Easy Baking

Emmy is a little homemaker.  She loves to sew and cook and organize.  When we were at my parents’ house yesterday afternoon, she was talking about her new idea for a blueberry pie.  

I turned to my mom and said, “She would love an Easy Bake Oven.”

“I wonder if we kept your old one,” my mom murmured.

Emmy perked up and begged, “Can we look for it?  Please?  I want to try it!”

After lunch, they headed out to the garage loft in search of my sister’s old Easy Bake Oven.  It took some digging, but they found it.  It was still in the original box and had the instructions, a pan, and the tool to get the pans in and out of the oven!  

*Story about that little tool:  One of the first times we used the Easy Bake Oven, my mom and sister left the kitchen for a few minutes while the little cake was cooking.  I was super excited about the new toy and was fiddling with the tool, using it to open the little flaps and check on the cake.  At one point, I stuck it inside the oven and left it there.  My mom and sister came back to the smell of burning plastic.  One end of the tool was ruined.  And, ironically, the words on the handle now only said, “Do not leave in ov…”  I remember the whole experience very vividly and felt a few pangs of regret as we pulled everything out of the box today, 20+ years later.*

Emmy made her little blueberry pies while I got Abby down for her nap.  (So nice to have an extra adult to supervise!)  Then she made banana slices topped with a chocolate chip and sprinkled with sugar.  (Those were my favorite!)  I got online and found a recipe for chocolate cake in Easy Bake Oven portions (2 tablespoons flour, 1/8 teaspoon salt, etc), and Emmy and Grandma made two little cakes for dessert after dinner.  She was in heaven!

It was so fun to relive the excitement.  I’m so grateful my mom kept so many of our favorite toys so I can share them with my children (and not have to go out and pay $45 for a new Easy Bake Oven).  I’m also very grateful it is a “Grandma’s house” toy so she will only play with it when we have at least one more adult around to help!