Looking back on our two-week holiday break from the normal routine of school, driving, homework, driving, activities, driving and did I mention driving?, I realize my favorite moments of the holiday season revolved around eating or cooking with friends and family (big surprise, right!). But most impressive of all is what my kids and their friends created in the kitchen.
As my Why Am I Blogging page says, one of my proudest parenting successes is that my kids love food. But even better, they are learning to love preparing the food, not just eating it. I suspect neither of them will be subsisting on only Top Ramen in college unless they simply can’t afford anything else.
(PioneerWoman (Ree Drummond), if you get a chance to read this, I just want you to know that my son is a new fan. He made no less than four of your recipes. And I made your roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic reduction twice! I even converted a devout brussels sprouts hater into a lover with that one! So thanks for the inspiration.)
Here’s a photo recap of what the kids in my kitchen created over the holiday break:
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Mocha Frosting
Recipe: thepioneerwoman.com
Chef: TechSavvyTeen
Sous chefs: Mom and Sister (Cake Boss in Training)
Photographer: Dormant Chef
Peppermint Snowball Cupcakes
Recipe: Crate and Barrel mix received as a gift
Chef: Cake Boss in Training (13 yr old daughter)
Sous chefs: TechSavvyTeen and Mom
Burgundy Mushrooms
Recipe: thepioneerwoman.com
Chef: TechSavvyTeen
Sous chef (and photographer): Dormant Chef
Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
Recipe: simplyrecipes.com
Chef: Cake Boss in Training
Sous chef: Mom
Chocolate-Covered Cake Pops
Recipe: from a blog called Little Miss Momma
Chef: Cake Boss in Training
Sous chef: her best friend
Chocolate-Covered Bon Bons
Recipe: http://www.celebrations.com/content/mint-ice-cream-bonbons
Chef: Cake Boss in Training’s best friend
Sous chef: Cake Boss in Training
Spicy Whiskey BBQ Sliders
Recipe: thepioneerwoman.com
Chef: TechSavvyTeen
Sous chef: SOLO!!
Sorry – no photo for this one – you’ll have to head over to pioneerwoman.com to see these. They smack you in the face with their flavor, just the way a good slider should! And since the sauce is so snappy and spicy, you can easily trim the fat and calories on these by using turkey instead of beef.
Baklava
Recipe: thepioneerwoman.com
Chef: TechSavvyTeen
Sous chef: Dormant Chef (but mostly solo!!)
If you’re looking for a family food-related resolution for the New Year, follow the lead of many famous chefs – Tyler Florence, Mario Batali, Ferran Adria, and so many more who are writing about the importance of family meals. But I say take it a step further. Be resolved to get your kids cooking in the kitchen, not just eating at the dinner table.
What did you and your kids create in the kitchen over the holidays? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below. Here’s to a yummy and healthy 2012!
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I’m Beth – a seasoned marketing professional, kitchen table storyteller, and enthusiastic food consumer. Hang out in my virtual kitchen and I promise to feed you recipes, stories, and lots of inspiration!
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No kids here, but your post has me STARVING anyway!
Your kids are seriously chefs in training. Their creations look AMAZING!
Nice to meet you yesterday! My daughter gravitates to sweets and my son gravitates to savory foods – a perfect combination!
My youngest (15) likes to cook. He’s been cooking since he was little. All of my boys CAN cook a yummy dinner if they want, but are often happy with the ease of Top Ramen…
My blog post today was a culinary with my son post!
Oh I have to pop over and check it out – I’m so behind on my comments! By the way, we do eat top ramen – in fact, it’s our dinner when we get home from the airport. So healthy or not, it hits the spot sometimes and I’m perfectly fine with that.
Every sunday at our house a different family member has a turn at cooking the meal. The nearly-15-year-old prefers quick and easy while my 10-year-old likes some recipes that are a little more complicated.
I did want to ask about the cake pops. Do you use the special pan for them? I have been thinking about getting one of those.
Oh what a great idea about Sunday cooking – love it! Sorry it took me so long to reply – for some reason your comment got stuck in my spam!
We did not use a special pan for the cake pops – I did buy the styrofoam at Michael’s to stick them in and the candy melting chocolate and the sticks but no special pan. They were formed by hand.
That’s pretty impressive! I agree with you, one of the best things to come out of my blogging is the fact that my kids love to cook. It makes me relieved to know they will not be hungry wherever they are:)
HIgh-five them for me, will you?
You’re on Lana. I hope sometime soon, we can all be in the kitchen together with our kids learning some Serbian cuisine and sharing a few of our Asian tips and tricks with you!
Oh those all look so yummy! My Girl loves helping me in the kitchen. The Boy, not so much. Thanks for stopping by for my SITS day! 🙂
In my house, the boy is a bit more motivated in the kitchen than the girl, but she is drawn to baking and what she lacks in enthusiasm in the kitchen, she more than makes up for with enthusiastic eating 🙂
I hope you saved me one of those cinnamon rolls.
Actually, no but we’ll make them again just for you (and us)!
Great post, Beth! Love all of the creations your kids made. Looks like you guys had loads of fun together.
We did – I was fearful about those cake pops (so many steps!) and the baklava (the filo!) but they did it! Sometimes it’s better to be young and fearless than old and practical 🙂