Cooking with boys

Ah yes... I realize that one cannot stereotype boys but at the same time if you know my oldest son you TOTALLY get the assumptions. While he is consumed with the intimate details of anything he is passionate about (Star Wars, Tornado's, Weather really, Titantic, the color purple), he is the farthest thing from detailed otherwise. Structure and order absolutely but details not so much. I can't say as I blame him because in the cooking department I am the same. My niece even has learned that leaving something out, modifying or measuring as approx is my style. We say "Cooking with Aunt Elizabeth" and smile.
Lunch is an excellent time for the kids to expand their horizons in the learning to cook department because it is flexible on time. Therefore today when oldest son wanted the white cheddar pasta I informed him he was perfectly capable to do it himself. Clenched fist later he retrieved the box set it down and promptly asked me what to do next. Sigh... clearly this is gonna take a bit. Once he read the box I had to explain what boiling meant, the temperature necessary and reading the following sentence for details needed on the current step.

That done, he managed to break off the handle. Holy cow kid! Deep sigh, cheesy grin and smile from him I figured out how to turn it off and still use it since the handle wouldn't snap back on. This of course ensured that I would have to participate from close up and not afar. More reading of directions then dictionary use to understand what the word frequently means (yep I am that evil to make them all look up since no one but me understood) he finally was at a point he could wait for it to cook.  HA! The seasoning packet looks like it exploded with powder on the floor and counter.A quick lesson in stirring so not to splash and making sure no sticking occurs he attempts to leave the kitchen.  This was our only box so I knew better than let him learn the life lesson of burning food for fear that tragedy and bad attitude the entire do would consume. Again discussion about focus and detail we are nearing the end of the journey. 

Sadly, I didn't take a picture of him with his final product. Hindsight is 20/20 of course. I will say all his siblings begged to get a taste and rated it a 10 out of 10. Maybe next time I will show him how to make it from scratch..... nah!