Time to Learn How to Cook....

This week I implemented the, You-are-old-enough-now-to-cook-one-meal-a-week, plan. 

My kids are 10 and 12 years old and they know enough about cooking to make a few items on their own. They regularly make quesadillas, grilled peanut butter and honey sandwiches, hard boiled eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches, waffles, and brownies.

So I decided that because it is summer and it is a lot less stressful not being in school. Now would be the time to teach them how to plan meals and shop for the items they need, in addition to actually cooking a full meal. 

These are life skills. Math and reading only get you so far. Eventually you need to be able to do a load of laundry or feed yourself.  

Elyssa decided she wanted to go first. She wanted to do fried chicken. I talked her into an easier version of Shake and Bake chicken. Also on the menu she added dill and sour cream  mashed potatoes along with corn bread. I needed to have a salad with my dinner so I asked if I could make one and she was fine with that.

For this plan to work out I assigned Elyssa as head chef and Ashton was to be her sous chef. 

Elyssa could have him do any of the prep work that she needed help with. She asked him to make up the corn bread and he did a wonderful job. When it came out of the oven he buttered the top and slathered it in a light coating of honey. It was soooo yummy!

This is the photo of her first meal. 

The Chicken was a bit of a shock for her. She didn't know she would have to touch it. So after a few minutes of begging me to do it I told her she could wear gloves. She happily agreed and went on her way. She coated the chicken in an egg mixture and then in the shake and bake. She was done in no time. The mashed potatoes were instant but she added some dill and some sour cream to them. The salad was our first harvest of spinach and tender young green leaf lettuce from the garden. We tossed it with some diced red apple, diced avocado, croutons and balsamic vinaigrette. It complimented the meal perfectly. 

These kids are growing up so fast. 

Thank you sweet Elyssa for a wonderful meal, 

Well done!

Next week is Ashton's turn and he has decided Tacos are the way to go! Watch for that post, coming soon.