Kid in the kitchen (summer edition)

A few years ago, if you had told me that my son would be interested in helping out in the kitchen and cooking with me, I would have been skeptical.  He wasn't one of those kids who jumped at the chance to get his hands dirty in the kitchen.  But I have to say that things have changed quite a bit. 

Wanting to share one of my interests with him, I've been luring him into the kitchen, bit by bit, in the last couple of years.  And now, having him there, helping me crack some eggs or completing a whole recipe together, is not uncommon.  He might not have a big passion for cooking or baking but I think he's figured out that working/playing in the kitchen can be a lot of fun.  I like to think that he learns a little something in the process when we make something together, and I know he appreciates the sense of accomplishment and the tasty reward at the end!

Spaghetti Carbonara: one of the simple dishes my little guy and I made together this summer

So this summer, I made a goal.  I wanted to get the little guy in the kitchen for a few cooking "sessions".  Beyond one-off projects or just stepping in to help me whisk something or to spread a batter here and there, I wanted to teach him how to make a few simple dishes from beginning to end.  We get to spend time together (cooking and eating) and longer-term, I hope that by cooking more and more, he'll be able to make basic meals for himself down the line as an adult.

Well, the summer flew by fast.  It can be hard to carve out time for "cooking lessons" but we managed when I look back at it.  As I've posted before, we were in the kitchen making fun things like pudding pops and grilled chocolate sandwiches but we also collaborated on a few others, including some savory dishes.  The trick was finding easy and relatively quick dishes that the little one would enjoy because then there'd be motivation to keep going.  I think we did all right since he was a big fan of everything he cooked up.

So you know how moms do - we talk about our kids!  In that spirit, please bear with me as I share some of the cooking sessions I had with my little guy this summer... 

A savory break...

It's been a busy month!  Those of you with kids can probably relate.  There are quite a few events, activities, and general to-do's leading up to the end of the school year.  The little guy graduated from kindergarten recently - it seemed like yesterday when we were nervously walking him into his first day.  On top of the normal end of the school year activities, we've been busy planning and celebrating the little one's sixth birthday and enjoying Father's Day together.  I think we're now ready for the lazy days of summer...

Amidst the hustle and bustle, I've been comforting myself with chocolate.  For me, it's the ultimate treat and just totally comforts and relaxes me.  The molten chocolate cake has gotten my husband and I through some long days lately (I learned my mistake and made the full recipe for 4 cakes this time).  That being said, however, I think our waistlines could use a few days' break.  Or at the very least, we need some time to catch up and finish what we have around the house first.  So how about we take a short break and talk about something other than sweets? 

What do you love to eat?  Aside from chocolate, I love pasta!  I could eat it for lunch and dinner everyday and not be sick of it at all.  I love carbs in general - I yearn for the old days when I'd sit down at a restaurant and eat all the bread and butter I want without worrying about the scale.  Aside from bread, I love rice, and noodles are my passion - soup noodles, fried noodles, pasta, you name it!  I love going to the local Malaysian restaurant weekly to get my "noodle fix" but at home, I'm ultimately better at following a simple recipe, so I make a lot of basic pasta.  It's easy and generally a one-bowl meal.  Here are a few of my favorites that I make regularly at home.  I know almost everyone loves pasta - what are some of your favorites?

If I had to pick only one type of pasta dish to eat, it would have to be linguine with clam sauce.  So easy and delicious.  All you really need besides clams is some garlic, red pepper flakes, and white wine.

Spaghetti or linguine with white clam sauce

More pasta after the jump...