Together

Theoretically, I'm all about letting my son help me out in the kitchen. In reality, however, my control-freak self takes over, and more often than not I find myself baking or preparing a meal solo.

Today, though, I let go of all of the anxiety ("No, that cup of flour stays on the table," or "Make sure it all stays in the bowl. In the BOWL!") and we baked together. From start to finish. The whole shebang.

And it was fun.

Not too long ago, I saw a post on Creative Kismet which included a link to these vegan goldfish crackers. We are big fans of Annie's Cheddar Bunnies around here (I think they're way better than the goldfish), so when the recipe surfaced, I knew I had to make my own. Plus, they're so simple, with just a few ingredients, so they're a perfect project for mama and toddler.

I made a few modifications to the recipe. First off, I'm not vegan, so I used butter in place of the margarine in the recipe. Also, I couldn't find my onion powder, so I used garlic instead. It also occurred to me, though I didn't use it this time, that finely grated Parmesan cheese would be a fantastic addition to the crackers. Oh, yum.

Finn and I had a great time making these crackers together, and it had everything to do with my attitude. My son is not quite two; of course things will spill and splash. We'll get so messy. And that's exactly the way it's supposed to be.