Teaching the kids how to cook

Written by GAIL and APRIL McGLOTHIN    |    Photographed by APRIL ELLER-McGLOTHIN  

Editor's Note:
One of the great pleasures in life is sharing a home-cooked meal with your family, according to Newnan-based food writer Gail McGlothin. She and her daughter April Eller-McGlothin, a food photographer, share memories of how Mother taught Daughter and her siblings how to cook.

Gail: Years ago, our family moved from southeast Georgia to a suburb of New Orleans in June and by July, I was working fulltime downtown. My husband was on the Navy base and I commuted to work at least 45 minutes each way, five days a week.

Fortunately, our neighborhood was full of children the same age as mine. Mika had friends who would be high school freshmen; April had tweens down the street; and Jake had a posse of young boys his age. The first time I came home with a van load of groceries, those 8-year-old boys came thundering down the street to help me unload. Little did I know that they were really a swarm of locusts who ate all the fruit, cookies and snacks I had bought for the upcoming week. Lesson learned. The next week and each week after, I bought a giant bag of store brand cookies and an extra sack of apples for the helpers.

Everyone in our family wanted dinner on the table at 6 p.m. as they were used to having. This became a bone of contention because I didn't get home until that time. But it also led to raising three excellent cooks.

Each of my three children became responsible for getting one dinner on the table – Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday – with my husband cooking on Thursday and take-out on Friday. The weekends were mine.

The deal was that the meal could be bologna sandwiches as long as it was well-rounded with salad and a vegetable. What was supposed to be hot had to be hot and what was supposed to be cold had to be cold. The table was set and iced tea came with every plate.

April: While most of my friends played outside until the streetlights came on – this was the '80s after all – I had to come inside and prepare a full meal for our family of five. Yes, I got to choose what I was cooking, but my 10-year-old self would have much preferred another round or two of kickball. Mom’s step-by-step instructions gave me direction from start to finish. Of course, I was probably the only 10-year-old making fried chicken without adult supervision.

Gail: With trial and error, patience and tolerance of repeat menus (Jake served taco salad once a week for about a year), eventually the skills of our young cooks grew. Their interest in cooking more complicated dishes grew as well. None were picky eaters. And a well-rounded, nutritious dinner was on the table at 6 p.m. every night.

April: Reflecting on this now as a grown-up, I’m grateful for the lessons I learned. I prepare meals with the entrée, sides and bread timed to perfection. I enjoy the process of weekly menu planning and developing the accompanying grocery list. Now, with Mom and me living in the same household, we are teaching my kids the same lessons.

Gail: My kids learned how to make jambalaya and all sorts of Louisiana dishes. We would all gather around the kitchen table to chop fruit for ambrosia or make egg rolls and lumpia. Creole Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches were a favorite.

These days someone is in the kitchen supervising Zemery flipping pancakes, but Julian has the guacamole down pat and is the scrambled egg king in our family.

Learning to cook is a skill for life, and it's never too early to begin. To help you get started teaching your children – or grandchildren – how to cook, here are a few of our family's favorite recipes with kid-friendly directions.

Creole Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Creole Tomato Soup

1 (32 ounce) V-8 juice
1 cup water
¼ cup uncooked rice
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 small can shrimp

Pour V-8 into a medium saucepan. Add water and bring to a boil. Add rice, sugar, salt and garlic powder. Set the timer for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and simmer, stirring often. When the timer goes off, open the can of shrimp and drain off the liquid. Add the shrimp to the soup and simmer for five minutes.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

While the soup is cooking, start making the grilled cheese sandwiches.

Per person:

2 slices bread
1-2 slices cheese of choice
soft butter

Set up the griddle and turn to 350 degrees. If using a frying pan, place on a burner and turn the heat to medium. Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice bread butter side down. Top with 1 or 2 slices of cheese. Place last slice of bread on top of sandwich, butter side out. Slide the spatula under the edge of the sandwich to see when it is ready to flip over. When brown and toasty on side one, turn the sandwich over and watch closely to prevent burning. Remove to a plate and cut diagonally in half. 

Marinara

1 pound ground meat of your choice
½ pound Italian sausage, ground and
removed from casings
1 cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (14-ounce) cans tomatoes
2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
2 cups water
2½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano

In large skillet, brown ground meat and sausage, onions and garlic. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes.

Taco Salad with Salt-free Taco Seasoning Mix

Taco Salad

1 pound of ground meat or 2 cups cooked chicken
¼ cup Salt-free Taco Seasoning Mix (recipe follows)
1 head of iceberg lettuce
2 ripe tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
2 stalks green onions
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
1 small (about 18-ounce) bag of tortilla chips
1 (16-ounce) bottle ranch salad dressing
1 (16-ounce) jar salsa

Bang the lettuce head on the counter on the core; twist and pull out the core. Hold lettuce under the running faucet. Turn off the water and turn the lettuce upside down. Place on a dish towel to drain.

In a medium sized frying pan, brown ground meat. Stir in taco seasoning mix. Set a colander in a pie plate. When the meat is done, pour the meat into the colander and let the fat drain out.

With your hands, tear the lettuce into bite-size pieces. Chop the tomatoes into bite-size pieces. Open the pinto bean cans, drain and rinse. Cut the onions up. Lightly crush the bag of tortilla chips.

In a large bowl, layer ½ each of lettuce, tomato, cooked meat, pinto beans, onions, 1 cup cheese, and ½ tortilla chips. Top with ½ of the ranch salad dressing. Add remaining lettuce, tomato, cooked meat, pinto beans, onions, cheese and tortilla chips. Pass additional chips, cheese and salsa. Serve with guacamole on the side.

Salt-free Taco Seasoning Mix

3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon granulated garlic powder
½ tablespoon oregano
½ tablespoon cayenne

Mix together well. Use ¼ cup seasoning mix per pound of meat, beans, tofu, etc.

Guacamole

3 ripe avocados
1 lime, cut in half
1 tablespoon salsa
Salt and pepper to taste
Tortilla chips

Cut each avocado in half, vertically. Remove the seed and scoop out the insides. Mash well with a fork. Squeeze ½ lime over the mashed avocados. Stir in salsa. Add salt and pepper to taste. Slice remaining lime in wedges for garnish. Serve with tortilla chips.

Making Supper

When Gail McGlothin was raising her three children, she taught them how to cook – and how to handle responsibility – by having them take turns being in charge of preparing the evening meal. Each day, she printed out detailed directions for the kids. Here are instructions her daughter April Eller-McGlothin followed to prepare a meal when she was young.

April’s Supper

At 5 pm, start supper.

1. Turn the bottom oven on to 325 degrees. 
2. Wash 5 regular sized potatoes and wrap
them in foil with the shiny side of the foil 
on the inside. 
3. Put them in the oven.
4. Mix the meatloaf up and put it in the 
same oven. 

Meatloaf 

1 cup tomato juice
¾ cup oatmeal
1 egg, beaten
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
some pepper
1 package ground beef

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Spray the glass loaf pan with cooking spray. Press meat into the pan. Bake for 1 hour. Set the timer on the microwave. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

5. Set the table. 
6. Make a salad. 
7. Open a can of green beans. 
8. Cover cauliflower with plastic wrap and put in microwave.  

Ten minutes before the meatloaf is done, start heating the green beans and the cauliflower. 

Put on the table: Salad dressings, butter, salt and pepper. NCM