Rachael Ray's Non-profit Organization Yum-o!

What is your favorite nutritious dish to make with family or friends?

It’s hard to name a favorite – maybe fruit pancakes? But this was us making stuffing on Thanksgiving.

HOW DO THEY HELP?

Madeleine loves to measure, pour and stir ingredients. She also enjoys sitting up on the counter while I tell her what I am doing, especially when I use knives or am at the stove or performing other activities that she isn’t quite old enough for yet.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DISH YOU REMEMBER EATING AS A CHILD?

I loved casseroles or anything my mom made in her crock pot. She was amazing at making a few ingredients last all week in different forms...and they all eventually ended up in some warm, gooey mess. A particular favorite was a crock pot meal she made with stewed beef, rigatoni and lots of mozzarella cheese.

DO YOU HAVE THE RECIPE?

Yes, I'd love to share it!

Click here to see Maggie's recipe in our recipe database.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY INVOLVING COOKING AND EATING TOGETHER WITH YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS?

I always loved the smells of cooking. Starting long before we ate, wonderful smells would start wafting through the house. They would change as different ingredients were added and, by the time we came down to eat, we would have already been enjoying the meal for an hour.

WHAT TIPS OR ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS NEW TO THE KITCHEN OR JUST GETTING THEIR KIDS INVOLVED IN THE KITCHEN?

Remember that anyone can cook, no matter what age you are, and that everyone makes mistakes. It’s fun to cook and it doesn’t always turn out perfectly. But learning is half of the fun! Also, feel free to substitute ingredients. I rarely have everything on hand that a recipe calls for but can usually make it turn out by throwing in something similar.