Life In Motion: Catching the Moments Forever: Surprise Dessert

I love to cook. There's something inspiring about being in the kitchen surrounded by simple ingredients and knowing that with a little time and creativity a delectable dish can be made to help sustain our very existence. It's a passion that was instilled in me by my mother. In the years between getting my first Easy Bake Oven as a kid and my KitchenAid mixer when I got married, there were many lessons and hours in the kitchen learning the art (yes, art) of cooking. From simple Grilled Cheese sandwiches to the perfect Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs to my husband's favorite Crab Cakes, I have learned everything I need to know about how to cook for friends and family in the kitchen of my mother. And grateful doesn't seem like a big enough word for how I feel about that.

Mixin' and Measurin'

Since cooking is a necessity in life and it meant so much for me to learn at the feet of my mom, I have made it a point to bring MY daughter into the kitchen. And she LOVES it too.

Too many parents are afraid to have their kids in the kitchen - the excess time, the mess and the patience are all too much for some people. And there are times where I feel exactly that way. However, the joy I feel over her excitement of being able to help in the kitchen makes it all worthwhile.

Using the Hand Mixer All By Herself

The only thing better than cooking for my family is cooking for company. And that is just what we are doing tonight. After helping season the meatloaf mix, pick the green bean ends for Asian Sesame Green Beans and trim the cauliflower for Boursin Smashed Cauliflower, Alyssa helped make our surprise dessert. Actually, she made most of it alone. This mommy is extra proud!!

Cream Cheese, Nutella, Vanilla and "COLD WHIP", as she kept calling it.

Once we had a nice creamy mousse, we put it in a gallon sized plastic bag and cut a hole for a "tip". (I wasn't feeling like having to wash a REAL piping bag.) Besides, with a ziploc bag I didn't have to worry about the cream coming out the wrong end while she squeezed it!! A few broken (store-bought) cookies in the bottom of the glass, the Nutella Cheesecake mix, some whipped cream (from a can) and a final cookie to top it off!! It was a hit and she was so proud because she did almost all of it herself!!

And then there is me...totally in love with how much she loves to be in the kitchen! And one day (in the VERY distant future) she will pass the same love on to her kids.