One of my greatest joys in life is watching my wife give our daughter hands-on experience making homemade biscuits, muffins and other treats in the kitchen. Food is a big deal in our family and we try our best to make kid friendly meals and to get them involved in the kitchen.

Recently we went to the Family Fun Cooking Class at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, taught by executive chef Mike Wallace. Here are our favorite dishes from the class.

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1. Green Eggs and Ham: My son is usually the picky eater in our family, so I was surprised and excited that he loved eating this dish. Just blend about a cup of chopped spinach with two or three eggs, then cook them in the skillet like scrambled eggs. Cook some sliced ham (or bacon!) on a griddle, then serve with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top. The spinach makes the eggs green, but is largely flavorless, so your kids won’t complain about having to eat a veggie.

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2. Pancake Pizzas: Use your favorite pancake batter to make pancakes, then top with raspberry sauce, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and shaved white chocolate. This is a great way to get your kids to eat antioxidant rich berries and satisfy their sweet tooth at the same time. All the kids in the class (and most of the adults!) loved this dish.

UPCOMING EVENT

The Grand Hotel Marriott hosts several cooking classes for adults as well as kids. The Culinary Academy’s wildly popular “How to Make A Gingerbread House” is Dec. 20. That may seem like it's a long time from now, but executive chef Mike Wallace said the class will fill up fast. Wallace recommends reserving spot as soon as possible by calling 251-928-9201.

WHAT: Grand Hotel Marriott Culinary Academy “How to Make a Gingerbread House” class

WHEN: Dec. 20, 10 a.m.

WHY: Have fun with your kids while learning to make a great gingerbread house the Grand Hotel way

INFO: Call 251-928-9201 for information and to reserve your spot in the class.