Quesbo Little Chefs · Around the world · Destination 14
A table full of choices.
A little taste of the USA.
Comforting soup, creamy mac and cheese, buttery apple bars, sticky barbecue ribs, hot Buffalo wings and a bubbling cheese-topped onion soup. Six recipes to explore together, with plenty of choices along the way.
Say Hi! and join the next stop in Quesbo’s Cooking Adventures Around the World. Find a grown-up cooking companion and get ready to stir, sprinkle and discover what you enjoy.
Start with the three dishes pictured above, or try one of our new recipes: Chicago-inspired spare ribs, Buffalo chicken wings or American steakhouse-style French onion soup. Pick one for today and explore the rest over several cooking sessions. The wings come with a separate mild option so each person can choose their heat level.
Choose your first taste
A little taste of the USA
The United States has a huge range of regional and community cuisines, shaped by Indigenous peoples, migration, farming, trade and changing history. These six recipes offer a small taste of that variety.
Our chapter brings together foods that invite a little choice at the table. Chicken noodle soup has many household versions; mac and cheese can be creamy from the hob or crisp from the oven; and these apple bars turn the flavours of apple pie into small crumble-topped squares.
The additions explore three more favourites. Our Chicago-inspired spare ribs use a home oven and a smoky barbecue glaze; they are one family adaptation of a city with varied barbecue traditions. The hot wings take their cue from Buffalo, New York, with a cayenne-pepper sauce and butter. French onion soup has French roots: here it is served in the familiar American steakhouse style, with a toasted bread and melted-cheese cap.
Quesbo’s imaginary passport adventure
Jordan set out bowls of herbs, cooked peas, sauce, toasted breadcrumbs and fruit. Nobody had to build the same plate. Quesbo added peas to the soup, extra crumbs to the macaroni and no sauce at all to the first apple bar. Having choices did not divide the table; it helped everyone join in. The passport stamped CHOICE.
First taste 01 / 06
Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
A gentle family soup
A bowl of light golden broth, tender shredded chicken, noodles and colourful vegetables makes a comforting first taste. Chicken noodle soups have many family and regional versions; this one keeps the flavours gentle with thyme and parsley.
Ingredients
For the soup
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery sticks, sliced
- 1.3 litres reduced-salt chicken stock
- 350 g boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 120 g egg noodles
- 100 g frozen peas
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Cook together
Little hands can- Measure the noodles and peas away from the hob.
- Tear or snip washed parsley with suitable children’s scissors.
- Help shred the fully cooked chicken with two forks once an adult has checked that it is cool enough.
- Chop the vegetables and handle the raw chicken.
- Manage the hob, check the chicken temperature and lift it from the hot broth.
- Add ingredients to the hot pan, remove the bay leaf and ladle the soup.
Large saucepan with a lid, Knife and chopping board, Wooden spoon and ladle, Clean plate and two forks, Clean food thermometer
Let’s cook
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Soften the vegetables
An adult chops the onion, carrots and celery. Heat the oil in the saucepan over a medium-low heat and gently cook the vegetables for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep raw chicken and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat ingredients.
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Simmer the chicken
Add the stock, chicken thighs, thyme and bay leaf. An adult brings the soup to a gentle simmer, covers the pan and cooks for about 18 minutes. Before lifting out the chicken, check the thickest part with a clean thermometer: it should reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Continue cooking if needed; the time is a guide.
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Lift out the chicken and cook the noodles
Transfer the fully cooked chicken to a clean plate. Add the noodles to the gently simmering broth and cook according to their packet instructions, stirring to separate them. Keep an eye on the liquid level and add a small splash of hot water if needed.
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Shred with two forks
While the noodles cook, let the chicken lose just enough heat to handle safely. Shred it with two forks, checking for any stray bone or cartilage. Children can help only after an adult has confirmed that the chicken is fully cooked and cool enough to touch.
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Add the peas
Return the shredded chicken to the soup with the frozen peas. Simmer for about 3 minutes, or for the time on the pea packet, until the peas are cooked and everything is steaming hot throughout. Stir gently so the chicken and vegetables heat evenly.
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Finish and share
An adult removes and discards the bay leaf, then stirs in the parsley. Ladle into six bowls and allow children’s portions to cool to a comfortable eating temperature. Invite everyone to notice the noodles, vegetables and broth before choosing a first spoonful.
Main meal 02 / 06
Crispy-Topped Baked Mac and Cheese
Creamy macaroni casserole
Soft macaroni meets a smooth cheddar sauce and a crunchy golden topping. This oven-baked version is made for sharing, with optional vegetables and a little mustard for families who enjoy its flavour.
Ingredients
For the macaroni and sauce
- 300 g macaroni
- 40 g butter
- 40 g plain flour
- 600 ml milk
- 200 g mature cheddar, grated
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- Black pepper
For the topping
- 50 g breadcrumbs
- 30 g grated cheddar
- 1 tsp olive oil
Cook together
Little hands can- Weigh the macaroni, flour and breadcrumbs.
- Measure the milk and mix the cool topping ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Choose a vegetable variation and help set the table.
- Grate the cheese, or closely supervise an older child with a suitable grater.
- Boil and drain the pasta, make the hot sauce and fill the dish.
- Use the oven and check the casserole is hot through.
Two saucepans, or one used in stages, Colander, Whisk and wooden spoon, 2-litre baking dish, Small bowl, Cheese grater
Let’s cook
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Prepare the oven and pasta
Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan. An adult cooks the macaroni in a large pan of boiling water for 2 minutes less than the packet’s stated time, then drains it carefully. It will finish cooking in the oven.
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Make the buttery base
In a saucepan, an adult melts the butter over a low-medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously to make a smooth paste. If using one pan, drain the pasta first and keep it aside while you make the sauce.
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Whisk a smooth sauce
Add the milk a little at a time, whisking each addition into the paste before adding more. Once all the milk is in, bring to a gentle simmer, stirring or whisking, and cook for 3–4 minutes until smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon.
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Add the cheese
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the 200 g cheddar, optional mustard and a little black pepper until the cheese melts. Fold in the drained macaroni, coating it evenly with sauce.
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Build the crisp top
An adult transfers the hot mixture to the baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, 30 g cheddar and olive oil. Scatter evenly over the macaroni, keeping hands away from the hot dish and filling.
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Bake and rest
Bake for about 20 minutes until the top is golden and crisp and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Check that the centre is steaming hot too. Rest for 5 minutes before serving, then let children’s portions cool further if needed.
Sweet finish 03 / 06
Cinnamon Apple Pie Bars
Little apple crumble squares
These little squares borrow the flavours of apple pie and use one buttery mixture for both the base and the crumble. A soft cinnamon-apple middle sits between the layers. Give the finished bake time to cool so the bars hold together when sliced.
Ingredients
For the base and crumble
- 300 g plain flour
- 50 g rolled oats
- 120 g light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 180 g cold butter, diced
- Pinch of salt
For the apple layer
- 600 g cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- A little cold water, to mix the cornflour
Cook together
Little hands can- Weigh the flour, oats and sugars.
- Rub the cold butter into the dry ingredients with clean fingertips.
- Press the base into the cold tin and help divide the reserved crumble into small clumps.
- Peel, core and cut the apples.
- Cook the fruit, handle the hot tin and add the warm layers.
- Use the oven and cut the completely cooled slab.
20 cm square baking tin, Baking paper, Mixing bowl, Saucepan, Small bowl or cup, Peeler, knife and chopping board, Wire rack
Let’s cook
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Prepare the tin
Heat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan. Line a 20 cm square tin with baking paper, leaving some paper above the sides to help lift out the cooled bake. An adult peels, cores and dices the apples into roughly 1 cm pieces.
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Make the crumb mixture
Put the flour, oats, brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Add the cold diced butter and rub it in with clean fingertips until you have coarse crumbs that clump together when squeezed. Do not taste the raw mixture.
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Press and bake the base
Press about two-thirds of the mixture firmly and evenly into the lined tin, reaching the corners. Keep the remaining third for the topping. An adult bakes the base for 10 minutes.
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Soften the apples
Meanwhile, an adult puts the apples, caster sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan and cooks gently for about 5 minutes, stirring, until they begin to soften. Add a small splash of water if the pan looks dry. Mix the cornflour with about 1 tbsp cold water to form a smooth slurry, then stir it into the apples with the ½ tsp cinnamon. Cook briefly until the juices thicken.
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Add the layers
An adult takes the hot tin from the oven and spreads the apple mixture over the warm base. Scatter the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the fruit, keeping hands away from the hot edges and filling.
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Bake, cool and cut
Bake for a further 25–30 minutes, until the crumble is golden and the apples are tender. Set the tin on a wire rack and let the slab cool completely, usually 1–2 hours. An adult lifts it out using the paper and cuts it into 16 small squares. If the centre is still soft, chill before cutting.
Barbecue favourite 04 / 06
Chicago-Style Barbecue Spare Ribs
A smoky, sticky home-oven adaptation
These pork spare ribs cook slowly until tender, then take on a glossy, tangy tomato barbecue glaze. This is a Chicago-inspired recipe for the home oven, with smoked paprika bringing a gentle smoky flavour. Chicago barbecue has several traditions, including smoked rib tips; this version uses full spare ribs and does not need a smoker.
Ingredients
For the ribs and rub
- 1.5 kg pork spare ribs in racks, membrane removed by the butcher if possible
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp onion granules
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 100 ml water, plus a little more if needed
For the barbecue glaze
- 200 g passata
- 75 g tomato ketchup
- 25 g light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Cook together
Little hands can- Measure the dry spices into a clean bowl before it goes near the raw pork.
- Stir the cold glaze ingredients together before an adult takes the pan to the hob.
- Choose side dishes and set out napkins.
- Prepare and handle the raw pork, apply the rub and clean the work area.
- Manage the oven, hot foil, steam and glaze.
- Check tenderness and temperature, carve the ribs and remove bones for younger children.
Large roasting tin, Foil, Small saucepan, Two small bowls, Pastry brush, Tongs, Sharp knife and chopping board, Clean food thermometer
Let’s cook
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Prepare the ribs
Heat the oven to 160°C / 140°C fan. An adult checks the racks and removes any tough membrane still attached to the bone side, or asks the butcher to do this. Cut a rack in half only if needed to fit the tin. Keep raw pork and its utensils away from ready-to-eat food; wash hands and surfaces afterwards.
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Add the rub and cover
Mix the paprika, garlic granules, onion granules, salt and pepper in a small bowl. An adult rubs the oil and spice mixture over the ribs. Put them bone-side down in the roasting tin in a single layer, pour the 100 ml water around them and cover the tin tightly with foil.
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Cook slowly until tender
Roast for 2½–3 hours. An adult carefully lifts the foil away from their face to release steam. The meat should have drawn back a little from the bones and a skewer should slide easily between them. If it is still firm, add a splash of water if the tin is dry, re-cover and cook in further 20-minute stages. Pork must be cooked through; a clean thermometer away from the bone should reach at least 75°C for 30 seconds, but ribs usually need substantially more cooking than that to become tender.
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Simmer the glaze
While the ribs cook, put all the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. An adult brings them to a gentle simmer and cooks for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened. Add a little water if it becomes too thick to brush. Divide it between two bowls before brushing: one for glazing and one kept clean for serving.
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Make the sticky finish
When the ribs are tender, raise the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan. An adult transfers them carefully to a clean foil-lined tray and brushes with the glazing portion of sauce. Roast uncovered for 15–20 minutes, brushing once more halfway through, until the sauce is sticky and lightly browned. Watch closely so the sugar does not burn; stop earlier if the glaze is ready.
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Rest, cut and share
Rest for 10 minutes. An adult cuts between the bones and serves with the clean reserved sauce and your chosen sides. For younger children, remove the meat from the bones, check for small fragments and cut it into manageable pieces. Let portions cool slightly before eating.
Choose your heat 05 / 06
Hot Buffalo Chicken Wings
Crisp oven-baked wings with a cayenne-and-butter sauce
Buffalo wings take their name from Buffalo, New York. This home version bakes unbreaded wing pieces until golden, then coats them in a lively cayenne-pepper sauce enriched with butter. The main recipe is hot; keep some cooked wings separate before saucing for anyone who prefers a mild plate.
Ingredients
For the wings
- 1.2 kg chicken wing pieces, split into flats and drumettes with tips removed
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
For the hot Buffalo sauce
- 90 ml vinegar-based cayenne-pepper hot sauce
- 60 g unsalted butter
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
For the cool dip and sides
- 150 g plain natural yogurt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
- 3 celery sticks, washed and cut into sticks (optional)
Cook together
Little hands can- Measure the yogurt and lemon juice into a clean bowl.
- Snip washed chives with suitable children’s scissors and stir the cool dip.
- Choose a mild or hot serving with a grown-up and set out plates.
- Handle all raw chicken and keep its utensils separate.
- Turn the hot wings and check their internal temperature.
- Handle chilli sauce, melt the butter, coat the wings and remove bones for younger children.
Large rimmed baking tray and oven-safe wire rack, Kitchen paper, Mixing bowls, Small saucepan, Tongs, Clean food thermometer, Knife and chopping board
Let’s cook
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Prepare the tray and wings
Heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan. Line a rimmed tray with foil and set an oven-safe wire rack on it. An adult pats the wing pieces thoroughly dry with kitchen paper, discards the paper and washes their hands. Do not wash raw chicken. If you bought whole wings, ask the butcher to split them or have an adult cut through the joints.
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Season and spread out
An adult tosses the wings with the oil, salt and pepper, then arranges them on the rack in one layer with space between the pieces. Use a second tray if they are crowded. Keep raw-chicken bowls and utensils separate from everything used for the cooked wings.
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Bake until crisp and cooked through
Bake for about 45–55 minutes, turning with tongs halfway through. They should be golden with crisp patches. An adult checks several of the largest pieces with a clean thermometer in the thickest meat, avoiding the bone: it must reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Continue cooking if needed; colour and timing alone are not enough to check doneness.
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Make the cool dip
In a clean bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice and chives. Cover and refrigerate until serving. An adult prepares the optional celery sticks. Keep this ready-to-eat food away from the raw-chicken area.
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Warm the Buffalo sauce
Near the end of baking, an adult melts the butter gently in a small saucepan. Take it off the heat and whisk in the cayenne hot sauce, plus the optional ground cayenne for extra heat. Warm gently if necessary, without boiling. Hot sauces vary: an adult should check the strength before deciding how much sauce to put on each portion.
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Choose the heat and serve
Using clean tongs, put any wings for mild portions on a separate clean plate first. Toss the remaining cooked wings with the warm Buffalo sauce in a clean large bowl. Serve promptly with the cool dip and optional celery, allowing portions to cool enough to eat. An adult removes bones and checks the meat carefully for younger children.
Steakhouse favourite 06 / 06
American Steakhouse-Style French Onion Soup
Deeply caramelised onions with a golden cheese-toast lid
A deeply savoury bowl of caramelised onion soup, topped with toast and bubbling cheese, brings a steakhouse-style finish to our USA collection. French onion soup has French roots; this alcohol-free home version celebrates the way it also appears on American restaurant tables. The secret is giving the onions enough time to turn richly golden.
Ingredients
For the soup
- 1 kg onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
- 40 g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1.2 litres reduced-salt beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp cider vinegar
- Black pepper, and salt only if needed
For the cheese toasts
- 6 thick slices of baguette or other crusty white bread
- 150 g Gruyère or Swiss-style cheese, grated
Cook together
Little hands can- Count the bread slices and bowls.
- Measure the cooled or room-temperature stock away from the hob.
- Sprinkle grated cheese onto cold toasts on a cold tray when using the separate-toast method.
- Slice the onions and garlic and manage the long caramelising stage.
- Handle the hot soup, toast and grill, checking the bowls are suitable.
- Grate the cheese, or supervise an older child closely, and cool children’s portions.
Large heavy saucepan or casserole, Wooden spoon, Knife and chopping board, Ladle, Baking tray, 6 bowls specifically suitable for a hot grill, or ordinary bowls with separately grilled cheese toasts, Oven gloves
Let’s cook
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Soften a mountain of onions
An adult slices the onions evenly. Melt the butter with the oil in the heavy pan over a medium-low heat, add the onions and stir to coat. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the onions begin to soften and collapse.
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Take time to caramelise
Remove the lid and cook gently for another 35–50 minutes, stirring regularly and more often as the onions darken. Aim for a deep golden-brown colour and a soft, jammy texture, not blackened edges. If the pan catches, lower the heat and add a tablespoon of water, scraping up the browned bits. The onions may need longer depending on the pan and their moisture.
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Build the broth
Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and stir for another minute. Gradually pour in the stock, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the bay leaf and thyme, bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20–25 minutes. Stir in the cider vinegar, remove the bay leaf and taste before adding pepper or any salt.
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Toast the bread
While the soup simmers, an adult toasts the bread until dry and lightly golden on both sides. Heat the grill to medium-high. Check that your soup bowls are specifically approved for use under a grill, not just described as oven-safe. If they are not, use the separate-toast method in the next step.
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Make the golden cheese lid
Stand the grill-safe bowls on a sturdy baking tray. An adult ladles in the hot soup, leaving room at the top, adds one toast to each and scatters over the cheese. Grill for about 3–5 minutes, watching constantly, until the cheese melts and develops golden patches. Alternatively, put the toasts on the tray, top with cheese and grill them separately, then float each finished toast on soup served in ordinary bowls.
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Serve with care
An adult uses oven gloves to handle grilled bowls and places them on heatproof plates or mats. The soup and melted cheese will be very hot. For children, transfer a suitable portion to a cool bowl and cut the cheese toast into manageable pieces, then let it cool before tasting.
Your tasty passport · Destination 14
You’ve tasted the USA.
Which choices made it yours?
Open your cooking notebook and make a new passport page. Write USA at the top, draw a dish you tried and add the date and your cooking companion’s name. Leave a space for each of the six recipes so you can return and add another discovery.
- Give it a taste score. Rate each dish you tried from 1 to 5. You can also write “Not tried yet”. Everyone can have a different favourite.
- Choose your next step. Would you cook it again? Write “Yes”, “Maybe” or “Not yet”.
- Remember three discoveries. Chicken noodle soup has many family versions; mac and cheese can be creamy or baked with a crisp top; apple bars borrow apple-pie flavours and turn them into a traybake.
- Earn your CHOICE stamp. With a grown-up, set out two or three small bowls of ready-to-eat extras: washed chopped parsley, cooked peas or sweetcorn, or toasted breadcrumbs. Let everyone choose what to add to their own soup or pasta. Choosing no extra topping is a choice too. Check allergens and use a separate spoon for each bowl.
Food detective: which toppings or add-ins could be served separately so every person builds a different serving? Try herbs or cooked vegetables with soup, toasted crumbs with mac and cheese, or a little washed fruit alongside an apple bar.
A word for your journey: say “Hi!” when you arrive and “Enjoy!” when it is time to eat.
Your next destination clue: turn south to an island where allspice, thyme and warm pastry carry the rhythm of the kitchen.
Food and discovery notes for grown-ups
The original chicken noodle soup, mac and cheese and apple pie bars are adapted from Quesbo’s USA chapter, pages 105–112, with clearer preparation, supervision and storage guidance. The spare ribs, Buffalo wings and French onion soup are additional original Quesbo home adaptations requested for this adventure. These six recipes offer a small introduction to a much wider range of food traditions; regional and household versions vary. Recipes have not been kitchen-tested. Food images are AI-generated serving illustrations.
- Food Standards Agency — Cooking your food
- Food Standards Agency — How to chill, freeze and defrost food safely
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History — The Migrant’s Table
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History — Cooking Up History
- Massachusetts Commonwealth Museum — Food for Thought
- Sysco Foodie — Chicago Style BBQ Rib Tips, Chef Klaus Mandl
- James Beard Foundation — Buffalo Wings
- McCormick / Frank’s RedHot — Baked Hot Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Swanson — Classic French Onion Soup
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