by Robin Moynihan

Created on: April 17, 2010

Having the kids help in the kitchen can mean more than just clean dishes. With your guidance it can mean scrumptious meals as well. But if you want them to help with food preparation you will need easy recipes that they can handle, will be fun, and that they will eat willingly. Nothing is as easy to make as dips, or as much fun to eat. The following recipes will be dips and dunks from appetizers to desert.

 The Appetizers:

 Vegetable Dip:

 2 c. sour cream

1/3 c. each of green, red, and yellow pepper, minced

¼ c. each of chives and parsley, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and chill. Serve with baby carrots, celery sticks, and jicama sticks, or any of your favorites cut into bite-sized pieces.

Avocado-Sour Cream Dip:

2 ripe avocados

1 c. sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

1 c. tomato, chopped

Blend avocados and sour cream until smooth, stir in tomato, salt, and pepper. Serve with corn chips, bread sticks, or raw vegetables cut in bite size pieces.

Sea Food Dip:

1 8oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 c. cream

1 c. cocktail sauce

2 c. shredded imitation crab

Mix cream cheese and cream until smooth, then mound in center of a platter. Pour cocktail sauce over cheese mound and top with shredded crab. Serve with crackers or bread sticks.

The Main Event:

Cheese Fondue:

1 can condensed cream of broccoli soup

½ c. milk

1 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded

¼ t. nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1 loaf French bread, cubed

Mix soup and milk in the top of a double boiler and cook over boiling water until hot. Add cheese and spices, stirring until melted. Use skewers to dunk French bread cubes into sauce.

Quick Welsh Rabbit with Tuna:

1 can condensed tomato soup

½ c. milk

1 c. shredded American cheese

½ t. dry mustard

2 eggs, well beaten

1 6oz. can tuna, flaked

Mix soup and milk in the top of a double boiler and cook over boiling water until hot. Add cheese and mustard, stirring until melted. Add eggs, stirring until thickened. Add tuna and remove from heat. Serve, in individual bowls, drizzled over saltine crackers, or in a common bowl with bread sticks for dipping.

The Dessert:

Fruit Dip:

1 c. corn syrup or honey

1 8oz. pkg cream cheese

1t. vanilla

In a small sauce pan heat syrup to boiling, remove from heat and add cream cheese and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Serve with mini bananas, apple slices, pineapple chunks, and strawberries.

Peanut Butter Cup Fondue:

1 12 oz. pkg chocolate chips

1 c. heavy cream

¼ c. peanut butter

1 t. vanilla extract

1 pound cake or angle food cake cut in cubes

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Add cream stirring constantly until smooth. Add peanut butter and vanilla stirring until mixed well. Remove from heat and serve as dip for cake cubes. If you prefer, fruit or large marshmallows can be used for dipping.

With the family circled around the table, getting messy as they dip and dunk, interesting conversations can be created and strong bonds as well. And maybe, just maybe they'll do the dishes as well.

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