These are excerpts from a cookbook made by five-year-olds as a gift for Mother’s Day in 1991.
GRAPEFRUIT JUICE
The grapes are already in the can. You open the can. Then you put it in a cup and put sugar in there and stir it up to make the grapefruit juice. (girl)
ORANGE JUICE
Get some oranges. Cut them. Put them on the thing that makes juice and goes round and round. Get a glass and put the orange juice inside the glass. Drink it. (girl)
TEA
Get a pan and put it on the stove. Put some water in it. Get a couple of tea bags. It’ll be ready in 4 minutes. (boy)
SOUP
You put some water in a pan and then you put the soup in it. Put it in the stove. When it gets all with bubbles, then you put the things that makes it delicious. Then when it gets all delicious, put it in a bowl. Then give it to the family. (girl)
PIZZA WITH SPAGHETTI
Pizza: Put it in the oven. Put some cheese and pepperoni. Eat with spaghetti. Spaghetti: Put it in a pot. Put some red stuff in there. Get the meatballs and put them in there. Put it on a plate and eat. (boy)
PEANUT BUTTER PIZZA
Buy some pizza. Put it in the stove and make it hot. Put some peanut butter on top. (boy)
SPAGHETTI
You need spaghetti and a bowl. Put spaghetti in a pan and cook it for 5 minutes. Put it on a plate and put sauce on top. Eat it. (boy)
BEANS
Put water in the beans. Turn on the stove and cook them. Cook them for 5 minutes. Take them out and eat them with eggs. (boy)
BARBECUED CHICKEN
Light the barbecuer. Stick the chicken in the barbecuer. Put salt and pepper on it. Leave it in the barbecuer for a few minutes. Then it’s ready. (boy)
ENCHILADAS
You need: tortillas, beans, cheese, sauce
First you put the tortillas on the cooking pan. Put the cheese and the beans and the sauce too. Put them in oven, and then you eat them. (girl)
ENCHILADAS
You need: tortillas, meat, cheese
Put the meat in the tortillas. Put the cheese in. Close the tortilla up. Cook it in an oven. When it’s done put it in a long white dish with handles. Eat it. (girl)
FISH
Get the fish and put harina on there. Put it on the stove in a pan with oil. Watch it and turn it. Leave it a little bit and take it out. Put it in a plate. (girl)
FISH
Get a bowl and put something inside it. Put the fish in the bowl and keep turning it over. Then put it in the stove. It has to be there a little bit long. Then get it out. Then you put more fish in the stove. You leave it a little bit longer and then you take it out. That’s enough for your family. (girl)
TACOS
Get a tortilla and put it in a pan to get hot. Put meat and the tomato and lettuce and salt. It’s ready to eat. (girl)
SANDWICH (Just any kind)
Get some bread. Put some mustard and meat. Then fold the napkin and put on the table and eat it. It’ll be ready in 3 minutes. (boy)
CAKE
Get a bowl. Put the cake in it and mix it up. Cook it in a stove. When you take it out, you put the icing on it and then the sprinkles. (girl)