I am always saying this about everything I make, but I really mean it:  Chinese style stir-fry is so easy to make and really versatile.  Most of the dishes I make can be adapted to the way you eat,what you have on hand or simply to accommodate a craving that particular night.  When you cook for kids and with kids, adaptability is absolutely essential.  If I can’t substitute an ingredient I don’t happen to have,I won’t be making it that time or probably ever. 

 

So with versatility in mind, I’ll list what we used, but I urge you to use what you have or like. The fun part about making a stir-fry is to introduce vegetables to your kids that they normally wouldn’t give a try and watch them chow down.  Anytime I get resistance, I tell them to lick it first.  After that one lick, they bite – then swallow - and come back for more.

 

The key to a stir-fry is preparing all of your ingredients ahead of time.  The cooking is very quick to you have to be able to add it right away without taking the time to chop or clean.  Of course, for the kids, this process is also enjoyable.

      

 

CHINESESTIR-FRY NOODLES

 

2 packages of fresh Chinese noodles

 

½ lb. lean meat sliced into strips – pork or beef (or even fish)

 

2 peppers – sliced and cut into 2 inch pieces

 

½ lbs. snow peas – stems trimmed

 

1 small leek or several scallions – sliced into small rings

 

1 small piece of fresh ginger, grated

                   

 

1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. agave or sugar

2 tbsp. cornstarch – separated

½ cup of water

 

2 tbsp. soy sauce

½ cup of water

 

olive oil for frying

 

Toss the meat with one tbsp of cornstarch.

 

Make the sauce. Add the vinegar, soy, sesame oil and agave to a small bowl or cup and stir until well combined.  Add one tbsp of the cornstarch to the sauce and stir until completely dissolved.  Add ½ cup of water to this mixture.

 

Combine 2 tbsp of soy and ½ cup of water and set aside.

 

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on medium-high heat in a skillet.  Add ginger and leeks.  Stir until softened (about1 min.).  Add peppers to the pan and continue to stir until somewhat softened (about 2-3 min.).  Add the snow peas last and cook for another minute.  When adding vegetables, start with those that require the longest cooking times and end with those that require the least. Remove the vegetables from the pan once they are finished cooking.

         

Add 1-2 more tbsp of olive oil to the pan set to medium heat.   Add the meat to the pan and stir frequently.  Cook until the meat changes color and is cooked through (4-5 minutes, depending on how thin your pieces are cut).  Turn the heat down to medium/low.  Add the soy/vinegar mixture to the pan and stir to coat, scraping up any brown bits that have stuck to the pan.

 

Working quickly, add the fresh noodles and water/soy mixture.  Toss to coat the noodles and meat.

 

Return the cooked vegetables to the pan with the noodles and meat.   Toss to coat everything with the sauce (about a minute or two).  If the sauce thickens too much, add a couple more tbsp of water until you get the consistency you want.

 

Remove from the pan and serve immediately.

        

    

Every year when my daughter’s birthday arrives, she wants to bring a treat to school to celebrate.  Have you had this conversation?

“Can I bring cupcakes to class on my birthday?  How many do you need?  Well... one for everyone in class and 2 for the teachers." "Oh... and one for my art teacher... and my music teacher..."

Inevitably, the amount grows as she adds more and more people to the list.  The grand total is somewhere around 40, which is quite a few batches of cupcakes and icing.  In my world (where the treat-making happens after dinner, homework and bath) this is at least an 11:30 night, or worse.

 

This year, I decided to make my life easier.  We (and she did help) made chocolate dipped marshmallows on pretzel rods with sprinkles.  They were easier to make and - if I don’t say so myself – better than cupcakes.  Transporting and storing them didn’t require boxes or an entire shelf in our refrigerator either.

 

Simply poke a hole into the marshmallow with a pretzel rod.  Dip it into melted chocolate.  Drop some sprinkles on top and put into the fridge on wax paper until it sets (10 minutes or so). 

 

You can wrap them in cute cellophane party bags if you like. 

 

If you are looking to an alternative to cupcakes, this is it.  And you will have it done in less than an hour - for once.

        

           

 

Whenever you have fondue, it’s a party.  The gooey cheese served family-style for all to share is irresistible to kids and adults alike.  Why not have fondue for dinner and make it a party once in a while? 

 

Luckily, anything goes with cheese fondue.  The options for dipping are endless because almost everything tastes good with melted cheese.  In class we used bread and steamed broccoli, but any vegetable, meat or bread will be welcome.  Just put out what you have on hand.

 

SERVING FONDUE TO KIDS  

The traditional fondue is made from Swiss cheese –Emmenthaler and Gruyere – which can be a bit too sharp for kids.  Mellow it out with some Jarlsberg or even Muenster cheese.  A good list of substitutions can be found here.  As long as it will melt, just about any cheese will do.

                    

Another thing to keep in mind is that there are normally a couple tablespoons of kirsch and white wine in the recipe.  They provide sweetness and acidity as a foil for the cheese.  While it is fine to leave them out, the flavor will be quite different in their absence.  I have read about people using apple cider vinegar to some success, but have not tried it myself.  Frankly, most of the alcohol burns off and the proportion of alcohol to the remaining ingredients is so small, it shouldn’t have any effect.  When serving to kids, however, it is a good idea to let their parents make the decision as to whether it will be acceptable to serve the traditional recipe to them.

 

TRADITIONAL CHEESE FONDUE

 

1lb. cheese, shredded – combination of Emmenthaler, Gruyere and Muenster

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. kirsch (cherry brandy)

3 tbsp. wine wine

1 tbsp. cornstarch

 

bread and vegetables for dipping

 

Toss cheese with cornstarch covering all of the cheese uniformly.  This will prevent the cheese from becoming lumpy and give it that gooey, stringy texture.  Set aside.

Peel garlic and rub all over the inside of a small saucepan.  Discard garlic.  Heat lemon juice and kirsch in pan until bubbling.  Add white wine and allow mixture to come to a boil (to burn off alcohol).

 

Once the wine is boiling, turn the heat down to low.  Slowly add handfuls of cheese until it is all melted.   

Continue to stir to prevent burning.  Transfer the fondue to a pot over a candle or other low heat source.

 

The fondue party is ready to begin.  Enjoy!!

 

        

              

What kid doesn't like pickles?  Whether they are cucumbers or other vegetables, the "pickle" taste is still alluring.  Vegetables can be eaten in myriad preparations – raw, steamed, sautéed, pureed, roasted and pickled.  However, this last one is something that most people don’t think to do at home. It’s easier than you think. 

It's a good way to introduce new vegetables and get your kids to eat healthy.  In class, one child told me that he doesn’t like cucumbers, but loves pickles.  When I explained that they were one in the same, he didn’t believe me.  That is, until he made them himself.  Hopefully, he will now eat cucumbers and pickles.

 

We pickled cucumbers very quickly in class and while we were at it, we pickled carrots, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and beets too.  All of the vegetables had that “pickle” taste and the kids gobbled them up - even the boy who didn’t like cucumbers.

 

There exist many recipes for pickle making and storing pickles.  This quick pickle recipe is for consumption in a week or so.  Once prepared, they should stay in the fridge till they’re gone (which will surely be quick).

 

Serve them as a side with sandwiches, burgers or chicken, with a main course for dinner or even as a lunchbox snack.  As far as I am concerned, as long as they eat their vegetables, it doesn’t matter how they’re prepared (except, of course, for the deep-fried kind).

 

Cucumber Pickles

 

Slice 5-6 kirby cucumbers into ½ inch slices and place in a heatproof bowl.

Generously sprinkle with salt and stir to coat. Let stand for 15-20 minutes.

Rinse off the salt and pour brine (see below) over cucumbers.

Let stand until cool and eat.

Store in brine in the refrigerator.

 

Vegetable Pickles (except red beets)

 

Cut vegetables into chunks equal in size.

Heat brine (see below) to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.

Dunk one vegetable into the boiling brine for 1-2 minutes.  You want the vegetables to remain crunchy.

Remove with a small strainer or slotted spoon to a heatproof bowl.

Repeat with the remaining vegetables.

Pour brine over the vegetables in the bowl.

Let stand until cool and eat.

Store in brine in the refrigerator.

 

Red Beet Pickles

 

Prepare red beets the same as with the vegetables.  Keep separate until they are cooled.  Red beets will color the brine (and the rest of the vegetables) red.  If you want to prepare them together, try golden yellow beets.  Note:  Even if the brine is red, it will not affect the flavor.  This is what they look like:

                   

 

Brine

 

2 cups white vinegar

11/2 cups water

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp salt

4 stems fresh dill

2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed

8-10 juniper berries*

 

*The juniper berries are included because of my adoration for the delicious juniper pickles served at Henry Public.  After eating them, I just had to have homemade pickles.  Juniper berries may be hard to locate, but are certainly worth seeking out.

 

Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and begin to dunk the vegetables.

 

Separate brines should be made to pour over the cucumbers and to use for the beets.

 

These pickled vegetables are fun to make.  They are quite nutritious as well, because you control the salt levels and quality of the vegetables.  Feel free to play with the recipe should your tastes run to a sweeter or sour pickles.  Even if you only make one or two vegetables, your kids will enjoy learning how to make them.  And of course, eating them too.

        

 

Most parents tell me their children don’t like salad.  Even if this is true with your child, it shouldn’t stop you from trying.  Recently, I tested this theory with my students.  I am happy to report, they all, and I mean ALL, loved it. 

 

I supposed that if I told them we were making (and eating salad) when they walked in the door, they would have let me know they didn’t want it.  Instead, I made up a cute name for it and avoided the word “salad” for as long as I could.  For our main ingredient, I selected a relatively mild red butter lettuce rather than mixed greens that contain some bitter leaves.  I toned down some of the vegetables by steaming them and we made our own vinaigrette, using less vinegar than usual.  There were some grumblings about using Dijon mustard but their anxiety was tempered when I told them they wouldn’t taste it once it was combined with the other ingredients.  By the time they dipped their lettuce leaves (I gave them small bits of the crunchy bottoms) into the dressing, they all proclaimed their love of SALAD. 

   

 

Note:  Let the kids prepare as much as possible and munch on the veggies along the way.  Before eating it as a whole, let them try the dressing with a small piece of lettuce.  They will definitely come back for more.

 

CIRCUS SALAD

 

There are no amounts given because I leave it up to you.  Use whatever you wish - in the amount that you wish.  Go to the produce section or the farmer’s market and buy what looks good.  If you wish to add protein – chicken, tuna, beans, eggs, nuts, etc. – go for it.  It could be an entire meal.  It will be so colorful and exciting, the salad actually reminds you of the Circus.

 

Ingredients

 

Butter lettuce

 

Steamed vegetables – string beans, cauliflower and carrots

 

Raw vegetables – golden beet, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes

 

Fruit – orange with the membrane removed (Substitute with apples, pears, grapes, cherries or any fruit that won’t fall apart.)

 

Cheese – ricotta salata, (Substitute with feta, goat or hard cheese.)

 

Grain – 1 cup steamed and cooled quinoa*; (Substitute with couscous, bulgar, or brown rice)

 

*Quinoa can be steamed using 1 part grain to 2½ parts water.  Cool it before using in the salad.

 

Vinaigrette Ingredients

1 tablespoon - Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon - red wine vinegar

¾ cup – olive oil

handful of cilantro leaves (any fresh herb can be substituted)

salt and pepper to taste

 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl or blender cup.  Use an immersion stick blender (or regular blender) for 30 seconds to a minute to mix into a thick dressing.  Taste and adjust for seasoning.

                    

Assemble Salad

 

Wash and dry the lettuce.  Rip the lettuce into bite-sized pieces.

Steam the carrots and string beans. Cool, dry and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Remove the core and break the cauliflower into florets and steam.  Cool and dry.

Peel the cucumber and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Wash the cherry tomatoes and place in a bowl with the cucumbers.

Peel the orange.  Using a knife cut into the orange along both sides each segment to remove the membrane while extracting the inner portion.

Cut or break the cheese into bite-sized pieces.

          

 

Place the vegetables, quinoa and lettuce in a large bowl.  Lightly swirl on the vinaigrette.  Gently toss to combine with your hands.   Cut away some of the peel and grate the beet directly into the salad. Top with the cheese and fruit.  Taste again for seasoning.  Serve immediately.

 

        

We made an amazing pumpkin bread this week.  In my mind, I can still smell the mouth-watering aroma of it baking in the oven. 
                        
It was remarkably easy and gave the kids lots of ingredients to measure, which is one of their favorite things to do in class.  Better yet, they proclaimed that they “love to eat pumpkin” and gobbled it up like they hadn’t eaten all day.  That is what I call a successful recipe.
                   

This pumpkin bread does especially well in the freezer and thaws quickly.  In the morning, add a slice of this bread to your child's lunchbox as a special treat.  By lunchtime it will have reached the perfect temperature.  I am quite sure that even though there is no candy involved, you will be declared the best mommy or daddy a kid could have.

PUMPKIN BREAD
(Recipe adapted from http://www.pickyourown.org)

· 2 cans of organic pumpkin or one 16 oz. can
  (Even though we used all organic ingredients, it can be made with traditional items, except for the pumpkin.)
· 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (not self-rising flour)
· 2 tsp. baking soda
· 2 ½ cups of organic pure cane sugar
· 4 eggs, beaten
· 1 cup of vegetable oil
· 1 ½ tsp. salt
· 2 tsp. cinnamon
· 2 tsp. nutmeg
· ½ tsp. allspice
· 2 cups walnut pieces (optional)
· 2/3s cup water

Makes 2 loaves or 24 muffins.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and sugar.

Add the eggs, water, oil and pumpkin and combine with a mixer or immersion blender.  

Pour into two lightly greased and floured 9x5" loaf pans or muffin tins.  Evenly divide the nuts and sprinkle over the batter.

Bake for an hour at 350 F (175 C) or 40 minutes for muffins.

        

                     What would Thanksgiving be without stuffing?  It seems that aside from the turkey, the most ubiquitous dish found on the Thanksgiving table is stuffing.  As a child I would enjoy the Stove Top stuffing at my aunt's home year in and year out.  That all changed once I tried homemade stuffing at a friend's house.  From that point on, I learned how to make my own stuffing and never looked back. 

We made this stuffing in class and the kids really enjoyed making it as much as eating it.  They had fun cutting up the celery and bread which gave them the opportunity to snack along the way.  I have learned that when kids can snack along the way, it keeps their energy levels up and they enjoy cooking for a longer period of time.

This stuffing is basically the same recipe that I made as a child.  It is an easy recipe that can be adapted to individual tastes by adjusting the ingredients to suit your diners.  If they don't eat meat, leave out the pork.  If they don't like chestnuts, leave them out. Too many onions?  Add less.  It's as simple as that. 

Basic Sausage and Chestnut Stuffing

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1 loaf of whole wheat sandwich bread - cut into 1/2" pieces
2 lbs. sausage meat (out of casing)
1 large onion - finely chopped
8 stalks of celery - finely chopped
1/2 stick of butter
8 stems of thyme - leaves removed and finely chopped
8 chestnuts roasted whole and removed from shell (optional)
              


Add 1/2 of the bread to the baking pan and set aside.  Saute sausage in a large skillet on low until cooked through.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the sausage pan and add the butter.  Cook the butter with the sausage fat on low until the butter is melted.  Add the onions, celery and thyme and saute until they are soft.  Add the cooked sausage back into the pan and combine well.  Add the bread to the pan and combine well pressing down with the back of the spoon to moisten the bread.  Pour a cup of water or stock over the mixture and continue pressing on the bread to soak up the juices.   Chop the chestnuts and stir them into the mixture.  Remove from the heat.

Transfer the mixture to the baking pan and combine with the remaining bread.  Using your hands toss together and gently squeeze/press the bread together with the vegetables to moisten with the juices.  Spread the stuffing evenly in the baking pan.  Bake covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for another 15 minutes.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

This stuffing will definitely be a welcome at your Thanksgiving table - especially to those that usually eat the kind in a box.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

        

Are you looking for something to do on a playdate at your house?  Perhaps a sleepover?  Or movie night?  Kids involved?  Well, this is an easy one.  Make popcorn balls with them.  I have never seen the kids so happy as when they were making these.  There are few ingredients and if you don't want to turn the stove on, you can use a microwave for the whole thing.
 

Popcorn is one of those treats that no one can resist.  It make your kitchen smell yummy and everyone who recognizes the perfume will come looking for a handful.

For the popcorn balls, here are the basic things you will need:

1 bag of marshmallows (large or mini)
1 bowl of cooked plain popcorn (about 6-8 cups)
1/2 stick of butter
sprinkles or other goodies
spray oil for your spatula and fingers

The best possible popcorn is the kind you make in a pot on the stove.  Just cover the bottom of the pot with a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil and add enough kernels to form one layer at the bottom.  Those are my imperfect measurements that usually result in a full pot of popped corn.  I say "usually" because once in a while, I add too much and the popcorn spills out of the top of the pot.  Not really a problem in my book but it can be easily avoided by adding less kernels to the pot.

Melt the butter and marshmallows in a pan or in a microwave (checking every 30 seconds).  Be careful not to overcook the marshmallows.  They will continue to melt off the heat and stirring will get the smooth consistency you will need.

Pour the melted marshmallow and butter over the popcorn.  Stir it together as quickly as possible using a spatula that has been greased or sprayed with cooking oil. 

Spray hands with oil and dig in.  Form balls of whatever size you like.  It is messy fun.  Enjoy.


After the popcorn balls are formed, they can be rolled in sprinkles or colored sugar to decorate.  We did this for Halloween and it was adorable.

This can be a math lesson too. The kids put them in rows.  Then they counted how many they made versus how many kids there were to figure out the amount of popcorn balls each child would take home.  I must say I was very proud of them.  The popcorn motivated them, but they figured it out. 
                                                                           

Note:  If you want to make rice crispy treats, they are made the same way.  Just add the cereal instead of the popcorn.

        

I usually make pumpkin muffins at least once or twice a year.  But, they should probably be called "cupcakes" since I have to use cream cheese as a topping (read: icing).  To me, they just aren't the same without it.  Regardless, they are satisfying as a treat morning, noon and night for almost everyone. 



Since the kids made these for the Halloween workshop, there were lots of sprinkles and candies involved, but if you plan to eat them for breakfast you may want to skip the decorations.  The icing can be topped with the pumpkins seeds for a finished look.
This recipe was adapted from Gourmet Magazine. We left out some of the spices and the raisins to appeal to the kids' tastes.  The cream cheese recipe is a standard icing recipe that I normally use for these muffins.

        

A great cold weather treat is butternut squash.  Kids will eat it because it is sweet.  Adults may relish the flavor as well, but they know that it scores big nutrition points too.   For class we made a soup using a few winter squash that could easily double as a puree - sitting under a roasted chop or grilled chicken or even stirred into pasta.  There are surprisingly few steps and ingredients involved in this preparation.  Even so, it is packed with flavor and looks elegant enough to be an impressive dinner party starter.

                                              

When I went to the farmer's market to purchase the squash and pumpkin there were so many options.  I ended up choosing several sugar pumpkins, kabocha squash (looks like a little black or deep orange pumpkin), in addition to the butternut variety.  The resulting flavor from their combination was quite tasty.
                                           
The kabocha was dense and flaky inside.  (A blog post on kabocha).  It was meatier than the sweeter creamy butternut squash.  Together with the pumpkin, they each brought something different to the soup.  You can use whatever variety you wish, but the best way to insure a balanced finished product is to combine several types together.  
                                           

This is a recipe that can be completed quickly and it permits much leeway in measurements.  It's really hard to mess it up.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PUMPKIN SOUP

3-4 medium squash or sugar pumpkins - various varieties combined
1 leek trimmed of green parts
2 medium carrots
2 stalks celery
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. honey (optional)
2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 quart vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup half and half or milk (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spread half of the oil onto a baking sheet large enough to hold the vegetables.

Cut the squash and pumpkin in half and remove the seeds.  Wash the outside and inner parts.  Rub the remaining olive oil over the inside cavities of the squash and pumpkin.  Season with salt and pepper.

Trim celery and peel carrots.  Leave whole.

Cut the leak in half, clean between the layers and dry it.

Crush garlic clove with the side of a knife or your palm and leave it in the peel.

On the oiled baking sheet, place the squash and pumpkin, skin side up.   Add the carrots, celery, leeks and garlic to the baking sheet and roll them on the baking sheet to cover them with a thin film of oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Bake the vegetables in 375 degree oven until they can be easily pierced with a fork and are tender - about a half hour.  Remove from the oven and allow them to cool.

Scoop the flesh from the squash and pumpkin with a spoon or paring knife, removing the skin.  The kids will happily eat whatever flesh is left behind.  Cut the remaining vegetables into 2 inch pieces.  Remove the garlic clove from the skin.
  

Add all of the vegetables and thyme to the bowl of a food processor or blender.  While processing the vegetables, add the broth until it is all combined and the soup is smooth. If you want a thicker puree instead, add the broth incrementally until the consistency is correct.  Taste for seasoning. (Alternately, you can add them directly to the pot and use an immersion blender)


Add the soup and honey to a large pot set at medium heat.  Slowly add the half and half until you attain the texture you desire.  Use less than a cup for a puree.  Conversely, it can be thinned with more broth or water.  Simmer soup for 10-15 minutes until it is hot and fragrant.

Serve with bread or croutons.  Toppings can be used, such as: bacon pieces, sour cream, soft cheese, grated hard cheese or herbs.  The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.  Have fun with it.  It can be as casual or elegant as you like,  And your kids can basically make the dish themselves, or so they will think.