| Cooking together has always been a favorite activity | | | | gather our ingredients and utensils. And then we |
| in our family. My mother began to cook with me | | | | begin.Fun and safetyI discuss the fact that we will |
| before I started school. One of my earliest school | | | | need to warm up the oven while we're making our |
| memories was when I was a first grader: our class | | | | food; explaining that the stove is "very hot" and that he |
| was invited to be guests of the eighth grade cooking | | | | must never touch the oven; and that he only cooks |
| class and we were treated to hot cocoa and oatmeal | | | | with me, or his Mommy or Daddy. I usually tell him |
| cookies made by the "big kids." At the end of the | | | | about the times I would cook with Daddy when he |
| party, we were allowed to help the eighth graders | | | | was a little boy. This usually gets Connor's interest. I |
| clean up, and I remember volunteering to wash a very | | | | measure out each of the ingredients, and Connor gets |
| large floured baking sheet. As the class was ending, I | | | | the fun and important mixing job.If I'm using an electric |
| was still at the sink laboring with the industrial-sized | | | | blender or mixer, Connor gets to turn the appliance on |
| baking sheet that was as big as I was. As a reward | | | | and off (again discussing safety issues and the |
| for my efforts, I was given a gold star on my | | | | importance of not using these appliances by himself). If |
| forehead. Even now, many years later, I still remember | | | | something has to be cooked on the stove-top, Connor |
| that day as one of the proudest of my life.And maybe | | | | stands close by watching the activity and depending |
| it was that day that started me on a life in which my | | | | on what's cooking he get a chance to stir the pot |
| best memories involve cooking for myself, my family, | | | | (under very close supervision).By this time, things in the |
| and my friends. The best of the best memories are | | | | kitchen are starting to smell really good, and that gives |
| the times I cooked with my own children who have | | | | us a chance to discuss what we smell and to build |
| now grown up and have given me five grandkids | | | | excitement about the end result.Connor gets the honor |
| (aged from 20 months to 18 years), with whom I can | | | | of greasing the cake or muffin pans, or he can roll out |
| continue what I started with my children over 40 years | | | | dough (with some help). Depending on what we're |
| ago.Cooking gives children a wonderful sense of | | | | cooking, he also gets the opportunity to help pour the |
| accomplishment and they learn early that hard work | | | | batter into the pans if we're making a cake, cupcakes, |
| can pay big (sweet) rewards. Cooking allows you to | | | | or muffins. If we're making cookies, he can use the |
| talk to kids on many levels: they learn about their family | | | | cookie cutters and later he can sprinkle the colored |
| histories when you use recipes handed down in the | | | | sugar over them.Finally, we are ready to put the dish |
| family (the names of their great grandparents, the | | | | into the oven or onto the stove, set the timer, and |
| foods that derive from their family roots in countries | | | | anticipate the outcome. While waiting, Connor always |
| far away), they learn to follow directions, they learn to | | | | helps with the clean up, and I admit this is his least |
| count (depending on their ages, this can range from | | | | favorite thing to do. But this is one of the lessons that |
| simple to more involved calculations), they learn | | | | are learned we must always clean up our own |
| cooperation, they learn the joy of work that can give | | | | messes. It's not all work. While we're cleaning up, we |
| pleasure not only to themselves but to others, they | | | | get to look into the oven and watch the progress of |
| learn to try and to experience different foods and | | | | the dish as it cooks. We discuss how the food will get |
| cooking methods, they learn lessons of self-sufficiency | | | | to smell better and better, how it browns, and how the |
| that will serve them all their lives, they learn they must | | | | cake gets bigger as it cooks.When the timer rings, with |
| clean up after themselves, they learn to follow | | | | Connor closely watching, I take the food out of the |
| directions and how to plan ahead (shopping and prep | | | | oven and place it on the cooling rack. If the dish calls |
| time).All the while they're learning all these things, | | | | for icing, we use the cooling time to make the icing, and |
| they're having fun and so are you.Children learn to | | | | Connor helps put the icing on the cakes or cookies |
| enjoy food from the first moments of their lives, and | | | | (and into his mouth).At last, the dish is done and we get |
| they can learn the joy of cooking even as toddlers. | | | | to eat it, sharing it of course with Mommy and Daddy, |
| When you cook with toddlers, it's important that you | | | | and anyone else who wants some. Since eating is a |
| concentrate only on the task at hand, and it's best to | | | | social activity, Connor basks in the glow of his |
| limit your cooking class to just one short one at a time. | | | | accomplishment and enjoys the compliments and the |
| I've found it best if the recipes are simple, and have an | | | | conversation. In our family, after eating everyone helps |
| enjoyable anticipated outcome.Getting startedThese | | | | clean up, so once again Connor is in on the action.In |
| days, I've been cooking a lot with my three-year-old | | | | general, anything that I choose to cook with Connor (or |
| grandchild, Connor. I like to begin talking with Connor | | | | any other young child) has got to be simple and quick, |
| about what I want to cook with him. I describe how | | | | recognizing that young children have finite attention |
| much he will like the dish, and when I get his interest, I | | | | spans. The time I spend cooking with Connor (or any |
| give the recipe a fun name. I can keep his interest | | | | of the kids) leaves me happy, tired, full, and contented; |
| through the whole process if I start by writing the | | | | it leaves them feeling the same way, too, and proud of |
| recipe down and discussing the ingredients and steps | | | | themselves as well.The following are a few recipes |
| involved.Then I plan a trip to the store for the | | | | that I have used successfully with Connor and with my |
| ingredients. Again I involve the child. We look for the | | | | younger grandchildren. I hope that you will try them for |
| ingredients together, and we watch while the checker | | | | yourselves and add your own while you make |
| bags our stuff, and after we pay her (Connor learns | | | | memories for yourself, your children, and your |
| that everything has a price), we go home to | | | | grandchildren (or any kid who happens to be in your |
| cook.Washing hands is always the way we begin. It's | | | | life).The Recipes"BaNANA" BreadPreparation Time: 20 |
| fun washing up with Connor, who generally resists | | | | minutes Baking Time: 60 minutes Makes 1 LoafYou will |
| washing up at other times -- as he seriously throws | | | | need: a large fork and a wooden spoon, 2 bowls, oven |
| himself into this activity when its for cooking. Next we | | | | gloves, loaf pan, cooking rack. |