Ratatouille

Meet Ratatouille:

Meet Zachary:

They kinda look alike, right? Zachary has long ago decided that as well as being a train engineer when he grows up he would also like to become a little chef. As soon as he hears me rummaging through cupboards and drawers in the kitchen, he bolts in after me and asks, "What you making, mom?"

He then slides our big wooden step stool over right next to me (I have many a stubbed toe to prove it) and proceeds to be my little chef and add a little of this, a little of that into whatever it is I'm making. Mostly he helps add salt and seasonings to dinner, stir things that are on the stove, but his most, MOST favorite thing is when we work with flour. He LOVES flour...or making a mess with flour, whatever the case may be. Pizza dough, bread dough, cookies, and cakes-- this little man ends up covered head to toe in flour regardless.

This is what my poor mixer and counter look like after Ratatouille assists in the kitchen, but he is learning all kinds of things. He repeats every ingredient I name that he dumps in the mixer for me, so while he still speaks in broken English, he at least knows your basic ingredients for most dishes. I'm beginning to like my little helper.:)