help in the kitchen February 23, 2010

I don’t have specific memories or helping my mom or dad in the kitchen as a young kid.  It is more of a presence, a feeling that we were always involved in helping.

Clean up, mixing simple things, chopping, stealing bites, licking bowls and cutting out biscuits.  I can remember “helping” make strawberry jelly on hot summer days, how the kitchen smelled sweet and sticky and like we were inside of a strawberry.  I learned quickly what a rolling boil was and how to skim off the foam that tasted so delicious once cooled.  All of these memories and so many more are what guide me in having LJ help me in the kitchen.  Help is a very loosely used word here.  Generally he is in the way, a mess, making a bigger mess and constantly asking questions, but it is those questions and the time we spend together that make me want to keep having a helper.

I want Jack to always be comfortable in the kitchen, comfortable to taste, smell, experiment and experience food.  Comfortable to cook dinner for his friends, girlfriend, in-laws and family.  Comfortable and confident to go beyond anything I will ever teach him.

Yes, cooking can teach science, math and other important skills, but it also teaches patience, sharing, simplicity, and service.  Things that I think sometimes we forget to teach.  So tonight as I clean up from the experience of cooking with a two-year old, it is with a hope that the lessons taught and samples tasted will lead to a stronger and better little boy who will someday be a man.

apple pie February 10, 2010

 

“Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.”  Jane Austen

What is a good part of your domestic happiness?

hotcakes, pancakes, griddle cakes February 5, 2010

http://orangette.blogspot.com/

http://chiotsrun.com/2010/01/28/ill-take-a-tall-stack/

http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/01/edna-maes-sour-cream-pancakes/

So above are three links to blogs that I read on a regular basis, all of them well-known.  After reading the second one I said to myself, hmm pancakes.  Then I got to the third and wondered what national pancake day I missed.  Don’t worry there wasn’t one.   Since all the cool people are doing it I figure I should as well!

Pancakes were a regular at my parents house.  Growing up my mom would mix the dry ingredients in the bowl the night before so that next morning the cakes would be cooking early enough for us to catch our 7:00 bus.  I would eat them with nothing but peanut butter, letting it sit just enough to make the peanut butter super soft and spreadable.  Now that I have to make my own breakfasts it is usually on the weekend that I make pancakes, actually… it usually is Nater.  He loves to mix and match and make pancake concoctions and being the very supportive wife that I am…I let him.

The current favorite is a basic buckwheat pancake with lots of additions.  Our local area has a two restaurant chain called wally waffle.  They have a better day waffle that is just delicious and what I order every time we get the chance to go.  This is the inspiration for our pancakes and these can come pretty close.  Basically you take the recipe that follows and add any amount of mashed banana, grated carrot, dates or raisins, coconut and chopped nuts.  No real measurements, just use what you have.  Generally a regular batch has two bananas, 1 grated carrot and about a cup and a half total of the other ingredients.  But really it is just a suggestion list that didn’t even come from me, it comes from the menu at wally waffle.  If you give them a try let me know what changes and additions you made and what you think, I would love to know!

Basic Buckwheat Flapjacks

3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs beaten
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp molasses
milk

combine the dry ingredients. In a seperate bowl mix the liquids together with the milk to make the batter the consistency of heavy cream. Cook on a hot griddle.

ps, the leftovers are a great snack. We generally make a double or triple batch freezing the leftover and then poping them in the toaster oven for a quick weekday breakfast.