Raised in the Kitchen

March 15, 2021
Even cooks sans kids will gravitate to Cheney's first, family-friendly production. It's educational, yet easy to understand and to follow, and highly personalized; each of Cheney's three kids--Claire, Grayson, and Peyton--more than contributes his or her own likes, dislikes, and cooking tips. (And a plus: Cheney identifies at least eight ways to conquer the picky eater syndrome.) Cheney offers kitchen tips like use unflavored floss to cut perfect pieces of dough, hang bananas to get longer life, and how to cure overbrowned cornbread. "From scratch" sometimes means adapting ready-made ingredients such as waffle cones and frozen yogurt. There's little to no fussiness about kitchen skills, with even Mom Cheney admitting to mistakes like flipping omelets onto the floor, rather than plates. Family traditions are created, celebrated, and shared, such as the great family bake-off, and the 70-plus recipes reprise favorites with a twist: Nutella-stuffed cupcakes, cheese bread, cinnamon roll oatmeal, homemade salsa, Caf� Rio chicken salad. It's truly cooking to enjoy, whether solo or en masse.

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May 1, 2021

This volume is not just a cookbook but a family fun guide that delivers a great time in the kitchen; it's sure to bring families closer together. The recipes detail all steps, from prep to cleanup, along with dozens of activities. Key lessons include seasoning, knife skills, and kitchen safety. The colorful and easy-to-read recipes are categorized as breads, breakfasts, meats, side dishes, main dishes, or desserts. Cheney includes nondairy alternatives for a few recipes, but the text could benefit from being more inclusive of children with dietary issues, a common reason for fussiness. VERDICT Filled with fun family recipes and ideas for even the pickiest of eaters, this book is sure to be a hit with both parents and children.

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