Scott makes Spagetti

Scott started cub scouts about a month ago and one of the requirements for Wolf is to choose an evening where he gets to set the table, plan and prepare a healthy dinner and do the dishes afterward. It was like my birthday or Mother's Day. All I had to do was take pictures.

I thought spagetti would be an easy meal for an 8-year-old.

This is Scott's first time draining the noodles himself. My camera is in one hand and the other hand is ready to help if he needs it.

Mmmm, the meat. Scott is cooking up what our family calls Italian Caribou. Ground caribou with italian sausage seasoning and no extra fat added.

He adds the sauce. He has learned to use the can opener that opens the can without leaving sharp edges.

He adds the caibou.

Look at that smile. He is very proud of himself. My husband and I thought it was the best spagetti we have ever had.

The vegetables were a delicious toss-the-bag-in-the-microwave variety. It is a mix of yellow corn, white corn, carrots and asparagus.

James and Toast

James makes his own piece of toast.

I love this:

"Mom, can I have some toast?"

"Yes."

He gets his own bread, puts it into the toaster...
...and when the toast is done he can even spread the butter on himself.
Sometimes he spreads the butter like it was frosting on a cupcake, thick and messy.

That's okay. He's doing it himself and he will learn not to use so much.
James can make himself toast anytime.

Mac & Cheese

Emma has taken the next step at learning how to cook:

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese is a huge favorite at our house, parents included. I have always liked Macaroni and cheese and I love having it on hand. It's an easy dish to prepare.

I gave her instructions and she prepared it all by herself. I didn't get any pictures this time but I was thrilled at her willingness to do it herself. She even took care of James by getting him settled with his own plateful of Mac & cheese. At this moment its not just the cooking that I love, its also learning to take care of her younger brother. Emma is the oldest of five and with being the oldest comes a little more responsibilty.

Sunday Brunch

As tasty and as fun as all other recipes have been, I decided to go back to basics, like the cheese tortilla and grilled cheese sandwich. They like starting out with simple things.

Scott wanted to learn how to make "sunny eggs", as he calls them, since it's his favorite way to eat an egg. In the past when he would crack an egg and try to break it apart over a pan, he would end up getting nervous and crushing the egg. But with a little practice he is doing much better.

(The meat cooking next to the eggs is a combination of homemade pork sausage and caribou sausage. Delicious!)
He even flips the egg by himself. This also took some practice.Great flipping doesn't happen all the time. His dad jumped in to help.

Emma helps out with Sunday Brunch by making waffles. Again we are back to basics, something simple. She does very well. I helped mix the batter and she took it from there.

I even taught her to scrape the bottom of the measuring cup on the edge of the bowl to help prevent a bunch of dripping across the counter. Along with the cooking, I would like my kids to learn about clean-as-you-go in the kitchen for easier clean up when you are done.
(And then I don't have to do it.)

She was a little nervous about taking the waffle off the hot iron but she got over it quickly.

I can't wait until they can do this by themselves. I sometimes imagine that I am doing what I want to do when I hear the words, "Dinner/Lunch/Breakfast is ready, mom!"

Emma's Grilled Cheese

Not an original recipe, I know. But Emma is doing it herself. She asked me if I

would make her a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. I told her she could have

one but she had to make it. She grumbled a little but finally gave in.She likes a messy, cheesey sandwhich so she uses american cheese.
She flipped it herself.

It tastes better when you make it yourself, right Emma?

Tortilla Soup

I love this soup! It's probably my favorite soup ever. And it is soup-er easy for

a 9-year-old, like my Emma, to make.

To start:

2 cans of chicken stock

1 can corn, not drained

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of celery soup

2 soup cans of water

1 can of stewed tomatoes (optional)

1/2 container Chachies mild salsa (or your favorite)
1 can chicken (You can use freshly cooked chicken, too. I use canned when

it is a last minute meal.)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Heat until hot.

By the end, you will have alot of cans.

Here is the final masterpiece. Just add tortilla chips and shredded cheddar cheese

and eat. I love this soup so much and it is delicious leftovers. Emma

takes some to school in her lunch. We have to bribe Scott to eat it.

Cinnamon Rolls

My family loves my cinnamon rolls. But if they want some, they have to help make them.

I have Emma put 1c water, 1c milk and 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan. I heat it until

the butter is melted and the temperature is around 120.Emma added the heated mixture to 2c flour, 2 pkgs. quick rise yeast, 1/2c sugar and 2 tsp salt.

James likes to use the mixer while Emma is adding one egg.

My mixer only has one beater since the other side does not spin anymore.

James adds 2 to 3 cups of flour while Emma begins mixing with her hands.

Once the dough pulls cleanly away from the side of the bowl, Emma dumps
it out on to a floured suface and kneads in maybe 1c more of flour.
If the dough feels firm there is too much flour.
I just like to add enough flour so that the dough is not sticky but still soft.




We let it raise in a warm area next to our wood stove.

Once it is doubled in size, Emma punches it down several times.

I think that is my kids favorite part next to kneading.

Emma rolls it out. I do help every now and then to make sure it is the size that

I want.

Spread butter or a healthier butter spread on the dough, sprinkle with

plenty of sugar and cinnamon. I have no measurement, I just

add as much as I like.

We did make two different doughs so we could make two different kinds

of rolls.


Chocolate Chip

(I know it sounds weird but I wanted to try it.)

Apple Cinnamon

I used dried apples for the rolls. I just let them sit in water

while we worked on the dough.

Then I spread them out over the cinnamon and sugar.

Roll up the dough and slice with dental floss.

Put them in a greased 13x9 or larger pan and let them rise for 30

or 40 minutes.

Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.
(By now I am doing this myself because my daughter's friend came over to play.)

I had 3 extra rolls so I put them into a pie pan.

These rolls turned out delicious. My husband and I liked the Apple-Cinnamon

better than the Chocolate Chip. Chocolate and cinnamon don't seem

to be compatible like chocolate and mint.

Since making these rolls, the kids and I have had fun making loaves of

white bread, big and small. I did not get pictures this time, I am just

glad they still want to cook with me.

Happy New Year !!!