As an author of cookbooks for children, I often get questions from parents about feeding kids—how much, what and how.  While I have some practical experience in that area, I am primarily a food educator and recipe developer.  In fact, I have struggled with eating issues myself.  I was a super-picky eater as a child.  If it wasn’t processed or familiar to me, I wouldn’t eat it.  I think back now to my dinner plate at Thanksgiving when I was a kid—a scoop of corn, two dinner rolls, and the requisite piece of turkey about the size of a quarter.  ...

Tags: snacks, anxiety, children, conflict, feeding, healthy, Katja Rowell

I usually bake at least one batch of Chex Party Mix during this time of year.  That’s because one recipe makes a lot and everyone likes it. It’s easy to transport (up to our cabin or to a friend’s home) and it keeps for long time. If there’s any left by then, I put it out for New Year’s Eve with other appetizers. The real news this year is that our Test Kitchen Experts have developed a way to bake the mix in a microwave oven. That cuts the baking time from 1 hour to just 15 minutes and so now, I can make four batches in the time that it took me to make just one.  For five quick recipes go to: ...

Tags: Chex Mix, snacks

At 3:13 this afternoon, I got an email with the subject line: "Warm and gooey brownies in the kitchen." Not one to turn away a brownie, I went down to the kitchens to get one. I wasn’t back at my desk more than 10 minutes before I received another email. This one said "Cheesecake now!" This is my job, folks. Seriously.  ...

Tags: snacks, Betty Crocker Kitchens