Now We're Cookin'

It is well-known in this house that when Daddy is away, Mommy doesn't like to cook. We do sandwiches a lot, pancakes, anything that is easy and doesn't require turning on the stove or oven. Steve has been out of town for most of last week and will return in a couple of days. Last night I wanted to have something a little more traditional for dinner since we had already had pizza one night and IHoP on another.

Ian wanted chicken nuggets - ugh! There weren't enough in the freezer for both kids, so I decided to try something a little unconventional for this type of fare. I opted to make them from scratch ... and I had the kids help me. Before we got started, I took a deep breath and said silently, "We can do this. Stay calm. Be encouraging and supportive. Let them see what they can do." Earlier in the afternoon they took turns slicing fruit for a salad. They seemed to enjoy that, and Ian even ate his entire bowl full. Normally, he won't eat any food that is mixed with another. So, I thought I'd take a chance with dinner.

I sliced the organic chicken breasts into chunks. Ainsley whisked the eggs. Ian measured the flour. Ainsley pushed the button on the food chopper to make bread crumbs. We added some seasonings and everyone took a turn mixing the dry ingredients. Ainsley was very excited about her role as chicken nugget breading specialist. It took a while, but she did them all. Ian did not want to touch the slimy stuff. I am astonished at his squeamishness over touching raw eggs and chicken when that kid will eat a booger without hesitation.

I "baked" the nuggets on the grill, knowing I would need to watch them closely. Ian and I began emptying the dishwasher while Ainsley worked on the salad. Within ten seconds, Ian was distracted by something on the table. (Oh, did I mention I forgot to give his afternoon dose of Ritalin?) It was a DVD I received in the mail today - photos of my Aunt Mary who passed away last month. They were accompanied by beautiful harp music, which I am sure must have been a song that she loved. Rather than attempting to get Ian back on task, I decided to take a few minutes to let the kids watch the DVD. For all practical purposes, I know I should have made him finish the dishwasher, but this seemed to be a good time for him to learn more about his family.

So, we watched it. I told the kids who all the people were. There was even a picture of our entire family, sans Grandpa, taken at Grandma's house in the late 70's. When Ian saw me at age 10 or 11, he gave me an enormous hug and rubbed my nose with his. There is something about seeing pictures of me as a child that makes him feel closer to me. I love moments like these.

When the DVD was over, we continued with the tasks at hand. As I was putting away some spatulas, Ian sidled up to me, put his arms around me, and cried. When I asked what was wrong, he said, "I am sad about your aunt. And I am sad for you."

"Oh, sweetie! Thank you for caring so much. I really miss her, and I am sorry you didn't get to meet her. Every time I talked to her, she asked about you and Ainsley. She knew you and loved you, even though she never got to see you face-to-face. She was a really special person," I explained.

"I know that," he said with a hiccup.

Then Ainsley said, "Don't forget me!" and she joined us in a family hug with tears in our eyes.

After a few minutes, I realized the chicken nuggets were in trouble. Running outside with heavy duty oven mitt in hand, I lifted the lid on the 550 degree grill to reveal the slightly charred but still edible chicken bits. The kids were much less optimistic. Once they were cool enough to handle, I selected the morsels that still resembled chicken and not charcoal briquettes and put those on their plates with huge mounds of ketchup on the side. Then, I eagerly bit into a remaining nugget.

"MMMMMMMMMM! Those are FABULOUS! Oh, my GOSH! You HAVE to try these!" The dramatic emphasis got Ian and Ainsley's attention.

"Really?" The asked, hopeful but not quite sure.

"Yes! MMMMMM. They are SO good. These are MUCH better than McDonald's nuggets." I added convincingly.

Ainsley took a small bite. "Mmmmmmm. They ARE good!"

Then Ian dipped one in ketchup and tried his. He nodded and agreed, "Wow! These aren't good. They're GREAT!"

"And do you know WHY they are so great?" I asked, receiving blank stares in response. "Because YOU made them from scratch! These are the real deal." Both children beamed with pride and continued to eat their dinner. In fact, they never once complained about the extra-extra crispy texture.

Although it is difficult these days to get either of my children to consume a balanced meal or to sit in their chairs until they have finished eating, these matters seem trivial to me right now. For the first time in weeks, we all worked together in the kitchen toward a common goal with very little bickering or complaining. We shared knowledge, skills, laughter, and tears and strengthened a bond that I hope will last a lifetime. That's a pretty cool accomplishment for any day.