Birth of a chef

For almost as long as she has been walking, my adorable daughter Emma has loved being in the kitchen with me while I cook. At first -- like most children -- it was playing with the pots and pans, or stirring a spoon in an empty bowl. But as soon as she was tall enough (with the help of a stool) to see over the kitchen counter, she was eager to help.

Together, we've made countless cookies, dozens of muffins, gallons of lemonade. She's helped me chop vegetables, measure out spices, organize my ingredients. And as many moms can tell you, that's where some of the best conversations start. I get lots of "Mommy, when you were a little girl ..." questions. It's where I learn about what's going on at school, and who are her best pals -- all the relevant Emma information.

Knowing all this, I wanted to further her love of cooking. So when I found that the city of Concord offered a kids' cooking class, I decided to enroll my little chef. And while it was a little on the expensive side, I decided it was worth the extra money.

When I told her about the class, she practically bounced! Every day for weeks, she asked us "Does cooking class start today?"

Four weeks ago, it finally started. Right after she got home from her first class, Emma instructed her dad to call me at work so she could tell me that she had made something to share for dinner. That something: tabbouleh. It was so delicious! And it meant even more to me because my beautiful, talented little girl made it for us.

It was the same for the next three weeks. Week two was herb-roasted potatoes in parchment; week three, risotto. And week four was her very favorite: choco-marshmallow cookies. Each week, Emma had to ask the same questions: Is this recipe your favorite? Which one did you like best? Why did you like it? The answer was the same: I absolutely love it. I can't pick a favorite, because I love them all. And I honestly meant it!

One of the best parts for me was this class encouraged her to try new things. For instance, I cannot get my child to eat potatoes. However, Aaron found her munching the roasted potatoes she made in that second class. And after the last class, she told randomly told us at dinner: "Mom, do you like eggplant? Because we had it at class today, and it was kinda good." That left her parents -- the ones who struggle to get her to eat her vegetables -- speechless.

For a while now, if you ask my 5-year-old what she wants to be when she grows up, she will tell you "a chef." After this class, she's more determined than ever. And when that goal happens, I hope to score the first reservation. Because I can't wait to find out what treats she has in store.
To learn more about Emma's cooking instructor, go to http://www.letsgetkidscooking.com/.


This recipe, obviously, is from Emma's class. This is the one she wanted me to share.

Choco-marshmallow cookies

Cookies:
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
18 marshmallows, cut in half
1/2 cup whole pecans

Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
5 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1/8 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. butter, softened
4-5 tbsp. heavy cream or half-and-half

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking pans, and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt and cocoa powder. With a mixer, cream shortening and sugar; add egg, vanilla and milk. Beat well.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix. Drop by tablespoon onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes -- do not overbake!

Remove from oven and press 1/2 marshmallow, cut side down, on top of each cookie. Bake 2 minutes longer. Cool on wire racks.

To make icing, combine all ingredients together until smooth. Frost each cookie, covering most of the marshmallow. Top each cookie with a pecan half. Store cookies in a single layer in an airtight container.

Makes 36.