Amy Houts Blog

GRILLED BEEF SLIDERS

5/29/2020

Grilled Beef Sliders from Traeger Grills

Give kids a lesson in that grilling classic — burgers, but start them with a kid-size version. Don’t let the size of these sliders fool you, they are big on flavor. High-quality 80/20 ground chuck and caramelized onions make this simple recipe a tasty intro to Burgers 101. Younger cooks can focus on the condiments while beginning grillers have a low-stress entry point to cooking with fire. The burger patties are thin so they'll cook fast, meaning you shouldn't need to worry about undercooking.
-- BIG THANKS to Traeger Grills for sharing this recipe!

TASKS FOR CHILDREN
Ages 3 to 5: Shred lettuce Split slider buns for toasting
Ages 5 to 7: All tasks above Measure salt and pepper for burgers Brush burgers with oil
Ages 8 to 12: All tasks above Shape mixed beef into burgers (supervised) Garnish burgers with cooked onions, other condiments
Ages 13+: All tasks above Mix ground beef Turn on grill, set temp, monitor Cook burgers, toast buns

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds ground chuck, preferably at least 20% fat
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
slices of cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Muenster cheese
12 to 16 slider rolls
lettuce, shredded
ketchup (optional)
yellow mustard (optional)
mayonnaise (optional)
caramelized onions
3 tablespoons canola or olive oil
pinch kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

To make the burger patties: Add 2 teaspoons of kosher salt per pound of meat, and 1/2 teaspoons of ground pepper per pound (if you prefer less salty food, reduce to 1 teaspoon per pound).
Using your hands, gently mix the ground beef to incorporate the salt, making sure not to overwork it.
Shape the beef into 2- to 3-ounce, thin burgers. Brush on both sides with a small amount of the remaining oil.
When ready to cook, set your grill to high (450°F).
Place the burgers on the grill, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, then flipping and cooking an additional 2 to 3 minutes until you reach the desired doneness. If using cheese, add the cheese when the burgers are flipped.
Take the sliders off the grill and allow them to rest for a few minutes to ensure the juices are evenly distributed.
While burgers rest, add the buns to the grill and cook with the split side down for 1 to 2 minutes to toast them.
Garnish burgers with the shredded lettuce, and other condiments.

See here for the overall Kids in the Kitchen cooking guide from Traeger Grills.

Recipe adapted from our Beef Sliders recipe.

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GRILLED RATATOUILLE VEGETABLES: Cook with Kids

5/22/2020

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This brightly-colored grilled vegetable salad is loaded with flavor—and you can add your own with extra herbs and seasonings if you'd like. For your youngest, this recipe is an opportunity to give them their first knife skills lesson — the zucchini and summer squash can be sliced with a kid-safe plastic knife. The oldest can get an intro to grilling with this lower-temperature recipe, where there's less chance of burning the food.

BIG THANKS to Traeger Grills for the recipe!

TASKS FOR CHILDREN
Ages 3 to 5 Wash vegetables Brush sliced vegetables with oil Sprinkle with pre-measured amounts of salt and pepper
Ages 5 to 7 All tasks above Slice zucchini/squash with kid-safe knife Layer cooked vegetables per instructions
Ages 8 to 12 All tasks above Place vegetables on grill grate with long tongs
Ages 13+ All tasks above Turn on grill, set temp, monitor Slice tomato, red onion with sharp knife Monitor and flip vegetables while cooking

INGREDIENTS

1 sweet potato
1 red onion
1 zucchini
1 summer squash (or additional zucchini if unavailable)
1 large tomato
canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat grill to medium-high (400°F) with the lid closed for 10 to 15 minutes.
Slice all vegetables to a ¼-inch thickness.
Lightly brush each vegetable with oil and season with Traeger's Veggie Shake or salt and pepper.
Place sweet potato, onion, zucchini, and squash on grill grate and grill for 20 minutes or until tender, turn halfway through.
Add tomato slices to the grill during the last five minutes of cooking time.
For presentation, alternate vegetables while layering them vertically. Enjoy!

See here for the overall Kids in the Kitchen cooking guide from Traeger Grills.

Recipe adapted from our Grilled Ratatouille Salad recipe.

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Grilled Avocado Toast--Summer Cooking with Kids

5/15/2020

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BIG THANKS to Traeger Grills for sharing their recipes!
A tasty and healthy snack the whole family can enjoy making together. This simple appetizer is a good intro to grilling, because you don't have to worry about the potential contamination that comes with grilling meat. Future grillers can help season and measure while any child mature enough to attempt cooking (with supervision) has a very simple starter task. With only cut avocado and sliced bread to worry about, this recipe is close to foolproof.
INGREDIENTS

1 loaf French bread, cut in 1 1/2-inch slices
2 avocados, split in half, pit removed, skin on
1 orange (zest and juice)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 shallot, diced
1/2 Anaheim pepper, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
smoked sea salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Set your grill to medium heat (350°F).
Lightly drizzle olive oil over bread slices. Lightly drizzle lime juice and olive oil over avocado halves.
Place sliced bread and avocado halves on grate. Grill for approximately 5 to 10 minutes, or until the avocados have grill marks. Remove from grill.
Make cross-hatching slices through grilled avocado halves; scoop out avocado flesh, cut flesh into thin slices.
In a large bowl, zest orange and add juice from orange, olive oil, vinegar, and honey, whisk together. Add avocado pieces, Anaheim pepper, shallots, and garlic clove. Gently toss.
Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Top each slice of bread with a generous serving of avocado mixture. Enjoy!

TASKS FOR CHILDREN

Ages 3 to 5 Sprinkle pre-measured amounts of salt and pepper on avocado mixture Spoon mixture onto toast
Ages 5 to 7 All tasks above Juice orange Measure olive oil, vinegar, honey Whisk wet ingredients
Ages 8 to 12 All tasks above Zest orange Slice bread Chop avocado, add pepper, shallots, and garlic, and toss mixture
Ages 13+ All tasks above Chop shallot, pepper, and garlic Turn on grill, set temp, monitor Place bread and avocado on grill, monitor, remove and peel/slice when cool.

See here for the overall Kids in the Kitchen cooking guide from Traeger Grills.

Recipe adapted from our Avocado Toast recipe.

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GRILLING WITH YOUR FAMILY: Get Kids Involved!

5/8/2020

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Summertime is grilling time! Kids can help, but be safe!

Big thanks to Traeger Grills for sharing this article and their recipes!
Here's a summary of what kids can do at each age group.

AGES 3 TO 5 At this age, motor skills aren't fully developed and neither is attention span. Intricate tasks, tasks that require multiple steps, or tasks that require attention to detail aren't for this age group. Kids this age shouldn't be using implements either, even while supervised. But simple hands-only motions that don't require precision are perfect.
Appropriate tasks include washing fruits and vegetables, tearing lettuce into pieces for burgers or salads, or sprinkling pre-measured seasonings over dishes.
AGES 6 TO 8 This age group has begun to develop the motor skills and temperament to trust with child-safe implements. While you should still supervise, you can introduce kids to knife skills with nylon kid-safe knives. Depending on their maturity level, they may also be able to use graters and zesters. Kids at this age know and understand measurements so it will be good practice for their math skills to see if they can double or halve measurements of recipes.
Appropriate tasks include measuring ingredients, mixing dry rubs, and chopping soft fruits and vegetables such as bananas and zucchini.
AGES 9 TO 12 Most of the kids you'll see on MasterChef Junior fall into this age group, and as you see in the TV show, they can do a lot on their own. Different kids have different maturity levels, of course. If the child hasn't cooked before, start them with simple tasks. Then build up to more involved tasks where they are using appliances or working around heat or flame.
Appropriate tasks include peeling vegetables, pounding meat thin for the grill, and placing items on the grill (while closely supervised).
AGES 13+ Kids at this age should have the maturity level and motor skills to do just about any kitchen task the average adult can do. If they display these talents, you can have them help out with all phases of the grilling process from making their own dry rubs to prepping their own ingredients, and even taking their first steps as a grillmaster. This is also a safe age to begin allowing them to use sharp knives — after they complete a beginning knife skills course.
Appropriate tasks include chopping vegetables, starting the grill (closely supervised), and monitoring and flipping items as they cook.

See here for the overall Kids in the Kitchen cooking guide from Traeger Grills.

Come back next week for a recipe for grilled Avocado Toast, Grilled Vegetables, and more! This is the first in a series on getting kids involved in summertime grilling! See you then! ~ Amy Houts

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GRILLED BEEF SLIDERS

GRILLED RATATOUILLE VEGETABLES: Cook with Kids

Grilled Avocado Toast--Summer Cooking with Kids

GRILLING WITH YOUR FAMILY: Get Kids Involved!

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