I recently had the pleasure of meeting WAHM mum of two, Natalie from Mini Gourmets. Natalie launched her online store late last year and it has since become a one-stop-shop for kids who love to cook. Never one to shy away from an explosion of flour, sugar and sprinkles, today I’ve asked Natalie to share one of her favourite recipes for kids + a few of the cool products in her store.
Natalie started Mini Gourmets for two main reasons, firstly to share her love of cooking with the world and secondly to spend more time with her kids. A story that I’m sure a lot of you can relate to. Prior to Mini Gourmets, Natalie worked as a Science Teacher with a double degree in Biology and Environmental Science.
I don’t know about you, but it warms my heart to see someone taking the plunge and following a dream. I bet that Natalie could come up with some fantastic kitchen science experiments…
Natalie from Mini Gourmets; in her own words…. “My business is run between kindy drop offs, swimming lessons, music lessons, while children (and sometimes husbands) sleep, cooking meals and washing clothes! I’m often doing paperwork while the kids are having showers and baths. Friends ask me how I do it all (2 kids, hubbie, keep house sorta clean, food on the table…) and the key is organisation and a super supportive husband.”
Whip up a batch of cheese biscuits! Here’s how… Sift dry ingredients into a medium bowl and rub in butter (or just throw it all in the mixer). Stir in cheeses and enough water to make a soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured board until smooth (or just mix in the mixer until its smooth). Shape into a sausage shape around 38cm long, wrap in foil and place in the fridge for 1 hour.
Cut the roll into 5mm thick slices and place 3cm apart on greased oven trays. Bake in moderate oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on trays… enjoy! This recipe makes about 70. Unused portions can be frozen for next time.
Congratulations to Jodie Drover, winner of the Baking Set!
Would you like to win a luxury baking starter kit from Mini Gourmets? To enter, visit Mini Gourmets and tell us in the comment section below which item you’d chose to start your ultimate kids kitchen {apart from the above prize}. Winner will be drawn on 12 August, 2010.
I love the luxury starter kit- pink set! It has everything a little girl needs to get started.
The Mummy and Me cookbook, for sure.
My daughters looooooovvvveee Cupcakes – so it would have to be the Cupcake Cooking Kit
Definitely the pizza-chef pizza cooking kit. My little chef just loves making (and eating) pizzas and then we cook then in a traditional wood-fired oven…YUM!!
The wilton cupcake stand (13). Would look good for a party.
Does that vintage ruffle apron come in adult sizes?! I want one for ME!! Love this site, so many things i want to get & will definitely be getting some kid’s gifts from here. Favourite right now are the dinosaur cookie cutters.
Cookie and Cupcake Decorating Set – this is simply fabulous!
It would have to be the Silicone Balloon Whisk in red! My little 22 month old boy loves to break and whisk his eggs (affectionately known as ‘tap taps’ from the noise of tapping them on the bench) Its a messy job every morning but he just loves being in the kitchen!
(oh and I want all the cookie cutters.. too cute!)
I have bookmarked this site as its fantastic & my son loves to help in the kitchen – this is just what he needs to be more involed & ‘cook’ his own recipes. I like the look of the Cook it together, delicious recipes from your favourite ingredients. Also the Boys Denim Apron and Chefs Hat- CARS set is gorgeous!!!
Cook It Together cookbook looks great as do the car shaped Wilton pans (if only I’d seen them last week!)
I couldn’t go past the ever adorable – Archie & Aggie the Apron- blue and pink apron and hat sets. What better way to create the cooking atmosphere for the little ones, make them ‘feel’ like chefs!
I think to start cooking with any little person we must get into character and as such Archie the Apron (blue apron and hat set) would be a must to ensure we were all set for the mess and fun of cooking! My little man just LOVES ensuring we both have our aprons on (although, his is a hand me down from when I was a kid).
I think the silicone cup cake moulds would be an essential for kids in the kitchen. Turning out perfect muffins are a great confidence booser to encourage their cooking adventures!
I think a kid friendly cook book is a great start. My little girl LOVES books and also LOVES hanging out in the kitchen with me. The book would be a great way to know what else to buy, such as the whisk and mini rolling pin. LOVE this shop! The 50 animal cookie cutter set is also awesome, great for cutting sandwiches, fritatas, quiches…all sorts inclding cookies!
the kids baking set would be a perfect start for my 20 month old daughter to learn how to bake!
What a pretty pretty site!
I love the set of 12 silicone pastel baking cups, the star ice pop maker (it’s really hot here)and the cupcake cooking kit!!!!
The cookie and cupcake decorating set! My boys love baking and decorating and the Grandparents love getting some edible art! Perfect!!
Love love love Mini Gourmets so does my 4 year little princess so loves to cook. Mummy & me cookbook, apron and chefs hat was a must for my little master chef.
What a glorious site! And amazing products. I for sure would start with the talking toast set. How fuN! I might just buy them to get my toddler more interested in eating bread.
By showing us this site I am already a winner. I love to cook with my kids and now I can buy gorgeous things for them to use with me but small enough for their little hands. Thankyou
My daughter would love the pink diamond apron and baking set. Such fun!!!
Dinosaur cookie cutters – my little boys have just started to be interested in dinos, and they’d love to make gingerbread dinos.
My young squids LOVE to measure! They love to fill containers, transfer flours and sugars, stir and mix. The simple sets of measuring spoons and cups would be an essential start to our mini kitchen. Perfect!
I’d love to get the pizza-chef pizza cooking kit..My kids love homemade pizza……
Hey what a great site with everything you need for the kids. I think one of the chefs hat would be a great addition to cooking adventures.
I love the frilly apron, because to cook good, you have to look good!
the mummy and me cookbook how special to share creating in the kitchen with my little ones
the cupcake stand would be a great addition to any kitchen set
Oh there are so many to choose from. I couldn’t decide between the talking toast (as my boys LOVE toast), the rocket ice pop makers (they’d be fantastic in summer) the wiloton train pan (how awesome would that be for birthday cakes)or the pizza chef pizza cooking kit (this would be perfect as Fridays are pizza night here and we make everything from scratch. I’m so glad I found this shop, so many awesome things : )
the cupcake cooking set–can share with gran and pa and make morning tea–how good would that be
It has to be the Boys Denim Apron and Chefs Hat- CARS… My son loves Cars and just wearing them will be a treat already.
I love the Mummy and Me Cookbook. My girls love helping me cook and we are always on the look out for new child friendly recipes!
I would say one of everything! I had to add this beautiful site to my favourites so I can come back foer more! I think the best starter piece for us would have to be the cookie & cupcake decorating set! My kids love to decorate & this would make it double the fun!
The Pizza kit for sure. Friday night is pizza night so our budding little chef can not only eat pizza but create it himself.
The luxury starter kit would be a great present for my daughter to start off our cooking days together.
The “Cookie and Cupcake decorating set”! Ava and I have mastered decorating playdough cakes so now we need to tackle the ‘real deal’
What a fabulous site and congratulations to Natalie for following her dream. I love the Cookie and Cupcake decorating set – Will would be occupied for hours!
My grandchildren are always cooking with my daughter they would love the whole site but that would be really greedy so they love helping make homemade pizzas so i would think they really would love the;pizza chef- pizza cooking kit.
they love helping their mummy make all different types of pizza
Love the icing kit. If its something simple enough for the children to use means I might even be able to master it also!
The Cupcake Cooking Set would be amazing fun to do with my three little girls
Aggie the Apron is so adorable. My little girl will absolutely love to participating in cooking and will one day definitely be the next Nigella!
love the me2me2 vintage girl ruffle apron, too cute
All kids would love making Pizzas, with the Pizza chef pizza cooking kit. a great idea
i really love the idea of the cookies and cupcake decorating set. like a lot of people i’m sure my kids and i have a rather fabulous collection of cookie cutters and can really see them come to life when decorated properly!
The Book Im hungry lets cook, would inspire any child to start cooking
My daughter would love the Cookie and Cupcake decorating set as she loves to make cookies and cupcakes.
Our kids love “making” their own pizzas (ie adding their own toppings) so the pizza making kit would be a great starter for us; I imagine they’d love making the bases as much as putting on the toppings. It might even be a dinner we could convince them to cook for us!
It won’t be my starting purchase but I can’t wait until the aeroplane cookie cutter is amongst the others in our kitchen drawer already.
I would have to get the Archie the Apron- blue apron and hat set for my son! So cute & a good item to start off with!
What a gorgeous website!
Master 3 and I bake often; having kids is such a fabulous excuse for making cakes and slices.
The Boys Blue Stripe apron would make a very handsome addition to our kitchen.
It has to be that adorable boys denim chefs hat and truck apron. My son has just got into pretending and you need a hat for everything, a policemans hat, a fireman sam hat etc. His other obsession is anything with wheels, trucks, cars bikes, trains you name it and so can he. So the combination of the two, would be endless fun and of course mess and hours of entertainment, yippee.
I want the 50 piece animal pals cookie cutter set. What a muti-purpose gift – cookie cutters, playdough cutters and templates. Great value for money.