One of my goals for school this year was to spice up our electives somewhat and do this the kids had on their “want to do list”… Cooking was number one!!! So we are working our way through The River Cottage Family Cookbook
I thought we would whizz through a chapter a week and look for another book, well lets just say we are loving it and lingering!!! Last term we worked through the first chapter on flour, and this term we learnt all about Milk…
This is as close as we got to a cow… I am still working on it!!! We got very close to a farm animal spot on Saturday, very close… and then got totally distracted by hot-chocolate on the way and so didn’t get to our destination before closing. A visit to a cow should not be this difficult to achieve!!! I think I might need a little more directed focus in my hunt for a cow…
Now the chapter on milk was – well all about milk and cream and other delights and this is what we got up to:
- Macaroni cheese topped with crispy bacon: The point of this was to learn how to make Bechemal sauce… well white sauce to some of us lesser chefs!!!
- Frozen Strawberry Milkshakes: These were so yummy and delicious… freeze your strawberries overnight, toss a glug of milk into the blender with them… Whizzzzzz, enjoy. We very quickly ran out of strawberries and started using any fruit we could possibly lay our hands on!!!
- Creamy Brussel Sprout Gratin: Yes my kids fell hook line and sinker for this, it was eaten too fast to photograph!!! They loved it!!! I tell you: those who make their own food gobble it up!!! Almost cook your sprouts, then leave them to cool. Once they are cooled chop them roughly and pop them into an oven dish. Pour enough cream over them to cover and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Salt and pepper and you are done… Toss them in the oven until the top starts to brown and everything is bubbling nicely.
- Chocolate Eclairs: I know, we suffer so at school around here…but let’s face it, in the name of education I am quite happy to suffer. These are surprisingly easy to make… it is just that you make and bake them, cool them, cream then and then drip chocolate on them that makes them time consuming.
- Making Butter: Oh where have I been all my life!!! The easiest project in the world. Toss the cream in a jar and shake… and shake… you will get whipped cream… and shake… and shake… and cream cheese and shake… and shake… butter.
- Shortbread:If you make butter then you have to make shortbread and if you make shortbread then we had to make millionaires shortbread… and it was good!!!
- Yogurt: I was going to leave this out… but then saw how easy it was on Simple Bites… and now we have a new chore in our house: Yogurt making is right up their with hanging the laundry!!! Measure milk, warm milk, add some milk powder, add a gloop of “live yogurt”, wrap it up and leave overnight and you are done!!!
- Cucumber Raita: This was yummy and we have made it so many times since!!! Grated cucumber, mint, cumin and yogurt… done, yum.
That’s it… Can You guess what chapter is next?
Have a Fun Week!!!
This post is part of The Thirty Minute Mom’s Challenge at Steady Mom.
Wow, this is fantastic. I’ve got to get my kiddies in the kitchen MORE.
What an amazing book! It’s going onto my shopping list! Looks like you all had great fun. What a great Mom you are!
Thanks T, My goal for this year is to get my kids cooking beyond just playing, actual meals… My plan is to be able to say: You guys make dinner and leave them to it!!! Ambitious but not beyond reach!!! Have a fun week!!!
Hay S, It really is a brilliant book… not your typical cookbook – I love that it describes everything, it is really readable and full of the “why’s of cooking.” We have learnt so much from it.
I need to come move into your house for a week… I think it is great that you work towards moving your kids beyond just “playing” with food. as you know the only thing I can do with anything edible is PLAY… I have a lot of learning to do!!!!
Oh KM, I am so happy for them to play but I really want them to produce dinner while I read a book!!! Where dinner is real food rather than jelly and ice-cream… My ultimate goal!!! Seriously you guys must make butter you will love it…fill a jar about half full with cream and shake away… we counted about 200 shakes… once you have a white lump of butter and watery stuff in the jar – it happens from one shake to the next – pour the “water off” and keep your butter in the jar and rinse it till the water is clear… then pop your butter out – squeeze out the butter with a spoon and shape it… It takes about five minutes for the whole process… Have a fun weekend!!!
I’m going to make some strawberry milk
shake. I love making butter from cream. I use the butter milk (watery stuff) to make scones. Weirdly, I tend to use my food mixer. I’ll give the children a go next time.
Thanks for leaving the link in your comment for the zucchini activity. I’ve now just got to find some friends who aren’t on holiday, don’t read my blog and haven’t got lots of zucchini. I love that it is official! Must have a go. Thank you, thank you.
Hi Cheryl, That’s a good idea for the buttery milk – we have been making endless pancakes!!! Have a fun week!!!