Customer Reviews

The Mix-It-Up Cookbook (American Girl Library)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
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My 11-year-old daughter received this cookbook as a birthday present and has been on a cooking tear ever since. The book is nicely organized, colorful and easy to read for kids. The recipes are perfectly suited to the younger set, too.

She's already made the spaghetti and meatballs, as well as the pancakes. As her mom, I'm very happy that she's enjoying herself and that I'm off the hook when she's cooking!

I'm actually ordering the book as a Christmas present for another 11-year-old -- I highly recommend this cookbook to preteen or younger children.

The popular publishing house Pleasant Company created the American Girls book series for young girls over a decade ago. Since then, they have branched out, creating fiction and non-fiction books for kids of all ages.

The Mix-It-Up Cookbook introduces children to various basic recipes, such as pancakes, milkshakes, burritos, pizzas and macaroni. The colorful illustrations and straightforward instructions are both eye-catching and informative. The recipes are simple and the meals are healthy, not to mention yummy. Each recipe offers various ways to "mix it up." For example, prepare some scrambled eggs, add them to a warm flour tortilla and voila - you have a breakfast burrito all ready to go.

The book is also spiral-bound, meaning that it will lay flat on the countertop while you cook. This leaves both hands available to cut, mix and stir. Rather than trying to balance ingredients, bowls and utensils in one hand while propping the book open with the other hand, show kids that both hands should be available to cook. That will further reinforce kitchen safety.

From tossing a simple salad to setting the table, there are many ways to include all family members in mealtime. Get your kids in the kitchen and teach them how to be safe, how to follow instructions, and how to cook. Encourage them to make up their own fun dishes (within reason, of course) and you may soon turn your reluctant helper into a willing kitchen aide. Who knows -- you might have a future chef on your hands and not know it.

Now, if you are feeling really adventurous, have your munchkins help you prepare next week's grocery list!

The Mix-It-Up Cookbook is perfect for teaching kids to make basic recipes and then get creative with those recipes by adding mix-ins. Each chapter is devoted to one food, such as pancakes, eggs, and popcorn. Then, there is a whole page next to the recipe devoted to clever mix-ins you can add to make it taste even better (for example, peanut butter cups for the popcorn, chocolate chips and bananas for the pancakes). Yum! It even goes into details about how to set a proper table and make a complete, balanced meal. And it is all colorfully illustrated. It is books like this that make cooking fun.

My daughter ordered this and has used it a few times. The recipes are easy to follow and taste good. It's well organized. My only complaint is that there aren't that many.

My daughter is ten years old and loves this hardbound cookbook. I was going to give this to her for Christmas 2005, but decided I couldn't wait to help her bake cupcakes before then. Easy to understand directions for a ten year old makes this book a plus!!!

This is a very fun and colorful kid's cook book. Considering it's American Girl I would reccomend it for girls. This cook book separates the recipes into various sections including: eggs, pancakes, quick breads, pizza, tortillas, noodles, chocolate, popcorn, icec cream, and mix a meal. Each category has about 2-5 recipes. Along with many recipes they give you some "mix ins" or other ideas for the recipe. For example, one of my commonly used pages is boiled eggs. They tell you specifically how to boil eggs and then on that page they have the recipe for deviled eggs, egg salad, and egg sanwiches. Another page is "old fashioned popcorn". They first tell you how to stove top cook the popcorn and then they have on the page beside it, all different ideas for flavoring your popcorn. (cheese please, peanut butter cup, or candy mix ins). It's a fun book. I think more of the recipes are more snacks and small meals rather than a large meal. I also like this book because they give you lots of tips for cutting and measurin and all that. They include a couple charts for yourself in the front as well. It's a good party book! Ages: A girl of 6 could probably enjoy the colors and pictures in the book and help a parent make the recipe. Anyone over 17 would probably prefer a book with more advanced recipes.

My daughters and I have enjoyed a few recipes from the book. It is several basic recipes with numerous variations. It is not a complete cookbook by any means but there are some fun and different ideas. The illustrations and directions are great for elementary school children just starting to read and those able to read just starting to learn to cook.

I bought this book to take with me babysitting. The section on basic cooking tips is written in an easily understood manner and is very informative. It opened a lot of discussion on cooking techniques and kitchen safety.

The cookbook has many basic and easy to follow recipes for main courses, side dishes and desserts. Then there is the "mix it up" part - along with the recipes are lists of items that can be added to the dishes. You can take your regular pancakes and mix them up into apple pie pancakes or petal pancakes (one of my favorites!).

Every time we've used the Mix it Up Cookbook, we've had a lot of fun. The girls I babysit enjoy making their own food and being creative in what they can add in. This book is sure to give them a nice cooking foundation.

Be careful though, you might get addicted to the Girlie-Swirlie Shakes! :o)

Great pictures, lines to journal each recipe. Love the spiral bound. Great recipes for younger kids to follow and learn. We love it!