with Mommy! This past Monday, the last day of Nathan's Christmas break, the boys and I got in the kitchen to bake cookies. Nathan had asked the week prior if we could make some cookies with the BIG box of cookie cutters I had. So, I told him we would. I kept my promise.
I've always loved cooking and baking. I started making cookies by myself at age 9. My favorite was chocolate chip. I LOVED making them. By age 10 I was making dinner for my family. I wasn't forced or neglected to make my own meal, I WANTED to. Since I don't have girls to "train" to cook, I've secretly hoped that at least one of my boys would enjoy it like I have. So, I was excited at this endeavor of baking with my boys.
I got them both chairs and we got out all the ingredients. I read the recipe first and let them know that I was going to make a few changes to the recipe. Then, we got to measuring, mixing, cracking and pouring. They were taking turns and having fun. It was Ryan's turn to measure and pour in the sugar. I was trying REALLY hard to let them do it on their own (with only a little guidance.) That can be REALLY tough for me, but I am working on taking a back seat a little. So, he measured and I let go for him to pour the sugar in the mixing bowl ALL. BY. HIMSELF.
Care to take a guess as to what transpired???? If you guessed that he missed the bowl, you are partly correct. The other part is that most of it landed on the FLOOR! OOPS! Well, immediately, in my mind, I was thinking..... "yep, I should have done it myself!" BUT that is NOT what I verbalized. I said something to the effect of, "Oh, Ryan! Be careful! You have to watch what you are doing!" I knew it was an accident, but I still wasn't really happy, ya know!?! He immediately, looked at me and said, "Sorry, Mommy! I didn't mean to. I'm sorry, Mommy." I told him that it could be cleaned up and that we had more sugar to measure and pour, but that he needed to watch carefully and pay attention to what he was doing. I got out the broom, swept up the mound of sugar and started back to the mixing. *** Side note: Have you ever tried sweeping up a bunch of tiny grains of sugar? It's almost impossible to get it all up. So here I was standing in this light layer of tiny granules of sugar while trying to finish up the cookie dough.
So, after a BIG mess in the kitchen, I gave them each a ball of cookie dough and taught them how to flour, roll and cut with cookie cutters. Remember, I was baking with boys.... so we had to use "boy" cookie cutters! : ) They chose footballs and circles, for baseballs, and stars -- "All Stars." It took a few tries, but they got the hang of it. Then we popped them in the oven and I cleaned the kitchen.
I've always loved cooking and baking. I started making cookies by myself at age 9. My favorite was chocolate chip. I LOVED making them. By age 10 I was making dinner for my family. I wasn't forced or neglected to make my own meal, I WANTED to. Since I don't have girls to "train" to cook, I've secretly hoped that at least one of my boys would enjoy it like I have. So, I was excited at this endeavor of baking with my boys.
I got them both chairs and we got out all the ingredients. I read the recipe first and let them know that I was going to make a few changes to the recipe. Then, we got to measuring, mixing, cracking and pouring. They were taking turns and having fun. It was Ryan's turn to measure and pour in the sugar. I was trying REALLY hard to let them do it on their own (with only a little guidance.) That can be REALLY tough for me, but I am working on taking a back seat a little. So, he measured and I let go for him to pour the sugar in the mixing bowl ALL. BY. HIMSELF.
Care to take a guess as to what transpired???? If you guessed that he missed the bowl, you are partly correct. The other part is that most of it landed on the FLOOR! OOPS! Well, immediately, in my mind, I was thinking..... "yep, I should have done it myself!" BUT that is NOT what I verbalized. I said something to the effect of, "Oh, Ryan! Be careful! You have to watch what you are doing!" I knew it was an accident, but I still wasn't really happy, ya know!?! He immediately, looked at me and said, "Sorry, Mommy! I didn't mean to. I'm sorry, Mommy." I told him that it could be cleaned up and that we had more sugar to measure and pour, but that he needed to watch carefully and pay attention to what he was doing. I got out the broom, swept up the mound of sugar and started back to the mixing. *** Side note: Have you ever tried sweeping up a bunch of tiny grains of sugar? It's almost impossible to get it all up. So here I was standing in this light layer of tiny granules of sugar while trying to finish up the cookie dough.
So, after a BIG mess in the kitchen, I gave them each a ball of cookie dough and taught them how to flour, roll and cut with cookie cutters. Remember, I was baking with boys.... so we had to use "boy" cookie cutters! : ) They chose footballs and circles, for baseballs, and stars -- "All Stars." It took a few tries, but they got the hang of it. Then we popped them in the oven and I cleaned the kitchen.
Later that afternoon, while Ryan was napping, Nathan and I mixed up several colors of Royal Icing. We had a fun time decorating them and of course they had to eat one, even if it was too close to dinner!
I enjoyed this with so much, aside from a few "episodes." I hope we can do this together many more times.
Nathan's favorite part was EATING the cookies (and making them too, he said.)
Ryan's favorite part had to be the cookie dough, as in EATING it! I couldn't get him to stop! (By the way.... we didn't share any of the cookies that we made.... I didn't want to pass on the germs. I am telling ya.... he LOVES cookie dough! Hmmm.... wonder who he gets that from???? ;)
The finished product (and yes, I realize they don't look like basketballs, but that is how Nathan wanted them!)
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