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