Tuesday, January 12, 2010

cooking with kids



My girls love to cook and they love being in the kitchen with me.

I have to be honest. This use to drive me crazy!!! Selfishly I knew it was more work for me too.

You know…. the all to familiar battle most mommies go through- doing it yourself vs. teachable moments. Tasks are much easier (and quicker and cleaner and….) if you do them yourself.

However, I have grown to LOVE having my girls in the kitchen cooking with me. We have a total blast.

I can see them growing in the area of cooking and that makes me smile.

My hope is to raise little girls who love to cook and appreciate good wholesome REAL food.

I bought KK this cookbook for Christmas. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it! The artwork is spectacular, the recipes are fun and simple, and it creates a sense of good ole’ home cooking nostalgia when you open it up that makes you want to grab an apron and whisk and whip something up.

There is a whole series of the books for girls and I highly recommend them. We also have the "See and Sew" book by Tina Davis and it's a gem as well!


Here are some photos over the last week of us hanging out and cooking together.....from scratch.

Kaylyn cutting her ham and pineapple. She is already so careful and great with knife. I let her do a lot of my food prepping.


My little dough girl, Rae Rae, spreading the homemade pizza dough.


A good reminder for me.....this is suppose to be "FUN"! Put a smile on your face momma and make a mess!


Kaylyn, spreading her sauce and building her pizza....the sauce was NOT from scratch.


I cold busted Rae Rae eating the sauce instead of spreading.


But, who could get mad at a face like that.....momma, laugh, I say. Laugh!


Because, there will be messes. Lots and lots of messes. Flour flying, sauces slinging, cheese crumbling....it's only part of it.


And there will be dishes. Lots and lots of dishes. A sink full of dishes to be exact. But, its okay. We had fun....and not only can my girls learn to cook, they can learn to do dishes too:). My momma always taught me,"A good cook always cleans up her mess."


The reward is far worth it and the flavors are unlike any other. Especially paired with a Virgil's Natural Micro-Brewed Root Beer. Heavenly. A real treat!


On a separate occasion last week, Kaylyn decided she wanted to make a chocolate cake from scratch. So we got out her cookbook and I let her pick her recipe out.

I was SOOOO proud of her. She made her chocolate cake all by herself without my help- not once.


Cracking the egg. She is pretty much a pro at this. I'm amazed that she can manage to crack 12 eggs and not get shell in the mix once (unlike her momma who is reckless abandon).



Stir, my love, stir.


Sifting her flower for the cake.


Oh and I would like to show you what the cake looked like, but it was gone far too quickly to capture it in all its beauty.

On the real......her chocolate cake was the BEST chocolate cake I've ever tasted. Ever. I think there was only a handful of ingredients too all of which were wonderful clean ingredients.

12 comments:

Cottage Dreamers said...

How fun! I can relate to the "easier to do it myself" thoughts. I've been letting my girls help out with cooking more and more and it's turned out to be such a help now that they know how to make a few breakfast and lunch meals. They're still way messier and use more dishes than I would like, but I guess that's alright.

Kirby said...

I LOVE this post, Lyns! I wish I would have learned how to cook the everyday meals when I was younger.

Asher loves to help cook, too. Thanks for reminding us to allow them to be involved more than worrying about the mess they are going to make...what would it be 5 minutes longer of cleaning up versus sweet memories in the kitchen?

Missy Robinson said...

Post that chocolate cake recipe girl! If you get out the electric mixer (sort of like a gun) and get to crack eggs (breaking stuff) the boys sometimes can get into it!
xoxoxo
missy

Nicole Friedel said...

Lyns, you're inspring me!! I let my kids help, but not near as much as I could. I WILL do better, and thanks for the book reccomendations!

Sarah Crosby said...

This is so sweet! You are such a good mama! My mom used to let me cook dinner every Friday when I was in the 6th and 7th grade! It was so fun to have her there helping me and teaching me to cook!

&& I think my future hubby likes it too!

Anonymous said...

oh how proud for you sweet daughter..i can just remember all the messes we had in "sandy's playhouse" then all the kiddos' would go home to there nice in order clean house..but oh what fun we had. maybe send cookbook with kaylyn sometime..kidding, those days are done for me ..i'll let you enjoy them for now..older they get the better it gets'...believe me..love mom

Williams Five said...

Lyns,
I am sold! I want that book for my girls. To be honest though they don't get into the kitchen with me. But I think the book might help! I am teaching Anika how to sew and needed a book so I am going to get her sewing book, too!! Thanks, Lyn!! Miss you!!

Paige said...

How fun!! I can't wait to teach my little girls to cook some day. (Yes, I said little girls because the thought of it drives Nathan crazy!! hehe) Some lucky men will really appreciate your girls some day --- it amazes me how many people my age have no idea how to cook! Boy are they missing out ;)

Shannan Martin said...

My kids are in the kitchen with me nearly every time I cook. (Every now and then I shoo them out...but I'm learning to embrace their "help" more and more!) Hey - that pizza crust looks yummy!

mandi said...

you know i LOVE this! my favorite times are spent in the kitchen with my lovelies too.

Gail said...

You inspire me so much, Lynsey! I hope my hubby & I are so fortunate as to one day have some little cooks in our kitchen. Your girls are sweeties. And the cooking looks like a blast...though I totally get the whole "do it yourself is easier" thing. I can get that way with people (& I'm sure God will teach me a few things when we have kids)...but I guess in the end, messes can always be cleaned but your girls won't be at home for forever. Make each day count!

Hugs,

Gail

Heather said...

You are such a great mommy! You have inspired me to try cooking with my kids. I'll let you know if I am as successful as you and your girls!