Cooking with Tara - Safety Rules

Before you try making any of the recipes here or do any cooking -
here are some safety tips to remember and follow:

For Any Cooking -

Always wash your hands with soap and water before handling food, whether eating or cooking.

Always have Mom, Dad, or another responsible adult supervise when you're cooking or baking... also when peeling, chopping or slicing food.

Make sure your kitchen has a fire extinguisher. If you're old enough to cook, have your parents show you how to use the fire extinguisher too.

Never put water on a fire in a frying pan. Never add water to hot cooking oil. Water can increase a hot oil fire.

Do not wear baggy clothing when cooking, especially wide or long sleeves.

Clean up any spills right away to prevent slipping.

Use unbreakable bowls and utensils.

Wash fruits and vegetables under cool running water before using. Use a small vegetable brush to help wash potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets and other vegetables that can't be easily rinsed clean.

Make sure that food and recipe ingredients that need to be refrigerated are not left sitting on the counter after using them. Refrigerated foods should be prompltly returned to the refrigerator. It's a good idea to put each ingredient away as soon as you are finished using it.

Never put cooked food on the same plate or cutting board that held raw meat, chicken or fish. Always use a clean plate for cooked food.

Never put knives, food processor or blender blades, or other sharp objects into a sink full of dish washing water. You could cut your hands when reaching in the water.

When cooking on the stove -

Never lay towels, potholders, food packages, recipe cards, cookbooks, or any kind of paper on - or anywhere near the stove - even if the oven is off and no burners are turned on.
Never leave food unattended on the stove. If you must leave the kitchen for any reason, for even a few seconds, make sure all burners and cooking appliances are turned OFF.
Always make sure all pot handles are turned toward the back of the stove and away from the edge, to prevent younger kids from reaching them and pulling them down.

When using the microwave -

Do not use the microwave oven unless your parents or another responsible adult supervises. Parents may allow older kids to use the microwave oven, unsupervised, but only after those kids have learned exactly how to use it properly.
Carefully follow the microwave cooking directions printed on food packages, including any safety reminders.
Never use metal dishes, aluminum foil, wire twist ties, or anything with metal trim in the microwave.
Always poke holes in food wrap that's sealed around food - before cooking in the microwave oven.
Food cooked in a microwave oven can be hotter than it appears, and the dishes it's cooked in can become very hot. Always use potholders to remove food containers from the microwave oven.
Open covered dishes by slightly lifting the edge of the lid on the side farthest away from you. This lets the hot steam out gradually before you take the lid off. Never suddenly lift a closed lid from a hot dish, pan or skillet. The escaping steam could burn your arm or your face.

Things to remember when using small appliances. -

Don't plug more than one appliance into an outlet.
Never use an appliance with a frayed cord.
Never let an appliance cord hang over the edge of the counter. Younger children or pets could grab the cord or get caught in it and pull it down.

Read and learn these safety rules, then click on the picture below to come with me and find some great web recipes for kids!

SiliconeZone 10-pc. Kids' Bakeware Set
This brightly-colored, 10-piece, flexible bakeware set is made just for kids. It includes a wooden rolling pin, a wooden spoon, a recipe and instruction booklet, four cookie cutters and four baking molds (Christmas tree, Teddy Bear, Round Cake Pan and Tart Pan). Each of the molds has a patented, high-gloss, nonstick finish and a temperature range that reaches to 428 degrees Fahrenheit. With this bakeware, you can count on even browning, quick cooling and easy removal thanks to its flexibility. Rinse and wipe clean or place in the dishwasher.

Except for me, the great graphics on this page came from -