What's the Book-Cook Project?

MiniChef is just about two in this picture.

We've been cooking together for a while now. We've been reading together for even longer. We love both.

I* was a stay-at-home mom (plus freelancing) for two years while we had a layover in Michigan, and grew to love cooking every day during that time. MiniChef was in half-day, three day a week preschool, and helped when he could. He learned to make all kinds of things, though--as a three- to five-year-old--he rarely headed up recipes, except for the odd blueberry pancakes or quesadillas.

Thanks to Pretend Soup for being our first together-cookbook!

After our move to the middle of the country, MiniChef started kindergarten (oy!), and I started a part-time job (plus freelancing). Meal planning fell by the wayside, and time after school was spent relaxing--a lot of it in front of the TV. We both missed the huge amounts of time we had spent together.

And then we had a brainstorm. Meal planning would be easier if MiniChef got to pick a meal or dessert or whatever to head up once a week. And! We could use one of our favorite books as inspiration for the meal or dessert or whatever, instead of being overwhelmed by the infinite choices out there. And we would call it...THE BOOK-COOK PROJECT.

So there you go. The Book-Cook Project will take inspiration from some of our favorite books. The food might be things people or animals actually eat in the books, or just food inspired by the pictures or story. MiniChef and I don't know yet, and that's part of the fun! MiniChef's dad teaches on Tuesdays and Wednesday nights, so we'll probably cook most on those days, since we have some extra time. This project might go on for a while, or it might be super-short-lived, if MiniChef gets bored with it. We'll see.

Unless noted otherwise, every recipe will comfortably serve four people.

Thanks for joining us on our journey.


*This is Jenn, naturally. MiniChef is five years old, and while he has excellent control over my iPhone screen, spelling isn't quite his strong suit yet. But he has tons of input, and lots of things will be in his words. I'm just, you know, the Mama. So I get to be in charge.