What Was I Thinking!

That wasn't a question, but a statement of disbelief. Well, yesterday I decided to open my kitchen to the kids. My 10 year old niece and 11 and 13 year old cousins came by yesterday to get a cooking lesson. I promised them last week I'd show them how to make a few things. It started off with a lesson in the different types of Latin foods and a history lesson from within our own family tree. My grandfather, their great grandfather was originally from Spain and my grandmother, their great grandmother, was from the Virgin Islands. Somewhere along the line they met, got married, moved to New York and when my grandmother passed and my mother left home to get married (she's the baby of the family), my grandfather moved to Puerto Rico. But I digress.

My grandfather was a tremendous cook and I felt an appropriate lesson for the girls would be a Latin themed menu. I wanted to infuse some of the skills he passed on to me into the lesson and pass them down to the girls. I pulled out cookbooks from various Latin genres (Mexican, Cuban, Spanish, Puerto Rican, South American) to let them see that some dishes can have different variations depending on the region. They immediately fell in love with the variety of colors and "textures" of the foods they saw. They tried to get me to make Paella, but that was not happening. I need to do that alone in an empty kitchen! So we created the menu. Chicken & Rice, Black Beans, Pork & Pineapple Soft Tacos and Cilantro-Lime Rice.

As I chopped and diced I let the girls watch and ask questions. They were itching to do their own chopping but I wouldn't let them. Not just yet. Maybe after a few lessons. But it was so funny to see them say eww and ill at certain things, not sure it would be a good idea to use the ingredients, to watching their faces as the ingredients came together and started evolving into actual dishes to listening to them praises and requests for more after the food was done. The menu was a success. Not undertanding how tired I was, they asked to continue cooking. So I told them we'd make dessert. They didn't want anything fancy, just cupcakes. Easy enough.

What started out as something simple turned into a war zone. There was cocoa powder, sugar and flour all over my kitchen. At one point I moved everything into the dining room and started from scratch. The batters I was attempting to have them make for simple Black & White Cupcakes were a mess. But nothing I can't salvage ALONE. So I went into the pantry and came out with my trusty Pilsbury cake mix boxes! LOL One Devil Foods, the other White. We prepared the mixes and began filling the cupcake foils half white half chocolate and baked the cupcakes. They came out beautifully marbled...well some. The others came our exactly half and half, which was beautiful as well. As we sat and frosted the cupcakes the girls delighted in "their work". In essence it kind of was their work. I let them do the mixing, pouring and now frosting.

What I learned from that was not all kids are the same nor do they learn at the same pace. The one I thought was going to be a mess ended up being an A student and the one I thoguht would be the front runner ended up being a mess! LOL As they left I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief as my body was tired. Then I went into my kitchen and just about had a heart attack. I had a whole kitchen to clean up. I generally clean as I go but with the girls there it was too much going on. I just wanted to get them squared away and out of my kitchen. They really enjoyed themselves and for that I'm glad. Next time I need to have a designated assistant on hand to help with damage control.

Oh, and as far as the batter we tried to make from scratch. Don't worry, I took care of it. I finished them off and stored them in the refrigerator. I'll be making the Black & White today. But don't tell them. I only got one cupcake last night. So these will be all mine!

Til next time. Sphere: Related Content

Saving Money on Food Costs Starts with Kids

Yes, believe it or not, it does start with the kids, at home. We live in a microwave, fast food, instant gratification society. Everybody wants it fast, now, quick, in a hurry. Whether it's food, information, material items or money, that is the society we live in. But your pocket and health don't have to suffer for it.

As you know, I teach cooking classes (mostly online and some live in person). The economy dictates that we can no longer afford to eat out all the time. I know as a Mom, the convenience is a tempting lure. You've put in long hours at the office and the last thing you want to do is stand in a kitchen slaving over a stove. But our mothers and grandmothers (in some cases) did it. What makes us exempt and worse, what are we teaching our children. The healthcare issue is on fire right now. People want the right to healthcare and to be as thin or fat as they want to be. Americans are the largest population of overweight people in the world. I attribute some of it to eating out so much.

But no worries. We can reverse this. We have to, as mothers, become a little more patient and try to fall back to the old days a bit. I'm not saying completely give up going out or cooking every day of the week. If you cook strategically, you can have home cooked, healthy nutritious meals for your family. Get the kids in on the act too. Most kids love going in the kitchen and helping out. I used to love going in the kitchen to watch my dad and grandfather cook. My son used to love watching me. If you get them involved early, they'll adopt healthy habits. For me, it was the curiosity of experimentation in the kitchen. I used to (and still love to) create things. I love breaking down a dish I've tasted to try and create my own version of it. Think of how much fun it'll be for your kids to express themselves with food. And if you play your cards right, they can eventually pick up some of the cooking duties for you!

Today I'll be demonstrating some cooking and baking recipes for my niece and young cousins. A kitchen full of preteen girls...not sure how I feel about that yet. But they asked me to teach them a few things and I'm honored to do so. I'll be back to report what we ended up making. Right now, I'm just excited that they are taking matters into their own hands and learning how to cook.

Til next time. Sphere: Related Content