My 11 (almost 12) year old DD is wanting to start cooking some more things than just baking. Does anyone have any suggestions on a cookbook that she could learn simple meals that she will acutally eat (normal kid picky..ie... no broccoli and nothing too "frilly" she is a meat and potatoes kinda girl)? I have been looking but most of the ones that I have found have a lot of breakfast food (we are not a big breakfast family) or sweets in them.

She wants to be able to do most of the stuff with just a little of my help. I am pretty confident with her cooking, but I am not the greatest cook and I don't really know how to explain the stuff I cook.. i just watched my mom do it for years and do what she did.. most things turn out a little different each time I cook them. She is a perfectionist and hates it when i tell her just put a pinch of salt in.. she wants to measure everything.

I am at a loss on finding a good cook book for her.

Thank you.

By Yjja123 on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 05:08 pm:

My 12 year old has been cooking for several years. She can make anything now. I am nowhere near as good a cook as she is. She started off using a Betty Crocker cookbook and now uses any book and will even make it up as she goes (she plans on being a chef). I always monitored her but let her do her thing. I will say, she received a kids cookbook and immediately donated it. She thought it was childish and ridiculous. She wanted to cook real food not make kid treats.
I would just let your daughter browse your cookbooks and pick what she wants to make. A good starter book is "Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook". It explains things completely.

By Cocoabutter on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 05:16 pm:

I agree. The Betty Crocker is where I started, too. It's the one with the red and white plaid design on the front.

Betty Crocker

By Kernkate on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 05:53 pm:

kids cookbook

I bought this for my 12 year old niece and she loved it!

By Breann on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 06:02 pm:

I started with Betty Crocker too

The best cookbooks we have, are probably ones that come from churches or schools. You know the kind that everyone in the church submits a family favorite recipe? I find that those type of cookbooks have the most "down to earth, stuff a family would actually eat kind of recipes".

By Yjja123 on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 06:24 pm:

My kids used to have regular favorites. They didn't like variety. Now since Jessica has taken over the majority of the cooking, they eat a huge variety of things. Being part of the cooking process tends to make kids try different foods. My son also likes to cook but not on the level of Jessica. Jessica makes souffles and creme brulee like we make brownies (as if it was easy). She definitely has found her calling in life and lucky us get to enjoy the results. If your daughter is serious about cooking, I would skip the kiddie cookbooks.

By Jewlz on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 08:31 pm:

. FamilyFun: Cooking with Kids Cookbook
- and More Family Fun Find 300 irresistible recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all the snacks in between! http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/kids/feature/cooking-with-kids-cookbook/cooking-with-kids-cookbook.html

this is one i have given to kids over the age of eight and wanting to be in the kitchen and still produce something the family will eat.

By Unschoolmom on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 08:05 am:

Allrecipes.com has a section for kid pleasing recipes I believe and a lot of simple dishes. Your daughter could sign up and have her own ownline cookbook.