Family-friendly meals from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen

Kneading, rolling, cutting dough. It’s a job made for kids.

A traditional breakfast indulgence, the redolent pastries need to be kneaded, rise, baked and iced, but they’re worth it.

The Italian chocolate and hazelnut spread has its devoted fans.

Cornmeal pancakes Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 2 to 4 Note: Adapted from the 1943 “Joy of Cooking” by Irma Rombauer. 1 cup white or yellow cornmeal 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons melted butter 1 to 2 tablespoons honey, sugar or syrup 1 cup boiling water 1/2 cup milk 1 egg 1/2 cup flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1.

Sour cream waffles Total time: About 40 minutes Servings: Makes 6 to 8 servings Note: Adapted from the 1943 edition of “Joy of Cooking” by Irma Rombauer. 1 cup cake flour 11/2 teaspoons baking powder Dash salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 eggs, separated 2 cups sour cream 1.

It all began with a desire for a great homemade pie. One hand-built firebrick oven later, it’s time to dig in.

Put the junior bakers to work on the grand finale. Seasonal fruit’s the star of this course.

Apple walnut kugel Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes Servings: 8 to 10 Note: Roll the pasta as thinly as possible before cutting it into noodles.

Recipe: Pan-fried chicken

Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Servings: 12 to 16 Note: Use large shells such as chiocciole or conchiglie, or large elbow macaroni. 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 1 teaspoon melted butter 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1/2 cup flour 5 cups milk 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt 1 bay leaf 4 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese, divided 3 cups shredded Swiss Gruyere cheese 1 pound shells or elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions in salted water 1/2 cup heavy cream 1.

Devil’s food doughnuts Total time: About 1 hour Servings: Makes about 1 1/2 dozen doughnuts 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate 3 tablespoons butter 3 cups (12.75 ounces) flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa 2 eggs 2 egg yolks 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup sour cream 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 cup strong coffee, cooled Canola oil for frying 1.

Buttermilk doughnuts Total time: 1 hour Servings: Makes about 1 1/2 dozen donuts 4 1/4 cups (18 ounces) flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt Pinch grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 2 eggs 1 egg yolk 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup buttermilk 3 tablespoons butter, melted 1.

Crispy fried chicken Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes plus chilling times Servings: 2 to 4 2 Cornish game hens, or 1 small (3- to 4-pound) fryer chicken 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, divided 3/4 teaspoon cayenne powder, divided 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided 1 teaspoon onion powder, divided Tabasco, or other vinegar-based hot sauce 2 cups buttermilk, more if needed 2 cups flour 1 cup cornstarch 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon table salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon celery salt Peanut oil 1.

Yeast-raised doughnuts Total time: About 1 hour, plus rising and overnight resting times Servings: Makes about 1 1/2 to 2 dozen doughnuts 1 cup lukewarm milk (no warmer than 110 degrees) 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active-dry yeast 2 eggs 2 egg yolks 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 3/4 cups (16 ounces) flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) softened butter, cut into 4 or 5 pieces Canola oil for frying 1.

4 corn tortillas Oil for deep-frying 1/2 cup refried beans 1 1/2 cups shredded Chihuahua or Jack cheese Guacamole Sour cream 1 small tomato, seeded and diced Green Sauce Red Sauce Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges.

1 to 1 1/4 pounds skirt steak or rib eye steak 1 (8-ounce) bottle Italian dressing 4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch squares Oil 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 2 poblano chiles, cut into strips 1 onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices 5 plum tomatoes, quartered 4 yellow chiles 4 green onions 1/2 small lemon Tortillas Salsa Marinate steak overnight in dressing.

Cornmeal-dusted fried chicken Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes plus chilling times Servings: 2 to 4 2 Cornish game hens, or 1 small (3- to 4-pound) fryer chicken 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt Zest and juice of 1/2 orange 1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced garlic 2 teaspoons maple syrup 2 teaspoons finely minced rosemary 2 cups buttermilk, more if needed 1 1/4 cups flour 1 1/4 cups corn flour 1/2 cup cornmeal 2 teaspoons table salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Canola oil 1/4 pound bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips 1.

Note: This is a dish that was mentioned in the text of an article about typical Tuscan food.

Note: In early November, baker Amy Pressman told the story of how she achieved “cool mom” status with her son and his friends in part because of her homemade cinnamon buns.

Total time: 1 hour Servings: 4 Note: Donna Deane was inspired by specialties of France, Spain and Denmark while developing ideas for an article on open-faced sandwiches.

Cinnamon rolls Total time: About 1 hour, plus rising time Servings: 12 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature Zest of 1 orange 2 eggs, at room temperature 4 cups (17 ounces) and 1 tablespoon flour, divided, plus extra as needed 1/4 cup sugar 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, divided 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) softened butter, cut into cubes, plus 6 tablespoons melted butter, divided 1 cup brown sugar 2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted 1 tablespoons orange juice 1/4 cup milk 1.

Double chocolate zucchini mini-muffins Total time: 45 minutes, plus cooling time Servings: 2 1/2 dozen mini-muffins or 1 dozen standard muffins 3 1/2 ounces bittersweet dark chocolate, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup oil, divided 3/4 cup (3.2 ounces) unbleached flour 3/4 cup (3 ounces) pastry flour 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup granulated or turbinado sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 1/2 cups medium grated zucchini Powdered sugar, for dusting 1.

Spring ragout of baby carrots Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 15 baby carrots (about 1/2 pound) in mixed varieties of different colors such as Cosmic Purple, Nantes and Solar Yellow 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 teaspoon salt Pepper 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 teaspoons chopped chervil 1.

Egg salad sandwich with dill Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled 2 tablespoons minced green onion 1/4 cup minced celery 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons white vinegar 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce 2 tablespoons chopped dill 8 slices olive bread Cracked black pepper 1.

Asparagus and ham frittata Total time: 45 minutes Servings: 6 to 8 6 ounces ham, cut in 1/4-inch dice 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 tablespoons butter, divided 3/4 pound asparagus, trimmed and peeled if thicker than a pencil 12 eggs 1 ounce Parmesan, grated (about 1/3 cup) 1.

These potatoes have all the ingredients of the well-known Irish dish champ--potatoes with cabbage added for hearty flavor.

Total time: 1 hour Servings: Makes 24 corn cakes Note: These flavorful bites are from a recipe in “The Working Parents Cookbook.” 1 tablespoon oil 1 cup cornmeal 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly 1 medium onion, diced 2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Cheddar cheese 1 can (14 to 15 ounces) creamed corn 1.

Sour cream waffles Total time: About 40 minutes Servings: Makes 12 to 16 waffles Note: Adapted from the 1957 edition of “Joy of Cooking” 1 cup cake flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder Dash salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 eggs, separated 2 cups sour cream 1.

Chocolate mint ice cream Total time: 15 minutes, plus 8 hours steeping and freezing time Servings: 4 to 6 Note: Use the best chocolate you can find. 2 bunches fresh mint, stems removed, leaves washed and dried 3 cups heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup sugar Dash coarse salt 3 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate 1.

Total time: 40 minutes, plus at least 5 hours chilling time Servings: 4 Note: Adapted from “The Tenth Muse.” 3 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup flour 1 cup chicken broth 2 cups finely minced cooked turkey 3 green onions, finely chopped 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, chives, marjoram or mint or a combination Salt Freshly ground pepper Flour for dredging 1 beaten egg 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs 1 quart or more canola oil for deep-frying 1.

Stuffed summer squash Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Servings: 10 to 12 Note: Adapted from Sotera Jaime.

Yeast-raised waffles Total time: About 40 minutes, plus overnight rising time Servings: Makes 16 waffles Note: Adapted from Marion Cunningham’s recipe in “Modern California Cooking” 1 package active dry yeast 2 cups milk 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 2 cups flour 2 eggs 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1.