Everyone likes yummy foods – whether that’s a tasty cake, a simple snack, a delicious dinner or just a crunchy apple, there’s plenty of yummy food to enjoy.

And cooking is loads of fun too.  And the best thing is – you don’t have to leave it to the grown-ups!

Why not try to see what scrumptious things you can make yourself?  Who knows, you might turn out to be the next Jamie Oliver!

Kitchen and cooking terms

If you’re going to be a master chef, then you’re going to need to know some of the important terms!  To help you out, here’s some of the key ones:

• Frying – this is when you cook something in a pan with oil.  Fried food is really nice, but be careful because it can be very fatty!  Also, watch out when frying because sometimes the pan can spit out little specks of hot oil which hurt!
• Roasting – this is when you put something in the oven. You may have noticed your mum or dad putting a chicken and potatoes in the oven for a lovely roast dinner
• Boiling – this is when you cook something in a liquid such as water or a broth so it reaches a boiling temperature. When it starts to boil you will see bubbles in the pan
• Entree – if you want to be impressive when making a meal for your parents, how about calling it an entree (pronounced ON-TRAY), which basically means ‘main dish’
• Peeling – often when making soups and desserts, you need to first remove the outer skin from the fruit and vegetables with a knife or vegetable peeler. Make sure your parents help though so you don’t cut yourself

Kitchen safety

You must always remember to be careful in the kitchen – sharp knives, boiling water and hot ovens could hurt you, so make sure a grown up is about to lend a hand.

Also remember to wash your hands and utensils before and during cooking so you don’t catch or spread nasty germs from raw food.

Your mum and or dad can help you with all the rules about preparing food safely, which is very important, especially when meat is involved. You don’t want to end up with an upset tummy!

What to make?

So now we know some of the main terms and how to cook safely, let’s get cooking!  Here are some easy ideas for you:

A soup

Soups are great to make because they are really simple, just by boiling chopped vegetables in water with a stock cube.  Carrot and potato is a yummy combination, but you can experiment by adding whatever you want.

Here’s a simple recipe – for Roast Tomato Soup

Serves 4

You will need:

• 5 large tomatoes
• 1 small clove garlic, left in its skin
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 300ml low salt vegetable stock

What to do:

1. Place the tomatoes in a roasting dish with the herbs, garlic and oil. Roast in a pre-heated oven at 180°C / gas mark 4 (moderate heat) for 15 mins
2. Press the tomatoes and any liquid in the roasting dish through a sieve to remove the skins, pips and stalks
3. Squeeze the flesh of the garlic and place in a large pan along with the tomato stock and vegetable stock. Simmer for 10 mins. Season and serve

A main Course

Here’s a simple recipe – for Pork Sausage Pan Haggerty

It serves 3, and takes about 40 to 45 minutes

You will need:

• 6 pork sausages
• 1kg (2.2lb) Potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 450g (1lb) Green cabbage, chopped
• 1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 30ml (2tbsp) Tomato ketchup
• 5ml (1tsp) Worcestershire sauce

What to do:

1. Place potatoes in a large pan, cover with water and cook covered for 10 minutes.  Add cabbage and cook for a further 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender
2. In a large non-stick frying pan dry fry sausages with onion until browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Stir in tomato ketchup and Worcestershire sauce.  Drain the potatoes and cabbage thoroughly and mash with a potato masher
3. Add the mashed potato to the pan.  Cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes until golden in colour then invert gently onto a baking sheet and slide carefully back into the pan OR put frying pan under the grill to brown.  Cook for a further 5-10 minutes until golden brown
4. Scoop out of pan and serve with your favourite ketchup!

And if you want to be really fancy, how about using some herbs too?  They are a great way to add flavour when you are cooking, and you can grow lots of them in your garden or on a windowsill.  Examples of some great herbs are oregano, coriander and basil.

A dessert

Hot or cold, desserts are always yummy.  Try this simple recipe out at home – Blackcurrant Fool

You will need:

• 450g Blackcurrants
• 175g sugar
• 50ml low fat natural yoghurt
• 150ml whipped cream

What to do:

1. Place blackcurrants in a pan with the sugar and a little water
2. Bring to the boil and stir them gently until the sugar is completely dissolved
3. Force the puree through a sieve and allow to cool
4. Mix together the yoghurt and the cream then fold in the blackcurrant puree gently
5. Pour the mixture into glasses and chill in the fridge for 2 hours

A snack

When you get in at home from school or a great day out, and you’re thirsty, why not make a thick and fruity Strawberry Smoothie

Makes one glass and serves 2.

You will need:

• 6 large strawberries
• 1 cup skimmed milk
• 1/2 pot vanilla (or natural) yoghurt
• 4 ice cubes

What to do:

1. Place all the ingredients into blender and mix until smooth
2. Serve immediately