EXCERPT
In the United States today there are around 39 million men age 50 or older and most of them are grandfathers. In the year 2020, there will be 54 million of us. Thats 54,000,000!
So, let me be the first (that I know of) to coin the termGrampawer!
Yes, Grampa, power. The actual power to influence tens of millions of young people, many of whom truly need our help.
One of the most fundamental of the natural laws is that our primary purpose here on earth is to procreate and educate, and there is no deadline or end to the latter. In the great film Parenthood, Jason Robards, the Grampa, says to one of his adult sons, You know it never ends. Being a parent never, ever ends. And you know how true that is. Especially those of you who are the true saints. Those who have the solemn responsibility of taking care of the little ones day in, day out due to economic pressures or even more serious family circumstances.
One of the underlying premises of this book is that Grampas are not Grammas (to which the kids would exclaim in unison, DUH!). In this case what I mean is that Grampas do not possess that obviously innate internal guidance system which tells Grammas exactly what to do at every moment. Grampas need help. We need good guidance in order to give good guidance. And this is especially true when it comes to feeding the kids. This book, just for you Grampa, is designed to help you to do the right thing in meeting this important responsibility.
Grampa, even if you have never cooked anything before, you will do it expertly with this book. The recipes are easy to follow and easy to do, and the rewards will be great for them and for you. And, yes, please do teach them to cook as you go. They will love it and forever benefit from it.
One of our biggest responsibilities is to feed them as well as we can. If we do not prepare good meals there is no question that our food consumption will be mostly fast foods and sweets. The kids will be badly hurt by this and show it with overweight and sluggishness, if not obesity. Grampa, maybe you have never thought about it in these terms but junk food is to the body as junk TV is to the mind. And buying that junk food is expensive too.
So here, on a silver platter, is handed to you a ticket to a whole different dimension of enjoyment for you and your little charges. You will find that the numerous choices meet the strict criteria you want to see. They are kid-friendly, nutritious, easy, and fun. In addition, there are numerous discussions of brand names and ingredients which will make your shopping easier and your dishes better tasting and better for you.
Grampa, one of the special joys of this book for me and, I hope, for you, is the involvement of the kids in so many places. This is certainly good for them, because learning to shop and to cook is like riding a bicycle: you never forget and you always enjoy. Beyond that, though, the social involvement of the whole family is a generator of togetherness and of love. Especially when family circumstances are difficult (which is almost always the case when Grandparents are in charge), this social interaction and cooperative effort among young people is confidence-building and bonding. Many of the recipes herein allow for and encourage the kids involvement. The key ones, such as Pizza Plus, Texas Wieners, and Omelet City, are highlighted at the top by our logo of three happy faces ???. Just as if an angelic face painter hovered in the room, watched over the activities, and just loved what she saw, these particular recipes create heartfelt smiles all around. Indeed, the social event, as much as the meal, is to be cherished.
The book is divided into seven logical parts:
Beginning Tips and Procedures Breakfasts Lunch or Dinner Entrees Side Dishes Drinks Desserts
And then at the end there is a part For Grampas Only which adds a number of more sophisticated truly excellent recipes which many Grampas will absolutely love and love to make.
Grampa, give special attention to the Side Dishes. Many of these can be combined with each other to form complete meals. Or, one or two or more may be combined with entrees when you want a nice big meal.
A NOTE FOR GRAMPA ONLY
Grampa, this book is for you, just you, nobody else. I hope it will be one of your old reliables in helping you to cope with and rise above all the heavy-duty stuff you have to do day in, day out.
This is not a regular cookbook. It is not concerned with sophisticated servings or preoccupied with frustrating details like 1 tablespoons of X plus teaspoon of Y mixed into 3 ounces of Z for 12 minutes and decorated with a pineapple cream sauce in the shape of a tulip. Uh uh.
It is, instead, concerned with preparing and serving up large portions of togetherness, happiness, and healthful progress as your charges all skip along, and some days trudge along, with you as the molder.
As the Prophet said,
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark on the path of the infinite, and He bends you with his might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archers hand be for gladness; for even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
Pause to reflect. Pause to reflect.
My words should not easily follow Kahlil Gibrans. They just should not. So pause, pause..
Here then is my wish and my intention: From the very beginning of the shopping and the preparation, to the consumption of the last morsels, may this be true quality time, time you will recognize as spent the best you could, the best you could, on your special journey.
William J. Gillard Redding, Connecticut
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