onion, capsicum and tomatoes. Add the corn and kidney beans. Season with salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients.
- Place the tortilla chips on the base of an oven-proof dish. Add the salsa on top. Sprinkle the grated cheese.
- Place under the grill for five minutes or till the cheese has melted.
- Top with sour cream

2. Baked potato with minced meat

PHOTO: LIFE-IN-THE-LOFTHOUSE

This recipe from Good Food will have your child floored. It's healthy and filling!

Serves - 6
Prep time - 30 minutes
Cook time  - 1 hour/ 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients:
6 large baking potatoes
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2/3 cups butter
1 tablespoon mustard
6 large spring onions, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 celery stick
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated, divided.
450g minced lamb (or your choice of meat)
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce*

Directions: 

- Heat oven to 200°C. Oil and season the potatoes, bake for 1 hour until a knife slides in easily and the skins are crispy. Cool for 10 mins.
- Halve the potatoes length-ways and scoop out the cooked potato into a bowl, leaving a thin layer behind so that the skins still hold their shape.
- In a large pan, heat the olive oil, once hot fry the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery stick for 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in the minced meat and cook for 3-4 minutes until browned then add sun-dried tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce*. Cover and simmer for for 35-40 minutes until very tender. Season well.
- In the bowl with scooped up potatoes, mash the potatoes with the butter, mustard and seasoning, then stir in the spring onions, 1 cup cheese and minced meat.
- Add atop baked potatoes and top with remaining grated cheese and/or sour cream.
*If Worcestershire sauce is not available, here's a homemade alternate version: use 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice,1/4 teaspoon sugar and a dash of hot sauce for every tablespoon Worcestershire the recipe calls for.

3. French bread pizza

PHOTO: THE PIONEER WOMAN

Pizza makes children giddy with excitement, so why not give this recipe from The Pioneer Woman a try? It's delicious and will tickle your child's taste buds with different flavours.

Serves - 12
Prep time - 30 minutes
Cook time - 12 minutes

Ingredients:
1 load of french bread/ 6 whole deli rolls
Pizza Sauce
Pesto sauce
2 lbs mozzarella cheese, grated
Grated Parmesan cheese to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 whole onion, diced
Pepperoni slices
Pineapple chunks
Tomatoes, diced
Sliced black olives
Choice of meat (s)
Optional ingredients - Goat cheese, sliced bell peppers, different types of cheeses, jalapeno slices.

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°C
- Slice rolls in half/ french bread in equal pieces. Lay them cut side up on large baking sheet.
- Top all with generous helping of pizza sauce, add pesto and continue to add whichever toppings you wish from those mentioned above, or of your own choice. Top with cheese.
- Once done, put the pan in the oven on the lowest rack for 8-10 minutes. Crank up the heat to 425°C and put on the highest rack until cheese melts.
- Remove, add grated parmesan on top and serve immediately.

4. Chocolate banana sundae:

PHOTO: JONNY VALIANT/ REAL SIMPE

Your child will thank you for this recipe from Real Simple. It's easy, nutritious and heavenly. You can ask your child which toppings he/she would like to add. Maybe even create different variations of the same dessert.

Serves - 4
Time - 10 minutes

Ingredients:
4 small bananas
1 pint ice cream of choice
1/4 cup chocolate sauce
1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:
- Peel and slice bananas. Scoop ice cream into four bowls. Top with bananas, chocolate sauce and shredded coconut.
- Add whipped cream or wafers for more fun.

5. Banana muffins:

PHOTO: MUCH KNEADED RECIPES

Instead of buying your kids cupcakes from expensive bakeries, encourage them to make their own. This delicious muffin recipe from Kids Spot will be sure-shot winner.

Serves - 12
Prep time - 10 minutes
Cook time - 15 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1 cup chocolate chips
Handful of your choice of nuts, finely chopped (walnuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios, cashews, peanuts)

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a muffin/cupcake pan or you can line it with paper cases.
- In a bowl add the flour and brown sugar
- In a measuring jug, add the milk, oil and eggs, whisk to combine.
- Pour the measuring jug ingredients and bananas into the dry ingredients, beat until just combined. Sprinkle chocolate chips in the batter and gently fold the mixture to evenly blend in the choco chips.
- Fill each muffin cup halfway with the batter, top with your choice of nuts or more chocolate chips if you like.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean.
- Let it cool on the rack before serving.

6. Fudge bars

PHOTO: BROWNEYEDBAKER

Every child's first love -- ice cream! Although this recipe from Martha Stewart is super easy, it does take time to set and will require a bit of patience from your child. Make it early morning and let it set during the day and serve at night after dinner, or make in the evening and let it set over night and give it to your child the following day.

Serves - 10
Prep time - 15 minutes
Cool time - 6 hours or more

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 whole cups milk, divided
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together corn starch, and 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Whisk in remaining milk, cream, sugar, cocoa and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high stirring constantly and cook one minute.
- Transfer to a large liquid-measuring cup and stir in vanilla. Pour into ice-pop moulds and insert ice-pop sticks.
- Let cool for up to six hours or more, can even go up to a couple of days. Just before serving briefly run moulds under hot water (make sure to keep the water away from the popsicle).

You can be experimental with this recipe, add bananas, or strawberries to the mixture. If you don't have regular ice-pop moulds, try and use any other fun moulds, be as creative as you like.

If those are also unavailable, it's best to go simple and use ice trays. Bonus: keep a few without ice-pop sticks and surprise your child by adding the chocolate fudge ice cubes to his/her milk, a fun and yummy way to make your child drink milk.

Those are all the recipes for today, folks! Do remember to be patient with your child during the cooking process. Working alongside children in the kitchen will not only create a nurturing bond, but by handing them the reins they will know you trust them enough to make decisions, doesn't matter whether it's in the kitchen or elsewhere.

It's crucial to make your kid feel important by handing them tasks that they would not necessarily be equipped to deal with, this will in turn give them a sense of responsibility and pride and help them deal with problems and be decisive from an early age.

Give these recipes a try and let us know how they turn out! Happy bonding!