Kooking For Kids

Cold weather brings out the stew, chili, soups and roasts at my house. I love to cook and the kids love to help. The other night we were making chili, what goes better with 10 inches of snow than a nice hot bowl of homemade chili?

Lane 2 was helping me and doing a great job until, I had her open a can of kidney beans. She actually was gagging. I didn't think her tummy was that sensitive that smelling or seeing beans could make her gag, but sure enough, they did. I told her I would take care of that part and handed her the spoon to stir the cornbread batter.

We sat down to eat and she started gagging again. Chili has never made her gag before so, I was beginning to think she had a touch of the flu. I asked her what was wrong, felt her head for fever, and she said that the beans remind her of fireflies and that totally grossed her out.

I have a hard time believing that same child who talked me into making her a kitty litter cake for her birthday, could be grossed out by something so innocent as a few friggin' beans. Are you wondering what I'm talking about when I say kitty litter cake? Scroll down and see for yourself. Sick looking shit I tell ya!

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We have our virtual friend Greeny to thank for that suggestion. Personally, I couldn't bring myself to eat it, I mean, look at it. I know that nothing but yummy goodness went into it but still, look at that thing! And this kid was grossed out by a few beans?!

The power of suggestion is an amazing thing. After she said that, Lane 1 looked into his bowl sadly, and there they were, dozens of fireflies, or so he said. Way to ruin everyone's dinner little one.

In my family we were taught to eat everything on our plate. We ate it and we liked it, at least that's what our mom told us all the time. Growing up in a super sized society, I am a little easier on my kids than my mom was on us.

"Fine, if you don't eat it, you can starve. I'm no short order cook ya know? And this isn't Burger King and you can't have it your way. If you throw your dinner out, don't you dare ask for anything else until breakfast."

Most of the time these kids are looking forward to dessert. Even if it's nothing more than a little Jell-O with some fruit cocktail mixed in. Not this time. There was no dessert that was worth eating the mound of "bugs" in their opinion.

So there I sat, at the kitchen table, all alone, eating my chili. I looked into my bowl and saw nothing but fireflies! You guessed it, no dessert for me that night either.

Here's a link to the recipe, in case you ever want to make a kitty litter cake of your own.

http://www.kidskuisine.com/asp/recipe.asp?recipe=104

Bon Appetit!