Family Fun Times (aka dinner at Nana’s)
Most every week the family congregates at my place for an early, kid-friendly dinner. Everyone gets along and the young cousins play amid echoes from the adults of “shaaare.” It’s a lot of fun and the food is good too!
The toy basket makes a convenient reading perch.
Like their nana, both cousins love a good book!
After a consultation with my daughter a menu is decided on and I get to work to procure the necessary ingredients. I don’t have a car but my bike has a big basket so in good weather I’m happy to cycle to my favourite grocery store that has the freshest fruits and vegetables, not too expensive deli items, and an excellent bakery selection for breads. (In the winter I’ll walk one way and take an Uber home with the goods!)
I like to set a pretty table
.
We are all of the foodie persuasion and especially like spices and Asian recipes but I try to keep things relatively mild for the kiddies (ages 1, 3 and 4 at the moment). As many of you know from reading my blog or following on Insta, I do love the NYT Recipe app, but also use a few old tried and true cookbooks.
Dessert, of course, is non-negotiable! Chocolate anything is always a hit, as are fruit pies, cookies, cakes, crumbles and squares. Ice cream or whipped cream is usually available to accompany the main event.
Peach cobbler was delicious!
After dinner more playtime, maybe a story is read aloud, or songs involving audience participation (Sleep Little Bunny anyone?) are sung. The grown-ups have a short relax and then it’s time to get the little ones home to their beds. This is my cue to package up the leftovers - I keep a magically dwindling supply of tupperware for this purpose.
Once the two families leave I get the house back in order (not too difficult - TG for dishwashers! and for help loading!) and plop myself down and chill out with a bit of Netflix. I know I’m lucky to have two thirds of my family nearby. Family dinner is a tradition I’m happy to uphold.
