Recipes from the Afterschool Kitchen

Each week in Core Afterschool, budding chefs and kitchen scientists sharpen their culinary skills during cooking time. We choose recipes that engage their senses, imagination and curiosity.

Our weekly projects  explore seasonal foods, cooking processes, and food choices – including vegan substitutions.

This page includes recipes we have made in the Reds and Blues cooking times so that you can try them out at home, too.  Enjoy!

Reds: Brownies with Berry Sauce

Berry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen berries (any kind you like)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

Process berries in a blender or food processor 10 seconds or until pureed. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing with back of a spoon against sides of strainer to squeeze out juice; discard solids. Add sugar and lemon juice, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Brownies

Ingredients

• Soft butter, for greasing the pan
• Flour, for dusting the buttered pan
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar, sifted
• 1 cup brown sugar, sifted
• 8 ounces melted butter
• 11/4 cups cocoa, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup flour, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan and bake for 45 minutes.

Reds: Mango Lassi

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup chopped mango (peeled and stone removed)
• 4 teaspoons sugar, to taste
• A dash of ground cardamom (optional)

Directions

Put mango, yogurt, milk, sugar and cardamom into a blender and blend for 2 minutes, then pour into individual glasses, and serve. Can sprinkle with a little cardamom.

The lassi can be kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Makes about 2 cups.

Reds: Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons white sugar

Directions
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups bread flour, olive oil, salt, white sugar and the yeast mixture; stir well to combine. Beat well until a stiff dough has formed. Cover and rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface. Form dough into a round and roll out into a pizza crust shape. Cover with your favorite sauce and toppings and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Reds: Summer Rolls

Ingredients:

• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup Thai basil leaves, whole
• ½  pound bean sprouts, hair removed
• 1 medium sized red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 medium sized carrot, peeled, julienned
• 1 small package smoked tofu or tempeh, julienned
• 1 package rice papers, 10 to 12 inches diameter (dunk each sheet of rice paper in a bowl of lukewarm water to rehydrate)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions
In a bowl whisk together juice and sugar. Whisk in the oil and season. Toss with all the vegetables and tofu. Check for seasoning. Lay out 1 wrapper and place a small mound of mix near the bottom. Roll bottom towards the middle. Fold in both sides and continue rolling. Finish roll and let rest.

Reds: Chinese Moon Cakes

Moon Cakes are eaten to celebrate the Chinese New Year, which is based on the lunar calendar. The cakes are moon shaped in honor of the festival. They are also eaten as part of a harvest celebration that falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month.

There are many variations of moon cakes.  This simplified version is easy for kids to help out with. Often, fancier moon cakes are decorated with Chinese characters on a top layer of pastry.

Ingredients:

• 1/4-cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup strawberry (or your favorite) jam (traditionally red bean paste is used so if you want a more authentic version, you can use a can of red bean paste instead of the jam).

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the butter, sugar and 1 egg yolk and stir.  Mix in the flour.
Form the dough into one large ball and wrap it in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate dough for half an hour.

Unwrap the chilled dough and form small balls in the palms of your hand.

Make a hole with your thumb  in the center of each moon cake and fill with about half a teaspoon of jam.

 Brush each cake with the other beaten egg yolk and place on a cookie sheet. 

Bake for about 20 minutes or just until the outside edges are slightly brown.

Blues: Applesauce Spice Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• OPTIONAL: 1 cup pecans or walnuts (3 1/2 ounces), coarsely chopped

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

Prepare muffins:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Grease muffin pan.

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until combined well, then add butter, a little at a time, whisking until mixture is creamy. Stir in applesauce, then fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened. Stir in nuts and divide batter among muffin cups.

Make topping and bake:
Stir together all topping ingredients and sprinkle on top of muffins. Bake until muffins are puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then remove muffins from pan and cool slightly.

Reds: Herb Cheddar Scones

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Flower
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 2 sticks butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (we used rosemary and chives)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter. Gently stir in cheese, egg, milk, and herbs and knead lightly just to combine. Pat or roll out on floured surface to about 1 inch thickness. Cut into rounds and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Blues: Sweet Potato Wedges

Ingredients:

• Sweet Potatoes
• Sweet Option: butter, cinnamon and/or honey, salt
• Savory Option: olive oil and your choice of herbs such as rosemary, basil, nutmeg or ginger, salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Wash potatoes and cut them lengthwise into wedges.

Coat them with oil (butter for sweet, olive oil for savory).

Toss them in the seasoning/s of your choice.

Sprinkle them with a pinch of salt.

Spread potato wedges onto a baking sheet and bake for a half an hour, or until they are browned.

Reds: Mini Sweet Potato Pies

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3/4 cup plain soy yogurt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 12 ounce package silken tofu
• salt to taste
• 1 dozen mini ready made graham cracker crusts
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

Directions:

Put cubed potatoes into a large pot of simmering water. Allow to boil for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Mash with potato masher and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add yogurt, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, tofu and salt, and beat until well combined. Pour this batter into the bie shells and place onto a sheet pan. Drizzle with maple syrup.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Keep refrigerated after cooling.

Blues: Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Set stove to medium heat.

2. Bowl 1 (dry ingredients): mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Bowl 2 (wet ingredients): mix egg, milk and vegetable oil.

3. Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Mix well.

4. Add pumpkin and cinnamon.

5. Pour a dollop of batter into the hot pan. Flip cake until sides are golden brown.

Whipped Topping for Pancakes (optional)

Whip the following ingredients together until fluffy:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Reds:Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter or smart/earth balance
• 2 heaping tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 2 very large ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dry oats
• 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt