These days, "home economics" has morphed into "home and careers," and both boys and girls take the class. My son had a recent home and careers assignment to prepare a family breakfast and then write a report about the experience. Here's his report ... and some comments from me at the end.
MENU:
Banana Pancakes
Fruit Smoothies
Bacon
Shopping
I learned that there are many different brands you can choose from, and some brands are cheaper. This is not necessarily true for all recipes but for some it is. Some challenges were finding where the food is. If I hadn’t had a parent with me, shopping would’ve taken hours. My shopping trip was fun overall.
Bacon - 2.69
Vanilla Yogurt - 2.40
Sugar - .50
Strawberries - 3.00
Blueberries - 2.50
Butter - .50
Flour - .20
Baking Powder - .05
Salt - .01
Bananas - .25
Milk - .25
Eggs - .30
Vanilla extract - .10
Maple syrup - 1.00
Chocolate Chips - .50
Overall - 14.25
A restaurant probably would have cost about $59. When I heard this I was stunned. This shows that the taste is the same but restaurants charge four times more.
Table Setting
The table setting I did in the morning before I started cooking. I included the plate, napkin, fork, knife, and spoon. The centerpiece was two stuffed animals holding the syrup.
Grade Yourself
I have learned that making breakfast is not as easy as it seems. My biggest challenge was flipping the pancakes. As you can see I didn’t do so well on my first try. Below is a picture of me struggling.
I have learned that making breakfast is not as easy as it seems. My biggest challenge was flipping the pancakes. As you can see I didn’t do so well on my first try. Below is a picture of me struggling.
I think I did really well on the smoothies. Everybody enjoyed those. For some it was a little too much. Overall it was a delicious breakfast. Everyone agreed on that.
I could improve on how quickly it went though. It was 10:00 when I finally finished. Everybody called it a brunch because it was so late. Of course it wasn’t the most nutritional but it was most delicious breakfast I have had in a long time. Another thing I could improve on is organization. Once I wasn’t organized because I didn’t put the butter in the right place and it spilled.
Recipes
Banana Pancakes
(From the Williams-Sonoma Kids Cookbook)
6 Tablespoons (¾ stick) butter
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 small, very ripe banana, peeled
1 cup milk
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
maple syrup and sliced bananas, for serving (mom also used pecans)
Cut the butter into 3 equal pieces. Put 2 of the butter pieces in the small saucepan and set the remaining piece aside. Set the pan over medium heat and stir with the wooden spoon until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Using the pot holder, remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix with the fork until well blended.
Put the banana in a small mixing bowl. Mash with the fork until almost smooth. Add the milk, eggs, and vanilla and stir with the fork until well blended. Pour the banana mixture and the melted butter into the flour mixture. Mix gently with the rubber spatula until the batter is just blended. The batter should still be a little lumpy.
Put the griddle over medium heat until hot. To test if the griddle is hot enough, flick a drop of water onto it. It is ready if the drop dances quickly and evaporates. Put half of the remaining butter onto the griddle and spread it with the metal spatula. Drop the batter by ¼ cupfuls onto the griddle, spacing them about 3 inches about.
Cook until a few holes form on top of each pancake and the underside is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully slide the metal spatula under each pancake and turn it over. Cook until the bottom is golden brown and the top is puffed, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Using the spatula, transfer the pancakes to a serving plate.
Repeat with remaining butter. Serve the pancakes while still hot with maple syrup and sliced bananas.
Makes 12 4-inch pancakes
Strawberry or Blueberry Smoothies
1 container (6 oz) vanilla yogurt
2 teaspoons sugar
6 strawberries, stems cut off, or 1 cup blueberries
ice cubes (optional)
Put the yogurt and sugar in the container of the electric blender. Add the choice of fruit (and ice, if desired).
Put the lid securely on the blender. Make sure it's on tight! Hold down the lid with your hand (so it isn't forced off by the spinning liquid) and turn the blender on to high speed. Blend until thick and smooth.
Baked Bacon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line jelly roll pans with foil. Place the bacon on the pan without the pieces overlapping. Bake until brown and crispy, about 15 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. When the bacon grease on the foil-lined pan is cool, just crumple it all up and throw it away.
Mom's note: The directions of this assignment were to make breakfast without help. I didn't actually pitch in but I did do a fair amount of coaching.
The first two recipes were from The Kids Cookbook from Williams-Sonoma. Watching my son (who knows his way around the kitchen) trying to follow the recipe made me realize how much the cookbook is not written for kids to follow. This is a complaint I have about every kids cookbook we own -- and we own plenty. My kids want to be able to make things by themselves, and none of the cookbooks are written or designed in such a way that kids can do so.
As an example, this book put the directions for techniques at the beginning at the book. This is not effective at all, because kids don't read a cookbook from front to back! If they were going to do this, they could have at least referenced what page the technique instructions are on. I never have felt a burning need to write a cookbook, because there are so many wonderful ones out there, but I'd love to write a cookbook that kids could actually use on their own.
By the way, these were the best banana pancakes made in my house! Delicious!
(From the Williams-Sonoma Kids Cookbook)
6 Tablespoons (¾ stick) butter
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 small, very ripe banana, peeled
1 cup milk
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
maple syrup and sliced bananas, for serving (mom also used pecans)
Cut the butter into 3 equal pieces. Put 2 of the butter pieces in the small saucepan and set the remaining piece aside. Set the pan over medium heat and stir with the wooden spoon until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Using the pot holder, remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix with the fork until well blended.
Put the banana in a small mixing bowl. Mash with the fork until almost smooth. Add the milk, eggs, and vanilla and stir with the fork until well blended. Pour the banana mixture and the melted butter into the flour mixture. Mix gently with the rubber spatula until the batter is just blended. The batter should still be a little lumpy.
Put the griddle over medium heat until hot. To test if the griddle is hot enough, flick a drop of water onto it. It is ready if the drop dances quickly and evaporates. Put half of the remaining butter onto the griddle and spread it with the metal spatula. Drop the batter by ¼ cupfuls onto the griddle, spacing them about 3 inches about.
Cook until a few holes form on top of each pancake and the underside is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully slide the metal spatula under each pancake and turn it over. Cook until the bottom is golden brown and the top is puffed, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Using the spatula, transfer the pancakes to a serving plate.
Repeat with remaining butter. Serve the pancakes while still hot with maple syrup and sliced bananas.
Makes 12 4-inch pancakes
Strawberry or Blueberry Smoothies
1 container (6 oz) vanilla yogurt
2 teaspoons sugar
6 strawberries, stems cut off, or 1 cup blueberries
ice cubes (optional)
Put the yogurt and sugar in the container of the electric blender. Add the choice of fruit (and ice, if desired).
Put the lid securely on the blender. Make sure it's on tight! Hold down the lid with your hand (so it isn't forced off by the spinning liquid) and turn the blender on to high speed. Blend until thick and smooth.
Baked Bacon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line jelly roll pans with foil. Place the bacon on the pan without the pieces overlapping. Bake until brown and crispy, about 15 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. When the bacon grease on the foil-lined pan is cool, just crumple it all up and throw it away.
Mom's note: The directions of this assignment were to make breakfast without help. I didn't actually pitch in but I did do a fair amount of coaching.
The first two recipes were from The Kids Cookbook from Williams-Sonoma. Watching my son (who knows his way around the kitchen) trying to follow the recipe made me realize how much the cookbook is not written for kids to follow. This is a complaint I have about every kids cookbook we own -- and we own plenty. My kids want to be able to make things by themselves, and none of the cookbooks are written or designed in such a way that kids can do so.
As an example, this book put the directions for techniques at the beginning at the book. This is not effective at all, because kids don't read a cookbook from front to back! If they were going to do this, they could have at least referenced what page the technique instructions are on. I never have felt a burning need to write a cookbook, because there are so many wonderful ones out there, but I'd love to write a cookbook that kids could actually use on their own.
By the way, these were the best banana pancakes made in my house! Delicious!