Meatless Monday Carnival - Kids in the Kitchen

Welcome to Meatless Monday!
I have been looking for a carnival to fit this theme, and I just have not found one that lets everybody link up with their own posts. So if you want something done right.... So here is my first carnival set up. Just link up a Meatless recipe or tip. It can be fun, cheap, easy, for kids, not for kids, expensive, difficult, whatever you want, as long as it can be made with out meat. Vegetarian is a must (dairy products & eggs are okay), vegan is optional.

We happen to vegetarian all the time, not just on Mondays, so you would think that getting my kids to eat their vegetables would be like second nature. It's not. Hubby doesn't even like to eat vegetables, how ma I going to get my kids to eat them?
Well, we have discovered a meal that had hubby exclaiming, "Mmmm... This is my favorite way to eat broccoli!"
This, of course, was followed by a chorus of "Me, toos." The Magic recipe: Cheese Fondue.
And you don't need any fancy pots or forks to eat it with either.
Here is our recipe, adapted from the Family Fun Recipe Site:
Cheese Fondue

• 12 oz. Cheese (we use the cheddar / Jack Mexi melt - we use that for everything)
• 4 T flour (divided)
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 3 T butter
• 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 C milk
• lemon juice (to taste)
• salt and pepper (to taste)

1. Grate the cheese into a bowl and toss with 1 T flour
2. Melt the butter in a small pot over medium-low heat, stir in the remaining flour, paprika, nutmeg, and garlic until smooth.
3. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.
4. Add the milk slowly, and stir constantly
5. Add the grated cheese mix by the handful, stirring well. Once the cheese is melted and sauce is thoroughly combined, stir in lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

We like to dip apples, bread chunks, carrot sticks, pretzels, and, of course, broccoli (best when cooked in semi covered dish for 2 min with 1/2' water). We keep the pot in the middle of the table, and then each person gets their own small bowl and fork.

With supervision, this is a great recipe for teaching kids how to use the stove. It requires constant stirring so they don't get bored and forget. And besides the cheese grating, most of the ingredients just require a dump in the pot at the right time.

But the base for this recipe: the melted butter and flour is a common base used in many sauces and cream soups. If your kids can learn basics like these, then they can begin to experiment with their own combinations in making soups/sauces from scratch, rather than having to buy a can or mix.

Now it is your turn. Share some of your favorites, or even something old that you have on hand.