"Mommy I want to help you!"

Without fail every single time I start to cook or bake anything Jack immediately starts dragging a chair to the counter and insists on helping. There is no "later" or "next time" or "not right now..." he MUST help Immediately. So, most of the time I find a way to let him help, though it turns into a royal mess, and me saying, "No! No more eggs!" or "Ahhh! Jack, no more pouring! That doesn't go in that bowl!" etc. etc. Sometimes I set him up at the kitchen table and give him a really "special" task of mixing flour and water with a whisk and measuring cups. He really goes to town with it though and makes a major mess pouring from bowl to bowl and cup to cup and adding more water, and once that stuff dries on the chairs, it's like cement. I have to decide whether I want a mess on the counter and a mess of the real food, or do I want to scrape hardened flour off of the table, chairs and floors?

Every once in a while Jack really does help and we don't end up with a huge mess and he's quite happy with himself. Also, whatever he helps make he is usually very happy to eat. So, I'll take that any day.

Smashed Potatoes

Scrub 6 to 8 red potatoes. Cut them into small pieces and boil until tender. Drain. Mash with masher, adding milk, butter, sour cream (if you like that sort of thing) salt and pepper. Keep smashing until desired consistency. Enjoy.

(Also, if you like garlic you can add minced garlic to the water before boiling, and again after draining and during smashing. Yum!)