Sticky Fingers Cooking of New Jersey

09/18/2026

🧅 Recipe Review: Heavenly Hearts of Palm Rangoon! 🧂

This week, kids in Sticky Fingers Cooking classes nationwide created a fun alternative to a popular Asian appetizer recipe: Crispy Crunchy Hearts of Palm Rangoon! Sticky Fingers Cooking formulated a vegetarian version using hearts of palm instead of the usual crab meat! First, our kid chefs measured out cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper into a bowl. Then kids sliced green onions into small bits and mixed them into the cream cheese mixture. Our kid chefs learned about the tastiness and versatility of hearts of palm! Whether canned or fresh, hearts of palm are great for salads, sandwiches, and even soups. They are also a good source of fiber, protein, potassium, and zinc. Our chefs then took a can of hearts of palm and shredded the hearts into long strips, then combined them with the cream cheese mixture. Next, kids laid out a wonton wrapper on their cutting boards and placed a large teaspoon of the hearts of palm mixture into the center of the wrapper. Then, kids dipped their fingers into water and traced the edges of the wonton wrapper and brought all four corners together by pinching them to the center. Our chefs filled all the wonton wrappers. The rangoons looked like little purses or pouches! 👛 With Chef Instructor help, kids fried the rangoons for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Some fun kid quotes from this week:
💬 "A wonton is like if a fortune cookie and a dumpling made a baby."
💬 “These are like the dumplings I had at a Japanese restaurant, only fried!”
💬 "This is the best club ever!"

While the rangoons cooled, our kid chefs whipped up Umami Sweet-Sour Soy Sauce! First, kids sliced up a green onion into thin pieces. Then kids measured out and whisked together soy sauce, water, vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and sugar in a small bowl. After stirring in the sliced green onion, kids drizzled a little on the rangoons and dug in!

✨ Hands-on, tasty, innovative and fun – this week’s recipe kept kids active, engaged and discovering new flavors!

09/14/2026

🧅 Recipe of the Week: Crispy Crunchy Hearts of Palm Rangoon + Sweet and Sour Soy Splash 🧂

This week, kids in Sticky Fingers Cooking classes nationwide are creating a fun alternative to a popular Asian appetizer recipe: Crispy Crunchy Hearts of Palm Rangoon! Sticky Fingers Cooking has created a vegetarian version using hearts of palm instead of the usual crab meat! First, our kid chefs will measure out cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper into a bowl. Then kids will slice green onions into small bits and mix into the cream cheese mixture. Our kid chefs will learn about the tastiness and versatility of hearts of palm! Whether canned or fresh, hearts of palm are great for salads, sandwiches, and even soups. They are also a good source of fiber, protein, potassium, and zinc. Our chefs will take a can of hearts of palm and shred the hearts of palm into long strips, then combine with the cream cheese mixture. Next, kids will lay out a wonton wrapper on their cutting boards and place a large teaspoon of the hearts of palm mixture into the center of the wrapper. Then, kids will dip their fingers into a bowl of water and trace the edges of the wonton wrapper and bring all four corners together by pinching them to the center. Our chefs will fill all the wonton wrappers. The rangoons will look like little purses or pouches! 👛 With Chef Instructor help, kids will fry the rangoons for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.

While the rangoons cool, our kid chefs will whip up Umami Sweet-Sour Soy Sauce! First, kids will slice up a green onion into thin pieces. Then kids will measure out and whisk together soy sauce, water, vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and sugar in a small bowl. After stirring in the sliced green onion, kids can drizzle a little on the rangoons and dig in!

✨ Hands-on, tasty, innovative and fun – this week’s recipe keeps kids active, engaged and discovering new flavors!

09/11/2026

🍓 Recipe Review: Stunning Strawberry Shortcakes! 🍓

This week, kids in Sticky Fingers Cooking classes across the country whipped up a delicious, classic recipe: Lemon Strawberry Shortcakes! First, our kid chefs made the strawberry compote! Kids rinsed and sliced fresh strawberries, added lemon zest and lemon juice and tossed the berries with sugar or honey. Kids set aside the berries to macerate (soften and soak up the liquid - kids learned about this scrumptious science!) Then our kids combined flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl. Next, kids mixed in the butter and milk. With Chef Instructor help, kids dropped large spoonfuls of dough onto the hot skillet, brushed the dough with melted butter and sprinkled it with sugar. Kids baked the dough for 8 minutes, then flipped the cakes and cooked on the other side until they were baked all the way through.

A fun kid quote this week:

💬 “Look, I’m cutting strawberries on a strawberry board!”

To top the cakes, kids created delicious Whipped Honey Yogurt! Our chefs measured out plain Greek yogurt and whipped in honey or sugar using a whisk. Kids adjusted the flavor with more honey or sugar if needed, until it was perfectly sweetened. To serve, our kids split open their shortcakes, added some of the lemon and strawberry compote, and dolloped Whipped Honey Yogurt on top.

To wash it all down, kids mixed up Whole Fruit Strawberry Lemonade! First our kids sliced lemons, took out the seeds, and scooped the fruit pulp into a blender. After adding sugar or honey, fresh strawberries, and cold water, kids blended until smooth and then strained into a serving pitcher. Then kids stirred in more cold water, added ice and stirred again. Cheers!

✨ Fun to make, quick to prepare, and bursting with flavor—this classic recipe was a hit!

09/09/2026

09/08/2026

🍓 Recipe of the Week: Lemon Strawberry Shortcakes + Whipped Honey Yogurt + Whole Fruit Strawberry Lemonade 🍓

This week, kids in Sticky Fingers Cooking classes across the country are whipping up a delicious, classic recipe: Lemon Strawberry Shortcakes! First, our kid chefs will make the strawberry compote! Kids will rinse and slice fresh strawberries, add lemon zest and lemon juice and toss the berries with sugar or honey. Kids will set aside the berries to macerate (soften and soak up the liquid - kids will learn about this scrumptious science!) Then our kids will combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl. Next, kids will mix in the butter and milk. With Chef Instructor help, kids will drop large spoonfuls of dough onto the hot skillet, brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle it with sugar. Kids will bake the dough for 8 minutes, then flip them and cook on the other side until they are baked all the way through.

To top the cakes, kids will create delicious Whipped Honey Yogurt! Our chefs will measure out plain Greek yogurt and whip in honey or sugar using a whisk. Kids can adjust the flavor with more honey or sugar if needed, until it's perfectly sweetened. To serve, our kids will split open their shortcakes, add some of the lemon and strawberry compote, and dollop Whipped Honey Yogurt on top.

To wash it all down, kids will mix up Whole Fruit Strawberry Lemonade! First our kids will slice lemons, take out the seeds, and scoop the fruit pulp into a blender. After adding sugar or honey, fresh strawberries, and cold water, kids will blend until smooth and then strain into a serving pitcher. Then kids will stir in more cold water, add ice and stir again. Cheers!

✨ Fun to make, quick to prepare, and bursting with flavor—this classic recipe will be a hit!

09/05/2026

🍽️ Recipe Review: Nom Nom Nom Gnocchi! 🍽️

This week, kids in Sticky Fingers Cooking classes coast to coast created a simple, tasty recipe: Butternut Squash Gnocchi (pronounced NYOH-kee), an Italian variety of dumpling! First, with Chef Instructor help, our kid chefs brought water and salt to boil for the gnocchi. Then, kids measured out flour, salt, nutmeg, grated Parmesan cheese, a package of thawed frozen butternut squash, and one egg into a large bowl. Then they mixed everything together to form a dough. Kids rolled the dough out into long, even ropes or "snakes." Then, they cut their "snakes" into chunks and shaped their gnocchi. After cooking the gnocchi in the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, they drained the gnocchi and set it aside.

A fun kid quote this week:

💬 “My mom looked up last week’s recipe, and this one is even better!”

Our chefs topped the gnocchi with Minty Kale Pesto! Our recipe included fun pesto alternatives like kale, mint, and sunflower seeds! First kids chopped up kale, garlic, and mint leaves and added them to a food processor or blender. Then kids squeezed in lemon juice and measured out olive oil, salt, and sunflower seeds. Kids blended the mixture until smooth, then stirred in Parmesan cheese, tasting and adjusting the flavor. Kids then tossed the warm gnocchi with the pesto before serving! "Buon appetito" (Bwohn ap-peh-TEE-toe) or "Enjoy your meal" in Italian.

To wash it all down, kids whipped up Frozen Mint Lemonade! Our chefs squeezed the juice of 2 lemons into a blender, added mint leaves, sugar, water, and ice, then blended until thick. "Salute" (sah-LOO-teh) or "Cheers" in Italian!

One recipe. Coast-to-coast smiles. That’s the power of cooking with kids. "Mangia bene!" ("Eat well"), as they say in Italy! 🌎✨

09/01/2026

🍂✨ What’s in Season This September? ✨🍂

A new month means a fresh opportunity to explore seasonal flavors! 🌱🍎🥕 September brings plenty of delicious produce to discover, taste, and cook with.

Which seasonal ingredient will your family try next? 👩‍🍳

📚🍴 There is still time to sign up for after-school cooking classes near you! We will be cooking with these ingredients all September in our classes!

Find a class near you today! 🥕✨
https://stickyfingerscooking.com/

08/31/2026

🍽️ Recipe of the Week: Butternut Squash Gnocchi + Minty Kale Pesto + Frozen Mint Lemonade 🥬

This week, kids in Sticky Fingers Cooking coast to coast are creating a simple, tasty recipe: Butternut Squash Gnocchi (pronounced NYOH-kee), an Italian variety of dumpling! First, with Chef Instructor help, our kid chefs will bring water and salt to boil for the gnocchi. Then, kids will measure out flour, salt, nutmeg, grated Parmesan cheese, and a package of thawed frozen butternut squash, plus one egg into a large bowl. Then they’ll mix everything together to form a dough. Kids will roll the dough out into long, even ropes or "snakes." Then, they will cut their "snakes" into chunks and shape their gnocchi. After cooking the gnocchi in the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, they will drain the gnocchi and set aside.

Our chefs will top the gnocchi with Minty Kale Pesto! Our recipe today includes fun pesto alternatives like kale, mint, and sunflower seeds! First kids will chop up kale, garlic, and mint leaves and add them to a food processor or blender. Then kids will squeeze in lemon juice and measure out olive oil, salt, and sunflower seeds. Kids will blend the mixture until smooth, then stir in Parmesan cheese, taste and adjust flavor. Kids will toss the warm gnocchi with the pesto before serving! "Buon appetito" (Bwohn ap-peh-TEE-toe) or "Enjoy your meal" in Italian

To wash it all down, kids will whip up Frozen Mint Lemonade! Our chefs will squeeze the juice of 2 lemons into a blender, add mint leaves, sugar, water, and ice, then blend until thick. "Salute" (sah-LOO-teh) or "Cheers" in Italian!

✨ Hands-on, nutritious, and full of flavor—this week’s recipe reminds us how fun it is to explore world cuisines, one bite at a time!

"Mangia bene!" ("Eat well"), as they say in Italy!

08/24/2026

🍝 Recipe of the Week: Meatless Melty Mostaccioli + Berry Cool Cream Soda 🍅

This week, kids in Sticky Fingers Cooking classes across the country are whipping up a delicious, classic dish: Meatless Melty Mostaccioli! "Benvenuto" (Ben-veh-NOO-toe) or "Welcome" in Italian! Mostaccioli (moh-stah-CHOH-lee) is an Italian baked pasta dish traditionally consisting of tomato, meat, and cheese baked to perfection with long tubular pasta. First, with Chef Instructor help, our kid chefs will bring water and salt to boil for the pasta, then boil the penne for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, kids will roughly chop mushrooms, then drain the pasta, reserving a 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and place the pasta in a large bowl with butter and Parmesan cheese, tossing to combine and setting aside. Then our kid chefs will measure and add tomato paste, oregano, and black pepper to the bowl of mushrooms and mix. Next, kids will saute the mushroom mixture, then add the reserved pasta water and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Our kid chefs will place a scoop of pasta on each plate and top it with the mushroom and tomato sauce before sprinkling with mozzarella cheese. "Buon appetito" (Bwohn ap-peh-TEE-toe) or "Enjoy your meal" in Italian!

To wash it all down, our kids will create Berry Cool Cream Soda! Kids will chop up frozen berries as finely as possible and place them in the bottom of a pitcher. Then they will measure and pour in sparkling water, heavy whipping cream, and sugar or honey. Using an immersion blender or whisk, kids will blend up the drink and serve!

✨ Hands-on, full of flavor, and fun – this week’s recipe keeps kids active, engaged and discovering new cuisines. "Mangia bene!" ("Eat well"), as they say in Italy!

08/17/2026

🍫 Recipe of the Week: Magnífico Mexican Tofu Mole + "Water You Cooking Up?" Flavored Water + Crispy Corny Cakes 🌶️

Holy guacamole did summer go by fast! In many schools, our classes are starting back up! Look for our Recipe of the Week posts every Monday!

This week, kids in Sticky Fingers Cooking classes nationwide are back in session, whipping up a fun recipe that’s a flavor adventure: Magnífico Mexican Tofu Mole! "Mole" (MO-lay) is a thick sauce with thousands of preparations, but the signature ingredients are chocolate and peppers. Our kid chefs will start by chopping up tofu, a tomato, and green onions. Then, they will drizzle vegetable oil into a large pot over medium heat, and mix in all the chopped vegetables and tofu. Next, kids will measure out the spices, cocoa powder and vegetable stock, stir to combine all the ingredients, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Our kid chefs will be sure to t.a.t (taste + adjust + taste) the mixture to their liking!

While the mole simmers and cools, kids can create our Crispy Corny Cakes! Our kid chefs will start by measuring out corn kernels, flour, baking powder, salt, water, and oil into a large mixing bowl, and whisking to form a batter. With Chef Instructor help, kids can carefully pour batter into the pan to cook for about 3 minutes, then flip the cakes and cook for another 2 minutes. After the cakes cool, kids will dip the corn cakes in the mole and enjoy! "Buen provecho" (Bwayn proh-VAY-choh) or "Enjoy your meal" in Spanish!

To wash it all down, our kids will create "Water You Cooking Up?" Flavored Water! Kids will choose the flavor of water they will be making from these ingredients: cucumber, lime, lemon, orange, and mint. Kids will slice the fresh ingredients they chose and place them into a pitcher, then measure and add water and ice, then stir and serve!

✨ Hands-on, full of flavor, and fun – this week’s recipe keeps kids active, engaged and discovering new tastes from across the globe!