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