It’s not simply a kids menu

In the Elder household, all of the children have chores.

For one of her chores, 11-year-old Esther, the oldest of the four, volunteered to cook dinner once a week.

"I wouldn't have given [that job] to her at this age," said her mom, Jane, "but she asked for it. She enjoys it, she cooks very well and it takes a load off me."

Esther likes making dishes such as lasagna, vegetable soup and baked macaroni and cheese from scratch.

"The kids' favorite is macaroni and cheese," Esther said.

Was she including herself in that statement?

"Yes!" she replied.

Another favorite among the Elders, who live in Richmond, is spaghetti casserole, which Esther made for dinner on a recent evening. The recipe is included here.

"I like being able to decide what we have for dinner," she said. "I also like the process of making it."

And how does it make her feel to prepare a meal and then serve it to her family -- in addition to her mom, that includes her dad, Tim, and siblings 7-year-old Luke, 4-year-old Grace (who will turn 5 next week) and 2-year-old Anne?

"Older," she said proudly.

Contact Bill Lohmann at (804) 649-6639 or .