Sunday, August 2, 2015

How To Create Your Child's First Cookbook

Back in early March, I was discussing with my cousin Lisa what kids eat and of my cooking, what my children's favourite meals are.

Now I am one for memories and family sentiments.  I have a memory box each for the boys and a joint one for my husband and I.  Anything that I think will be nice to look back on one day goes in there.  From photos to certificates to champagne corks (in mine, not the kids), to birthday cards etc. You get the idea.  I have a journal each for the boys that I started before each of them was born.  The entries were more frequent back when they were babies, but I still do write in there for them from time to time.

The idea being that maybe not right now, but in years to come, they will treasure what has been kept and written. Being boys, this may not be entirely the case, however it will be up to them what they choose to keep or if they choose to keep any of it.  Being my boys, I can see already they both have a strong sense of family and a strong element of sentimentality about them.  Neither look like me so at least they have something of mine!

When Lisa and I were discussing meals, she suggested I get a scrapbook each for the boys.  As I make a meal they love, put the recipe in the scrapbook and one day when they are moving out of home, hand them over their very first cookbook filled with all the home-made recipes they love.

What a FABULOUS idea!

There is always that one recipe that your Grandma baked or your Mum made that you wish you had the recipe for.  Being Taurean and constantly thinking about food, I have made sure that I have obtained these recipes as I have gone along in life.  I NEVER miss out on anything food related. From anyone.

When one of my best friends broke up with her partner, she lamented that she no longer had the recipe for the best Caesar salad dressing you've ever tasted.  I said "I have it." She also commented that there was this great Indian chicken dish that she would no longer know how to make. I said "I have that recipe too." Then there was the all time party favourite, the Watermelon Smash. I said "no worries, I have it." I had obviously spent a lot of time at their place! And what a funny conversation it was when I was able to say "I have it" to each of the recipes my girlfriend wished she still had.  Her ex was a fabulous cook. Gotta give credit where it is due!

So back to the scrapbook.  I actually bought two A4 lined ring bound books.  I thought it would be easier for writing the recipes in there in a straight line! As for the covers of them, I thought it would be a neat idea for the boys to cover the books so that they could always look back on them as adults and see it was something they did when they were 5.  Which brings me to my next point.  My youngest turned 5 earlier this week so now I have two 5 year olds for the next two months.  I specifically waited until they were both 5 as they get such a thrill out of being the same age.  

True to form, Jai's is very ordered.  Cruz's is more abstract.  

The boys had the best time doing this activity and I had the best time watching and helping them. I was chief glue bottle squeezer!  Now I just need to cover them in contact so that their artwork stays in tact.

Thanks Lisa for the idea.  I love it and the boys love it. They are totally on board and suggesting which recipes I should add to their books already.  Caesar salad being one of them!



No comments:

Post a Comment