5 recipes to inspire your teens in the kitchen

Deluxe Ramen

You can find plenty of videos on social media of teenagers cooking ramen. Dried noodle packets are the base on which you can build a creative and personalized dish to satisfy a craving. Ready in minutes, all you need to do is add meat or another protein, vegetables (fresh or frozen), condiments, and a perfectly cooked egg with a runny yolk. The ultimate topping: shredded cheese! The only technique truly necessary to make ramen worthy of the online videos is cooking the egg perfectly.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil with a dash of white vinegar and a teaspoon of salt: the eggshells will be easier to remove with this little addition.

Set a timer for 6 minutes. Carefully lower the eggs straight from the refrigerator into the water and let's go! When the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat slightly so the eggs don't smash into each other.

Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath and plunge the eggs into it as soon as the timer goes off. Let them cool for at least 15 minutes. Gently tap the eggs against the counter and place them back in the water for a few seconds before peeling. If you have time, marinate them Japanese-style using this recipe.

Frozen Blueberry Cookies

Baking cookies is probably one of the first recipes your teens ever made in the kitchen. The beautiful color of these cookies is striking and mouthwatering, which is why this recipe has been a huge hit online with teens. The key to getting the perfect texture is not to overbake them: you want to keep the center soft and not brittle.

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat 1/3 cup of blueberries in the microwave or in a saucepan for a few minutes until the berries are soft and liquefied. Let them cool on the counter.

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/8 tsp salt.

Cream 1/3 cup softened butter at room temperature and 1/3 cup white sugar with an electric mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the blueberries and mix on high speed to incorporate. You can add a little lemon zest at this step to complement the blueberry flavor.

Next, fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula. Then, fold in 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips without stirring too much. Cover and freeze the cookie dough for 30 minutes.

To bake, form 12 balls with a large cookie scoop and place them on a cookie sheet. Add a few white chocolate chunks on top and bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned and have crispy edges. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to a container.

The wrap version 2.0

This viral technique has reinvented the classic wheat tortilla roll, and the craze for videos of this crispy creation continues. The sandwich is generously filled with melted cheese that stretches in slow motion to whet our appetites. This technique is so easy that your teen will now have one more weapon to replace the good old grilled cheese, whipped up in a flash.

You can put whatever you want in it: bacon, eggs and other toppings for breakfast, cold meats with salad and tomato slices drizzled with Italian dressing for a healthier sub, a beef patty and sliced ​​cheddar for a cheeseburger , etc.

Once folded, grill the wrap in a non-stick pan for a few minutes, and for a super crispy exterior, add a little grated cheese or Parmesan cheese at the end of cooking in the pan and caramelize it perfectly. It's decadent!

Ice cream without an ice cream maker

Ice cream videos of all kinds are always a hit on social media, and your teens can easily make them without specialized kitchen equipment. Certain ingredients and techniques replace the mechanical motion of an ice cream maker and help create smooth, creamy ice cream with a delicious taste. Plus, the ingredient list is very short!

Place a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan in the freezer.

Thoroughly mix one can (414 ml) of sweetened condensed milk with 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, whip two cups (500 ml) of 35% cream until stiff peaks form. Add about 1 cup of whipped cream to the sweetened condensed milk mixture and stir gently to incorporate. Pour the condensed milk mixture into the remaining whipped cream and fold with a spatula or spoon until there are no streaks.

Pour the ice cream mixture into the chilled loaf pan and spread it evenly. Freeze the mixture for about 2 hours before gently adding your chosen toppings (chocolate pieces, crushed cookies, nuts, etc.). Freeze for a minimum of 3 hours.

When you're ready to enjoy, let the ice cream soften for about 10 minutes on the counter before serving.

Pasta gratin Honeycomb

Pasta bakes are back in style, and online recipe posts are racking up views and likes among teens. Pasta is always a winner! The honeycomb version requires a little more work, but the "wow" factor when it comes out of the oven is well worth it.

You can adapt this dish to your family pasta sauce recipes or venture a little further off the beaten track with some surprising and delicious combinations!

Original version with tomato sauce and beef

Honeycomb gratin onion soup

Butter Chicken Gratin: Cook your own butter sauce or use a ready-to-eat one with cooked chicken pieces and mozzarella.

Chili con carne gratin: Make it a Mexican fiesta! Swap the more classic sauce for chili con carne, top with sour cream, a blend of gratin cheeses, and add condiments when serving (guacamole, cilantro, salsa, lime, etc.)