Martha Greene has created Marmee's Kitchen Primer, it is a first textbook, if you will, on cooking, baking and keeping a proper kitchen for the pleasure of family and friends.

My children love to help in the kitchen, and cooking is a skill they will need throughout their lives, so I hope to better prepare them than I was!

Marmee's Kitchen Primer is set up in eight sections. They are The Cook's Primer, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks & Sweets, Special Days, Extra Recipes, and Tests & Projects.

The first section, The Cook's Primer, covers the rules of running a proper kitchen, rules for the cook, such as: hand washing, having permission before you set off into the kitchen, making sure you have all of your ingredients before you start in on a recipe, using a timer (I am notoriously guilty of this one!), using a cutting board, making sure the stove is off when you are done, cleaning up after ourselves, etc. This section also covers setting the table properly, the washing of dishes, and proper sanitation. The Primer also teaches kitchen terms that are commonly used, such as sauté, toss, fold, mince, sift, and many more common table courtesies, along with how to read a recipe and measure properly.

The next sections of the book include some great recipes. My girls have loved using their cookbook, and cooking for Momma & Daddy! What has made this even MORE FUN for them is their own REAL utensils, the Momma's Helper Kitchen Set that Marmee's Kitchen puts together! The Momma's Helper Kitchen set contains a stainless steel 3-quart mixing bowl, (that I use often as well!) mini wire whisk, wooden spoon, rubber spatula, mini heart cake pan, mini loaf pan, mini muffin pan, wooden rolling pin, mini pie pan, and stainless steel measuring spoons. These are the real thing folks, no cheap kiddie toys, these are NICE!

Marmee's Primer includes a wide scope of recipes, everything from making toast...to a delicious Ham and Cheese Strata...a variety of sandwiches...homemade soups.... oven fried chicken...dinner rolls...chicken enchiladas...anyone hungry yet?

The "Special Days" section has complete menus (of recipes found within the Primer) such as a "Box Supper", "Poppa's Birthday Dinner", "Dress Up Tea Party" and others; they even include ideas for decorations, games, and ideas to complete the 'special day' festivities!

The Primer includes an area for recording the recipes you've tried, whether they were a family favorite, or not...and a place for the children to write and record other recipes that you've shared.

The last section of The Primer is a tests and projects section, where you test your knowledge of what you've learned together. Projects include collecting special recipes and recording them, baking recipes from The Primer, and giving the goodies to someone special as a gift.

Marmee's Kitchen Primer not only helps our children learn how to properly care for a kitchen, or to cook or bake, but to enjoy and take pride in it! This book will become a keepsake. It is as pretty as it is practical. Along with Martha Greene's signature beautiful silhouette designs and old fashioned style, it includes uplifting words of encouragement, poems and scripture throughout, and has been a joy to work with in teaching my children a skill that will last a lifetime. Marmee's Kitchen Primer is WONDERFUL!

I HIGHLY recommend you take a look at all the special offerings of Marmee's Kitchen at her website.



--Product Review by: Lisa Barthuly & Family, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine