Disney's Family Cookbook ~ A Review

As you can, see, my copy is well-used!

When I am in the kitchen, my daughter Hayley is usually right by my side.  She tells me all the time she wants to be a chef and own a restaurant like Princess Tiana (for my non-Disney friends, Princess Tiana is from the movie Princess and the Frog, a must see if you haven't seen it yet!).  She always wants to help cook dinner, make lunches or bake something.  She and Emily use their pretend kitchen and dishes all the time to prepare meals for their dolls.  Their specialty used to be tea, but they have expanded that to much more and recently treated their dolls to what looked like possibly a 5-course tea party.  One day Emily was pretending to cut something.  I asked her what she was cutting and her response to me was, "Mommy, I am not cutting, I am mincing."  For those of you who haven't seen Princess in the Frog, Princess Tiana teaches Prince Naveen to mince.  I won't give away more details than that, but it is pretty cute.

This is an example of the pages with visual directions

Being a Disney fanatic, when I found the Disney Family Cookbook years ago, before kids, I just had to have it. The recipes are simple and at the time that was what I needed (see my post A New Recipe ~ Blueberry Almond Buckle to read about my learning to cook). But, now as a mom, this book has become even more valuable to me. Not only are there healthier recipes, but there are pages with visual directions so your child can cook with you. We have tried several recipes and loved each one of them.

The Table of Contents is actually what caught my eye.  There are the usual cookbook topics, such as breakfast, soup and dinner chapters, but also after school snacks, lunch specials (something I am always looking to be more creative with) and holidays.  I have found so many great recipes, but also they include many tips to get more vegetables and fruits into your child.  Basically, it makes food fun.  In addition, there is even a section on homemade play dough.  This has become one of my most referred to cookbooks in my collection.

One of the recipes I make the most often is the Mean and Lean Meatloaf which replaces your typical bread crumbs with oatmeal.  When I first read the ingredients list, I did not think that would be very delicious.  Well, let me tell you, this is the moistest meatloaf, with excellent flavor I have ever made.  If you want the recipe, just leave me a comment and I'll send it along.

So if your looking for a cookbook with recipes that lean toward the creative and healthier side, this should be a definite addition to your cookbook collection.  My kids love to help cook and this book has many fun activities for them to do in the kitchen.