Doughnuts, Berries & Fractions

I love doughnuts, and anytime I see a doughnut sign or an add for a doughnut shop I have to go check it out. So it has become a thing I do with the kids, we search for the best doughnuts. Late this summer there was an add in the paper for apple cider doughnuts in Winchester Virginia, about 35 minuets away. Of course we had to check them out. So with our trusty GPS a must on the East Coast drove to Marker Miller Orchards FArm Market. When we got there their produce was fair, the doughnuts not my favorite but they did have pick your own raspberries and blackberries. So me and the kids picked a few ate a few picked a few ate a few till our basket was full. When we got home Mara baked an amazing berry crisp. Which leads me to another thought. One of the best ways to learn fractions is to bake. I love to bake! I don't care for cooking, but I like baking. Heather, now she is a great cook. By teaching my girls fractions in the kitchen, my youngest daughter has really taken to cooking and baking. For a busy mom like myself it is a true blessing to have daughters old enough to start cooking. They are still in training mode but they get better and more independent each time. It is truly a disservice not to teach children to cook. If you don't know how to cook yourself buy the recipe book "The Best Recipes" by Cooks Illustrated and American Test Kitchen. My father bought all us kids this book about 6 or 7 years ago. I have learned more about food science and cooking from this book than anywhere else. I have found, if I do exactly what they say in the book my dish will turn out fabulous. Another great thing about cooking with your kids is that it is spending quality time together. So when you are done catching up on your blogs, facebook, email, whatever drove you to the computer, sign off and go bake with your child whatever age they may be. If you don't feel like baking go look for a great doughnut shop and tell me about it.