Perhaps Madame should try zee Vichyssoise

Chef Rascal decided today would be a good day to bake cookies with Mama.

I carefully measured out the ingredients and handed them to him. He reached his arm up high and trickled them into the bowl from two feet up. The kid's got good aim.

I realized late in the game that I would not have enough chocolate chips. Rooting around in my cupboard I managed to find some walnuts, bypassing the raisins altogether; I only made that mistake once. Call me crazy, but I think any recipe can be jazzed up with the simple addition of some nuts - especially one with 1½ cups of shortening in it.

The creamy mush was ready to be spooned onto the cookie sheets. I let Rascal lick the beaters. He finished before I did and immediately reached for the tempting bite-sized lumps on the tray.

"No honey, those have to bake first."

"What you doing? I have, I HAVE!" he screeched.

"First they go in the oven. Then you may have some."

He watched grumpily as I shoved a sheet into the hot oven. Thinking to himself how Mama was ruining some perfectly good dough. He stood with crossed arms by the oven window, eyebrows crumpled skeptically.

After 8 minutes it was time to take them out, and 5 long, mouth-watering minutes later they were ready to be tasted. Rascal crammed a whole cookie in at once. Chewed happily for a few seconds.

Slowly, a suspicious look crept over his face. His tongue started to sort out the cookie fragments. Moments later, 3 pristine walnut chunks were expelled onto the kitchen floor.

"What you doing, Mama? What dat?" he pointed accusingly.

Kye and Tweenie came in clamoring for a taste.

"What did you put in there, Mom?" accused Tweenie, as Kye spit most of his cookie out with a wet splat. "You know I don't like nuts!"

"Well I like them. You should try new things more often you know."

As Tweenie stalked off, I caught her mumbled complaint: "What's she gonna make us eat next?"

I guess escargots and sushi are out...