Thursday, January 7, 2010

Family Time Thursday: Cracking Eggs

Don't you love these theme days? Well, I do. I love structure. Here's my schedule:

Recipe Monday
Touring Tuesday
Random Wednesday
Family Time Thursday
FAQ Friday
Storage Solutions Saturday
Book Review or Skip-It Sunday

Most of my day-to-day posts are written with my kids in my mind, but I can see how my readers may not read it as such. When I write about cooking, I write about cooking with kids "helping". When I write about gardening, I am writing about plants that are potted and watered by kids. The kids even tumble my wonderwash with me (and think it's a game we count). They hand me clothespins as I hang clothes to dry. They take turns sweeping after I've gone through the main living areas. Most of the things I write about are things we all do together, and most of the time I am writing I have at least one little one on my lap.

Still,
I have had a lot of things to write about for kid specific activities, but it never seemed like a priority for this blog. I decided to make it a priority, though, because the ideas were kind of piling up for posts. General family time, family reflections, kids-specific activities and learning activities will all go here on Family Time Thursday.

Cracking Eggs

Bobby, Daniel and I eat a lot of eggs. My diet could be summed up as mostly eggs and apples. So, a month or so ago, I started having Daniel crack the eggs. There is a lot to be learned in egg cracking, and there are three basic techniques we use.

Crack and Open

This is the adult method of breaking eggs. You crack it on the side of the bowl then use your fingers to open it up. Daniel does a smash and crumble. This one makes him nervous, because
he can feel the egg shell opening in his hand. We discuss: How hard to you have to smash to break the yolk?

Smash and Smash

Yes, keep smashing until the egg shell is totally broken. Then, watch Mommy try to pick
out the little pieces of shell. This is a favorite with Daniel. So far the yolk has not once been in tact from this method. We've got to work on more delicate smashing skills it seems.

Dropping Eggs

Hold egg directly over a bowl at various heights and drop. Sometimes, depending on the
height, you have to drop it twice. We discuss: How high does it have to be for the yoke to break? How high does it have to be for it only to need one drop? How high does it need to be before some splashes out of the bowl? Will Mommy let me stand on a chair and drop the egg into a bowl that is sitting on the floor?

Dividing Whites

My son cannot divide the whites from the yolks yet, but when I started cooking, that step seemed so intimidating. It's not really. Whites and yolks are quite different from each other and can be divided easily. When we do the crack and open method, sometimes I have him crack, then I divide, just to show him. He hasn't wanted to try it himself, but he can see how it is done.

What About Bob?

Bobby always watches and listens to our little chats about the eggs, making observations. Bobby has the nickname "Bam-Bam" because he doesn't yet know his own strength. (He is a tank.) I am sure I will have a big mess if I let him start cracking eggs before he's ready.

64 comments:

Andria said...

You know, maybe I should start cracking the egg on the side of the bowl. I always do it on the side of the counter (now that I think about it-- eww!) and Blake, my 2 year old, sees me doing that and wants to copy. Which, has proved to be disastrous a few times.

mishie9608 said...

I am so excited to read adventures with your kids!!! I was wondering if you would do this with your blog. Thank you! I let my oldest start cracking eggs when he was 7. He does have motor skill issues and it took a lot for me to let him help in the kitchen.

Anonymous said...

My older son loves to try and crack eggs. Bless his little heart, he hasn't had one fully get in the bowl yet. But it's so much fun cooking with him that it doesn't matter.

Then he gets to run outside and put the shells on our plants. We have taught him that this is food for the plants and makes them grow stronger (we use a lot of things like eggshells, too ripened foods that we can't eat, banana peels, etc for fertilizer and our plants have benefitted greatly). Double the fun.

Minty said...

My son used to separate yolk from white by 'trapping' the yolk under an eggcup. Then he would tip the white into a larger bowl easily.

Pam said...

I heard that if you tap the egg on the countertop instead of the side of the bowl, you will be less likely to get shrapnel, so that is how I do it. I haven't let my kids try it yet, though.

nbjenni said...

Ah, yes, my twins are always "helping" me, too!

Perishinor said...

It's nice that you involve your kids in your activities, but when do they get to do kid things? Like play in the park, go to the library, play with other kids? Do you have other children over to play?

Me said...

Funny, funny! I don't know what the huge attraction is for kids when it comes to cracking eggs but my boys are EGG-zactly the same (sorry I couldn't resist).

If you have a small strainer you could have them crack the egg in a small bowl and then strain it to get the small pieces out.

I might be attempting your bread recipe today. It is cold and snowy which just cries for baking.

vm said...

I don't know how you "divide" the whites from the yolks, but maybe if Daniel holds the egg in his hands and then opens his fingers up a bit, the whites would slide through and the yolk would stay in his palm?

Anonymous said...

Emily,

I wanted to start out by letting you know how much I enjoy reading your blog. It's the first one I check in the morning. I love trying your recipes. Just last night I made your pasta and shared it with my 18 month old son and we enjoyed it very much!

With regards to letting the little ones help, I am just now starting to think about how I can let my son help out. In the last week, he has decided that he NEEDS to be "up" and see what I am doing in the kitchen whenever I am making a meal. I am finding it very difficult to get any cooking done with him needing to be constantly held up. When I don't let him up, he just pitches a temper tantrum. How did you start with Daniel? Would love some advice and recommendations!

Keep up the great job with your blog.

Jenna

Colleen said...

Just a neat way to help him with the crack and open method: after the egg is cracked and his hands are around the egg, tell him to touch his ring fingers together...my mom teaches baking to kids 3-4 years old and has always had success with this method :)

Alecia said...

Morning Emily,

If you are anemic, you should really try to get some more green leafy veggies into your diet. Eggs and apples are both healthy, but they are very much not enough for a breastfeeding mother of 3. Frankly I am concerned that you are not eating enough, you should be eating an EXTRA 500 calories per day while you are breastfeeding, on top of an assumed 1600-2000 calorie diet. I would be surprised if you are getting 1500 calories per day. Please consider taking an iron supplement- it will make you feel SO much better even if you think you feel fine already, trust me.

I would be interested in you posting more in detail about your personal eating habits- like a food journal. It might give everyone a better understanding of where your calories are coming from.

luckymom4 said...

My daughter (just turned 10) loves to help in the kitchen. She broke both her arms in a sledding accident over the holidays. I was making cookies yesterday, and she wanted to crack the eggs. Let's just say, cracking eggs with 2 casts on is not a very good idea,LOL!

Sarah said...

Cute post! Although I think I'll wait a bit longer to venture into the art of cracking eggs with my kids lol.


Miracle Diapers
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Emily said...

Perishinor, that will be covered in future posts.

Alecia, I've been thinking of doing a food log. I've added it to my list of post idea. But my baby is growing just fine on my diet.

sweetjena, I find that leaving extra time for dinner prep makes it so it is no trouble. The easiest way, I found, to start was in measuring flour. That's still Daniel's favorite. It's messy at first, but they get they hang of it when they see how helpful they are. Also, the reward of seeing the family eat the food they helped make is a motivator for them to do it well.

Alecia said...

I actually wasn't implying that the baby wasn't getting enough, he should be fine as long as he's feeding normally. I'm concerned that he's taking all the calories and not leaving enough for you. You need to take very good care of your body since you intend on birthing many more children!

listipton said...

I really liked this post today :) My 4 yo dd and I eat eggs almost every day. Of course she has to crack the eggs! She calls herself the 'good egg-cracker'. It's nice to know that others get to share in egg-cracking talk ;)

Unknown said...

I love to cook with my daughter too, she's always been in the kitchen with me at prep times, but has never been interested in actually participating until now. It's a lot of fun, and I think she learns a lot too!

sweetjenna - could you set your son on a safe spot on the back of the counter so he can see what's going on (obviosly not near the stove!), or would he be too squirrely at 18 mo?

Mary said...

Hi Emily, I normally don't comment but felt compelled to in this case. The concern over your diet while breastfeeding (and needing to add 500 calories) isn't over whether or not your son is growing. It's an issue with your own nutrition. You son will do just fine because he is pulling the calories from you. The reason you need the extra calories is to make sure you are eating enough to allow him to "steal" the calories but still have enough calories for yourself to maintain energy, strength, etc. As a nurse practitioner, I beg you to take a look at what you are eating and supplement as necessary. There is nothing wrong with an iron supplement and prenatal vitamin if you aren't getting the right amounts in your diet. (As a new mother, I know I'm not always able to keep the best diet myself!) We would recommend a continued prenatal vitamin for you anyways if you are planning on continually having children. You should be on one at least 3 months pre-pregnancy to help prevent neural tube defects. I think you would be surprised by an increase in energy if you increase your calories and iron intake.

crabcakes said...

Ask my 4.5 year old what kind of "kid stuff" he gets to do and one of the first things he will excitedly tell you is "helping mommy cook!"

"kid" activities just for kids don't have to mean they are toy or park related. While my son has an abundance of toys and during the warm months we go to the park regularly..he will tell you that his favorite thing to do is help in the kitchen. Heck, he even thinks it's a game to help me put away laundry.

Emily, add me to the list concerned about your diet a little. Apples and Eggs are great but can you try squeezing in some more calcium? Maybe some extra cheese on your egg or even some cheese on your apple? Nursing is demanding on the body, as you know and you've said you plan to nurse Thomas longer than the other two so you are really really going to have to be the one to sneak in some extra servings.

Melissa said...

Emily
Would you ever consider doing a food diary not just for youself but the kids too? I have a 12 month old that is just now transitioning to table food. This is a whole new world for me! I am never sure how much she should be eating. If you posted your family's food diary I think it would be very informative!

Anonymous said...

This was nice to read. I love having my 5 year old help (and he loves it, too). It was only last year that I thought to let him help me crack eggs, and at first he was actually nervous. One thing I read somewhere (I think it was in the book Pretend Soup) that we do is to crack the egg on the bottom of the bowl instead of the side. That way it can't get all over the counter. Of course, it doesn't always matter. Sometimes making a mess makes learning a lot more fun. lol

MamaB said...

If you crack an egg over a funnel, the yolk will stay up in the top section and the white will automatically seperate itself.

SoMo said...

My son's favorite activity in the kitchen is putting the cut up potatoes into the pot. We count when we do it. I will admit I don't have much patience for having my kids help. It could be because we are in a time crunch with school and other activites. I can see where homeschooling would be a benefit in this situation. When my older daughter is out of school I feel much more relaxed and able to go with the flow more.

The "kids will eat what they help make" gets under my skin, because I thought this would be perfect for my picky son. Nope, even if he makes it he won't eat it. I think he has my stubbornness, LOL. Also, I make things for others in my family that I don't eat. I guess we both are picky.

I have one question regarding feeding your children. I forget when you stopped nursing your other 2, but it was fairly young. How did you afford formula? Just curious. You might have mentioned it, but I don't remember.

As for breastfeeding concerns, everyone is different. My frustration lies in my body holding onto at least 10lbs until I stop nursing. I don't count my calories, but I know I am getting enough. I know when I stop I will be more comfortable in my pants again.

Currently nursing a 5.5 mos old.

Mandy said...

I don't really let my son crack eggs anymore. I got tired of always fishing out the shells, and he's four. Now I crack them into a little bowl and he pours them in. :)

Person said...

I learned in Home Ec class in the 7th grade to use... I learned in Home Ec class in the 7th grade to use the back of a butter knife to crack the egg. Hold it in one hand, and tap the egg with the back of the knife from above using the other. Makes a clean crack that is easy to separate the shell and doesn't harm the yolk. I still crack eggs this way!

Amber said...

Kudos to you for letting your kids help in the kitchen. When my kids help I make sure to have everything pre-measured and ready to dump in when they get to the kitchen.

For regular dinner I will gladly admit that I turn the TV on or let them plsy in the playroom (next to the kitchen) while I cook. I prefer to be in the kitchen alone and since we have a million other learning experiences I think it's not worth while to have them in the kitchen with me.

Clisby said...

I know how to separate an egg, but this post reminded me: Whatever happened to egg separators? My mother always had them on hand - cheap little plastic gizmos that worked perfectly. Here's an outrageously priced ($6.50 for an EGG SEPARATOR????) example. It's different from what my mother had, but probably works about the same.

http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=154&categoryCode=KW

Colleen said...

Clisby, They sell them as sets with measuring cups...they're fantastic, and who can't use more measuring cups?

Kristie said...

My 7yo is still an egg smasher :) All the kids love to help in the kitchen, and it is great for working on measuring and other basic math, as well as some science topics. With three kids now big enough to get up on chairs or stools to help, it's making me wish for more counter space in a serious way, so they can all feel included and be within reach. I can definitely see why kitchen islands are a good idea now!

frugalredneck said...

I have not cooked a meal alone in well My oldest is 19 today!!! I live in the kitchen, so I have always had walkers, bouncy seats etc underfoot. The great thing about this is, My 3 oldest can cook entire meals from scratch for all of us. All 3 of the older ones can make almost any cookie out there and make bread. (This includes my 17 year old son). My 3 little ones are always in the kitchen with me now. I found at dollar tree this past summer little aprons with chef hats and the twins hang in the kitchen next to mine, They love wearing them!!! I don't think I would cook well alone, lol. I have no comment on the eating part, You look fine, your kids look fine. My 2 year old has I feel eaten nothing for 6 months now, Just seems to throw everything, Typical. I somehow don't think with all you do in the kitchen, or wanting a large family, You don't starve yourself. I believe you wrote in a previous post that you eat when you are hungry (grazing). I hope you don't bog up your blog with posts about everything you eat, So many blogs are doing that it gets boring. Michelle

Sara said...

I second crabcakes! Whatever we *make* a "kid activity" *is* a "kid activity." I bake with kids; I know a little girl whose first question whenever she sees me is, "Can we bake bread?" Socialization is a related but separate issue, IMO.

Sweetjenna - it doesn't work for everyone, but when he wants to see what's going on in the kitchen, my little boy is happy on my back in a carrier, high enough to see over my shoulder. I like wraps; his dad likes the baby backpack we were given (hand-me-down from friends). Just a thought - it's a huge blessing for me - my baby is happy and engaged, I can get my work done...and when he gets tired, he often will doze right in the carrier!

Libby said...

I'm nursing my now 18 month old, and am pretty knowledgeable about breast feeding. I have to agree with everything that Mary, the NP above said. The baby will ALWAYS get the nutrients he needs, but he may be leeching it from your bones etc. Have you had a thorough physical and consultation with your doctor to make sure your bone density is still high ? I know you've had some issues nursing your kids as long as you'd like - perhaps it's because you're not getting adequate nutrition for your body to continue making sufficient milk. We live a frugal life and keep our house at around 60 degrees during the winter (62 on splurge days), but it's just a matter of wearing layered clothing and 2 pairs of socks. But nutrition isn't something to play with - you could be doing permanent damage to your bones !

KimC said...

I can't help but chuckle at how many readers want to mother Emily.
If I said my diet was mostly eggs and apples, I would mean that those 2 foods make up a signficant portion of my diet, not that I eat nothing but eggs and apples.
Considering how much Emily blogs about other foods, I think it's safe to assume the same about her.
I bet she would appreciate it if her concerned readers treated her more like an adult rather than a toddler who wants to live on peanut butter and jelly.
:D
Did that sound catty? I'm sorry. I know you all mean well. I'm just a little frustrated on Emily's behalf after her last post. If you consider yourself a friendly reader, lay off the critical comments for a bit, ya know? Even constructive criticism isn't always constructive.

Carla said...

My 5yoDD loves to help in the kitchen. My 7yoDS could care less, although he used to. DD is a whiz in the kitchen. She cooks her own eggs, eggie nests (bread with a hole in the middle with an egg, then cooked), spaghetti, pizza from scratch (make dough, roll it out, top, cook), cookies, and more. She helps me make dressings from scratch and can do lots of things that I had to teach myself. I am always close by and she knows when to get Mommy to help :)

One day I had some friends over and DD was making eggs. My friends were amazed that she was cooking real food all by herself! One commented that she wouldn't trust her 10 year old to do it. I feel if you show them right from the start what to do, they will do it right. If they have an interest in it, even better! Cooking is a good skill to have.

Mom literally never let me cook and so I married with very basic cooking ability. She grounded me when I was 15 for making onion rings with a friend! Mom rationed out food fiercely so I grew up with food issues. I refuse for my kids to go through that! They can cook and eat to their hearts content if it's in the house. I'm just glad they have the ability to relatively self limit ;)

Emily said...

Amen KimC! I almost linked to your blog yesterday, but I didn't want to send my concerned readers to you to be concerned with your life as well. (;

kariwhite said...

Not a fan of theme days, myself! LOL - you *did* ask. :) I prefer much more to just take things as they come rather than try to create structure.

That said, I love the idea of your kids helping and learning by your side.

My girls eagerly choose to "play" with mama in the kitchen or in my sewing nook or anywhere I'm working. Kids learn via imitation and even their play is just that. They use imaginative play to make sense of the world around them.

Kuddos to you for understanding the true nature of play. :D

Lynn said...

Interesting. I always thought that raw eggs were too dangerous to 'play' with in the sense that they are bacteria-ridden but I guess I'm wrong about that seeing as how many mamas do the same thing.

No I wasn't Sleeping said...

here's a tip we use with eggs and kids: My 4 yo egg cracking expert cracks the eggs in a separate clear glass bowl (usually the pyrex measuring). Then we can lift it up and look all around for any shells.
This works great for when there might be something already in the bowl, like flour.
She has gotten pretty good at spotting shells herself, and even digging them out.
Although I amsure it is harder to hit a target from on high with a smaller bowl ;)

Amanda said...

This isn't anything related to your current post, but I just had to tell you that I love your blog! I made my own pasta on Tuesday. It was the only bread item I haven't tried, and it was delicious!

Thanks and keep up the good work. :)

crabcakes said...

Am I the only one who still licks a batter spoon and lets my kids taste the batter once in a while?

Kerri said...

I really like this post. All my kids have loved to help me in the kitchen. My 3-year-old, the youngest, is the one mostly interested now.

I read several blogs where the preschool moms are all about the "classroom" stuff for their preschoolers. They make intricate, cutie-pie games and activities. It is appealing, but I think mine enjoy the day-to-day things much more. Three y.o. will howl if he hears me in the laundry room getting a load started without him. That is where he gets his practice sorting, measuring, pouring, as well some gross-motor (lifting, climbing, carrying.)

He is getting less impulsive in the kitchen. That has been the problem up to now. At age 2, I could hardly make anything with him without having some things measured ahead of time, as he would plunge his hands into every canister and bag to feel and taste before I could do anything about it. I don't know if it's "maturity" or just that he's more experienced, but he doesn't feel the need to do that all the time.

Anonymous said...

Lynn, touching an egg is not going to make you sick or deathly ill. Wash hands after touching it, just like you would after touching veggies, meats, or anything else out there. It's safe to touch food items as long as you use proper hygeine habits.

Bubblej said...

My mum taught me how to cook and encouraged me to do as much in the kitchen as I wanted. I was a helper. As a result, I am a really good cook. A friend asked me the other day if there was anything I couldn't cook, and I said no, because if there is a recipe for it I will try it and be successful.

77apronstrings said...

Just wanted to say that I like your blog. I'm excited to try your ketchup recipe. I've been thinking of making it for a while because I didn't want to be eating high fructose corn syrup, and it's good to see that I'm not the only one who thought it was a good idea.

Good job!

Anonymous said...

We got rid of HFCS a bit ago. We then started to buy organic ketchup, especially when I found one that was the same price as standard ketchup. My older son had reactions to the "natural flavorings" in traditional ketchup.

SoMo said...

We lick the batter spoon, bowls & mixing tools. :)

Rebecca said...

My Mom always let us crack eggs....it was sooo fun. My 7yo helps her anytime she makes a pound cake, he does have to crack it in a seperate bowl though. She taught him the "Smash and Smash and Smash" method, but had him do it over a clean kitchen towel (smash the egg onto the towel that was laid on the counter). After the first "smash" on the towel, he learned that he didn't have to smash so hard and it wasn't as big of a mess.

Just a side note for Lynn, over the holidays. Mom made 15 pound cakes in 12 days. He licked the beaters, batter bowl and anything else that had raw batter on it! It's okay as long as the eggs have stayed refrigerated and came from a reliable source.

Lynn said...

Our family,
I knew that, as it is common sense, but with children they wipe their nose or touch their mouth or even lick their fingers so quick or spread the mess to spots you don't see or know about and therefore can't clean up properly so I thought it was just too risky with little ones. I wouldn't have my preschooler squishing ground beef for meat loaf not because she can't wash her hands but because she may touch her face or some surface before hand. But like I said I guess eggs aren't as risky as I thought. I was just curious and surprised that it wasn't a concern for anyone else. I definitely let my kids help with lots of prep and play in the kitchen. I often let my 15 mo old play with flour and water in his highchair while I'm kneading dough but I don't let any of them play with raw animal products.

Unknown said...

Crabcakes,
No! I was thinking the same thing. I never remember my mother telling me that I couldn't lick the bowl, beaters, and spatula because the batter had raw eggs. It's kind of funny how things change. And yes, I do let my kids test that cookie dough sometimes, too.

Also, I separate eggs by doing the crack and open method, being sure not to spill the egg. I then pass it back and forth in each half of the shell until all the white is in the bowl. I don't know if I explained that well. None of you mentioned this. Does anyone else use this "method" of separating eggs?

Emily said...

Sabrina, that's how I do it, passing the yolk between the two halves of the shell so the white falls out. I liked some of the other methods listed here, especially the one of trapping the yolk in a bowl and pouring out the white.

Elle said...

I think the concern over raw egg is really overblown. I make caesar salad dressing all the time and it uses raw egg. I've never been sick and I've done this, and served it to countless others, for close to 10 years now.

I always licked the beaters growing up, too.

Kim said...

When I need to separate an egg I just crack it into my hand and let the white slip out between my fingers. That might get a little messy with kids though! ;)

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Me said...

I always let my kids lick the bowl, spoon, beaters, etc. I think people are getting a bit fanatical about germs these days. I don't remember anyone dying from eating raw cookie dough.

simple in france said...

Emily--I love your take on kid time and, frankly, early education. So many kid lack independence in junior high and high school because they don't get to try out this kind of activity with parents. It is perfect that you let the kids see what happens if they try the eggs one way or another--letting them make a mess and learn from thier mistakes is one of the best learning tools you can give a child. Later, in any discipline, they will be able to be problem-solvers. Just my nerdy teacher two cents, but I love the way you handle this situation. I think it's so much better to work with all the fascinating real-life situations than to plug the kids into TV or other media and/or a lot of the weird plastic toys they have these days--not that yours don' have toys, just that you spend time with them.

Tara Maureen said...

Cute post! There's so much you can do at home that can adress simple life skills. I see so many older children without the basics such as how to do laundry, make a meal, or even take the bus! I feel the life skills education is just as important as formal. Start them early and it's something that's normal to them.

My son, Will, who's 2.5 loves to help in the kitchen. He loves cracking eggs, rolling out cookie dough (he's a pro at it!), stiring the pots. I think he's a born chef :) My son even *gasp* licks raw batter and eats raw cookie dough on top of helping prepare raw foods. Kid hasn't been sick a day in his life.

Lynn, personally I feel that if you shelter your children too much from every day germs you're setting them up for a weaker immune system. Oversterilzation is a bane to our society.

Emily said...

Elle, I agree. I make egg nog and mayonnaise (probably should post that recipe) with raw eggs. I thought it was the shells that carry germs, not the eggs themselves.

Kim, I think my son would love that method of separating the yolk!

Tara, my son is NOT a pro at rolling out dough, and he's 3.5. Maybe I should let him work on it more. I thought he just wasn't old enough. As we have it now, we take turns rolling dough. I'll give him a bigger turn.

Treva said...

"crabcakes said...

Am I the only one who still licks a batter spoon and lets my kids taste the batter once in a while?"

Nope! We enjoy the spoon, the mixers, etc. I even purposefully leave behind some batter on the sides of the bowl for us to dip our fingers in and enjoy. I did this a kid all the time and never once got sick. I think egg safety is all about keeping store-bought eggs in the fridge.

I let my DD help in the kitchen on occasion, usually once or twice a week. I've told her lots of times that when she is older she will start being responsible for 1 meal a week (with mom & dad's help, of course). She loves to watch, but her watching is literally asking over 2 dozen questions in the 30 minutes I spend putting dinner together. When mom has the patience for it, I let her hang out. When mom is tired and her patience is thin, I ask her to play elsewhere while I get dinner ready. When dinner is almost ready I do find other things for her to help with -- cleaning off the table where we eat, putting out drinks & silverware, asking dad to feed the cats before we eat salmon or chicken, figuring out what to pack for tomorrow's lunch, etc.

Lindsey in AL said...

I watched Julia and Jacques on PBS recently. They put all the eggs they were going to separate into a bowl together (cracking carefully so they didn't scramble) then just fished out each yolk as needed. Works great and even more easily than holding the whole egg (sans shell) in your hand and letting the white drip through.

Someone mentioned cracking on the edge of the counter versus the edge of the bowl. Neither is really ideal. It's much easier to crack on a flat surface, like the top of the counter, and then wipe up afterward. Then again, I am not really afraid of eggs as I grow them in my backyard and eat them raw :D Cracking on a flat keeps shrapnel from being pushed up into the egg when it cracks. This is my experience from working almost a decade in professional kitchens, almost a decade in my own kitchen and it's what I see Jamie Oliver do when I manage to catch him on tv at my mom's house :D
I love your new look and your blog rules. My husband and I both enjoy your blog as often as I read it (and tell him about what I read).

Happily Frugal Mama said...

My 7 yo has just requested eggs for breakfast tomorrow, because she says, "it's the only thing I know how to cook". So, eggs it will be... although by 7, she is an expert egg cracker. :) The almost 5 yo likes to help, so she gets to whisk.

Sister in Christ said...

I applaud you using your blessings to provide for your family. Any child of any age can contribute - whether it's a four year old cracking eggs or a one year old learning to be quiet while the Mother works hard to make food. We make everything from scratch and every child has their role to play. The oldest can now make dinner all by herself (she's 9). Every child should have their chores to do every day. From making their beds, putting up the laundry, to taking care of their siblings. We take turns training the baby to know its place (we do blanket training) so that we can all do our parts to run our home and glorify the Lord. Every child needs to know that everything they do, from brushing their teeth to putting things in the trash are not chores, not just things they have to do but they are tasks designed to lift up the glory of the Lord to the highest. We take time each day for family prayer, both as a family and individually. Every child knows that before they come to Mother for help with a problem they need to have devoted themselves to prayer, to give themselves up to God and give their problems to him. Because we train our children to live in fear of the Lord we have very few arguments and no one running to Mother all the time to sort things out. They listen to the voice of God to guide them in their lives. It is never too early for children to rely solely on the Lord in every area of their life. My three year old dropped a glass and instead of scolding him I told him to beg forgiveness from God for he's the only one who can forgive us through the awesome power of the blood of Jesus. Keep your children close and teach them the power of giving their lives to (1) God and (2) to their families. May the blessed spirit of our Lord Jesus Christs be with you.

Jennifer said...

While I think eating only eggs and apples is not the healthiest diet, it could be worse and I am 99% sure that she eats more than that.

I think that everyone wants you to do a food log so they can criteque it more. As long as you know you are eating enough and enough variety, then don't do it to please your readers - it appears they will never be pleased.

hd said...

I have to say I scared my sister MIL, who happened to a cake decorator, when at the age of 3 I was visiting her & we decided to make a cake. I said I wanted to crack the eggs & before she could do anything, I had cracked the first one on the edge of the bowl & put it in the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. She was in such shock that I got the second one in too...both without a bit of shell-lol. I'd been doing it at home, so I didn't understand why it was a big deal. Even as an adult, I still never get any shell in unless I try cracking eggs the way they show on cooking shows, flat on the counter...I'm just not meant to do it the 'proper way', but after 35+ years, I've decided I'm not changing.

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