I have been reading the blog Foodie Tots. It’s a good read and it has inspired me to cook with Simon more. Simon really enjoys “helping” (read: making a mess) with all things kitchen related. Truthfully Myles is much better about incorporating him. I get in the mind set of “I just need to get it done!” So this week I set aside some time to bake with him, no stress to get it perfect or time constraints I just wanted to let him experience it and have a good time. Since it’s October and we are into all things pumpkin related I deiced to make pumpkin cookies. (We are going to try and eat as much pumpkin as we can stand this month – more post about this to follow shortly).So here is the story of our pumpkin cookie adventure told through photographs.
“you’re the one who thinks this is a good idea mom.”
smelling the ingredients (nutmeg) – it’s important to experience your food with all your senses.
Measure out the flour. (I quickly learned that I can’t step away to take a photo as Simon will just shovel as much flour out of the container as fast as he can.
adding the other dry ingredients – I think this was the highlight for Simon he liked dumping out the contents of the “poon” (spoon).
Sifting the dry ingredients
being annoyed with mom because she has taken over sifting the dry ingredients because they were being thrown all over the counter and floor.
adding the pumpkin puree.
Simon is afraid of the mixer – well the sound the mixer makes, so at this point he left the kitchen and I dropped the cookie dough on to baking sheets.
The hard part, waiting for the cookies to be done. This was the first time that I have thought to show Simon the window in the oven. He was fascinated!
having some dinner while waiting for the cookies too cool. Whole wheat pasta with fresh pesto – maybe he is a foodie?
Here they are iced and ready to eat…
and the verdict is…
YUM!
Thanks for reading! That was actually fairly painless, I am going to try and include Simon more in the cooking. After all at some point I want to hand over that task to him and let him be in charge of making dinner!”
until next time!
– Emily
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The ‘get it done quickly’ mode is exactly why it is so great to be a grandparent. It takes that long (for most of us) to slow down enough to truly enjoy the experience with children. I love baking/cooking with my grandchildren. Thanks for the great story through pictures.
A darling set of pictures! I love telling the story of an activity my kids and I have done in this way.
I have to do the same thing when it’s time to cook with the kids. I have to tell myself: this is fun cooking time, not time to make the cutout sugar cookies look perfect. That removes a lot of the stress for me. Something my kids love to do while they are waiting for their turn to pour or mix: Drive matchbox cars in a little flour (snow!) on the counter nearby.
What a wonderful story of pictures. I am so grateful to you for sharing these experiences that we are too far away to see.
Oh, I love meeting new foodie tots – yours looks like a pro already! 🙂 It would really help to have a third hand to take pictures and avoid messes, but I guess that’s all part of the fun. Those cookies look delicious, too.
What fantastic photos! I try to welcome the kids into the kitchen every day. Even when trying to get it done it goes a long way towards them tolerating that dinner is running late. Along with time, it helps to let go of mess.
Love it! I have a fantastically frusterating time cooking with my toddler but it makes for good memories… i just have to remember to PUT AWAY the brown sugar once we’re done with it… otherwise she’s eating handful right out of the tupperware container!
This cooking with Simon series is so adorable. You capture his wonder, concentration and joy so well.
These are priceless because 20 or 30 years from now you will be able to look back at them and remember those precious times you had togather. Have you seen the Paula Deen cooking with children cookbook? Maybe in another year or 2 Simon would enjoy having his own cookbook.