Kids are back in school, fall is in the air, and the autumn harvest is in full swing. Now it’s time for your kids to hit the books … in the kitchen! I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that reading with your young children helps build language skills. And you’ve probably gathered that I’m a proponent of letting kids have fun in the kitchen from a young age. Now here’s your chance to combine the two in a fun new monthly blog event, Kids Cook Book Soup!

How it Works: Each month, we’ll pick a theme. Your assignment is to choose a story that relates to the theme — any book, not necessarily a cook book, or even a magazine or newspaper article — and prepare a recipe inspired by that story. You’ll send me a link to your post &/or picture (no blog needed to participate), a note about the story chosen and recipe, and we’ll post the round-up right here, on the 3rd Tuesday of the month.

The theme for the first round-up is: Apples! Send your stories to me by Sunday, October 18, and the round-up will be posted that Tuesday, the 20th. Stay tuned for more details, but plans are in the works to offer a prize of some sort, to a randomly-selected participant.

How to Participate: While you don’t have to have a blog to participate, if you do, please include a link in your blog post to this post. You can use the logo if you’d like, it’s not required. Send 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 at gmail.com. Most importantly, have fun!

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

Still on the hunt for a few last-minute gifts? Give the gift that gives back with raffle tickets for the Menu for Hope fundraiser, benefiting the World Food Programme.

You can give a chance to win the Foodie Tot’s favorite marshmallows & autographed copy of Ina Garten’s newest book, or check out other great prizes from foodbloggers around the world. Just don’t go up against me for two tickets to a taping of Iron Chef America. Or my favorite Rogue River Blue Cheeses. But whichever gifts you choose, Ms. Adventures in Italy (great blog!) has prepared gift vouchers you can print or email with your gift. All from the comfort of your computer.

Washington, DC, Foodie Gifts

• If you’re braving the chill in DC to finish your shopping, you can give the gift of good food with a gift certificate to one of DC’s local food supporting restaurants: Equinox, Restaurant Eve, Vidalia, Vermilion, Blue Duck Tavern, Founding Farmers, Corduroy, or kid-friendly Clyde’s.
• Pack up a cheese gift bucket (supporting small farms and artisan cheesemakers) at Cowgirl Creamery or Cheesetique (open 11am-5pm on Christmas Eve).
• And for the little foodie, check out the kid-geared cookie cutters and PVC-free vinyl aprons at Hill’s Kitchen (open 10am-7pm on Christmas Eve). I picked up train cookie cutters for my toddler, and a football cookie cutter and butterfly cookie press for some friends.

Green Wrapping

I’ve been wrapping food gifts in reusable kitchen towels since before Poland Spring was making “eco-friendly” plastic bottles. Spare yourself the picked-over selection of paper gift wrap left in the store and head to the kitchen section for a more sustainable gift wrap. (I like MU’s bamboo dish towels, available at Hill’s Kitchen or online.)

Books for Little Foodies

If you don’t have a kitchen boutique near you, check out Erin Cooks‘ and Serious Eats‘ guides to food-centered children’s books for some great suggestions.

Happy shopping – keep warm out there!

PS Alexandrian’s, stop by and see Tom the Cheese Guy on Saturday, December 27, in the Del Ray market lot. Unless the roads ice over, he’ll be bringing his farm-fresh dairy products down from Pennsylvania all winter long. Smith Meadows has also been there with a small selection of winter produce to supplement their meat and fresh pastas.