A wave of nostalgia sweeps over me every time I crack open the pages of two new books, Crafting Fun and Cooking Fun by author Rae Grant. The books with their retro design and classic recipes and crafts, send me back to my childhood and remind me of days spent crafting and cooking with my mom and grandma. Both my mom and grandma can cook up a storm and are just as accomplished sewers and crafters. My own skills can't even begin to compare. Luckily, my kids have also been able to witness the magic in their kitchens and at their sewing machines. Now with the help of Grant's vintage-styled books, I can continue the legacy of good home cooking and simple, classic crafting.

Cooking Fun: 121 Simple Recipes to Make with Kids by Rae Grant. St. Martin's Griffin (October 2008); 144 pages; ISBN 9780312377793If you've been searching for the perfect children's cookbook, Rae Grant's Cooking Fun: 121 Simple Recipes to Make with Kids is worth a look. Old-fashioned, comfort food type recipes fill the book, and Grant shares all those familiar recipes that every mother should hand down to her children. Sloppy Joes, pancakes, strawberry shortcake, banana bread, and broccoli soup are a few of the 121 mouth-watering recipes. Nothing fancy and everything homemade, that is how my grandmother cooks and apparently Rae Grant's grandmother as well. The beginning of the book includes a section of kitchen basics and tips, cooking terms, measuring equivalents and even suggestions on keeping a "green" eco-friendly kitchen. Grant's artful use of vintage graphics throughout makes the book eye-pleasing and enticing.

Beverages • Toasts, Sandwiches, and Soups • Eggs for Breakfast, Lunch or Supper • Salads and Vegetable Dishes • Meals • Quick Breads and Cakes • Cookies and Simple Desserts
My daughter and I tried out the snickerdoodles recipe on page 124. The name snickerdoodles has always cracked me up since I was a little girl and they really are a perfect snack with milk, a good change from chocolate chip cookies. They turned out excellent, by the way!

Crafting Fun: 101 Things to Make and Do With Kids by Rae Grant. St. Martin's Griffin (September 2008); 144 pages; ISBN 9780312377809My mom ran a licensed daycare out of our home, so I grew up making plenty of crafts. She searched books and magazines for little projects and activities to do with the kids. Some of the classic crafts I remember making can be found right in Crafting Fun: 101 Things to Make and Do With Kids like paper drinking cups, waxed paper leaves, snow globes, and tussie-mussies. A few crafts include accompanying factual information like a U.S. State Tree Chart along with the skeleton leaf prints activity. All the projects are ordered by seasons: Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer.

Related Links:
cookingfunforkids.com
craftingfunforkids.com
Macmillan Books Rae Grant Author Page

To enter, visit cookingfunforkids.com, click on "Recipes to Try" and let me know which recipe name from the list reminds you of food from your childhood. (If you can't access the page, let me know what food brings back childhood memories for you.)
• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.Three more ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4):
• Contest is open to US and International (yes, everyone!)
• Contest ends on Monday, June 22th, 2009 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random
1st extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader
2nd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.
3rd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.
(Sample tweet: Looking for activity ideas for the kids? "Cooking Fun" and "Crafting Fun" by Rae Grant book Giveaway @iambrimful http://bit.ly/4fQoO2 )
94 comments:
Best Chocolate Pudding made by my mom.
gahome2mom at gmail dot com
subscriber by email
gahome2mom at gmail dot com
The applesauce reminds me of my childhood which seems strange because I can only recall making it from scratch once...
melacan at hotmail dot com
subscribe via google reader
melacan at hotmail dot com
Minta's Apple Crisp for sure, my Mom + Grandmother were always making it growing up!
heatheranne99 at hotmail dot com
Peanut butter cookies!
nbmars AT yahoo DOT com
I subscribe to your blog in Google Reader.
nbmars AT yahoo DOT com
Best chocolate pudding, standing up on a stool by the stove!
andreaneville AT comcast DOT net
I'd love to try the baked apples. I'd prefer the craft book, because my son has a gazillion allergies. Looks fantastic - thanks!
I subscribe via google reader.
The Minta’s Apple Crisp reminds me of cold winter nights when I was a child.
Minta’s Apple Crisp
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It would be the Peanut Butter cookies!
I'm a Subscriber of your blog.
ellybean (at) connected2christ dot com
Mac n' Cheese!
treflea4 at gmail dot com
I love the lemon bars my mom made them all the time growing up. amsbolda@hotmail.com
I subscribe by email. amsbolda@hotmail.com
snickerdoodles :)
subscribe
http://twitter.com/valerie2350/status/2051479810
http://sweeps4bloggers.blogspot.com/2009/06/brimfulcuriosities-cooking-for-fun.html
Lemon Bars : )
savethemasses@hotmail.com
Both of these books sound great!! I'd love to have some fun w/ my kiddos with either of them!
kysmom02 AT hotmail DOT com
Both books sound great. When I was young we always made my fathers favorite cookies which were Peanut Butter Cookies. Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
carlene
iluvreading(at)verizon.net
I am a subscriber.
Thanks
carlene
iluvreading(at)verizon.net
I am a follower.
Thanks
carlene
iluvreading(at)verizon.net
Snickerdoodles-
aunteegem@yahoo.com
I am a follower
aunteegem@yahoo.com
Oh, definitely Snickerdoodles. My great grandmother made those every weekend.
talonsmom731 at gmail dot com
I'm a follower.
talonsmom731 at gmail dot com
I blogged
http://goyay.blogspot.com/2009/06/cooking-fun-and-crafting-fun-books.html
talonsmom731 at gmail dot com
I am following on Twitter and tweeted
http://twitter.com/talonsmom731/status/2054999176
talonsmom731 at gmail dot com
rainy day rice pudding...that was my favorite treat as a kid
throuthehaze at gmail dot com
follower
throuthehaze at gmail dot com
Snickerdoodles! My mom used to make those all the time! Yum!
kkondek at gmail.com
I am a follower!
kkondek at gmail.com
Tweet! http://twitter.com/ktkatherine/status/2060494953
kkondek at gmail.com
We used to make Snickerdoodles all the time! :)
Creamy Macaroni & Cheese. My favorite as a child and still is today. Thank you!
I'm a subscriber.
I follow on Twitter and tweeted
http://twitter.com/kewpiedoll04/status/2062451581
Great giveaway - I'd love to be entered for the Crafting Fun giveaway.
I'll say Minta's apple crisp. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway.
dianad8008 AT gmail DOT com
My mom made the best lemon bars when I was a kid...
nscandurro[at]cox[dot]net
I'm an email subscriber
nscandurro[at]cox[dot]net
I would love to win a copy of Cooking Fun!! Those recipes look so good! The brownies make me think of when my mom used to make them while we were in school and they would still be hot when we got off the bus!
I subscribe in my Google Reader!
I follow you on twitter!
Peanut butter cookies.. which is my favorite until now!
delilah0180 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Minta's Apple Crisp makes me think of my childhood. I always loved when my mom made it!
mommastaci33(at)yahoo(dot)com
I subscribe. Thanks!
mommastaci33(at)yahoo(dot)com
Rainy Day Rice Pudding without a doubt. We used to have rice pudding about everyother week when I was young. I still love it but don't eat it as often.
roylsue(at)telpage(dot)net
I'm a follower
roylsue(at)telpage(dot)net
I posted this giveaway on my blog site at:
http://gourdcrafter.blogspot.com/
roylsue(at)telpage(dot)net
I twittered this giveaway. Tweeting name is kona15hilo
I am for the baked apples. My children have 3 of the 8 major food allergies, so many of the recipes would have to be altered.
denise_22315(at)yahoo(dot)com
My mom's Rice Pudding.
I would like to enter for Cooking Fun.
Thank you!
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Email subscribed.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
I follow and I sent a tweet:
http://twitter.com/Janetfaye/status/2195740380
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Snickerdoodles reminds me of my mom and home baking. domanda3@gmail.com
I follow you now.
My grandma taught me to make Snickerdoodles when I was a kid and I made them for my husband when we were dating and he asks for them all the time even now :-)
marielay@gmail.com
I am a follower.
marielay@gmail.com
I follow you on twitter and I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/doodlebug40/status/2200287467
marielay@gmail.com
Ham and Ginger Ale reminds me of my Gma, and Easter sunday! She'd make a huge ham and baste it with ginger ale, and I'd steal sips of the ginger ale, lol! What yummy recipes!
Jellibeenz1978@hotmail.com
Im also an email subscriber
jellibeenz1978@hotmail.com
Following on Twitter and tweeted the giveaway!
jellibeenz1978@hotmail.com
Peanut butter cookies, yeah!
Rice pudding/apple crisp were staples of my childhood.
dvillelaw[at]gmail[dot]com
The "Icebox Cookies" recipe reminds me of my childhood. I would love to win either book, but "cooking Fun" would interest me the most.
JDSG
lebizyb(at)q(dot)com
Email subscriber
JDSG
lebizyb(at)q(dot)com
Rainy Day Rice Pudding
subscriber
tweeted - http://twitter.com/phxbne/status/2243030667
snickerdoodles - yum
melissa.barnes76 at yahoo dot com
blog follower
melissa.barnes76 at yahoo dot com
follow on twitter and tweeted http://twitter.com/lovinmykiddos/status/2244072745
Peanut Butter Cookies.
ellybean (at) connected2christ (dot) com
http://www.connected2christ.com
I love the Whipped cream recipe! Once you make whipped cream you'll never want cool whip!
I'm a subscriber to your blog via arteachersusan at gmail dot com
I'm following you on twitter as @susieqtpie and I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/susieqtpie/status/2256799621
I blogged!!!
http://makewayforjoy.blogspot.com/2009/06/cooking-fun-crafting-fun-giveaway-by.html
snickerdoodles i loved when my mom made them thanks eaglesforjack@gmail.com
i follow your blog thanks eaglesforjack@gmail.com
Baked Apples are still one of my favorites on a cold winter's day. A warm delicious treat just like Granny makes.
marypres(at)gmail(dot)com
I loved when mom made peanutbutter cookies!
I prefer the cookbook.
brownies...we were big on brownies...who doesnt love them!
colleen_mouse@yahoo.com
I follow.
Lemon bars remind me of my childhood. My mom used to make some wonderful ones!
renee
yeloechikee at hotmail dot com
Lemon Bars...yummy!
I subscribe!
Icebox cookies were always a favorite when I was a kid.
Thanks!
Adreisinger@aol.com
Email subscriber.
Adreisinger@aol.com
Twitter and Tweet.
http://twitter.com/afabozzi/statuses/2286991543
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