Rachael Ray's Kid-Friendly Recipes

Jan. 19, 2005 — -- Chef Rachael Ray and some kid helpers whipped up several quick and easy recipes from her new cookbook, "Cooking Rocks: 30 Minute Meals for Kids." Five of her fun, kid-friendly recipes are below.

Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces (tablespoons are marked on the wrapper)
• 12 marshmallows
• 2 cups puffed rice cereal, such as Kellogg's Rice Krispies
• 6 fruit roll-ups (pressed dried fruit rounds, 6 inches wide) any brand, any flavor -- the ones with fruit-juice tattoos on them are cool
• 6 strips licorice, such as Twizzler's brand, cut in half

Directions:
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat and add marshmallows. Stir marshmallows until completely melted. Remove mixture from heat and add cereal. Stir to coat cereal evenly in melted marshmallows.
• Roll out the fruit roll-ups. Place a few spoonfuls of the coated cereal onto each fruit roll-up and gather toward one side of roll-up. Press two licorice twists onto cereal mix. Wrap and roll the candy and fruit roll-up so that the finished product resembles a sushi roll. Shimmy the licorice twists around so that they are in the center of the roll.
• Place a sharp knife into a bowl of very warm water. Cut candy sushi with warm knife into two-inch "sushi" rolls and arrange pieces on a plate. The candy sushi looks like a big platter of California sushi rolls.

Makes four servings.

This recipe was especially designed for Sabia Rose to make for Bill and Vicki, because she's daddy and mommy's little girl -- and a really good cook, too!

Cacciatore is the real way to spell the name of this stew. It's the Italian word for "hunter." Chicken cacciatore is made with wild mushrooms and strong flavors. It is hearty, so it would keep a hunter full for a long hunt. This stew uses some of the same flavors and ingredients of the original dish, but it's even easier to make. Everyone in my family really loves this recipe.

Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, twice-around-the-pan in a slow stream
• 2 stems fresh rosemary
• 2 stems fresh thyme
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup pre-sliced fresh mushrooms, available in produce section or, your grown-up helper may slice for you, about 1/3 pound
• Salt and pepper
• 1 can, 15 ounces, stewed tomatoes with peppers, onions and celery
• 2 roasted red peppers, drained
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 package chopped frozen spinach, defrosted in microwave and drained
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 package chicken breast tenders, ¾ pound to 1 pound
• 1 pound fresh ravioli, any flavor
• 1 cup grated parmesan, parmigiano reggiano or romano grated cheese, to pass at table
• Crusty Italian bread or rolls, to pass at table