The Southwest Voice

All > News
A recipe for memories
Topics:
Posted by hvenoz Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:01:15 PDT
Viewed 121 times
0 responses 2 comments

Keepsake Cookbook

 

My granddaughters have been cooking with me since their high chair days, and it is one of our best times together.  Recently my niece in Missouri suggested adding another dimension to the cooking experience—creating our own cookbook.

I purchased a photo album and a package of colored index cards for each girl.  They used stickers to decorate and personalize the book’s cover.  Emily can now write the ingredients on her own recipe card, and Ellie is able to copy the words to her card.  The completed card is slipped into a pocket, keeping it protected as we cook.  I take a beginning picture of the ingredients so the girls have a visual record of the needed supplies.

In addition to being fun, cooking also helps to teach basic skills.  In order to insure each girl gets to add the same number of ingredients, math knowledge is needed.  The newest fact is that three-fourths is one-half of one and a half.  Both girls recognize certain words in the recipe and “ingredient” entered their vocabulary at an early age.

Research shows that children who grow and prepare food are more likely to make nutritious choices.  My granddaughters enjoy picking herbs from my indoor garden and fruits and vegetables from their outdoor garden.  Ellie is especially enjoying homemade pickles this summer made from the cucumbers she helped grow. 

Recent additions to the cookbooks include: peach bars, homemade ice cream, pickles, tomato salad, and Emily’s secret taco recipe.  Their favorite recipe is colored pancakes.  Several years ago they asked to make pink pancakes using food coloring.  The idea grew and it is always a surprise to see the multi-colored designs they create.

By next summer the girls are hoping to have enough recipes to divide the book into sections—just like Gram’s cookbook. 

 

 

Send to a Friend

Report a Violation

Comment From: sunnica

What a precious tradition. This is something that your granddaughters will never forget --their memories of cooking with Grandma. You are a special lady. Comment From: dweaver3

What a special project! It's really neat that you're spending such special time with your granddaughters and teaching them important life skills. I'm impressed by the legacy you are instilling in them!