Kids in the Kitchen: Fourth of July Barbeque

Spring is in full swing and Summer is just around the corner with perfectly ripe fruits and vegetables available in backyards and produce stands everywhere. Even still, it can be quite a challenge to get your child on board with the whole "eat your fruit and veggies" thing. So what to do? Get those kids in the kitchen! When kids become chefs and begin to take a major part in producing their own meals, they are much more likely to enjoy the food they helped to make and eat it! Here's some Fourth of July fare for recipes with “kids in the kitchen” instructions written for the young chefs, as well as prep notes for parents, to help make your next Fourth of July bash a nutritious and fruitful good time. However, these ideas are fabulous enough to whip up no matter what the occasion.

Corn Flake Crunch Chicken

Kids may love fried chicken, but no one loves deep frying food, and your hearts will certainly thank you for this this crunchy and satisfying healthy alternative.

What You Need:

• 3 cups corn flakes
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breast
• Kosher salt

What You Do:

Parent Prep: Place each chicken breast in between two sheets of wax paper and flatten each one out by pounding it with a rolling pin. Then slice the chicken into strips about 1 ½ inches wide by 4 inches long. Melt the butter in a pan on the stove and allow it to cool. Place the corn flakes in the food processor and pulse until they're broken down into course crumbs.

Kids in the Kitchen: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Create a work area with the plate of the cut chicken strips, and then put the melted butter in a bowl and the corn flake crumbs in another bowl. Line everything up so that you have an assembly-line work station for coating your chicken. Lightly salt the chicken. Dredge (dip) a piece of chicken entirely into the butter, and then in the next bowl, roll it in the corn flakes until it is completely covered. Place on the baking sheet and repeat this process with each strip until all of the chicken has been coated.