Baking Memories

Today 3 of my granddaughters spent the day with me and we spent it in the kitchen. I gathered a bunch of relatively simple and quick recipes and we made Christmas snacks. Kaitlyn is 15 and therefore loads of help both in the kitchen and with the litte girls. Genevieve is 8 and Audrey is 6 and throwing me into the mix we had a lotta "girl power" at work around the stove today. PawPaw did his part by being our "runner." Many trips to the store, taking the dog to the groomer, Audrey to her Children's Mass practice, he made it possible for me to stay on task. **insert whip cracking here**
It is nice when kids get to the age when they can actually "do" the things to help that they always wanted to do but have been to young to do.
We learned to read a recipe, figure out our measurements, butter a pan and how to add ingredients slowly and stir, stir, stir.
Starting our morning off with fudge we whipped out 2 nice batches and then moved on to cookies. Kaitlyn and I cut the slices of dough (yes, yes, I did Slice 'n Bake - not ashamed) and the LEGs put the slices on cookie sheets and even placed their loaded sheets in the oven. Then they planted in the floor in front of the oven to monitor their progress. We made about 6 dozen cookies 1/2 chocolate chip and the other 1/2 sugar.
We also turned out some easy peasy rice krispie treats and homemade Chex party mix. Then while I was experimenting with homemade dog treats the girls decorated their sugar cookies. I have to say those are some imaginative girls there. Genevieve did one that had little buttons of color all around the perimeter. When I asked her what it was, she replied "it is a fire hydrant." And it did look just like the top of a hydrant - she then proceeded to write DOG on her cookie.
We barely had time to finish our projects and load up their take home trays to share with their families! The day fairly spun by.
I am always struck with how very much I love my kiddoes. I can't buy them much and I am not good at always making time for them. But when I do have them with me I hope that the days are as memorable for them as they are for me. I hope that we have many many more opportunities to "Bake" memories.