Dining with Miss Milly :-)

Milly always used to say that cooking/baking wasn't her thing. Over the years I continued to ask if she wanted to be nvolved in any baking and on occasions she would,  but mostly,  she would say no thanks. I could have been more insistent - because of course it is so educational all the weighing and measuring out and chemical reactions and we couldn't possibly miss an opportunity for that could we? At times in the early days I was more insistent. Did it end in a happy experience with learning happening.... Erm, no it ended with bad tempers  unhappy participants and reinforcement of the idea she had that it wasn't her thing.
What was the use of that!

 Over time she has begun to show more of an interest in making cakes, pancakes, and other things she enjoys eating. She has made sandwiches and cups of tea and began some time ago ( without us asking ) to make us cups of tea and gained such immense joy from doing it - it really did make her happy to do that for us. She loves pancakes and began to show an interest in making them. One late night she asked if I could make them for her. I said I was very tired and would appreciate if she could help me get the ingredients out. She did that and also had a go at making one although she is still wary of the gas. That happened a few times and I see it  progressing slowly until she is confident using the gas hob. She has done a similar thing with making eggy bread ( french toast ).

One thing she has perfected is how to make crispy skin baked potatoes.
Six or seven mins in the Microwave ( less if a small potato ) then rub with olive oil and put in oven at 200. Cut  and top with lashings off butter and other toppings of your choice:-)

She made some for her and Amy last week. She enjoyed it and was so excited at having made them for her that she asked if instead of going to my Sisters for Easter Monday lunch could we invite everybody round and she would make lunch for them!

She was very excited about her first lunch party :-)

On Saturday we talked about a plan of action and how we could make things easier for her on the day by forward planning and preparation. 

We made a list of things she needed for toppings and drinks she wanted to serve and created a shopping list from that.

Toppings were to be Tuna mayo, ham, beans, and cheese. Drinks were Elderflower cordial with sparkling water and also smoothie. We broke down the tasks and decided it would help to wash the potatoes and put them ready on a baking tray, grate the cheese and set the table on the Sunday. She went round to my sisters on Sunday afternoon to make her signature chocolate fudge cake for the pudding. Alan assisted whilst she did the potatoes and cheese and I helped with setting the table. In effect all we did was to be there with her for moral support as she did it all herself :-) 

We also had a plan of action written down for timings on the day.

Monday morning and Alan and I set about the housework.

 Milly got up and ate before we needed to start on the cooking the potatoes.

Milly was involved all the way along, making the tuna mayo for the first time ( minimal input from me about how much mayo and balsamic vinegar to use ) microwaving all the potatoes ( she had decided to cook 12 so people could have seconds if wanted ) and then I rubbed them with oil as they were too hot for her to handle.

They went into the oven and 45 minutes later we had gorgeously crispy skin baked potatoes :-) 

A really lovely meal and she was very pleased with herself - quite rightly :-)

It was harder than she thought it would be though and she doesn't think she will be doing it again any time soon :-)))

Maybe she will learn new cooking skills and want to do it again in the future maybe she won't ..... Really that is unimportant.
Her enthusiasm, excitement and joy at creating a meal for those she loves came first .....The whole experience was a learning experience ( as everything in life is ) but that was not the driving force.