Cooking Kids

Children love to be in the kitchen. From the time they can pull things out of the cupboards and bang the pots and pans around, kids just love to be in the kitchen. Some kids have more of a passion for being up in the cooks business, I mean helping, than others. My children both enjoy to cook and be in the kitchen, but my son Wyatt is far more passionate about being a part of the cooking experience. I know that most of his fervor comes from his working spirit, but nonetheless, he loves being right on your hip in the kitchen. The kids have been cooking in the kitchen with me since they could stand on a chair.



I am a firm believer in getting your children cooking young so that they are more open to trying new foods and can spend that time with you, rather than losing more precious minutes at the end of an already time starved day. I started by having them help me measure or simply turning on the mixer. Things have progressed to the cracking of eggs and the pouring of ingredients into the bowls. Typically, we divide ingredients so that one will get the wet ingredients and one will get the dry. This does not always come out to exact equality, but they don't usually get it.



There are times when I know that the kids cannot help me with a particular portion of cooking and it is at these times that I try and encourage them to help in some other way. "Could you throw away this?" "Could you grab me that?" "Could you set the table?" I have come up with tasks that I know they can do and actually be helpful. The latest one for Wyatt is cutting the avocados for guac. He loves to cut the green goodness into tiny little pieces. It is great because he can use a butter knife and it keeps him occupied for a long time. Mattie loves to stir. The thing that I have found with them stirring is to use an extra large bowl and make it a metal one.



I see cooking and kids a lot like kids and art. You have to allow them to get a little messy and encourage them every step of the way. Sure you are going to get some egg shells in your bowl, but that is why you have them crack the eggs into a separate vessel so you can pick the shells out. Cooking is supposed to be fun and bring families together. Take a deep breath and get creative the next time your little one starts pulling a chair over to the cutting board. Everyone can cook, even kids. Have fun and cherish those times. They will be gone before we know it!! I know that if it was not for my mother I would not be the cook I am today. Thanks Mom.

Taco Tuesday

First off I must apologize for taking a week off from posts. I am going to make it up by posting a little extra on particular days. I was preparing for a long trip to Little Rock Arkansas to run a marathon and the blog had to be placed on hold. Last Tuesday I make tequila lime steak fajitas. Fajitas are something that most people love to order when they are out to eat, but rarely make at home. One thing that I love about making something that you have to marinade is that your food is working for you as you are working for yourself, and your family!! In a large freezer bag I dumped half of a lime (juiced), 2 oz of tequila, paprika, cumin, 4 cloves of garlic (crushed), 1/4 of a red onion, salt, pepper, chili powder, half a jalapeno, 1 ancho chili (diced), 1/2 a poblano, some cilantro, and some cayenne. I tossed in a 20 oz top sirloin and allowed it to marinate all day while I was at work.



Once I got home from work I placed the steak and the marinade in the freezer while I prepared the veggies. Fajita veggies can really be anything you want them to be, but traditionally it is just the mixed peppers and onions. Simple, simple, simple!! These veggies were sauteed in some EVOO before being finished off with a little of the marinade. Of course I cooked the marinade and the veggies so that it would kill off any of the meat juices that you would not want to consume raw.



I took the meat out of the freezer and sliced it nice and thin. The freezer helps to firm up the meat so that you can slice it thinner without adding any of your own meat to the mix. When you have sharp knives, which you always should, any good chef can slip and slice their digits!! The meat was sauteed in a hot pan with some EVOO. I made sure not to over cook the meat because I HATE tough fajita meat. Medium-rare is my desired doneness, but for you it might need to be a bit darker.



One key to great fajitas is to heat your tortillas. Toss them in a hot pan with a little butter and heat for about 20 seconds on each side...MONEY!! Also, what are fajitas without some great guac?!!? In my world, every Tuesday should be taco Tuesday!! Fajitas do not have to just be something that you get when you go out to eat on a steaming platter. You can make better fajitas at home. Trust me.