Creamy ham, broccoli and mushroom pasta courtesy of my 12 year old, who picked out the recipe back when I made a resolution to have them starting to cook. Unlike the 14 year old who was dragged reluctantly into the kitchen when it was her turn (she chose fried rice, but had to have me hovering over her and doing a lot of it for her.)

Alison, however, was enthusiastic about the idea from the start, and has had that recipe earmarked for two weeks. I don't think that I've ever even made that one before either, so she was totally just following a recipe. (Which is pretty much the way I've got through my cooking life!)

So here we have one 12 year old who is streets ahead of her supposedly equally smart 2 yrs older sibling. She pretty much did the whole thing herself. Yes, she asked questions and advice, but I basically sat here at the computer, and only had to jump up and help a couple of times. I was so chuffed.

I was also pretty impressed that she chose a recipe with broccoli in it! And mushrooms. She's not even fond of mushrooms, but decided that (as her Dad and I have always said, they add flavour when cooked with other ingredients.) She used her chef's perogative to not put in as many as the recipe said, and I assured her that that was totally acceptable.

Ms 14 sat there and picked out the broccoli and mushroom. (Given she's still unwell with a sore throat I ignored it this time, but sheesh!)

I suppose you can't make kids be enthusiastic about cooking, but I'm already slightly peturbed that Ms Eldest here will be 20 something and incapable of making herself a healthy meal!

I still need to work on the cleaning up bit afterwards.

"Darling, you have no idea how wonderful it was to have someone else cook diner."

"Yes I do, I get that every other night."

"Not quite the same thing kiddo. Talk to me when you make the meal every other night!"

Labels: cooking, kids