I'm told its a good thing to bake with children. Apparently, it's what some of those crunchy types would call an Educational Opportunity.
I guess they don't have children whose single greatest joy is smashing eggs, and then egg shells, into smithereens, or measuring flour at warp speed 'cause that's a lot cooler, Mom.' I'm not sure at which point in the sugar explosion you take the time to elucidate the concept of fractions, or when exactly the slick of melted butter stops being a lesson in 'solids to liquids' and starts being tonight's stain removal exercise.
You know me, I like to pretend I'm one of those crunchy types from time to time, usually when I've had a little too much flaxseed in my diet and a vague success with teaching someone letter sounds.
So yeah, yesterday we attempted a baking project. Lars really is my best baker - he at least enjoys the process, instead of whining about not making it from a box like everyone else's family, or putting his entire face down in the bowl like his baby sister.
I read this amazing book last week, A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (also of Orangette blog fame). Its the sort of book filled with short essays about life, food, family and love and... well, I guess just about everything else that makes my existence worth living. She includes recipes.
Banana Bread with Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger was the recipe that Lars and I attempted (minus the ginger, only because I didn't have any) inspired by a bunch of black bananas in the fruit bowl. I'm afraid you'll have to click the link, because the recipe is just too much to get into one blog post, but I really encourage you to head on over and get to know Molly and Orangette. And in the meantime snag a seriously addictive banana bread recipe.
Turns out my Able Baker Lars wasn't so impressed with the finished product, and neither were his sisters, so Torbjorn and I have single handedly attacked the loaf with a - dare I say - dedicated focus.
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4 comments:
YAY!! I'm so glad to see you (read you?) back blogging! Banana/chocolate bread? Sounds delish to me! Glad you and T are enjoying!
Ooh! me too! Thankful to have you back that is.
I think baking with kids is great. I do. But there are times when I only let them do one small thing and then they have to 'observe' the rest. It's the only way I can keep my wits about me and not end up with flour/sugar all over the kitchen or find myself having to scoop out large and small fragments of egg shells.
Stereotypes be smashed. The boy in our household is also the go-to cook. Maija is definitely one of those smashing eggs, only-likes-to-lick-the-spoon type bakers. And dearest Anni thinks baking is her nemesis that always takes her mommy away. So the one good thing about trying to be crunchy is that you can witness crazy, busy boys that love to bake.
My sister, who has a LOT more patience than me, has let her son assist with her cooking efforts since he was about Lars' age. He's 15 now, and QUITE the creative chef. Makes stuff without recipes - good tasting stuff. He'll either run a great restaurant some day or make a future wife verrrrrry happy :) My point? Think long term. And, yes, I'm preaching to myself, as well!
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