Kitchen Playdates: Easy Ideas for Entertaining That Includes the Kids ** 70 Delicious Recipes [Paperback]

Lauren Deen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 9, 2007

Sophisticated entertainingwith kids? Lauren Bank Deen proves that it is not only possible, but great fun, too! Filled with 70 delicious recipes, varied menus, and themed activities, Kitchen Playdates offers parents a new way to socialize with friends and family without resorting to pizza. This handy cookbook includes "Kids in the Kitchen" notes with each recipe, providing age-appropriate tasks to keep children busy (and safe). And tons of creative all-ages craft ideas allow everyone to get involved when there are too many cooks in the kitchen. For easy, don't-miss house parties that are truly fun for thewhole family, come on over for a Kitchen Playdate!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Kitchen Playdates is every parent's best friend! Her easy stylish recipes and craft projects keep the kids busy and happy, and everyone has a great time." Bobby Flay, chef /owner Mesa Grill, Bolo, and Bar Americain

About the Author

Lauren Bank Deen is an Emmy Award-winning and James Beard Award-winning producer of lifestyle shows for Martha Stewart, Ina Garten, Vera Wang, and Dweezil Zappa. Lauren currently runs her own television production company and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two young children.

Tina Rupp is a New York-based photographer.

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; First edition. edition (August 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811855392
• ISBN-13: 978-0811855396
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 8.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #832,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good cookbook, nothing my kids would ever eat., December 5, 2007

By 

M. Benno "likes2bake" (Northern NJ, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Kitchen Playdates: Easy Ideas for Entertaining That Includes the Kids ** 70 Delicious Recipes (Paperback)

This is a cookbook. That's it. Now, what is so bad about that? When I got this book I thought it would be more of a party-planning book, such as Christopher Lowell's: themes, and dishes to go with the themes. But it's not. It's just a book telling about how she likes to cook with her kids and other families, the fact that she is a Food Network producer and trained chef, and all the places she has lived in. The dishes are arranged the usual way: appetizers, mains, desserts, etc. There are maybe four-themed "parties," and all she does is reference the page numbers of the recipes, and several themes use the exact same recipes for each!

Now tell me something: would your kids eat dishes like

pickled shrimp with mango and fennel? (and would you serve shrimp to a crowd of people, kids included?)

duck and andouille jambalaya? (and once again, would you serve duck to a crowd, only to be thrown out and wasted by the children?)

grilled lobsters with garlic butter? (um, yeah, what part of this are the children going to be able to do? Grilling around children? My idea of a supervision nightmare.)

This is a beautiful cookbook full of color photos and beautiful graphic design (not a photo for each dish, however). And there are some kid-friendly recipes, like Spaghetti carbonara and Parmesan chicken fingers. But do you need a kids' cookbook for that? Your standard Betty Crocker cookbook has these recipes, I'm sure.

This is a fun idea, and cooking with your kids is wonderful. But this is not marketed correctly. If you're going to cook with $40 ingredients, don't try it out on your kids or others' kids. Let them Try your entree at a restaurant and THEN make it at home.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delicious recipes for the whole family!, August 29, 2007

By 

Jenn in NY - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kitchen Playdates: Easy Ideas for Entertaining That Includes the Kids ** 70 Delicious Recipes (Paperback)

Finally! Here is a book that teaches children to cook meals with their parents that the adults will want to eat too! The pictures are gorgeous and the anecdotes that accompany the recipes add color and humor to the book. My kids looooove the Parmesan Chicken Fingers and the Stuffed French Toast!! We can't wait to try the "Sweets" chapter....This is a great guide to get kids involved in the kitchen! Highly recommended!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clearly written by a chef who knows and loves kids!, August 30, 2007

By 

B. Wordlaw (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Kitchen Playdates: Easy Ideas for Entertaining That Includes the Kids ** 70 Delicious Recipes (Paperback)

I ordered this book when looking for something fun but practical in the kitchen, as my 3 1/2 year old has realized that making PB&J sandwiches with cookie cutters does not qualify as "cooking." These recipes are fun and engaging, and something I can serve to my kids AND my book club friends. It also provides fabulous recipes for introducing new foods (veggies in particular) to both my children. We made one recipe last night (after I got the book earlier in the day), and we're making another one tonight!

Last but certainly not least, while reading through the book last night I noticed that the recipe descriptions and techniques are helpful to someone who's Food Network-watching days have been replaced by Noggin and Nikelodeon. :)

From Mommy and Daughter, alike: MORE PLEASE!!!