Creativity Extends To Kitchen
You’ll find no prouder parent than Kristy Crabtree’s mom, Barb. And you won’t find more modesty anywhere than with Kristy, who just turned 13 last Friday., A student at Centennial Middle School in the Spokane Valley, Kristy enjoys a diversity of interests, ranging from cooking to music to animals to sports.
Her unassuming attitude kept her, but not mom, from revealing that she placed first in the All League cross country meet last October - with a time of 6:56 in the mile.
And while Crabtree will tell you she likes playing the piano, clarinet and saxophone, it’s mom who’ll inform you that she composes her own music for the piano and excels in art (drawing and watercolor painting).
Crabtree, who owns two cats, two dogs and an iguana, wants to be a veterinarian and has volunteered at a Valley clinic. Although she’s not a vegetarian, her love of animals came through at a Christmas Eve dinner of ham, when she winced: “I don’t like the thought of killing a pig.”
Crabtree, who likes using a Betty Crocker cookbook, is creative in making meals for parents Barb and Larry and older brother Casey.
She brings elegance to the dinner table. It’s not just a plate in front of you, but lit candles, beautiful placemats and homemade cards with poems at each place. Meals start with hors d’oeuvres and may end with cafe mocha and strawberry crepes with whipped cream.
In her “Cookie Pizza” creation, Crabtree takes a basic dough recipe, tops it with her own cream cheese filling and sprinkles on candy toppings, which can be used to spell out words.
Start off the new year encouraging your own young adults to experiment in the kitchen. Then drop me a line, and maybe we’ll feature your child in our monthly Kid Stuff column.
Cookie Pizza
Adapted by Kristy Crabtree from “Betty Crocker’s 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook.”
Basic dough:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces miniature M&M’s
Cream cheese filling:
12 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon milk
Toppings:
6 ounces miniature M&M’s
6 ounces toffee bits candy
4 ounces Nestle’s Crunch Baking Pieces
Walnuts, optional
Flaked coconut, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix sugars, margarine, vanilla and egg. Stir in flour and baking soda (dough will be stiff). Mix in 6 ounces miniature M & M’s.
Spread or pat dough in ungreased 12-inch pizza pan or on cookie sheet. Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown; cool.
Just before serving, combine cream cheese, sugar and milk in a separate bowl. Spread on the “pizza” and sprinkle with toppings. Cut into wedges.
Refrigerate any remaining cookies.
Yield: 16 servings.
, DataTimes MEMO: Kid Stuff is a monthly column featuring recipes for and by kids. Young chefs can send letters describing their cooking interests to Kid Stuff, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.