What meals do your preteens cook?

[Takver]

DD's been cooking once a week for the family, so far her repertoire includes omlettes with salad + potatoes, pasta with tomato based sauce, jacket spuds with beans/cheese.

I'd like to suggest some new options - ideally easy/cheap basics as she's still quite slow and so anything more complex will take her all afternoon, & don't want to put her off. Also thinking that when she leaves home a collection of things she can cook quickly & are cheap would be a good starting point.

What do other people's dc make in the way of meals?

Well DS states that toast is is speciality but still gets me to make it so I will watch with interest! He is an only so I do tend to do everything for him which is not good. He turns 13 in August so it's time he starts doing more for himself. And doing something for me would be nice too!

DD (10) roasted a chicken for the first time yesterday. Very little prep and very impressive result. Served with mash, carrots and cheesy leeks.

A basic white sauce is a great start for loads of other things. DD also like baking bread which in turn gives you pizza etc.

Homemade burgers are quick and give a good result.

Another one the kids do is meatballs but we make them by stripping the skin off sausages and rolling into balls. Then fry them around and make a tomato based sauce.

What about things like stuffed peppers? Or learning pastry?

This website is great.

I think white sauce is a good idea - dd really likes cauliflower cheese & leeks/mushrooms in white sauce as a pasta topping.

We're not veggie as such, but have loads of homegrown veg as a result of my work, so that tends to be what we eat mostly - though roast chicken would be nice for a special occasion

I'll have a look at that website, too :)

Cider - dd is also an only, and I would say that's an advantage in the cooking stakes in that DH & I will be complementary and happy pretty much whatever she cooks, whereas small siblings tend to be more fussy!

Website looks good - and reminds me that dd can also make a good vegetable soup/stew with dumplings - must remind her of that as an option!

Lasagne is a good one, and we have a great book by Sam Stern which the kids used loads (even making chicken Kiev from scratch).

Pasta and sauce

Quesadillas

Fish fingers and wedges

Definitely teach her pastry then. She will be able to make a nice flan to go with lots of yummy veggies. Also what about ratatouille? Soups and bread/cheese scones to go with them?

Now I think about it, stir fry veg with noodles would be another good one.

I don't make lasagne other than for a special occasion . . .

only just started this with 8 year old D's. he can make up couscous, chop carrots, beans etc. He can cook rice by absorbion method.
In the next few weeks I will be adding beans on toast. ( tin opener skills and warming in a pan) Then super / pot Noddles.
He is a way off cooking a complete meal but he can be useful when I cook.

YY to stir-fry. Great way to get them eating veg, practice knife skills and easily adaptable to what you have on hand. You can do tofu for veggies or try meat, poultry or seafood. Super economic as well.

Strangely, dd will eat almost anything, but doesn't really like baked beans (odd child).

Spag (or any pasta) bol
Chilli
chicken wraps
chicken with a jar of sauce (so chk tonight or sweet and sour)
Sausage and mash
pasta and a tomato-y sauce
veg soup
'meat and veg'
Obv stuff you just bung in the oven (say fish in batter with some oven chips)
She makes a nice mince in gravy, with mash and veg (basically a cottage pie but doesn't tend to put it together)
Lasagne
Gammon (in the slow cooker...ie more 'just bung it in and don't have to actually "make" it )

Takver - my ds is like that - he'll eat virtually anything, always has, but not baked beans .... I think it's to do with the texture)

progress report.
yesterday d s made toast all by himself. he cut slices off big loaf, did toaster, removed from toaster and buttered slices. Good work on knife skills.

This is my DDs current favourite, its delicious!

Honey Cashew Chicken with Rice

I run my own cooking school and do courses for 10-14 years we do loads of different stuff but one of the courses is a basics course, which is the same course I run for the London probation service for newly released offenders. All the basic recipes have follow on recipes.
Basic bread: pizza, Focachia, bread rolls and flatbreads.
Basic vegetable soup: various combos and adding pulses ect
Basic tomato sauce: meatballs, Arabiatta, baked fish in tomato sauce, pizza topping sauce
Basic white sauce: cauliflower cheese, fish pie and macaroni cheese with bacon & leeks.
Basic salad and dressings: French, Italian, salad nicoise, Cesar salad, croutons.
If you can master the basics you can cook loads of stuff. Why not try the little recipe cards you get in Sainsbury and tesco they can be quite good and also a classic omelet is nice to know I would recommend Delia's method.
I came across this jamie oliver site recently which is also quite good.
www.jamieshomecookingskills.com/about.php

Just to add my dd is 11 and has no interest in cooking at all, even though I teach loads of kids she doesn't want to know!!

My dd watches a lot of youtube vlogs... ( I know) but one is a what's in my fridge type thing and that's inspired her to suggest recipes to try...

Great thread. My dd doesn't cook much of anything at the moment, but I'd like to get her started! :)

Ds (9) cooked puttanesca sauce and pasta. It's quick and simple and not really a lot that can go wrong, although I drain the pasta.

Great thread. I've a very fussy 12 year old and she is making a meal every week of school hols and some weekends (Ditto dd1-14) as she is usually late in during the week. Due to her lack of interest in good it's a massive uphill struggle. Not helped by my lack of interest in food. Luckily dh & the rest love food so he tends to deal with that!

DD's making pizza tonight, good one as it's easy (just using a basic bread dough for the base) but it does take a while!

Taught my DS(11) pastry a couple of years ago; best decision ever. It has opened the door to pies and tarts as a surprise when I have been working late (DH wouldn't have a clue, bless him)
Sounds daft, but pointing out which recipe books are fail safe, and how to follow a recipe (eg getting everything ready 1st, using scales, etc) was the most useful thing ever. Means I don't have to worry, but do occasionally get requests for random ingredients ( a whole turbot being the most notable recently, that got a no!)
DS cooks for family at least once a week.

Just read that back and I lied. Best thing I ever taught him as to scrub yucky 11 year old gunk off hands before starting!

Just read this thread thinking ooh what a good thread then realised half way down I'd already read it and commented!
So will update my uninterested 11 dd has made some homemade hamburgers last week and they were delicious. I'm going to get her cooking at least once a week if possible.