Cook School by Amanda Grant Cookbook

Click for more info/to order

Cooking and I have a love-hate relationship. I love to eat, I hate to cook- the process that is. I just don't have a mind for it, get impatient and loathe washing the dishes, but cook I do -- otherwise we'd be eating cereal and for every meal. And although that is essentially what I subsisted on during my childhood I'd prefer my children have a more balanced diet.

What I do love is getting into the kitchen with my kids and gently assisting them as they learn how to measure, slice, mix and create a nourishing meal. I thoroughly enjoy the delight when they enjoy something we've made together. Adding a bit of love to a home cooked meal really does make it taste better.

When I stumbled upon the book, Cook School by Amanda Grant I knew I'd found a gem. The book is broken down into segments based on age/ability. The photos are gorgeous, if you're into that kind of thing- I am! And the recipes are super tasty. I had each of my kids pick two dishes each we'd make together and then a few of my own that I just wanted to try. All in all I think we tried close to ten and they were all winners.

We "adopted" the chickens produced by a class "hatching" project a couple years ago. And by adopted I mean my kids begged for days and made wild promises if we could just take them home. Two years later and we are gifted with fresh eggs everyday along with fresh "landmines" in the yard, but all in all I love those birds and am glad they're part of family. Them are some classy ladies!

One of our faves from Cook School was the Tasty Bread Tarts...The recipe is easy and adaptable and only requires multi-grain bread, fresh eggs, a few splashes of milk, a vegetable like peas, a sprinkle of cheese and some seasonings. For the recipe click here.

Do you have any favorite dishes that you prepare with your kids? Any books to recommend? Please share!

Bon Appetit,

Deirdre

*I was not compensated monetarily for this review.