BookLook Review: The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook

I received a hardcover physical copy of the The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook: Cub-Friendly Cooking with an Adult to review.

Book Summary (Taken From the Website) 

Be part of the fun and join Mama, Papa, Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear as they cook up holiday favorites and some unique eats for friends and family with the all-new The Berenstain Bears Holiday Cookbook. Filled with traditional holiday favorites like Frosted Sugar Cookies, Pumpkin Pie, Hot Apple Cider Punch, Cranberry Stuffing, and some unique and fun recipes like Papa Bear’s Paw-Licking Good Chicken Wings, this kid-friendly cookbook will help Bear Country families, and families and friends everywhere, have the most wonderful year of eating ever! 

What We Thought
The 96-page non-fiction children's cookbook was written by Mike Berenstain (son of Jan and Stan Berenstain). This kid-friendly cookbook was published by Zondervan and will be suitable for children ages 4-8. I couldn't wait to surprise my daughter (Age 9) with this book, because she loves to bake and cook in the kitchen. My daughter and I enjoy cooking and baking together especially during the holidays.

My daughter eagerly flipped through all the pages. She found so many appealing recipes to try. The book was organized into holiday and seasonal sections, but many recipes can be used year round.

Holiday and Seasonal Categories

• Valentine's Day
• Christmas
• 4th of July
• Fall
• Thanksgiving
• Easter 

Each section begins with referenced scripture verses and a Bear family story. I love the classic Berenstain Bears stories and fondly remember them from my childhood. However, these stories help children make connections to the Bible stories and verses. For example, the verse for the Christmas section is: "May glory be given to God in the highest heaven! And may peace be given to those He is pleased with on Earth!" - Luke 2:14. In the related story Mama Bear encourages the cubs to set aside a plate of cookies for Mizz McGrizz, because she has a cold and was unable to finish her Christmas baking. Sister Bear also decides to bring her a Christmas card. Papa Bear explains to the cubs that "God loves a cheerful giver." These are wonderful messages to pass on to your children.

The Table of Contents lists each recipe under seasonal or holiday categories with page ranges. The book utilizes real, full-color photographs of the recipes. The photograph is located on the right-side and the recipe is on the left-side. There are approximately 40 simple recipes. Each section consists of around 7-8 recipes including desserts, appetizers, beverages, snacks, main entrees, and sides. Each recipe includes a list of bulleted ingredients and supplies needed and numbered step-by-step directions to follow. The recipes practice a variety of cooking and baking skills for all levels such as measuring, mixing, blending, stirring, beating, rolling dough, cutting, and more. Several recipes require the use of a microwave and oven.

There is also a helpful Table of Kitchen Measurements at the back of the book. It contained both standard and metric conversions. Picture icons were utilized to indicate tablespoons, pinches, cups, quarts, and so forth. The recipes do have canned ingredients listed if that is of relevance to you. Individuals who tend to make whole food, clean eating, or all natural recipes may need to substitute with real food items.

How We Used the Book

We chose recipes based on the ingredients and images. My daughter wants to make the Valentine's Day Pizza in February which was in the shape of a heart. The crust is a "made from scratch" recipe. She also can't wait to make the Pink Party Popcorn. We both like cranberries, white chocolate, and semisweet chocolate chips. The recipes look absolutely delicious.

My daughter made Lovey-Dovey Banana Bread. The bread was moist and tasted really good. Next time we'll probably leave out the strawberries. We made the banana bread in my Pampered Chef mini loaf pan so the cooking time was reduced.

The Tricks and Treat Trail Mix recipe was easy for my daughter to make independently. It made approximately 5-6 servings, but it lasted much longer for the two of us. It was stored in the container below with a fitted lid.

Tricks and Treats Trail Mix

We plan on making the Cozy Hot Cocoa on Christmas Eve so that we can enjoy it as we watch Polar Express. This sounds delicious and even adds a touch of peppermint with candy canes. 

Recommendations

I highly recommend this book for all families with young children wanting to learn how to bake or cook. It is a great addition to our holiday cookbook collection. I am always looking for kid-friendly cookbooks to encourage my daughter to explore her hobbies and interests. In my opinion, the Berenstain Bear Holiday Cookbook is a fun and outstanding book for children ages 3-9 with adult supervision of course. The book would make a perfect Christmas gift for beginner cooks or bakers. This Colorful Christmas Poke Cake will be a great Christmas treat your child could make during the holidays.  

Store Prices
Zondervan $12.99
Amazon $9.38
Christianbook $7.79

Note: All prices are subject to change without notice.

Disclaimer
I received a complimentary, free copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers Review Program in exchange for an honest, unbiased review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."