A cook in to keep the kids busy!

Licking the bowls - The best part for the kids, licking out the bowls!!
@oldchem1 (8132)
August 29, 2010 10:58am CST
Three of my grandkids have been visiting this week with my daughter. When my daughter and son went out I had to try and occupy the three youngsters to take their minds off not being invited!! I relied on the good old favourite baking day, we made 24 cup ckaes, 24 cherry cookies and 10 cheese scones. The kids had a whale of a time - just left poor old nana to clean up!! Do you love cooking with your kids?
4 people like this
13 responses
30 Aug 10
I used ot love baking with my brother when he was younger...he was always better than me though!!!! But I always found I'd take over and then get annoyed when I was left to tidy up haha! I like to think I've matured a bit now though, and last time he visited, he asked me if he could bake a cake, and I left him to it...no interference... I still had to clean up the mess though!!!!!!!! I am expecting my first baby in a couple of weeks, and I want to get them into cooking their own foods as soon as they're old enough to understand it all, I think it helps them eat more adventurous foods when they have made it themselves! I hope so anyway!!! :)
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@Humbug25 (12540)
29 Aug 10
Hi there oldchem1 My mum loves it when we decend upon her. She gets to spend time with my 3 boys that are now 5, 7 and 9 and I get to go and see my friends for a visit. She doesn't usually cook with them but I do get back wondering how come they are in the bath when I get home. I have to question her what she has been upto that would warrant them needing a bath so early in the evening in the middle of winter. She had taken them to the beach that was it!! I love cooking with my kids and yes with the three of them it is a very messy affair. In fact today my eldest and I made golden krispies with chocolate chips thrown in for good measure. I have a really good and easy recipe for some great cookies if you are interested!!
@Humbug25 (12540)
29 Aug 10
Oh well you'll be surprised how long they can go for haha I will send you the recipe in a PM then!
@oldchem1 (8132)
29 Aug 10
Thanks!!
@oldchem1 (8132)
29 Aug 10
Any and all recipes gratefully received!! My three little visitors are now playing hide and seek - I just hope they're tiring themselves out!!
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@sid556 (30959)
• United States
30 Aug 10
Hi OldChem, I hardly ever bake any more and mainly because it is just me and my 16 yr old here and we just waste most of it. That is a great idea though. I do have two grandchildren . I have them a lot in the summer but my place is just too hot to even think about baking. I will have them over the holidays and the weather is usually pretty cold by then. What a great project! Thanks for the idea!
@sid556 (30959)
• United States
30 Aug 10
I'm sure mine will too. It'll be fun for all of us. Can't wait.
@oldchem1 (8132)
30 Aug 10
Mine certainly love it, and eating the end results!!
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@Memnon (2170)
29 Aug 10
Tea cup - Tea cup BBC
Great idea that always works: no kids myself. Funny thing, I always seem to end up clearing the kitchen- after my partner! You have reminded me of a story. My partner's son was once 'baking' and 'brewing tea' in his sand pit.A rather well dressed visitor to the house went out to join him. Suit covered in wet sand/ mud, but he levelled with him. 'Ate' a scone and partook of 'tea'. The funny part is as the guy sipped at his mug, the little guy tipped it up "Drink up, I expect mummy will want to talk to you soon." Mouthful of cold mud........
@oldchem1 (8132)
30 Aug 10
Lovely! A cup of wet sand!!
@Memnon (2170)
30 Aug 10
And not even warm!
1 person likes this
@devijay78 (1573)
• India
30 Aug 10
Hi oldchem1. You remind me of my grandmom. She is almost 80 and still cooks! We enjoy cooking together whenever she visits us or when I go to visit her. But mostly, I love to eat when she cooks and she does it for me often. It has been a while since I met her and your discussion has reminded me of her. I will meet her sometime this week. I don't cook with my daughter who is 3 yrs old. But when I cook everyday, she does take a look and sits beside me in the kitchen and gives me company. I might try to cook with her now that you have given me the idea. thanks for sharing this with us.
@oldchem1 (8132)
30 Aug 10
Enjoy your cook ins!! My son is 14 now and has cooked with me for years now he is a really good cook.
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@devijay78 (1573)
• India
30 Aug 10
Thats great! A 14 yr old who can cook is a rarity. You must be so proud of him.
• United States
3 Sep 10
I have always enjoyed cooking with my daughter, yes. It's fun going through cookbooks and choosing the recipes to make. I also enjoy doing whole menues like that and looking for recipes on the net or in my cookbooks. I always wanted to do things like that but I don't think my Mom trusted me in the kitchen too much. :-) I eventually learned on my own and love coking now but I would have enjoyed having a lot more one-on-one time with her in the kitchen when I was growing up.
@oldchem1 (8132)
4 Sep 10
Yes I always cooked with my mum so I suppose it's a case of doing what you were brought up with!
• United States
30 Aug 10
Yes I have cooked with my grandkids. One thing I did was took all my recipes and printed them off then made them with the kids and took their pictures then I put it all together into a cookbook for them. We gave the cookbooks to their mother for mother's day presents. I admire you for doing it with 3 I discovered I work much better 1 on 1.
@oldchem1 (8132)
30 Aug 10
It certainly does - and a lot less arguments too!!
@gdesjardin (1918)
• United States
30 Aug 10
It is so great that you bake with your grandchildren. My mother would bake with my children when they were little, however, my youngest is 12 and my mother is 81. Yes, a large age gap between generations. My mother doesn't bake much with my daughter much these days, however, she watches while my daughter bakes. They still share quality time together so they have a wonderful time together.
@oldchem1 (8132)
30 Aug 10
It is nice that there is still a good bond between them
@shia88 (4571)
• Malaysia
30 Aug 10
Hi, So far, I never try do cooking with my son yet. and he is still young to join me in the kitchen. For sure, he will create a mess and end up I have to do more works in cleaning. Sometimes, when I want to make some drink for him,then he may want to do it himself, so I let him pour himself and enjoy the fun,but I still do keep monitor his action at his side. Normally, when I do cooking, I prefer to keep him occupy with something else, so that he won't come and disturb me oftenly. When he grows up older,then I will let my son to join me in the kitchen and let him experience some fun in cooking.
@oldchem1 (8132)
30 Aug 10
i'm sure that when he does join you the two of you will have a great time
• Pamplona, Spain
29 Aug 10
Hiya chem, No I always have to wash up always. Even if they do their own dinner and say they are going to wash up the plates are still there hours later and because I only have a very small sink in the Kitchen I have to wash everything up practically right away. Cheese Scones I have not heard that for a long long time. I did make a few of those a few times and they turned out very well too. I can make Cherry Cakes as well but not with the Oven we have at the moment. I can just smell the Cheese Scones now yummy.
@oldchem1 (8132)
30 Aug 10
Finished produce - scones, undecorated cakes and cookies
These were yummy! Here is a picture of them with the cakes (waiting for decorating) and cookies!!
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
30 Aug 10
Love the photo oldchem1. Has the weather improved yet? Is that why they were inside baking or was that the plan anyway? Suppposed to be sunny and warmer tomorrow..yeh, right lol.
@oldchem1 (8132)
30 Aug 10
It is a lot better. We had spent a nice morning in Glasson Dock but my son wanted his sister to take him playing football and with not enough room in the car for us all I had to think of something to make them want to stay - so baking it was!!! Today looks like being a belter!!
1 person likes this
• Philippines
29 Aug 10
Hi Oldchem my friend, It's wonderful to know that you got grandchildren while you are still young which means you can have many years of wonderful bonding time with them as they grow up. Fortunately for my first born, she was filled with love as my parents were still here when she was born up until she reached the age of 10. It is a disheartening thought though that my second daughter never had the chance to meet and bond with her grandparents as she was born 12 years after. She would have loved the feeling of cooking with my mom as she enjoys so much doing that with me. Mom is a better cook and she could have learned more from her. All the same I do love and enjoy cooking with her her favorite dishes. I wish you more grandchildren to share with you your best years even decades more of loving and caring. Have a nice day!
@oldchem1 (8132)
29 Aug 10
Oh I like being called 'still young' !!!! I think it's so much fun to cook with the kids and they love i too, also they love eating the finished results!!
• United States
29 Aug 10
I LOVE baking with my 3 yr old. He is easily distracted so it's a challange to find simpler recipes that can keep his attn. Any suggestions?
@oldchem1 (8132)
29 Aug 10
My little ones have always enjoyed making melting moment cookies. They are really easy and if you strat them off they get to do the interesting things!! The basic recipe has 100g butter/margarine,75g caster sugar,1 egg yolk,150g self-raising flour and a few crushed cornflakes. You can add chocolate chips, chopped cherries, nuts or dried fruit if you wish. What I do is cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffyfor them and then let them add the egg yolk, the flour and any bits you may be added. This needs to be a farily stiff dough, so they may need your help. The next bit is what the kids like - divide te dough into 24 equal pieces, make into balls and roll each of them in the crushed cornflakes. Just place the balls on some lightly-greased baking steets, flattening them slightly so they stay in place and leaving a space between them as they do spread. Place them in an oven pre-heated to 190°C and bake for anout 15 minutes, or until just browned. Let them cool slightly before taking them off the tray and leave to cool until crisp, they taste lovely too!!
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