Cooking Class, 10th Anniversary Edition by Deanna F. Cook: Cookbook Review

Cooking Class, 10th Anniversary Edition by Deanna F. Cook, features some updates from the original. It is anticipated to be released on October 15, 2024, and it will teach kids the basics of cooking and help them gain confidence in the kitchen.

I want to thank Storey Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Cooking Class, 10th Anniversary Edition. All opinions presented here are solely mine.

Synopsis from Goodreads

With kid-tested recipes for every meal of the day and step-by-step photographic instructions specially written for kids, the best-selling Cooking Class is the go-to favorite for kids eager to learn how to cook. The 10th-anniversary edition expands on the original to include a total of 72 recipes, including 15 new ones, new photography of a more diverse range of kids, and a sturdy paper-over-board format.

With 72 recipes for everything from breakfast sundaes and French toast on a stick to homemade peanut butter, banh mi sandwiches, smoothies, biscuits, spring rolls, nutty noodles, chicken curry, and pizza soup, kids learn that cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients can be fun and delicious. In addition to mastering their favorite foods, budding young cooks learn kitchen skills, from cutting and whisking to frying, grilling, sautéing and simmering. No meal would be complete without dessert, and Cooking Class has it covered with snickerdoodles, lemon squares, chocolate cupcakes, and more.

Bonus pull-out pages help kids put the finishing touches on their meals with place cards, meal-time conversation-starter games, recipe cards, and stickers for labeling their homemade food to share with others. 

My Opinions

I was unfamiliar with the original Cooking Class cookbook until I agreed to review the anniversary edition. While I’m not one to say kids don’t belong in the kitchen, I preferred to work directly with my girls when they were younger. That said, not everyone has the skill or comfort to teach others in the kitchen. And that’s where this book comes in handy.

Cooking Class is divided into seven chapters and designed to help kids (and maybe even adults) gain confidence in the kitchen.

Chapter One: Welcome to Cooking Class

Chapter one contains all of the basic cooking lessons. These lessons include reading recipes before beginning, cleaning before and after cooking, and explaining different tools and techniques. Readers will also learn the layout of the cookbook and what different graphics mean (like the difference between one spoon and three).

Chapter Two: Breakfast Cafe

Why not start at the beginning of the day? Recipes in this chapter include French Toast on a Stick, Bursting with Blueberries Muffins, and Simple Scones.

Chapter Three: Lunch Lessons

This chapter includes recipes for lunch at home or on the go, including Quiche Cupcakes and Banh Mi.

Chapter Four: Snack Attack

These recipes, such as Buttery Biscuits, are perfect for that time after lunch but before dinner.

Chapter Five: Eat Your Veggies

The recipes in this chapter are wholly focused on vegetables and how to get more of them into your day. There’s a Salad Dressing Factory recipe that includes directions on how to make six different dressings using ingredients already in your house.

Chapter Six: My First Dinners

What’s more impressive than when a kid makes dinner for the family? Especially when it doesn’t come from a box. How does Chicken Curry sound?

Chapter Seven: Time for Dessert

The final chapter of the book is all about satisfying that sweet tooth with recipes like Apple Crisp and One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes.

I followed the recipes for the Apple Crisp and Chicken Curry. While they are easy to follow and make, the flavors were a bit lacking for me. That’s not to say they weren’t good; they just needed a boost in the flavor department.

Overall, I think Cooking Class is perfect for any child interested in learning how to cook. There are over 70 recipes, and several offer alternatives to personalize them to your tastes.

Are you looking for more food-related content? Check out my other Foodie Fridays posts.