A kid and his cookbook

I've got me a boy who likes to cook. And bake. And he's good at it. It's a beautiful thing.

Ooky, almost 5, has always enjoyed cooking. Always quick to volunteer to help out when I'm in the kitchen. Last time we were at the library, we picked up a copy of Pretend Soup and also Honest Pretzels, both by Mollie Katzen. These are AWESOME cookbooks for kids, a) because they have food in them that kids will actually eat and b) even kids who can't read well will understand the directions, which are written in pictures. It's awesome.

So we bring the books home. Ooky promptly informs me that he will be cooking the next days breakfast and supper meals and will let me know when he has chosen the recipe (so I can shop for the ingredients, of course.) He chose "Hide and Seek muffins" for breakfast and personal pizzas for supper ("with homemade crust, Mom".)

Now when I tell you the kid basically made these meals himself, I'm not kidding. For instance, for the muffin recipe, the child allowed me to a) open the vanilla for him b) open the glass jug of milk c) put muffins in the oven d) set timer and e) remove them from the oven. (Keep in mind, the recipe was written in pictures in this book, so combined with his beginning reading and the pictures, it was pretty fool proof.) Everything else, and I mean everything, Mr. Ookster did himself. Even when mama, who used to be the queen of the kitchen, suggested she might want to maybe sort of help him with a little something, he responded with "Mom. I can do this all by myself. You just watch." Part of me was sad. You aren't even five yet. I'm supposed to be the kitchen fairy of goodness. But part of me was happy. He's getting bigger...which means if I can't cook/bake for whatever reason, he's got my back.







So now Ooky thinks I should find him a cooking class to take. I think that one might have to stick with being Mom taught though. After all, where else can he make a mess, lick his fingers, and handle kitchen utensils that some people would imply he probably shouldn't be using yet?

Yep, being at home rocks.