Kids in the Kitchen

Anyone who knows my homemaking style knows that I am always trying out new ideas or techniques (real meaning:  biggest impact with least amount of work).  I have ideas about how to clean my house that are ingenious...until I come up with another plan.  Super ways of tracking kids chores...until a new thought comes up.  And it goes on and on and on...
Anyway...here's the latest.  I really like it and hope it sticks!

I am torn between knowing that I need my kids to learn to be useful (and ultimately independent) in the kitchen and preferring to handle dinner preparations alone.  I needed a plan that allowed the kids to cook and learn how to plan meals, but at the same time, allowed me to do most of the cooking myself.  Because I stay home, I am able to get a lot of dinner prep done during the day and would prefer not to wait until they are home from school to get started.  Besides, their homework, after school activities, and chores make it nearly impossible for them to be in the kitchen each night for any length of time...unless we wanted to eat dinner at 8pm...which we don't.

So, once a week, preferably on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, one of them cooks a meal with me.  The week before they decide what main dish they want to cook and what they want to serve with it.  I help with how to balance their meal so that its well balanced and will be eaten by most of us.  Hannah is able to do most of the work herself, Ivan needs a little more help, and Jenelle is essentially helping ME do it, but that will change in time.

They like it a lot and are already starting to keep a running list of what they would like to make next.

Two weeks ago it was Ivan's turn.  He chose homemade pepperoni pizza and fruit salad.  Jenelle decided to document some of the kitchen events and here's a glimpse!

The chef

and his sous chef

The pizzas

What's up with the open mouth look Chef?

Self portrait of the photographer

What happens to us if we tell anyone about the purple apron!

Hannah will be cooking this weekend.  

She chose to make Cottage Pie and Yorkshire Puddings...with a vegetable that is yet undecided.  

Yum!