We all have a dish that reminds us of childhood: grilled cheese, ramen, brownies. The first whiff instantly transports us to our childhood kitchens, where we once waited wide-eyed for our food to be placed in front of us, legs swinging restlessly from our chairs.
After the first bite, we experience a tangible, blissful memory, especially if we helped our parents in the dish's creation -- sticky, chocolatey hands and all. We can recall the feeling of accomplishment when the dough we kneaded with Mom or Dad became a golden, crusty monkey bread.
More: Here are some shatter-proof plates for your kids -- and they look nice, too.
These twelve recipes are fun and easy to make with kids: They're picky eater-friendly, hands-on, and for the most part, knife-free. The memory is worth the mess.
Banana Bread by Merrill Stubbs
Jim Lahey's No-Knead Pizza Dough + Margherita Pie by Genius Recipes
Chocolate Soufflé by Yossy Arefi
Baking Sheet Macaroni and Cheese by Amanda Hesser
Mango Lassicles by Nicholas Day
California Chicken Tacos with Corn and Red Cabbage Slaw by Linda Burkhart
Magical Marvelous Memorable Cookies by drbabs
Chicken Fingers by Merrill Stubbs
Yogurt Pancakes with Pomegranate by Cara Eisenpress
Rao's Meatballs by Genius Recipes
Lemon Meringue Pie by Yossy Arefi
Spinach, Mushrooms, and Cream for Dinner by Nicholas Day
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