MKR Babes

There is a TV show called My Kitchen Rules (MKR). It is a reality show that see everyday Aussies cook off against each other. The idea is to enter the competition with a friend or partner and host a dinner party for the other teams and 2 celebrity judges (Pete & Manu) in your home. You create an 'instant restaurant' and showcase your skills in a 3 course menu that illustrates who you are on a plate. The other teams and the judges then score your performance and the higher scoring teams go on to compete in a series of challenges until 2 teams are left standing in a sudden death cook off, which is to be judged by 6 celebrity chefs (Colin was a clear favourite of mine this year... yum!). The winners are crowned victorious and win $250,000.

I have never before permitted india to watch reality TV. I want to make this clear. However, one particular night, not too far along in the competition, India had a rough night and stayed up later than usual. I was keen on watching MKR so i allowed her to lay in bed and watch with me. This was a turning point in her life. It was as if she had a spiritual awakening. India fell in love with cooking and in love with MKR. I would have to ensure she was in bed before it began or there was a fight on my hands! India always won and it soon became something we both looked forward to. An activity we loved to do together.

It was all very exciting and mouthwatering fun. On the show there is always teams you love, you dislike and you love to dislike. This year saw 2 girls from NSW  become the team Australia loved to dislike and who changed the way i feel about the word "babe" from this point on. They were amazing cooks but they were also, as India nicknamed them, the Mean Girls. They had a particularly amusing rivalry with a team of Italian mum's, Angela and Melina, who were India's favourite team. Infact, India cried herself to sleep the night they were evicted from the competition (we have video proof!) and in order to comfort her i had to help her fall in love with another team - Dan & Steph. They were my favourite team and i cannot express how grateful i am that they won... i do not know how India would have handled their loss in the final :)

This leads me to the point of my post. India developed a greater love of cooking from this show and has asked me everyday since to play MKR. This entails us cooking a meal together or baking together and comentating as we go along. There is alwasy a time limit set for us to acheive our culinary masterpiece and there is always drama in the kitchen! I am fully aware that I am possibly creating a monster... but we have fun together when we play. I know she is in the zone when she no longer calls me 'Mum'. It's go time when she calls me "Babe". And in the spirit of commitment to our craft, I return the favour and call her "Babe" too. Bax is the judge and give us a critique on the food. The whole scene is over once a score out of 10 is held up (usually a 9) and India gives me a winning grin, a high 5, and shouts "Yes, we did Babe!"... cue embrace.

Life is good!