Welcome to April! Today is April Fools’ Day and, though I am not very good at coming up with tricks for today, my children played a pretty good one on their dad last year. They made him a tall glass of juice, except it was not juice, it was Jell-O. So, when he tried to take a drink, the juice was stuck in the glass. This does not really have anything to do with our April recipe of the month, Coleslaw Pasta Salad, except that I have been thinking a lot about different ways to involve my children in making meals and snacks at home.

Recipes like Coleslaw Pasta Salad are good for people who are learning how to be more involved in the kitchen. There is no chopping in this recipe, so if a person does not have a knife or is hesitant to use a knife, they can still make this recipe. The main ingredients are cooked and cooled pasta, a bag of coleslaw (shredded cabbage), and a homemade dressing. Mix all of that together and you have a tasty meal or side dish. You can make this recipe your own by adding seeds or dried fruit. And, if you want to use your knife, you can add some chopped vegetables or fruit.

This month, we are going to spend each week focusing on recipes that do not require a lot of kitchen equipment. Next week, I will share some more of my favorite recipes that do not require chopping, cutting, slicing, or using a knife at all. Later on in May, Katy and I will share some ways we are including our children in making meals and snacks.

Enjoy!