Someone's In The Kitchen With MOMMY - Halloween edition

Jack has been my go-to kitchen helper lately, and he did a great job helping make these Halloween tortilla chips (we followed the recipe but added oil before popping in the oven and found that salting them before cooking made them even yummier!
Apparently, watched chips DO brown ;-)

Harry was invited to a shindig down the road, and he wished everyone a Happy Halloween with the chips

and thought a pile of leaves at the end of a big slide was a great idea! Thanx for including us in the spookfest, Kirsten and crew :-)

It was a busy day, because our cul-de-sac decided to party the nite before the hayride - great call, Dana and Colette - we had a wonderful time despite the fact that none of the pix came out well.

The boys have had an on-going love fest with Mrs. Shaeon, who spoils them rotten. This was their 2010 haul, but the hugs were their favorite part!

Thanx to everyone who helped us have a great Halloween! Next year, the party's on at our house :-)

Nat King Cole's Someone's In The Kitchen With Dinah

Like a big-a pizza pie

Wat
Watch out, Emeril - unless you're going to join forces with Rocco, two chefs are better than one, I know Cleaning up

Pouring out

Tasting....ewww

Kneading

Watching

Watching...you know what they say

maybe it doesn't boil, but it browns up nicely

These are pretty cool cutters.... Jack had burned his hand on the pan but rallied for the cutting

Dean Martin's That's Amore

child of nature, friend of man

Our local parks and rec had an evening nature hike that included a story, a collage and smores - it was a lot of fun to see old friends and explore.

Jack and Joey reading while Harry draws
The boys reading with the sweet guide

Harry and Dean working on the collage

Jack admiring his finished collage

Smores with one of their favorite P&R friends

Neither of them really likes marshmallows but it was fun to roast them It was a long day, but we tried to rally for a picture

Harry checking out the basketball court

Jack surveying the empty court

Sugarloaf's Green-Eyed Lady

How's about cookin' something up with me

The boys' birthday party was at a cooking school last weekend. It was something different and a lot of fun, especially since I didn't have to clean up all the mess ;-)There were hats

There were ingredients

There was sniffing

There was playing

There was rolling
There was teamwork

There were 'tada!'s

There was dipping (edible microphones)
There was dancing

And there was the obligatory group shot

(somehow I missed the pizza and the cake, but they were there, too!)

Hank Williams' Hey Good Lookin' (Jimmy's version is their favorite)

Cook, cook, cook for your father

OK, technically, it was more cutting and arranging that cooking, but it was a first of sorts since Jack took on most of the prep. He probably had more fun acting as Dean's waiter, but it is good practice for his future husband-dom, right?? Harry stepped in to help with the finishing touches...we ended up with a football feast - thank you, boyos!

Rolling Stones' Cook Cook Blues

What ya got cookin'?

It was a really nice Christmas, the snow forced us inside and sort of slowed the pace. We cooked a lot, played a lot, and were basically holiday slugs :-)

Somehow this cup brings me cooking luck ;-) Thanx for giving it to me about 20 years ago, Karen! Jack was really into showing me how hard it was to make cookies He was COVERED in flour......as was Santa Harry was a lot more precise this year than last We had some friends over for Christmas pizzas and a playdate Joe *really* love pepperoni :-) Sweet boy hands working hard Santa even lost his head a time or two....poor guy and the cold continues, so we're into chili this week

Hope 2010 is treating you great so far!

Hank Williams via JB's Hey Good Lookin'