It's a known fact -- kids love to get dirty. But they also love to do grown-up things like cook and help out around the house.

So why not involve them in preparing a special meal for Father's Day this year.

Leigh Joyner, local 4-H coordinator for the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, offered the following recipes to get kids involved in the kitchen. What better time to test their skills than by making dinner for Dad? These simple recipes add something extra -- a little one's love and attention -- to a meal the whole family can enjoy.

Family Favorite Pizza

Gather a couple of essentials ingredients, your favorite pizza toppers and something different to create a new family favorite pizza.

Essential ingredients

One large prepared pizza crust

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup pizza sauce

6-8 ounces mozzarella or Cheddar cheese, shredded

Select from a variety of these optional ingredients

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped

1 small can mushroom pieces

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup chopped broccoli

1 small can of chunk pineapple

20-30 slices pepperoni

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pizza crust on a large baking sheet. Brush a thin layer of olive oil over entire crust. Spread on pizza sauce. Layer ingredients of your choice. Top with cheese. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until ingredients are warmed thoroughly and cheese is melted. Let pizza cool for at least five minutes before cutting and eating.

Safety tips

Wash your hands.

Use sharp knives, choppers or shredders only if an adult has given you permission or is helping you. Kid-friendly knives called "safety cutters" are available from stores that sell kitchen supplies.

If you use a cutting board, always put it on a firm, flat surface. Put something underneath it to keep it from sliding. A dish towel or rubber mat works well.

Lay the item to be cut firmly on the cutting board and always cut in the direction away from you.

Use oven only if an adult has given you permission or is helping you. When first opening a hot oven, stand back away from the door. Make sure you use hot pads when handling hot pans.

Use an oven timer to remind you that your food is done and then turn off oven immediately.

Let foods cool before handling or tasting.

Fruit Kabobs

Great snack on a hot summer day! Adapted from "Dole 5 A Day Kids Cookbook."

Ingredients

2 large bananas, peeled

1 pound purple grapes, washed

1 large can pineapple chunks, drain and save juice

1/2 cantaloupe, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks

1/2 honeydew melon, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks

1 pint strawberries, washed and stems removed

You will need

cutting board

12 wooden skewers

can opener

large serving platter

a knife that is safe to use

Cut each banana into about six chunks. Dip each chunk into the pineapple juice that you saved. This will keep them from turning brown. Thread one piece of fruit at a time onto the skewers:

One strawberry

One cantaloupe chunk

One grape

One pineapple chunk

One honeydew melon chunk

One banana chunk

Add more until skewer is full. Lay skewers on a platter and pour the rest of the pineapple juice over the top. Chill until ready to serve. Fruit skewers can be arranged into a fun centerpiece by sticking each skewer into a fresh pineapple or melon half. Makes 12 kabobs.

Safety tip

Skewers are sharp. Point them away from you as you thread fruit onto them.

Ice Cream in a Bag

Ingredients

2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 4 tablespoons soft fruit (Wash fresh fruit.)

1 cup heavy cream

Additional ingredients

1/2 cup rock salt

Ice cubes

Quart-size zip-type bag

Gallon-size zip-type bag

Open a pint-size bag and add sugar, vanilla and soft fruit. Seal bag tightly and mix ingredients well by squeezing with fingers. Open bag again and add milk. Squeeze out extra air and zip bag tightly. Mix ingredients well.

Open a gallon-size, zip-type bag. Add rock salt and fill halfway with ice cubes. Put sealed pint-size bag inside the gallon bag and seal well. Shake the "bag in a bag" for 5 to 10 minutes or until the liquid has changed to ice cream.

Carefully remove the small bag and rinse it off before opening it. Makes two servings.

Tips

Try a variety of fruit in the ice cream. Ripe bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches or pears will all work well.

Make sure the bags are sealed tightly before mixing and shaking.

Turning liquid into ice cream takes lots of shaking and turning, so you may need to involve more than one person. And holding a bag of ice can make hands really cold. Using oven mitts during the shaking process or wrapping the big, sealed bag in a towel can be a good idea.

Manly Muffin Meat Loaf

Dad will love these individual meat loaves, and so will everyone else! From kidsacookin.ksu.edu.

Makes 6 servings, 2 muffins each

Ingredients

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup oats

1 pound lean ground beef

3 tablespoons chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup grated cheese, any variety

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Spoon mixture into greased muffin cups. Bake for one hour, or until temperature in center of meat loaf is 160 degrees. Cool slightly before removing from muffin cups. Serve with baked potatoes, green beans and milk for a nutritious meal. Makes six servings, two muffins each.

Helpful hint

Combine meat loaf ingredients until well mixed, but don't over mix. Too much mixing can make a meat loaf tough.

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