The ‘rainy day’ restaurant where the kids are the chefs!

In our house, the Rainy Day Restaurant became so popular it now happens on non rainy days too. It works like this: Let the kids open a restaurant for the day. They get to choose what the adults eat for a change and believe me, the menu planning discussions are quite hilarious. Just sure they keep the menu simple. This can take up as much of the day as you please and can include things like: Menu planning: Looking through cookbooks to find something new they might attempt. Shopping: Even if that means treating the cupboard like a supermarket Planning: Decide who does what, then make a list for what to do when you have found your role. Cooking, prep and (if you're really mean) dish washing: I am, until it gets totally out of control. Table setting: Napkins, glasses, candles… A waiter and waitress will be required, as well as a sommelier... you're going to need one of those! A docket book along with a crisp tea towel for hanging over the arm and even a dickie bow may appear, depending on whether it's a fine dining or bistro style establishment you're running. The menu must be ability dependent, but for older children who can use the cooker on their own, the menu is wide open. When they are younger it’s a good idea to keep some cold dishes in the mix, or you could prepare the basics for them to assemble. The menu my kids decided on for HerFamily.ie was as follows: Melon with Parma Ham Individual Lasagnes with Salad Banana Ice Cream with toasted oaty peanut butter crumble The melon and parma ham is fairly self- explanatory. Help with cutting the melon may be needed but that’s all. For the lasagnes I had some Bolognaise left over in the fridge. You can buy fresh sheets of pasta and cut them in circles with a large cookie cutter to fit the dish. I made some bechamel sauce and left everything ready. Salad is an easy one to prepare and they can add anything they like to it. I only allow the children three minutes each spinning the lettuce dryer. Daisies have turned up in ours on more than one occasion. Banana Icecream

• The banana ice cream is a faovurite of ours, as its only ingredient is bananas. Jake made this for one of our programmes. You simply slice up some bananas, about ½ inch, and put them on a tray that will fit in the freezer.
• Leave for about an hour or so and then blend, quite a bit, (adult help will be needed for the blending bit) until smooth and creamy. Return to a bowl and keep in the freezer until needed.

Oaty Peanut butter crumble

• Toast two tablespoons of oats and mix with a tablespoon of peanut butter.
• Place in the freezer for 10 minutes, break up and sprinkle on top of the ice cream before serving.

Our children really have great fun with this. They've even been known to serve scrambled eggs for dinner, and fine scrambled eggs they were too. Who knows what your little restaurateurs have in store for you? Cliodhna Prendergast of Breaking Eggs is with HerFamily.ie for six weeks so watch this space for her next piece.