B with B - banana bread

See these?

We bought these almost a week ago and Breanna has refused to eat even one to ensure she got to make her banana bread today. For anyone who has ever been around Bre and bananas knows, that if you let her, she will eat an entire bunch in one day! So I am sure this was a struggle for her not to eat a single one (her choice).

For our recipe for banana bread click here.

Breanna's favorite part of making banana bread is preparing the bananas. We place the trash can right next to her and let her go to town on peeling, breaking them apart, and finally mashing them. Today we decided to make a double batch so her mashing eventually turned into 'splashing' banana goo all over everything (she was a bit excited).

 I must remember to turn the television off, the minute the theme song for Fairly Odd Parents started she was gone!

Putting the banana bread dough in the oven...

Done!!! And we love that this bread is good warm or cold!

B with B - 01/19/2013

While I may 'slack' on my blogging, I try my darnest not to slack at spending each Saturday cooking a goodie with Breanna. Most of the time Breanna requests cooking pumpkin bread, and to be honest more times than not that is what we make, which to my excuse (about blogging) is the reason why I haven't posted before.

Today's creation will involve these little cutties and our recipe for sugar cookies can be found here!

Bre made sure to remind me to take some pictures of her cooking...she is too funny! But I love that she is engaging in actual conversations, and they actually make sense!

Bre's making sure the butter and sugar are mixed well. I am proud to say, she has mastered the mixer, always starting on the lowest setting and gradually turning it up at the right time (with no prompts)!

 Everyone in our family knows, we clean up as we go! 

Bre had her first experience of 'flying' flour, she was not impressed, actually she was mortified!

Our dough, now for it to refridgerate for an hour, then we can roll it out and try our new cookie cutters!

Finally, our hour is up and it's time to roll, cut, bake, and cool!

Breanna practices her rolling skills (on the counter) as I get everything we need out.

Bre using her rolling skills on the dough.

 Time to use the cookie cutters!!!

 

The loot!!! Minus a few 'over cooked' little ones! Now to cool and make some frosting!

Baking with Bre

Each Saturday Breanna and I do a little baking and today was no exception, although we ended up doing our baking quite a bit later than usual. We decided some errands were needing to be ran before our baking began, mainly so we could go and purchase ourselves some new aprons.

After we returned home, got something to eat, put our purchases away, we made two loaves of pumpkin bread.

Breanna's new apron

My new apron

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Cooking

It has come to my attention that none of our kids really know how to cook. The older ones could probably follow instructions on some prepackaged food item and be okay BUT I strongly dislike prepackaged foods. Although in the end it will be their choice what they will eat whether they cook it or purchase it or both when they are older, but as parents it is our responsibility to prepare them for their future. I know my kids are unable to cook at their dad's home and while I might disagree with this, I have no control over what occurs at another parents home. Joey is allowed to cook some items at his mother's but has admitted that the majority of the items he makes are prepackaged foods such as mac and cheese, spaghetti (from a jar), and so forth.

I have been compiling recipes on a separate blog, partially for my convenience, must mostly for the kids to reference when they do start cooking more or themselves. After talking with all the kids the last few weeks I have given some things to consider,

• each child (minus Breanna) must come up with a list of foods that they would like to have the recipe
• they must also have a list (can be the same list as above) that they would like to learn how to cook

Usually when all the kids are together I tend to let (room in the kitchen permitting) as many kids who are interested in helping, help. This practice is going to slightly change! From now on, each child will have the opportunity, by themselves, to practice making the items they want to learn how to make. Those others who are interested in learning how to make the same meal will be permitted to watch, however they will get their own opportunity to make the dish on their own at a later time. This decision was made shortly before Eric's kids had to return to their mothers during Winter (Christmas) break, so only one person had the opportunity this visit to make a dish. Since Jordyn is my favorite (yep this is true, and everyone knows it...), well actually because one of the meals on my weekly menu was one of the dishes she wanted to learn, she was the one who got the first individual lesson. We made dumplings, I gave her the option of making chicken dumplings or turkey, as we had quite a bit of 'Fred' left over, she chose to use the rest of 'Fred'. (The story of Fred will be posted at a later time, as I try to catch up on all my blog posts). So after the kids basketball game we made Turkey Dumplings.
 

 Cutting the dumplings

 Jordyn did let Jayson help drop the dumplings, to speed up getting them all in the pot.

 Dropping the dumpling dough into the pot

Bre checking out the cooking process