Tonight my 11 year old grandson and future chef made dinner.

He had left a shopping list for me when he last visited a few weeks ago. I shopped yesterday and picked up the items he requested. I am including his list for interested readers. At the top of the list he put IMPORTANT.
His list is as follows: Chicken breast, buns, franks red hot sauce, fresh lettuce, pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, red onion and mustard.

After a discussion about baked or fried chicken and the major weigh down plan I am on, he decided to bake. I had no idea what a treat we were all in for.

His plan was to make his SPECIAL SPICY CHICKEN SANDWICHES. I am including his recipe for you to try.

Ingredients

Chicken Breast
Franks Red hot sauce
Taco Seasoning
Lemon Pepper
Celery Seed

Directions

Wash the chicken breast. Drain off water. Spray a glass cooking dish with cooking spray. Place chicken breast in a single layer. Sprinkle taco seasoning evenly over the chicken breast. Lightly sprinkle lemon pepper and celery seed.
Add a few dashes of Franks hot sauce over the chicken. Use pastry brush and spread evenly. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in a 375 oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and drain liquid off. Leave foil off and return to oven. Increase heat to 400 and bake for 10 minutes.

While chicken is baking the final 10 minutes, add buns on oven rack to warm. Remove buns from oven and put a slice of pepper jack cheese on each one. Place a chicken breast on top of cheese.

He made a beautiful tray of lettuce, dill pickles, tomatoes, and red onions. He allowed everyone to dress their sandwich as they wished. He put mayonnaise, yellow mustard, spicy mustard and ketchup on the table for everyone to add if wanted.

He served with chips and grapes. It was a delicious meal. He did a very good job and did a great job cleaning the kitchen. He is growing up and maturing in his cooking. I hope he succeeds at his dream.

He spoke to me today about his concern of all the money it will take to operate a food truck. I thought how do you advise an 11 year old little boy about his career. Only thing I could think to tell him was, “Save money and don’t think you have to find something to buy as quick as you get a dollar or two”. He said “I guess when I am 16 I will need to look for a job. I think I will start out working at (he named a famous restaurant) or maybe work at a toy store. He said “Grandmom, do I have to get married? I just don’t want to get married. Women seem to want to buy everything they see and I will never get enough money to buy my food truck if I have a wife.”

Grandchildren are so fun and it is really amazing the things they say. Parents and grandparents need to remember little eyes are watching and little ears are listening to us. They are forming their future by watching the adults in their lives.