Jenmenke

Road Warrior

kids cook mondays

The Kids Cook Monday Three. Charlie Take One.

I want a MANWICH.

…Seems to be the sub-theme for the evening’s menu. Charlie, on his first solo Kids Cook flight, chose STEAK, POTATOES and KALE (I may have wielded some influence in this category).

It sounded just fine to me.

So we rummaged around in the freezer and found a nice looking ribeye and a less-nice-looking top round. I took the sword and offered to eat the round steak. I actually like round steak, though this particular specimen didn’t show promise.

It was yet another Monday with no school. So, he had plenty of time to ask me questions. All day, in fact.

He seemed to be looking for direction as to the actual recipes for his meal and I happily steered him in the direction of things we had on hand. (Hence the kale). For the potatoes, he made my friend Bev’s “Special Potatoes” with my modifications. That is to say, half and half instead of cream, and half the butter, which is replaced with plain yogurt. (They are still special.)

Early on in the day he declared “I want a sauce.”

No elaboration. Just “I want a sauce.”

It was up to me to decipher what kind of sauce and for what. It was clear he wanted to make a sauce for the steak, but not clear what kind. Bernaise? Hollandaise? Butter? What?

“Just a sauce.”

So I suggested a balsamic reduction. Which was fine with him.

I knew I’d have to do more directing and answering of questions. No, not because he’s a boy and younger, but because he is Charlie. It’s part of the M.O. since he could talk. He asks questions and I answer them. Until I can’t take it anymore, snap, and start screaming at him to stop. I like to think I’m developing his character. You know — getting him ready for the real world.

But I know that’s not true. I’m just basically unpredictable and mean. And Charlie being Charlie loves me anyway.

As Martha used to say (or does she still say it?): It’s a Good Thing.

We found out late in the game that Dave was not going to be home, so we didn’t have to use that round steak after all. But it was just as well, because I think it had already been in the freezer for well over a year. Seriously, who would ever want to eat that?

(Lola wanted to eat it. So we gave it to her.)

You might be wondering where the Sous Chef was in all this. Yes, I was wondering, too. She has the uncanny ability to make herself scarce at times like these. So I whispered some ideas to Charlie — who would never make his sister do something she didn’t want to do — and he put her to work on bread sticks. I had some wheat dough in the fridge just waiting for her.

Meanwhile Charlie cooked up the kale with dried cranberries

Warmed up the balsamic reduction…

Broiled the steak (a new venture with the new oven). Worked great, but honestly, how do you clean those broiler pans? It’s impossible!

Served what was left of the potatoes… They love these potatoes and basically started eating them out of the crock pot from 3pm on. There were barely any left for me! (see recipe below)

I do have a question, though, if anyone can help me: when exactly is it that boys start to be aware of clashing colors and dress accordingly?

Of course, Charlie thought this was the best meal he had had in weeks. Simply the best! And how about that balsamic reduction? Really good, isn’t it? Isn’t it?!

Why, he’s a chip off the old block! I’m so proud of him! Fishing for compliments like that… Just like his Mom. Brings a tear to my eye.

(The bread sticks were tasty, too)

Bev’s Special Potatoes

serves 10
  • 2 bags of frozen hashbrowns (like Ore-Ida)
  • 2 pints of heavy cream
  • 1 stick of butter cut into pats and layered into potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon Lawry’s Garlic Salt

Put in crock pot on high for the first hour and stir. Continue to cook on low for several hours until crusty on top and cooked. You can use a baking dish and bake at 350 for an hour, but they aren’t as dreamy.

Jennie’s Special Potatoes

  • 2 bags frozen hashbrowns
  • 2 cups 1/2 and 1/2
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 T Lawry’s seasoned salt (I honestly just saw now, as I type this, that it is supposed to be Lawry’s Garlic salt. I had no idea…)

Same directions as above, but if things start to seem dry (they should be sort of saucy), add some milk, half and half or yogurt until you get the right consistency.

The Kids Cook Mondays!

OK, so at the risk of becoming a cliché, I take on another Monday Campaign as an entire-family “New Year’s Resolution.” However, this year, I resolve to not be psychotic in my resolve.

Does that make sense?

I loved Meatless Mondays. And — for the most part — I’d say it was a success. If you know me well in the real world, it is likely that you are shaking your head right now and calling me a liar. If you are over the age of 45, you probably said it out loud to your computer.

But anyway, no, I am not a liar. I did love them, even though at times I complained, at times I failed and –in general — they were a mental pain. Why, then, do I say I loved them?

I go back to my very first Meatless Monday post. Those reasons still hold true:

Actually, I just re-read that entry and there are no compelling reasons listed. I know I wrote them somewhere, but who knows where. [Aside: oh my gosh. my eyes are just going down the tubes. I have taken my reading glasses on and off and on and off about three times in the last 5 minutes. It’s the beginning of the end, I tell you.]

If I remember correctly, my compelling reasons were something like:

  • reduce our carbon footprint.
  • discover new foods to work into our rotation
  • feel smugly superior to those who don’t participate in Meatless Mondays

So, with those goals in mind, our personal Meatless Monday campaign was a huge success.

As I’ve mentioned in a few of my recent writings, I have experienced a level of busyness the past few months unequaled to any other time in my life. [hence the infrequent updates here and the swirling motes of cat and chinchilla hair in the corners of my kitchen] For that reason, I was not able to devote any real thought to my 3rd annual Menke Family New Year’s Resolution. I just kept thinking that it would be revealed to me at the right time.

That is called faith, by the way. –And I was not disappointed.

On January 6th, Joanna (Joey) of the official ‘The Monday Campaigns‘ wrote me an email about a recipe for the Meatless Monday website. In our banter, she mentioned her new project, The Kids Cook Mondays. And while it initially seemed more suited for younger children, it got me thinking…

Yes… It would be perfect!

Photo opportunities, Embarrassing moments, and the opportunity to lord over my kids and bark out commands.

Yes, it would be perfect.

It would be lying to say I didn’t have selfish reasons for considering this new direction, however. And no, it isn’t because I’m lazy. I have no delusions that The Kids Cook will lighten my load. No doubt Morgan will be pouring over Bon Appetit recipes that require multiple trips to specialty stores deep in the hood. Charlie will require endless, normally rhetoric, questions answered. Also no doubt, ‘The Kids’ will agree on nothing, creating chaos and mayhem galore.

Don’t worry, I’m used to that.

But can you image the potential material? Maybe I should close the blog now and start the book.

No, no, I can’t write my book until I’m 80 and everyone else is dead. Hopefully except my kids and hopefully they won’t care at that point.

As usual, the reception to my message was mixed:

Charlie, who doesn’t even know what we are talking about half the time, was enthusiastic beyond words. To say he fist pumped and yelled “YES! Yes! Can we? Really? Can we?” would be the closest approximation.

Morgan, at the table applying eyeliner or something, looked up at me with half-lidded interest said, “Mom. No.”

And I knew I was golden.

Oh, I forgot about Dave. Actually I don’t think we’ve even told him about it yet. And if we did, he wouldn’t remember anyway.

So, with apologies to the movement, I will need to modify our participation. Realistically this year (I’m learning…), I know we won’t be able to do it every week. We will try, but I’m not going to be mental about it like I was with Meatless Mondays.

Also, given the teenage status of my kids, I’m not going to dictate the ingredients and be totally healthy-centric. In general, I cook very healthy. But to truly get Morgan on board, I will have to lift my ban on heavy cream in the kitchen. That just goes without saying. But true to the movement’s purpose of: “dedicating the first day of every week to health. Every Monday, individuals and organizations join together to commit to healthy behaviors that help end chronic preventable diseases.”… I promise to uphold my part of the pact and to do my very best.

Both my kids love to cook already. I just tend not to let them do it. The challenge, you see — for me — will be to really let them do it.

I’m a kitchen control freak.

But I vow I will let them cook and go down in a blaze of glory doing it.

I just hope that last line isn’t literal.