As soon as I posted this, Harper busted out of “quiet time” in her room and asked “hey Mom, can we do some cooking?”
Harper’s #1 favorite thing to do right now is cook. Unless I have something planned for her, she will ask me all day long “so, what are we cooking today Mommy?” It can be exhausting, but it is really fun for both of us. It’s nice to have a hobby that we can legitimately share!
I’ve had a few other parents ask me about cooking with kids, most of them curious as to how we do it. First of all, Roman self-entertains really well. I usually invite him to help us, but he rarely wants to participate and instead will play with his trains or find something else to do. Ada often naps close to dinner time, or I can just wear her in a baby carrier if she is fussy. It’s not ideal, but it works.
Several friends have expressed concern over their kids getting hurt in the kitchen, and it really made me think about it. I concluded that a big difference between me and a lot of other parents is that I’m not worried about my kids getting hurt, in fact, I kind of expect it. I’m really excited that Harper is interested in cooking, and I want to encourage it. With each meal she learns how to use different cooking utensils and she learns how to do things safely. I don’t worry about her grabbing a knife and trying to cut paper out of a coloring book with it because she knows that is not what it is used for! She knows how to use a vegetable peeler (yes, they are sharp!), stir things on a hot stove (gasp!), and lots of other “dangerous” things. I’m not reckless – she is always supervised – but she does get to do a lot of things on her own. Pretty soon I will teach her to chop things with a… get ready for it… KNIFE!
Here’s a quick video of her peeling carrots, which we later dipped in peanut butter for a yummy snack, and another of her basting raw chicken with mustard (later rolled in breadcrumbs and cheese):
Finally, I have a few things to share. First, we have been baking a lot lately, and I bought a GREAT cookbook on clearance at B&N, Sesame Street Yummy Cookies. I bought it on a whim because it was like $3, and it turned out to be awesome. The cookies are all super tasty and very easy to make, and Harper loves to browse it looking for new things to bake!
Second, a recipe that I’ve been meaning to post. Side note – my recipe posts are taking the place of my recipe collection – I’m trying to go paper-free! This one is from my mom, and a great “gift” for anyone having a baby, etc. Added bonus, it’s also gluten-free for my allergic friends!
Spinach Enchilada Casserole
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef or shredded chicken
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, chopped
8 oz tomato sauce
2 4-ounce cans diced green chilies
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tablespoon sugar
1 10-ounce pack frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
10 6-inch corn tortillas
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 cups shredded monterey jack
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
In large skillet, cook ground beef with garlic, onion, salt and pepper until beef is crumbled and browned. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilies, lime juice, sugar and spinach. Mix well. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. If using shredded chicken, mix in after everything has simmered.
Cut tortillas into quarters and tip in melted butter. Cover bottom of greased 9×13 baking dish with half of the tortilla quarters, overlapping slightly. Spoon half of the ground beef mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Arrange the rest of the tortillas over cheese. Spread with sour cream. Spoon remaining ground beef mixture over sour cream and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.