I don't like it to begin with, so add in the challenge of cooking while addressing the needs of a child who a) constantly wants to be held b) refuses to sit anywhere other than between my legs and the kitchen cabinets and c) somehow keeps finding ways to grab sharp objects off the counter top, and you've got a recipe for disaster.
Or, at the very least, an argument for ordering takeout.
I'm just not inclined to cook or bake right now. It's too hard. But this package of chocolate chips had been staring me down for about a week and Nate was out with friends Saturday night, so I figured I may as well try to make some cookies.
Building on the brilliance of a fellow blogger, I decided to bring Calvin up to the counter while I baked. I pulled a dining room chair into the corner of the kitchen, grabbed my salad spinner bowl (plastic plus it has grip on the bottom), and gathered a variety of dried goods for him to "cook" with — including some leftover uncooked pasta. I stood him up on the chair, handed him a spatula, and let him loose.
He LOVED it. Not only did I get the cookies mixed, I got all four batches baked. He stirred his pasta and shook his ingredients (oatmeal, baking soda, salt...delicious) happily for nearly an hour. After I took the cookies out to cool, I turned around to find he had grabbed two and was nibbling them both. Yes, it was nearly 5pm and no, I don't usually give him sweets — but there was no separating Calvin from those cookies. So instead I used it as a teaching opportunity, and showed him how to dunk them in milk. Everyone deserves an all cookie dinner once in a while, right?
Cookies aside, my little kitchen experiment has resulted in both good and bad news.
The good news: He did it again last night while Nate made dinner and I baked bread. It seems we've unlocked the key to kitchen productivity.
The bad news: I'm going to have to start cooking again. Oh, and my kid now knows about chocolate.
Whipping up a delicious batch of whole wheat pasta with baking soda, oatmeal, and salt:
Offering Matilda a taste of his culinary masterpiece via measuring cup:
Learning the most important dunk of all — cookies in milk:
6 comments:
Perfect! I love it! :)
Cute little chef! That is a great idea! I don't ever cook...ever (except when I have guests) for the exact same reasons you described. What is with the child feeling the need to get between you and the kitchen cabinets...that is EXACTLY what Nattie does too and it's so annoying! I will have to let her "help" next time. :)
I have to try this since I also have a boy who only wants to hang from my legs as I'm in the kitchen, occasionally grabbing things to hand to me, like pointy objects.
It's so funny that the little ones just want to know what's going on up there on the counter. I'm glad Calvin had a great time with your kitchen supplies! I saw that somewhere else and knew I had to try it, so it really wasn't my idea!
Super cute... a little kiddo after my own heart. Sigh...
That's awesome! I'll have to try that next time b/c I had a crier while attempting dinner a couple nights ago. Question though...I couldn't tell if you have the lids off the salt and baking soda...or does he just pretend to put it all in the bowl of pasta?
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