I cook, bake and create a *lot* in my kitchen. Rarely is there ever a day that I am not in the kitchen for some purpose or another. Writing two food blogs necessitates some of my time in the kitchen, but simply feeding my family is a big draw too. Many times I am trying out new experiments or takes on a recipe to share with my readers. And since only about half of what I create in my kitchen makes it to the pages of this blog and Sweet Peas and Pumpkins, I cook and bake a lot.
I love being in the kitchen, and I love cooking and creating with my boys. I contend that it is a great way to learn math, discover fractions and impart many important life lessons (side note: my most recent realization that I shared with the boys was the lesson that following a recipe imparts, ie, if you don’t follow the directions, often times the end result tastes bad, much like life and following the rules. Not bad for intertwining a life lesson, eh?).
Several weeks ago the boys and I decided to try a new take on a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. I tried a new recipe and the boys helped:
And while R learned how to work with fractions, and G was able to practice his counting, the resulting cookies were less than ideal. They tasted okay, but the consistency was off. In fact, they were just too tough to enjoy plain. So what’s a mommy blogger to do when her attempts at a new recipe go awry?
Time for another life lesson. When things don’t turn out the way you want, you can either pout and stomp your feet, or you can realize that with a little ingenuity and creativity, mixed with a bit of good attitude:
The tough cookies, combined with some love and (ice cream) sweetness:
Can be transformed into a lovely result:
In other words, when life hands you over-cooked cookies, make cookie ice cream sandwiches. All will be right in the world, and before you know it, your kids learned another good life lesson.
Life is sweet,
SPC