Cookbook Delights

We've been on a cookbook kick around our house, lately. Levi got the wild idea to have an international-themed birthday party (in January), so he has been pouring over The International Cookbook For Kids. I often see him with a little 'composition notebook' writing down the page numbers and recipes that he would like to have made for his party.

Leif doesn't get left out of anything, so he grabbed the DK Children's Quick & Easy Cookbook. This is the perfect cookbook for Leif: very visual, some words that he can read, and step-by-step, numbered picture instructions. He wants me to look at it with him and pick out my favorite foods.

But Luke has been pouring over our hefty FamilyFun Cookbook (which is, of course, no longer available). It has so many great recipes, photographs, and ideas (a whole page on various play dough/clay recipes). Luke is constantly bringing me the cookbook, turning up his little earnest face, and saying things like, 'Did you know you can make all kinds of scones?!'

A few mornings ago, I walked into the kitchen, and Luke had everything on the counter to make Swedish pancakes. He put two eggs in a little glass bowl. He put a stick of butter in another. He found a 1 1/2 cup measure and put it next to the flour. He had the tablespoon measure next to the sugar. The salt and milk were on the counter. He handed me my apron. This boy was *ready* to make breakfast. It didn't matter that he didn't really know what Swedish pancakes were (and that I would have to eat the whole batch by myself.....).

Leif never misses out on any activity, so Luke read the recipe and they both helped measure, pour, and stir. They were involved every step of the way. (Levi was off in his own little world planning his January birthday party....)

The next morning, we decided on blueberry muffins to go with our scrambled eggs. Luckily, these were more of a hit, and I didn't have to eat the whole batch myself.

It is very clear to me that Luke may be my biggest ally in the kitchen within just a couple years. And I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to that....