Cooks in My Kitchen

I have some chefs in my family.  My oldest daughter LOVES to bake.  She has become the champion apple pie baker of our extended family.  It's a killer apple pie -- with a graham cracker crust and crumb topping.  Mmmmmm.  She also recently whipped up some gingersnap cookies.  They were pretty good, too....although I must admit I'm partial to chocolate chip cookies (or more specifically the dough).  She asks about twice a week if she can bake something.  I usually cringe.  I hate other people in my kitchen.  Which is funny because I am rarely in my kitchen alone.  I don't want others messing with my stuff, using up my ingredients, leaving a mess even though they promised to clean up when they were done.  I know I should be thankful she wants to be in the kitchen, and I should work with her more and more -- turning over dinner to her eventually.  Not sure I can give that one up!

Also, my oldest son, a freshman in highschool, likes to step into the kitchen occasionally.  He and the other two boys like to watch cooking shows on PBS on Saturday mornings.  (Don't ask them about it, they would probably deny it!)  I think that America's Test Kitchen or BBQ U is their favorite.  Anyway, last Saturday I slept in until 8:00 and woke to find Kyle making crepes.  Yes, you saw that correctly....crepes.  My 14 year old son was making crepes.  He had seen them make them on TV and had to have them.  He filled them with eggs and cheese and served them up to all of us.  Pretty impressive, I must say!  He was so humble about it..."they are too thick - they should be thinner than a tortilla and these just aren't quite the way I wanted".  It was so cute.  I just can't believe he made crepes!

My worst kitchen nightmare is my two little girls wanting to "help".  Oh, I just want to scream when I hear that word.  It's usually when I decide to make cookies.  I try to sneak in there and make them, but as soon as the mixer starts up, they are right there on the kitchen chair they pulled over.  Asking to crack the eggs, dump the flour, measure the salt, eat the dough.  And you know what???  It usually DOES happen exactly the way I think it will.  They get shells in the dough, they spill the flour, they measure too much salt, beg for more chocolate chips and fight over who gets to lick the beaters.  Every time.  Is that wrong?? Aren't moms supposed to love having their little chicks gather 'round and make cookies together?  Well not this mama.  I want to be alone in my kitchen - preferably with my little corner fold-down TV on, doing my own thing.  I guess that will come in about 15 years, huh?