Cooking camp recipes satisfy all ages

Our 10-year-old daughter was in cooking camp all last week at Notre Dame Regional High School. She had a wonderful week, and she had so much fun trying new recipes and making new friends. Everyday was a different theme: Mini Monday, Rise and Shine Tuesday, Pizza Pie Wednesday, Just Desserts Thursday and Finger Food Friday. Each day was packed with at least five recipes for the groups to prepare and eat.

She came home with a cute apron and a great little cookbook with all of the recipes from the week. I just have to share as many of those with you today as I have room for. If you have a young chef in the making, or would like to try these for yourself or family, I am sure you will enjoy these recipes. Have fun and don't forget to clean up your mess!

Asian honey barbecue chicken drummettes

1 cup honey barbecue sauce

4 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

16 chicken drummettes (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Mix barbecue sauce, soy sauce, ginger and garlic powder. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake chicken 25 minutes or until cooked through, turning and brushing occasionally with the barbecue sauce mixture. Serve with additional barbecue sauce, if desired. (Discard any leftover basting sauce and serve with fresh sauce to avoid raw meat contaminates.)

Mini new potato bites

1 1/2 pounds new potatoes (about 15 potatoes)

4 ounces (1/2 of an 8 ounce package) cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

Place potatoes in large saucepan; add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, mix cream cheese, sour cream and Parmesan cheese; cover. Refrigerate until ready to use. Drain potatoes. Cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half; cut small piece from bottom of each potato half so potato lies flat. Place on serving platter. Top each potato half with 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with bacon and chives. You can also use chive and onion cream cheese spread for the sour cream mixture.

Parmesan corn on the cob

4 hot cooked ears of fresh corn

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 fresh lime wedges

Spread corn evenly with butter. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of the cheese. Serve each with a lime wedge to squeeze over corn.

Quick sausage crescents

1 can (8-ounces) reduced-fat refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

8 frozen BOCA meatless breakfast links

Separate dough into 8 triangles. Place 1 breakfast link at short end of each triangle; roll up. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve with honey or maple syrup.

PB&J french toast

3 slices whole-wheat, white or cinnamon-raisin bread

1/4 cup peanut butter

3 tablespoons strawberry jam

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 1/2 cups Post Honey Bunches of Oats cereal, crushed

2 cups sliced fresh fruit, such as strawberries and/or bananas

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread each of 4 bread slices with 1 tablespoon peanut butter and about 2 teaspoons jam. Break eggs into shallow dish. Add milk and beat with wire whisk for 30 seconds. Place crushed cereal in pie plate. Dip each sandwich into egg mixture, then into cereal, turning to evenly coat both sides. Press cereal gently into bread to secure. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut each sandwich diagonally in half; top with fruit. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with syrup.

Salad topped pizza

1 (28.2-ounce) DiGiorno rising crust four-cheese pizza

2 1/3 cups torn romaine lettuce

1/2 of a small red onion, cut into thin wedges

1 small tomato, cut into thin slices, quartered

3 tablespoons pitted ripe olive slices, optional

2 tablespoons ranch dressing or three cheese Italian dressing

Bake pizza as directed on package. Meanwhile, toss lettuce with onion, tomato and olives in large bowl. Add dressing; mix lightly. Cut pizza into 6 wedges; top with salad.

Taco pizza

1 pound lean ground beef

1 (10.75-ounce) package taco dinner kit

1 prepared pizza crust, 12 inches

1 cup Mexican style shredded cheese

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 large tomato, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook meat with taco seasoning mix as directed on package; spread over onto pizza crust. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Top with lettuce and tomatoes. Crush taco shells; sprinkle over pizza. Drizzle with salsa. Cut into 12 slices.

Freestyle fruit tart

1 refrigerated ready-to-use pie crust

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups sliced plums, about 3 medium, or peaches and blueberries

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar (3/4 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon)

1 cup thawed frozen whipped topping

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place pie crust in greased 10-inch pie plate. Carefully spread cream cheese in 6-inch circle in center of crust; set aside. Toss plums or other fruit of choice with sugar and flour; place over cream cheese. Gently fold edges of crust about 2 inches over fruit, leaving center of fruit uncovered. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over tart. Bake 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fruit juices are bubbly. Cool slightly before lifting out of pie plate. Cut into slices; top with whipped topping.

Molten chocolate cakes

4 squares Baker's semisweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

6 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup thawed frozen whipped topping

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter four 3/4 cup custard cups or souffle dishes. Place on baking sheet. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on high 1 minute or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar until well blended. Blend in eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk. Stir in flour. Divide batter among prepared custard cups. Bake 13 to 14 minutes or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 minute. Carefully run a small knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert dishes. Serve immediately, topped with whipped topping.

If you do not have custard cups, prepare batter as directed; pour evenly among nine well-greased medium muffin cups. Bake at 425 degrees for seven minutes or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 minute. Loosen cakes and remove from pan as directed.

Once again I must come to a close, but I will leave you with wishes for a great week, so until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.