Kids in the Kitchen

It's a known fact that kids like to help out in the kitchen, at least when they're young and sweet and want to be your superhero. Tonight I've decided we're going to make the most of Zeke's eagerness to be a top chef in our kitchen and get him to help me with dinner.

On the menu: Mac 'n' Weenies.

It doesn't have to be anything particularly sophisticated. Aside from the fact that Zeke LOVES the macaroni and hotdog products you can buy from the grocery store, we have our own version at home that I feel is more nutritious and cheaper to make.

We start out with a box of regular mac 'n' cheese. He talked me into splurging on the Scooby Doo shapes this time, so we'll go with that. Make up the mac 'n' cheese as you normally would but throw in some frozen veggies of your choice (we'll do broccoli tonight) with the pasta while it's cooking, then drain. Add the milk, butter, cheese powder, and extra cheese if you like (cheddar or Velveeta, whatever you have on hand), and if you're really adventurous, a can of condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup! You'll need more milk, obviously, but the finished product is pretty rich and luscious. Yum! And for a little extra zip, I like to add a splash of Worcestershire sauce, some ground black pepper, and perhaps a little Mrs. Dash for some oomph!

The last step is for the weenies. I like the all-beef hotdogs, sometimes bratwurst, but you can use whatever you like. I'll slice them up, and Zeke likes to mix them into the macaroni. He's such a good helper when he wants to be. LOL Then when "he" is done cooking, it's time to wash up and set the table.

I'm hoping when he grows up, he'll become a world class chef and keep our kitchen well stocked with gourmet meals. *grin* But in the interim, we'll settle for simple meals prepared in our own little kitchen with good times and lots o' love.

They've got plenty of time to grow up later!