Get kids cooking in the kitchen this Thanksgiving

Set the stage

The reality of having your kid help you in the kitchen is this: it's going to get messy. Very, very messy. And that's cool, as long as you are prepared for the mess sans the stress. Set out some towels on the counter top so when flour, sugar and whatever else spills, you can simply swipe messes away as they happen.

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Set some boundaries

Make sure your kids know that cooking can be fun, but it is can also be dangerous. Let them know the things that are off limits, such as the oven/range and knives, then let them in on all the fun things they can help you with! Before you get the kids in the kitchen, map out age appropriate tasks for each of your children.

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Set up success

The key to success in the kitchen with your novice sous chefs is to keep the recipes short and simple. Check out a few fun and easy recipes that are sure to keep your kids interested in the cooking and the eating this Thanksgiving.

Crunchy Chickpeas

Baked chickpeas are a super easy and delicious Thanksgiving appetizer that kids will love to crunch (pssst -- they are healthy, too!). They can help pour the can of chickpeas into the colander to drain liquid, rinse them off and pour them onto the baking sheet,

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil
• Sea salt to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. In a medium sized bowl, mix chickpeas with olive oil to coat.
4. Spread chickpeas onto baking sheet.
5. Sprinkle with desired amount of salt.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes to keep chickpeas from burning.

Stuffed stuffing

Even if you make stuffing from a box, you can dress it up a million different ways to make it fun to make for your kids as well as something they'll actually want to eat. Consider adding diced apples, dried cranberries and walnuts to a pre-made stuffing mix. Or finely chop broccoli, carrots and celery, saute and then add to stuffing before baking. Try to incorporate your kids' favorite fruits and veggies to make a more healthfully stuffed stuffing!

Pumpkin cupcakes

Drizzle a small amount of icing on these delicious cupcakes and suddenly pumpkin flavored food is much more desirable in the eyes of a child. These pumpkin cupcakes are a family favorite.

Ingredients

• 1 package yellow cake mix (look for a low-sugar variety)
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
3. In a large bowl, blend cake mix, pumpkin puree, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth.
4. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.

For a quick and delicious frosting glaze, mix 2 tablespoons cream cheese, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and then add small amounts of water and stir until the frosting thins to a glaze of your desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cupcakes.

Read more on kid-friendly holiday cooking

Kid-friendly Thanksgiving recipes
Thanksgiving Day: Kids in the kitchen
Make a batch of homemade apple cider