Kids In the Kitchen

There are times a mom when I need to remind myself of the big picture, when I need to learn a lesson in delayed gratification. Little helpers in the kitchen is one of those times.

The control freak in me wants to say, "Get out of my kitchen, I can do this faster and neater without your help." But, I give the control-freak-me a swift kick in the pants and remember the big picture - my kids need to learn how to cook, how to clean and how to organize a home. Either that or I need to teach them how to marry rich and then hire a cook, a cleaner and a nanny - yeah, not gonna happen. So, needless to say the kids are in the kitchen a lot.

Eden now has two recipes that I completely trust her with. She does the chocolate chip cookies and the pizza dough. If it weren't for the fact that my Pampered chef stone is too heavy for her to pull out of the oven she wouldn't need me to help a bit.


So I'm working on finding a recipe to get Karis started on. One that she can call her own. Last week she and Eden "invented" pizza pops - basically mini-calzones filled with sauce and cheese and cooked in the toaster oven. With a few minor adjustments I'll have to say it's a great recipe! By the way - don't let the Easy Bake Oven pull the wool over your eyes, it's just a weak toaster oven with girly stickers on it. Buy a toaster oven and stick your own stickers on it!


So yes, the kids have a hand in the cooking around our house - sometimes it's helpful, other times it's not, all the time it's a learning experience.

On that note, here's what we're eating this week.

Monday
Ski Lessons at Blue Mountain
Again we went dutch and took a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, some oranges and some power bars. So no real dinner.

Tuesday
Chicken with Mustard Sauce - read the Aussie Chicken Recipe, it makes a ton of sauce. Last time I made it I saved the extra sauce and tonight I just threw it over some chicken breasts and baked it. It was awesome!
Tortellini with Tomato Sauce - a few weeks ago I made a huge batch of Jamie Oliver's tomato sauce, we've been eating it on pasta, pizza, calzones and now on tortelinni.

Wednesday
Spaghetti with a Salad

Thursday
Rainbow Trout
Herbed Basmati Rice - recipe posted on the left side bar

Friday
Pizza Night

Saturday
Pad Thai - using some of the STORE BOUGHT paneer (I didn't make my own like the recipe says to) in place of the tofu.

Sunday
Left overs