Cooking with Kids: Mini Corn Dogs

Like so many toddlers and kids, Miss E loves mini corn dogs.  I've bought packages of the frozen ones a few times now and they're great!  However, it's much more fun for both Miss E and me to make our own mini corn dogs than just popping some into a microwave.

Cooking with kids presents so many natural learning opportunities, too!  Miss E and I...
- Talked about what the ingredients were
- Counted how many times she mixed the corn mixture (we're working on counting to 20)
- Practiced one-to-one correspondence by placing just one hot dog piece in each space
- Found letters on the food packages

I let her do all of the pouring and most of the mixing.  I handled the egg.  I also let her do the scooping and dumping of the corn mixture.

Was it messy?  Yes.

Is that okay?  YES! 

Cooking with kids also gives you a great opportunity to spend time with your kids and give them praise for doing their best!

I used this awesome and easy recipe from Renee's Kitchen Adventures with only a couple minor changes in the procedures.  If you're interested in the recipe, check out her website!

* A safety note:  Please make sure that you cut up the hot dogs in small enough pieces for your little ones!