Our kids and cooking

[wawairis]

"ghetto mac"(mac and cheese with hot dogs),

Ghetto mac! I thought that was Detroit-specific. I thought I was the only one.

Why is it called ghetto mac?

[snowangel]

Diana left Sunday for a month at camp. Boo hoo. Now, not only do I have to come up with meal ideas, I have to cook them. Plus, Diana is so good with leftovers, that I'm sure I'll be wasting a ton of food. Plus, she's my larb-mate.

But, Saturday night, she fixed kabobs. She did a great job -- sorting the various items that cook at the same rate, and getting them onto the grill at the appropriate times -- nothing was over or under-done.

She did mention that the night she returns from camp, she's expecting a nice, fat, black and blue rib-eye.

I miss her already.

[davidthomas8779]

My 5 year old is a great omelet maker. He does everything except the stove part, but he will crack and beat eggs with a little milk and knows to get the fillings and butter out. Then he comes up to drag me out of bed to cook the omelet.

Come to think of it, if I set up the coffee the night before, he could turn the coffee on first and then when I come down, it'd be ready for me.

[guajolote]

My 4 year old daughter Iris and I have been making sorbets together lately. When we were at Maggie's a couple of weeks ago, Maggie gave her a taste of the ice cream her husband Lou had made (which was excellent.) Iris tasted the ice cream and said "It's good, but the melon ice cream I made with my Papi is better."

[snowangel]

When we were at Maggie's a couple of weeks ago, Maggie gave her a taste of the ice cream her husband Lou had made (which was excellent.) Iris tasted the ice cream and said "It's good, but the melon ice cream I made with my Papi is better."

My kind of girl!

[torakris]

wow, kids in the US are already on summer holiday? I have forgotten how long the summer is there!

Summer break in Japan starts July 20, I have already sterted preparing by purchasing 3 new cookbooks for cooking with children, lots of pictures and very easy for the kids to read by themselves.

[maggiethecat]

Iris tasted the ice cream and said "It's good, but the melon ice cream I made with my Papi is better."

I have told this story to everyone I've talked to in the last three weeks, especially my, er, colorist, Jen. (Foodie genius hair coloring Babe.)

Iris was so serious and non-judgemental...she was giving a measured opinion here. Also, her Mummy makes great Rice Krispy Squares.

When my daughter threw a dinner party in her junior year at college, and we got deep into Boeuf Bourgignon, I knew I hadn't failed as a parent. It was a really moving mother and daughter phone call. At least, it was for the Mother!

[snowangel]

When my daughter threw a dinner party in her junior year at college, and we got deep into Boeuf Bourgignon, I knew I hadn't failed as a parent.  It was a really moving mother and daughter phone call.  At least, it was for the Mother!

A very "puffed up" parental moment. You did a grand job, I can tell. Diana called me from my folks house a few nights before she left for camp for vinegar advice. I was pleased as punch.

[snowangel]

After a long month, Diana returns from camp late this afternoon. So, for dinner, we will celebrate with steak, green beans from the garden, boiled new potatos from the farmer's market, a salad with fun stuff from the farmer's market and some really dynamite feta cheese (also from the farmer's market), with yet another raspberry pie for desert.

It will be wonderful to have my kitchen buddy and helper back home, and I know she's going to horrified with all of the "stuff that is growing" in the fridge.

She, Peter, Heidi, Heidi's aide, and I head north again on Monday morning. Better get Diana going on menus and grocery shopping!

[torakris]

Today is the first day of summer vacation and I will have the kids at home for the next 42 days!

We have decided that the kids will "cook" twice a week, Mia (7) gets Tuesday and Julia (5) gets Weds. They will decide the meal, help with the shopping and prepare it (with assistance of course).

They are both very excited already and have been perusing cookbooks looking for something new to make.

So far next Tuesdays meal will consist of cherry tomato gratin and fruit salad with milk "jello" balls.

[snowangel]

Peter (age 7) went to the slaughterhouse with our neighbors to "get a pig." Peter watched the whole process, and prounced it "way cool, Mom. There is a lot of blood. The pig kind of flops around after they stick it." Paul predicted that Peter (who has not liked pork in the past) would return a vegetarian, but Peter has decided that he will probably like pork now that he knows how it is made.

I predict a party next door tonight or tomorrow night. Carnitas, fried pig, home-made tortillas, that great rice, fried salsas (red and green), pico, beer, tequila, the band, grandmas, grandpas, babies, people of all ages. I'm ready!

[snowangel]

It was science night in our kitchen.

Peter learned how to sear and bung a steak (actually, three steaks). He noted that they seemed to want to stick to the pan until it was time for them to be turned. We practiced pressing our index finger on various things to give an indication of doneness. He also learned than when one has removed the steaks to a platter to rest, one can deglaze the pan with some nice red wine (Spanish, in this case) and that when you put the wine in, it sputters, but with the wooden spoon, all of those brown bits release and make a really nice sauce.

He also learned about making vinagarette and how if you whisk in the oil gradually, it becomes "murky" (his words). Fascinated, for the first time, about the rocking motion of a chef's knife mincing garlic. We smelled dried herbs (yes, I know, fresh is best, but I was going to be damned before going to the market today). Begrudingly, he admitted that the bit of anchovie he tasted was "not as slimy and bad as people say." Further, he proclaimed this to be the best meal he ever ate.

Tomorrow, we have a lesson on buttermilk pancakes. He'll be thrilled when he sees what happens when the leavening is added.

He is ripe for the picking, so time to harvest. As well, his food horizons are expanding, and the yuck factor is becoming less of a factor. "Sure, I'll try it, Mom!"

The rewards of watching my progeny grow up, change tastes, love to cook, and become people in their own rights is spectacular. (there is no puffed up proud chest smilie)

[WolfChef]

My youngest, Tyler has a thing for snak ramen with thinnly sliced green onions in it. Breakfast, lunch or dinner...I know it's loaded with salt and Escoffier just flipped over in his grave but we all start somewhere.

[Chris Amirault]

He is ripe for the picking, so time to harvest.  As well, his food horizons are expanding, and the yuck factor is becoming less of a factor.  "Sure, I'll try it, Mom!"

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Happy Thanksgiving up in the twin cities, snowangel! And thanks for the note on a busy day, I'm sure.

I enjoyed reading about your son. My daughter Lulu and I spent much of yesterday reading recipes ("Two ozzes... what's an oz?"), cutting stuff up, and having a great time. She's not quite at "Sure I'll try it!", but she's close!

[get in my belly]

this is a great thread so funny tho my dad is always calling me for advice

[snowangel]

Some big lessons in my kitchen tonight. Peter and Diana. Now, Diana is good in the kitchen. She can mince, she can dice, she knows the proportions to make great larb, and I've caught her reading cookbooks late at night. But, I haven't spent as much hands-on time with her lately as I should. Peter has been ignored on the cooking front, but is showing more interest.

We've had it with grazing and cleaning out the post holiday fridge and all of that turkey and ham. 'Twas time for BEEF. I picked up some beautiful chuck eye steaks, date of "sell by" was today, so they were half priced. My dad stopped by the Wedge (local big coop) and they had mountains of beautiful baby spinach, so he dropped some off. I had a handful of very fresh pecans leftover. That one pomegranite rolling around in the fridge. A hunk of Maytag that someone had left here New Year's Eve.

So, lesson number one. Sear and bung. Get that oven nice and hot. Get that pain nice and hot. Sear those steaks. No, they are not ready to turn until they release. Turn. When they release on the 2nd side, stick them in the oven. Do the touch test, but REMEMBER to use a potholder on that oh-so-hot pan handle before you remove pan to check doneness.

Salad. That spinach, that pomegranite, that blue cheese, those pecans. Let's put those in a skillet, add some sugar and caramelize them. Heating (burning) sugar is a good science lesson. Lay them out on a plate to cool. Grab that raspberry vinegar that we made this last summer with some of the bounty from the cabin. Whisk in some mustard, a bit of honey, the really good Olive Oil. Toss that spinach with that dressing (not very much, toss well; you can always add more dressing, but you can't take it away). Add a sprinkle of those pecans; a sprinkle of that Maytag, crumbled; and some of those pomegranite seeds. Let's see, we have sharp/aged, we have some sweet and those beautiful leaves. A contrast in color, texture and taste. Proportions.

Let's see. We covered science (temperature). Texture (salad). Taste (contrasts). Kitchen safety (knives, potholders). More science with the release (no you don't need oil in the pan with the steaks, they will release, trust me; just put some water into that pan with that sugar, it will dissolve).

They even helped clean up, absolutely amazed at how that burnt sugar had just dissolved. It was a wonderful dinner. Neither Peter nor Diana fought with each other. Each was proud of what they have learned.

Moments of pride.

[docsconz]

My son recently had his 15th birthday. To celebrate my family had a private cooking class at The Inn at Erlowest. Chef Matt Secich led my family consisting of my wife, myself, our three boys (15,13 and 5) and a friend through making fresh wild mushroom ravioli with a wild mushroom cream sauce, rack of lamb, pommes puree and haricots vert. The three boys actually made the mushrooms and the pommes puree under his expert guidance. Even the five year old participated in a meaningful way. Everybody had a great time and yeah the food wa pretty good too!

[chezcherie]

ny son is turning 20 next week. (silent weeping--"HOW is this possible?!")

he is not a planner...not a thinker-ahead, as is the case with many his age.

last month, maybe 5 weeks before the day, he asked me if i would get him a pig for his birthday. he wants to throw himself a pig roast. he has been dreaming of borrowing the caja china and roastin' him some pork.

i really love him. piercings and dreadlocks and all, he has a good heart, and loves him some pig.

that's his first one. the next one is being delivered tomorrow. happy birthday, kiddo!

[snowangel]

Tomorrow is our 24th wedding anniversary. So, although Paul grilled the steaks, Diana did just about everything else. Sauted mushrooms and shallots (lots of the latter, very thinly sliced). Roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and a caesar salad.

I love it that she can cook, clean, chop, mince and know just what to do.

Mom's chest puffed with pride. (and, like her mom, she thinks that more butter is good, and smoked pork products are manna)

[troyml]

Tomorrow is our 24th wedding anniversary.  So, although Paul grilled the steaks, Diana did just about everything else.  Sauted mushrooms and shallots (lots of the latter, very thinly sliced).  Roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and a caesar salad.

I love it that she can cook, clean, chop, mince and know just what to do.

Mom's chest puffed with pride.  (and, like her mom, she thinks that more butter is good, and smoked pork products are manna)

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Well happy anniversary Snowangel. I just found this thread, it's great and I certainly hope to have children like I'm hearing about here someday.

[Misa]

I don't have any children of my own, but my sisters often come and stay the night (generally, one at a time). They're all in their teens. Usually, the younger two will want to make breakfast. Sometimes, the older one makes dinner.

It's so sweet when you wake up and they already have breakfast ready!

[snowangel]

This morning, Peter ( he will tell you that he is 9 and amost 10/12ths) fried the bacon, made the toast and sliced the peaches. He needed a bit of help getting the eggs turned over for very easy overs with yokes not broken, but once I got them loosened, he did all except the first one! He insisted that the eggs be fried in hot bacon grease, because "they taste better and they get those bubbly crispy edges which I always eat first."

He handled that Wustof 8" chef's knife like a pro. It was so fun watching him and listening to him. I have to get the cutting board out, because Mommy's knives don't like the granite counter. And, there was the discussion about just what is inside a peach pit.

[snowangel]

Puffing chest with pride, I can report that Diana made her first apple pie today, with no help, other than where to find the food processor, and the book that has my favorite recipes of filling (Farm Journal Pie Cookbook) and crust (Julia Child).

Ta da! The crust was absolutely outstanding. She rolled it out like a pro with no assistance, and didn't even tear it getting it into the pan. She's well on her way.

[lesfen]

Oh Snowangle... you are one lucky Mommy!! That is a gorgeous pie!!

My 23 month old can now identify coriander, mustard seeds, and rosemary on sight from my spice rack. (Sniff) I'm so proud.

[snowangel]

After my blog which ended yesterday (thanks, Marlene and Mike!), I wasn't about to cook nor was I about to take a photo of dinner.

Not to worry, Diana to the rescue. She found a recipe in a magazine, and did everything tonight from prep, loading the dishwasher, to starting the trusty old Kettle, to plating.

Lime/chili marinated chicken breasts with a strawberry/avocado salsa. There was salad on the side.

She's a pro.