Sarah Smartt is not your ordinary ten year old little girl.  I don’t mean to brag, but she is confident, thoughtful, and responsible.  And she loves cooking. You know how rare these combined traits are among teenagers, let alone, a ten year old!  In the kitchen, Sarah is focused, mature, creative, and ready learn.  She is truly a joy to be around.  And so grown up that I feel like I’m cooking with one of my girlfriends and not my little cousin.

Sarah and I are combining ingredients to make our yummy oatmeal cookies.

Sarah and I are combining ingredients to make our yummy oatmeal cookies.

I wonder if she inherited these kitchen traits from me, because this is the way I was at her age.   She has my same drive to try new things,  interest to collect new recipes, desire to learn new techniques, and cook for those she loves.  It’s fun to see that same sense of joy and satisfaction in her eyes as she completes a dish and serves it.  We are both just girls who wanna have fun in the kitchen!

Two great minds creating perfection!

Two great minds creating perfection!

We tried a few different recipes over the weekend and enjoyed great success in our teamwork!  Or at least all the empty plates and demands for more gave us the impression we succeeded.  We took these pics of us making a new recipe for oatmeal cookies.  We got the recipe out of a Nashville or Monteagle cookbook and discovered the recipe was created by Aunt Mary Pru!  This amazing find was most appropriate for this special weekend of family, celebration, and lots of cooking!!

The wonderful thing about cooking together with young people or young family members is the bond you build in the process.  That’s what cooking and relationships is all about.  Sarah and I have always loved each other and enjoyed spending time together over the holidays.  But now we are tight buddies.  We relied on each other to do our part to create a near perfect outcome.  While she listened to my advise and saw my confidence to proceed, and I was overcome with pride to see her confidence, know how, and desire to step out of her comfort zone and try new things that I had suggested.  We developed a whole new bond today and this weekend with more things we now have in common.  I can’t wait for us to cook together again!

A Perfect Team!

A Perfect Team!

Is there anyone you want to spend time with or get to know better?  Get in the kitchen and start cooking or baking.  You will be surprised at how quickly you will break the ice and start learning new things about each other while getting a better relationship!