Easy to prepare Mexican Recipes

adapted for child-friendly preparations

Below is one of many easy to prepare Mexican Recipes. This is simplified for the little hands. Minimal adult assistance is required for preparations and supervision. Helping in the kitchen and preparing a meal is an opportunity for preschool learning. See how you can have your child learn math, language, as he builds his self-confidence and enhances his motor skills.

Learn more about it in : Cooking for kids

The easiest of Mexican Recipes would be making these Tortilla Flowers. This is one of the many preschool activities that you can apply to your preschool curriculum. It is easy, fun and captivating.

TOSTITOS TORTILLA FLOWERS

INGREDIENTS
• 1 pkg Baked Tostitos Scoops
• 1 bottle Tostitos Mild Salsa
• Coriander / Cilantro Leaves (for garnishing)

PREPARATIONS
• Count the number of tostitos shells / scoops required
• Place them in a tray in rows or groups
• Spend some time talking about groupings - (math concept)
• Scoop a tablespoon of salsa into each shell slowly avoiding spills
• Break the Coriander /cilantro leaves off the stalk - giving opportunity for counting exercise
• Put a little coriander / cilantro to make the center of the flower. (may use green peas, radish, mini tomatoes...etc
• Carry the tray and serve everyone without the contents sliding off.

Substitutes for Tostitos Scoops:

you may use slices of bread, butter bottom side - stuff them into a muffin tray and bake it for 10 mins or till brown. It forms lovely flower shape scoops just the same. If bread is old, wet it a little with water. Fresh bread is ideal.

Substitutes for Tostitos Salsa Sauce:
you may use any left over spagetti minced meat, add a little more ketchup to it. If you are using bread as the base, you can use tuna, ham, cheese....actually, most leftovers do well....etc

With these substitutes, your meal would have been transformed from Mexican Recipes to "Food Recycled Recipes"

NOTE

Serving Tostitos is a great motor skill test / exercise as it requires the children to carry the tray upright. Tostitos slide off easily from the tray and it is a great self check / control. Kids will naturally be more cautious. Even with a spill, it does not take much effort to clean up, and it is absolutely safe.

QUICK & EASY QUESADILLAS

INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 2 TBsp Sour Cream
• 8 (6 inch) tortillas
• 3/4 lb cooked sliced chicken
• 1 cup shredded cheese

PREPARATIONS
• Mix salsa and sour cream in a bowl
• Spread the mixture onto a tortilla with a butter knife
• Fold the tortilla into half and open it again to form a creased line
• Place some chicken slices onto one half of the tortilla
• Top with shredded cheese
• Fold the tortilla
• Place in a microwave and cook for 30 seconds or till cheese melt.Alternatively, use a toaster oven or grill.
• Optional- cut each quesadilla into quarters or thirds

Allow the kids to use a small shredder to shred the cheese. If your kids have not used a shredder before, explain that it can cut like a knife. Teach them to hold the block of cheese at the top and constantly turn the block to check the position of the thumb to ensure that it is not too close to the blades.

For very young preschoolers, use a bar of soap to practice. They love the fragrance as the soap is being grated. You can also add water to the grated soap and use it for cleaning.

How cooking can help your preschool child in Math & Language

Crafts with Pasta

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