Don’t forget! The first installment of Kids Cook Book Soup — theme: Apples! — is now open for entries through this coming Sunday, October 18.Monday, October 26 — extended an extra week! Check for round-up Tuesday, October 27th.

To simplify the challenge, here’s all you need to do: cook (with your kids!) any apple recipe … and share where you found the recipe. It can be from a story, a cookbook, or a family recipe. The only requirements are a) that it contain apples, and b) that you involve your kids! And have fun!

You’ll send me a link to your post &/or picture (no blog needed to participate), and we’ll post the round-up right here, on the 3rd Tuesday of the month.  Just email your link &/or photo, along with your name (or name you want printed), kid’s age(s), blog name and location to me at foodietots @ gmail.com.

And, everyone who participates will be entered to win a great food-themed children’s book.

Please help spread the word! Click the “SHARE THIS” button below to share on Twitter, Facebook &/or Stumble It!

First, a huge thank you to all who helped spread the word about the the Foodie Tots <3 Farmers Market contest! As you recall, the contest was launched in correlation with National Farmers Market Week, and our contest participants demonstrated through their photos the many lessons that kids can learn from visiting farmers markets, whether it’s trying a food once loathed, learning to spell, or finding creative uses for all those farm-fresh veggies. I so loved the entries that I couldn’t pick just one, so please join me in congratulating both our winners…

1st Prize goes to Cheryl of Backseat Gourmet for this precious photo of a toddler suddenly discovering a deep love for raspberries:

This foodie tot’s mama writes,

“I’d just finished telling my sister-in-law that Smilosaurus wouldn’t eat raspberries when she lost her mind in an an effort to prove me wrong. Signs of things to come? Part of our farmers’ market tours, taken at City Centre Market, Edmonton.”

… and our Runner-Up is “Glitzy Purse Girl” of Steeped Insanity with this shot of her son fiercely guarding his prized produce:

Congrats to you both and I hope you enjoy your goodie bags! And a final note, the Flickr group will stay open so please continue to share pictures of your kids at your local farmers markets.

It’s the final weekend to enter the Foodie Tots <3 Farmers Markets photo contest so grab your kids, your camera (and your rain gear if you’re on the East Coast) and head out to the market this weekend! Snap a shot of your kid(s) and post it to the Foodie Tots <3 Farmers Markets Flickr pool by midnight Monday, August 31, and you’ll have a chance to win a kid-sized reusable market tote filled with foodie goodies. For an extra entry into the drawing, blog about your local farmers market with a link back to this post &/or retweet a link to the “Foodie Tots <3 Farmers Markets” Flickr pool.

As for us, we’ve been on the road and while we’ve visited farms, we’ve not set foot in a farmers market in days. Today the boy squealed at the sight of fresh produce at a Brooklyn storefront so I could hardly say no when he asked for “raspberries, blueberries, red plums, black plums, and green pears!” It was his birthday, after all. Fill us in on what your kids pick out this weekend!

Update: I know this is a busy time, with folks traveling, dealing with summer illnesses (the Foodie Tot included) and back to school preparations, so we’re extending the Farmers Market photo contest through the end of the month! Thanks to those who’ve already contributed great shots to the Flickr pool. If you haven’t yet, you now have extra time to stop by the market, pick up some fresh corn, peaches or whatever your favorite summer treats are, and send in a photo for the contest by Monday, August 31. The winner will be announced September 1. Submit a photo of your tot(s) at the market to the Foodie Tots <3 Farmers Markets Flickr pool by August 31 and you’ll have a chance to win a kid-sized reusable market tote filled with foodie goodies. For an extra entry into the drawing, blog about your local farmers market with a link back to this post &/or retweet a link to the “Foodie Tots <3 Farmers Markets” Flickr pool.

If you need more ideas for entertaining your kids at the farmers market — if live music, pesticide-free grapes, flowers and cookies aren’t enough — check out Michelle’s fantastic farmers market scavenger hunt.

In other market fan news, the American Farmland Trust announced its winners for the “America’s Favorite Farmers Market” contest. Virginia’s Williamsburg Farmers Market was the winner in the medium-sized category (anyone been?); Davis Farmers Market in California won for large market and Collingswood, NJ, was the small market winner. Congrats to all.

As mentioned yesterday, I was honored to be nominated for the Well Fed Network’s Food Blog Awards in the Best Family/Kids Food Blog category. I want to thank my loyal readers who nominated me, the esteemed judges who selected me as a finalist, and my fellow nominees who are also devoted to raising kids on good, nutritious foods.

If you haven’t already met the other nominees, please take a minute to visit Andrea’s Recipes (a local blogger), Picky Palate, The Barefoot Kitchen Witch, and Under the High Chair.

And check out the other categories to discover more great food blogs. A third DC-based blog, The Bitten Word, garnered a nomination in the Best New Blog category.  Congratulations to all the nominees! (And please vote!)