Love Served Daily
Why cooking with kids creates lasting family bonds
Did you know that inviting your kids into the kitchen does more than help get dinner on the table? Cooking together fosters independence, builds essential life skills, sparks creativity, and promotes healthy eating habits — not to mention the math and science skills put to use along the way.
For Jessica Louk, teaching her kids to cook is simply another way to show love.
Jessica is a mom of four: 14-year-old Olive, 13-year-old Lars, 12-year-old Tor, and almost 10-year-old Florence. In the early years, she often cooked with one child perched on her hip while the older ones helped stir, pour and prep. More often than not, the kids would argue over who got to help, prompting Jessica to learn the art of delegating kitchen jobs early on.
When it comes to creating such an inclusive kitchen, Jessica credits her mother, a native of France. As soon as she and her sister were capable, their mom handed over cooking responsibilities. Jessica fondly remembers evenings when her parents worked late and she and her sister surprised them by making dinner together.
One recipe that remains a full family production is her mother’s crepe recipe — made sweet or savory — with experimentation being part of the fun. Another favorite comes from her father’s side of the family, the Sorensons: cabbage biscuits, a dish rich with tradition.
Understanding the memories that can be created around food, Jessica has extended her love of family cooking beyond her own home. As a librarian in the Billings Public Schools system, she encourages students to check out cookbooks from the school library. Many return to share how their families used those books as a reason to spend time cooking together.
The thought makes her smile, knowing that a kitchen filled with kids becomes a special place all its own.
SWEET CREPES
~ Recipe Jessica Louk
2½ to 3 c. milk
2 c. flour
4 T. oil
4 T. sugar
1 t. salt
Mix all ingredients together, making sure the batter isn’t too thick. If it is, add more milk or a little water to liquify the batter, if needed. Cook in a 7- to 8-inch skillet over medium heat and wait until bubbles form on the top and the edges of the crepe curl or look dry. Flip and lightly brown on other side. Remove. Repeat with the remainder of your batter.
Once you are ready to serve, sprinkle sugar on the inside of the crepe and add other sweet fillings. Ideas include cherry pie filling, apple pie filling, bananas and walnuts, hazelnut spread or Biscoff spread. Top with whipped cream and powdered sugar for an added garnish.
Savory Crepe
Savory crepes are made in the exact same manner, except add savory spices to match the filling. Ideas include:
Ham and Swiss: add a few slices of ham and Swiss cheese on the inside of the cooked crepes. In addition, add garlic powder to the batter instead of sugar. Roll the crepes like burritos and bake in a greased pan with alfredo sauce over the top. Bake at 350 and wait until the sauce appears melted and somewhat golden.
Buffalo Chicken: mix grilled chicken with buffalo sauce in a bowl. Add the grilled chicken, blue cheese crumbles and dressing to the inside of the cooked crepes. In addition, add buffalo sauce to the batter before cooking. Roll the crepes like burritos and bake in a greased pan with alfredo sauce over the top. Chopped celery can be added to the sauce as a garnish, if preferred. Bake at 350 and wait until the sauce appears melted and somewhat golden.
CABBAGE ROLLS
~Sorensen Family Recipe provided by Jessica Louk
DOUGH
1 pkg. yeast
¼ c. granulated sugar
1 c. lukewarm milk
2 eggs (beaten)
¼ c. margarine (melted)
1 t. salt
FILLING
1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 t. salt
½ t. ground pepper
½ t. garlic salt
½ head of cabbage
1-2 c. sliced/grated mozzarella cheese
Mix yeast, milk, sugar and 1½ cup of flour. Let set for 45 minutes. Add eggs, melted margarine, salt and remaining flour. Mix well. Let rest for 1½ hours. Brown 1 pound of hamburger with one large, chopped onion, 2 teaspoons of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, ½ teaspoon of garlic salt. Add ½ head of chopped cabbage. Cook until the cabbage is tender. Cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll dough into ¼ inch thickness and cut into 5-inch squares. Fill with the mixture and add sliced or grated mozzarella cheese on the top of filling before pinching corners together to form a bun. Pinch seams together. Let set on greased baking sheets for 10 minutes. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
