Making a day in the kitchen with my middle child: Individual Special Days PART TWO

This is part TWO of a three part blog series on creating special individual days for our kids.

Check here for part ONE and here for part THREE. 

In my previous blog post, I shared our tradition of creating a "special day" for EACH of our sons.  I know a lot of parents do this!  It is such a great way to connect and to really get to know our little people.

Dakotah, my oreo-cream-in-the-middle, son has always been interested in making his hands busy in the kitchen.  Several years ago we bought him a little chef set.  I knew for his special day this year that I wanted him to plan, shop for, and prepare a meal for our family.  

Dakotah is a very hard worker.  He always wants to jump in and help!  He is curious about everything and experiences life through touch.  Dakotah thrives on order and planning.  Planning and preparing a meal for his family made his day!

He sat down with his own Betty Crocker's Kids cookbook and he picked out his dinner choices.  I also taught him some menu planning and cooking tips before we got started!

The menu he decided on was:

Steakhouse Spuds

Fun N' Fruity Salad

Corn on the Cob

Candy Bar Brownies

After he made a menu and a shopping list, we headed to the grocery store.

Kotah was so eager to jump in the kitchen and get to it!

We gathered our supplies and our ingredients and got to work.

For the main dish he made Steakhouse Spuds.  

Steakhouse Spuds How To:

Coat potatoes with butter or shortening and sprinkle sea salt on them.  Bake the potatoes.  

Season and grill a steak to your preference.  Fill a 13x9 in pan with the baked potatoes.  Cut slits into potatoes.  Drizzle ranch dressing and BBQ sauce over potatoes.  Add sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, cooked bacon crumbles, and sliced steak to potatoes.  Warm in oven briefly.  Enjoy!

For dessert he chose Candy Bar Brownies, loaded with lots of goodness!  Make your favorite brownies, frost with a can of frosting, and top with a big assortment of your favorite cut up candy bars! 

Dakotah's favorite part was setting the table.   He did an awesome job without any help from me!   I was absolutely impressed.

He used rubber bands to hold the napkins together...

It was a beautiful summer night for our family to enjoy Dakotah's carefully prepared meal.

His Special Menu

Let's eat, family!

Dakotah did an excellent job in the kitchen, we loved every bite.

I appreciate the one-on-one time I get to spend with my boys.  I wish I could have moore of those minutes! ;)  They are treasures for my soul.  I relish these moments as I get to peek into their hearts, seeing their aspirations, hearing their thoughts, and connecting on levels that we can't do in between homework and soccer practice.  Our children are already people, even if they're kids, with their own ideas and perspectives, and I am eager to learn who each of them are!

 Cooking with my middle was such a solid way to connect with each other. 

 Daily life is a rush and we don't often get to HEAR one another above the clamor.  

If we intentionally set time aside, 

those treasured minutes are worth much!  

This is a three part blog series.
See here for PART ONE, Cameron's Library and picnic day.
See here for PART THREE, Titus' special pancake making day.

I also shared some of the kids' cooking in the Flowers and Food of our Summer blog post. 

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This post is linked to: Under the Table & Dreamin, Nifty Thrifty,  Made by You Monday, Met Monday, Tuesday Tutorials and Tips, HOMEWORK: Be Inspired, Tip Junkie, Get Your Craft On, Works for Me Wednesday, Snap Creativity, Organize and Decorate Everything, Transformation Thursday, Tablescape Thursday, Strut Your Stuff, 36th Ave, Foodie Friday, I'm Lovin It, Tickled Pink, Friday Flair, Be Different Act Normal, Funky Junk Interiors, Weekend Wrap Up, Six Sisters Saturday