A Must!

I believe men should cook.

I really believe this.

I especially believe this after those long days with the kids... battered by Home and Hearth. The assurance that the Manly will step.it.up and whip a little something up for the Misses, is what dreams are made of! It's funny really. If I had to list my fears on paper, ranking at #3 is leaving the world tomorrow and my kids not having healthy, homemade, organic food options. Irrational? Maybe. But it's an honest fear of mine.

TheHotness has learned a few dishes here and there over the course of our marriage. My favorite being Chicken Piccata. In a pinch, or a low day, he can take one for the team and man the kitchen... but I never stay down too long or else our lifestyle of healthy eating would go to Hell.in.a.handbasket!

Ever since James was tiny, he'd cook with me. I mean red.faced.chicken.leg.infant tiny. I'd sling him to me while I prepared our Eats. Sometimes, he'd sit in his bouncer on the counter and watch. When he was a bit older, he'd sit in the sink splashing. Then he was in his high chair playing with a whisk, chewing on a wooden spoon... And of course, eventually he ended up underfoot banging on pots and pans... shaking tupperwares of rice. For some miraculous reason, him being in the kitchen with me helping/distracting me, has never bothered me. I seem to have more patience when I've got an apron on and my Santuku in my hand. (think jolly.chopping.lady, not menacing.knife.welding.schizo)

As he grew, his actual involvement grew. A few messes. Lots of fun. Lots of learning. Now at three he can crack his own eggs, prepare his own toast/sandwiches, peel garlic, crack pepper, etc... not to mention prepare his own breakfast from start to finish on his own. With me in my robe watching him from the barstool, coffee in hand.

This past Wednesday he cooked supper for us all by himself. He made shishkabobs! The only help I provided was the chopping, and reaching things that were too high. He gathered the veggies out of the fridge, washed them, dried them, prepared the marinade with his own blend of spices (I put six or so spices on the counter, olive oil, and lemon juice... he used what he wanted and how much- this is a great activity allowing total choice bc no matter what he chose to use/or how much, it was just a marinade... and all the chosen spices work well together. Plus marinades are meant to be strong, so you can get away with not measuring everything out.) Then he strung them up. His Daddy grilled took care of the grilling and I worked the oven for the sweet potato fries.

We started preparing things early that morning. You know, little steps here and there like soaking the bamboo skewers in water. So each step took as little as a few minutes to as much as 15 or 20. Perfect increments for the attention span of a 3 year old.

He had so much fun. And they were delish. Plus the aroma of the grill cooking in the evening air was just a bonus!



*And to James' future bride,
You'll thank me one day. ;)

Peace, love, and salt cellars.
xo
lmkw