Favorites – Page 15 – Feed Your Kids

Life is GOOD…

succulent Black Mission figs, fragrant toasted pecans and creamy Maytag blue cheese The kids are off at school; I have a bit of time to myself during the day on a regular basis now. Hubby is even out of town on a business trip, so my schedule is completely my own. I took advantage of … Continue reading “Life is GOOD…”

succulent Black Mission figs, fragrant toasted pecans and creamy Maytag blue cheese

The kids are off at school; I have a bit of time to myself during the day on a regular basis now. Hubby is even out of town on a business trip, so my schedule is completely my own. I took advantage of this rare opportunity to create a snack/brunch (it really should be a dessert) for myself that NO ONE else in my family will eat, but I LOVE, but rarely get to indulge. Seriously, no one will touch this but me (Hubby hates figs, Girl hates almost all nuts and Boy hates “stinky cheese”). I am absolutely loving life right now. I’m reading the third of Ruth Reichl’s books (Garlic and Sapphires) while nibbling on this tasty treat and watching the hummingbirds play out of the corner of my eye. The only thing that would make it perfect would be a diminutive glass of port, but it is 10:00 am and even I would find that a little too indulgent.

Fresh Tomato Pie, for SERIOUS fresh tomato lovers only

This is a summer staple at our house. Like gazpacho, we wait all year for beautiful, ripe, juicy local tomatoes so that we can make this recipe. My best friend, E, gave me the recipe for the original version of this dish, but I have adapted it quite a bit, so I’ll just give you … Continue reading “Fresh Tomato Pie, for SERIOUS fresh tomato lovers only”

This is a summer staple at our house. Like gazpacho, we wait all year for beautiful, ripe, juicy local tomatoes so that we can make this recipe. My best friend, E, gave me the recipe for the original version of this dish, but I have adapted it quite a bit, so I’ll just give you my version here. This absolutely must be made with fresh, ripe (but not over-ripe or TOO juicy) tomatoes. This dish is worth a visit to a farm or farmer’s market to get them.

Fresh Tomato Pie
(We have a tendency to call this ‘Mater Pie, since my farmer mother-in-law calls potatoes “taters” and tomatoes “maters”, but that looks really funny to me now that Boy and Girl are learning Latin.)

1/2 package refrigerated pie crust
(one of the two crusts that come in the package)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil chiffonade
about 5 fresh, ripe but firm, medium-sized tomatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
(discard stem and bottom ends or chop up and reserve for another use)
about 2 Tbsp olive oil (or an olive oil spray)
kosher salt (about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp?) and freshly ground pepper (about 1/4 tsp?)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Fit piecrust into a 9 inch glass pie plate. Fold edges over top edge of pie plate (make a decorative edge, if desired – there are some ideas on the pie crust package). Prick dough all over (sides and bottom) with a fork. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes.

Remove crust from oven and spray it lightly with the olive oil (or brush on a light coating). Sprinkle about 1 cup of the cheese onto the crust. Arrange a layer of tomato slices on top of the cheese, cutting some rounds into pieces, if necessary, to fill in any “gaps” and form one solid layer. Sprinkle lightly with half of the salt and half of the pepper. Spray (or brush) with another tiny bit of olive oil. Top with 1 Tbsp. of the basil and then another 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat one more layer of tomatoes, salt, pepper, olive oil, 1 Tbsp of basil and then the remaining cheese. Top with 1 more Tbsp of basil and set the remaining 1 Tbsp aside for later. Place pie on a cookie sheet on a lower rack in the oven. Bake at 400 degrees, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove pie from the oven when the tomatoes are bubbling up and the crust and cheese topping are nicely browned. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving, using paper towels to VERY gently blot up any excess juice that bubbles to the surface while the pie is standing. Before serving, sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp of basil.

After removing the first slice, I will usually tilt the pie (put a dishtowel under one end of the dish) so that the excess juices (there will be lots of them) will drip into the empty space, and then I’ll put a folded paper towel there to collect them. The crust will easily get soggy if it’s allowed to sit in the excess tomato juices. The leftovers of this pie will MAYBE keep for one day in the refrigerator, but it is VASTLY better if it’s eaten while it’s still warm. It’s great as a brunch or lunch dish and can even stand up as a light summer entree, if you pair it with a light salad or green vegetable.

My other mother-in-law (it’s a long story…) adds a layer of caramelized onions when she makes this pie. It is definitely a recipe that could be adapted in lots of different ways (corn/cilantro/black bean, fresh oregano/feta, etc.).

Beware – it is NOT necessary to grease the pie pan before placing the dough in it. If you forget this and grease it, anyway, the dough will slide down and this will happen:

All is not lost, however. You can gently lift the gooey dough out of the pie pan and onto a foil-lined baking sheet, sprinkle it lightly with salt, pepper, grated Parmesan, garlic powder and Italian Herb Seasoning and bake it at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes and then slice it into strips for a garlic-cheesy toast stick that is a great with a bowl of soup.

Thank goodness those pie crusts come two in a package!

“Cuban” dinner – Cubano pressed pork sandwiches and oven-roasted corn

These sandwiches were great. Unfortunately (for you, anyway), the recipe is from Fine Cooking magazine, which is VERY protective of their recipes and only makes them available if you subscribe to their website. The basic idea, though is: Brine a whole pork loin roast overnight with some apple, black peppercorns, brown sugar, herbs and then … Continue reading ““Cuban” dinner – Cubano pressed pork sandwiches and oven-roasted corn”

Brine a whole pork loin roast overnight with some apple, black peppercorns, brown sugar, herbs and then brush it with a mixture of maple syrup and Dijon mustard before baking. Slice it thinly and then serve it for dinner with side dishes of your choosing.

The next day, take some of the leftover pork and put it on rolls (we used bolillos) with sliced ham, Swiss cheese, and dill pickle slices. Brush the insides of the rolls with olive oil that has a little salt, lime juice, garlic and finely chopped cilantro mixed in. Grill the sandwiches in butter (like a grilled cheese sandwich), pressing down on them (HARD) while they’re cooking. You can use a panini grill, if you have one, or just use a small saucepan or saute pan to press down on the top as you’re cooking. These were a big hit, even with Girl, who is not normally a big fan of pork.

We served the sandwiches with Cuban Oven-Roasted Corn. The recipe can be found here. If you’re aren’t lucky enough to have a Wegman’s store nearby, you can use any brand of BBQ seasoning (or make some with my recipe) as a substitute for their brand. For the basting oil, just mix half olive oil and half canola oil with finely chopped fresh herbs (I used oregano, parsley and basil) – maybe 1/2 cup oil (total) mixed with 1 – 2 Tbsp. herbs – it doesn’t have to be EXACT and you can use whatever herbs you like. Rosemary, thyme and/or cilantro would all be good, too.

Chicken Curry

This was VERY easy, quick and tasty and was a big hit with both Boy and Girl. This dish has definitely earned a spot in our permanent rotation. It’s not an “authentic” curry, but it super kid-friendly. I actually have a wonderful curry recipe from an Indian co-worker of Hubby’s. It has just the right … Continue reading “Chicken Curry”

This was VERY easy, quick and tasty and was a big hit with both Boy and Girl.
This dish has definitely earned a spot in our permanent rotation. It’s not an “authentic” curry, but it super kid-friendly. I actually have a wonderful curry recipe from an Indian co-worker of Hubby’s. It has just the right amount of spice and is delicious, but more labor-intensive and much less kid-friendly than this version. I should have made that while the kids were at camp – DRAT.

It’s not a terribly picturesque dish, but it was delicious.

I started out with this recipe from Family Fun magazine, but adapted it a little.

NB: About 2 cups of rice (uncooked) is the right amount to prepare to go with this.

– I used fresh, seeded and chopped tomato (1 cup) instead of canned and added them after cooking the onions, but before adding the other ingredients, so that they could soften a little.
– I added some chicken stock to the sauce (I had some left over from what I used to cook the accompanying rice).
– I pureed the sauce before adding the chicken because I knew that Boy would not be a fan of visible chunks of tomato.
– I browned the pieces of chicken separately a little bit before adding them to the sauce.

The next time that I make this, I will add a little bit more curry powder and will add more spinach.

Tuna Salad and English Muffin Tuna Melts

These are very popular with the whole family, including Girl, who does not normally eat any kind of seafood. Tuna Salad Melts 2 cans water-packed tuna, drained *** good quality mayonnaise (Hellmann’s or homemade) to your taste/consistency preference, about 1/2 cup chopped hard-boiled egg whites, 3 or 4 very finely chopped red onion, about 1/4 … Continue reading “Tuna Salad and English Muffin Tuna Melts”

These are very popular with the whole family, including Girl, who does not normally eat any kind of seafood.

Tuna Salad Melts

2 cans water-packed tuna, drained ***
good quality mayonnaise (Hellmann’s or homemade) to your taste/consistency preference, about 1/2 cup
chopped hard-boiled egg whites, 3 or 4
very finely chopped red onion, about 1/4 cup
finely diced celery, about 1/4 cup
very finely chopped fresh Italian parsley, about 2 Tbsp.
grated or shredded carrot, about 1/4 cup
salt and pepper to taste (or Baby Bam)
a small pinch of dried thyme leaves

optional: diced, peeled apple and/or lightly toasted, slivered almonds.

Gently blend together the tuna and the mayonnaise, breaking up tuna clumps with a large fork. Stir in remaining ingredients to desired flavor. Add more mayonnaise, if necessary, to reach your desired texture.

To prepare the Tuna Melts:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Split English Muffins in half. Scoop some tuna salad on top of each half. Use a fork to flatten and spread it out, covering the muffin completely. Top each one with a slice of your favorite cheese (we like Muenster). Bake for a few minutes, until cheese is melted and muffin is warmed.

***I prefer the lighter flavor of albacore tuna better, but it does have a higher mercury content than “regular” tuna, so decide for yourself. If you are pregnant or your children are very small, I would recommend plain tuna and, even at that, it should not be consumed very frequently.

Baby Bam seasoning

I use this seasoning on absolutely EVERYTHING, so I thought it deserved its own entry. Here’s the link to Emeril’s recipe: Emeril’s Baby Bam seasoning If you go up to the top right corner of this blog and put “Baby Bam” in the search field, you’ll hit on lots of recipes where I use this … Continue reading “Baby Bam seasoning”

I use this seasoning on absolutely EVERYTHING, so I thought it deserved its own entry. Here’s the link to Emeril’s recipe:
Emeril’s Baby Bam seasoning

If you go up to the top right corner of this blog and put “Baby Bam” in the search field, you’ll hit on lots of recipes where I use this magical blend.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Wicked good…. Baked Macaroni and Cheese 3/4 lb of your favorite pasta, cooked according to package directions and drained 1 stick butter plus 3 Tbsp butter 1/2 cup flour 2 cups milk 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese a dash of Worcestershire sauce 1 cup dry bread crumbs (I use half regular and half panko) … Continue reading “Baked Macaroni and Cheese”

Wicked good….

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

3/4 lb of your favorite pasta, cooked according to package directions and drained
1 stick butter plus 3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
a dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 cup dry bread crumbs (I use half regular and half panko)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

seasoning options:
dash of dry mustard
dash of Worcestershire sauce
dash of paprika
dash of Baby Bam
dash of my new favorite seasoning (Simply Organic all-purpose seasoning – salt free!)
salt and pepper (white pepper is great, if you have it on hand)
finely chopped fresh herbs (parsley? oregano?)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter over medium-low heat. Once butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook until fully incorporated and thickened (2 – 3 minutes?). Stir in milk and continue cooking and whisking until smooth, thick and warmed through. Stir in 2 3/4 cups of the cheddar cheese to blend. Add seasonings as desired. Pour over pasta and stir to thoroughly coat. Pour into lightly greased baking pan. Melt remaining butter and blend with breadcrumbs, remaining 1/4 cup cheedar and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over pasta/cheese in the pan. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bread crumbs are toasted and cheese is golden and bubbling.

Kids will ask for seconds, guaranteed.

Lemonade Stand (Fresh Squeezed Lemonade and “Arnold Palmer” drinks)

Girl and a buddy recently set up a lemonade stand one Saturday morning. Our Lemonade Recipe: 1 and 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice 1 cup sugar 2 quarts cold water Stir all ingredients together and adjust sugar to taste (depending upon the sweetness of your lemons, you may need to add more). Serve over … Continue reading “Lemonade Stand (Fresh Squeezed Lemonade and “Arnold Palmer” drinks)”

Girl and a buddy recently set up a lemonade stand one Saturday morning.

Our Lemonade Recipe:

1 and 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 quarts cold water

Stir all ingredients together and adjust sugar to taste (depending upon the sweetness of your lemons, you may need to add more). Serve over ice.

Variation:
Brew up a pitcher of iced tea, too, so that you can also sell “Arnold Palmers” (half lemonade/half iced tea).

Corn Pudding Casserole

This is one of those great, old-fashioned “back of the box” kind of comfort food recipes. This is just the perfect yummy, creamy thing to accompany almost any kind of roasted meat or something like BBQ chicken. There are a million different versions of this dish available online, but I like this one the best. … Continue reading “Corn Pudding Casserole”

Corn Pudding

1 (8.5 ounce) box corn muffin mix (I use “Jiffy”)
1 egg
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
1 can (regular size, about 15 oz, I think?) whole kernel corn
1 can creamed corn
a sprinkle of Baby Bam seasoning (1/4 tsp?)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a lightly greased 2 quart casserole. Bake for about 45 minutes (or until pudding is solid and lightly browned).

Chicken Reggiano (Parmigiano Crusted)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pinch of salt 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 egg, lightly beaten (or 2 egg whites, if you’re trying to be virtuous) 1 and 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 1/2 cup olive or canola oil Place the egg, flour and cheese into 3 separate small, shallow bowls. Cut each chicken … Continue reading “Chicken Reggiano (Parmigiano Crusted)”

Place the egg, flour and cheese into 3 separate small, shallow bowls. Cut each chicken breast into two pieces. Gently pound each piece of chicken with the flat side of a mallet until it is a uniform thickness. Sprinkle salt lightly over each of the (now 4) pieces. One at a time, dredge each piece of chicken in the flour until lightly coated, then in the egg until it’s covered and then, lastly, into the cheese, patting the cheese gently into the chicken until thoroughly coated. Set aside on a plate.

Heat the oil in a large, flat-bottomed pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until completely browned. Turn over and cook on the other side until cheese has crusted and chicken is cooked through. BEWARE: This chicken has a tendency to stick pretty badly to the bottom of the pan. Make sure that you have a good layer of oil and that the pan is hot enough. Be patient as you try to turn it: the cheese will stick when it first starts to cook and melt, but as it crusts over and gets more done, it will start to release.

I served this over a bed of sauteed spinach, with some buttered, herbed (mixed in Italian seasoning) brown rice on the side.

This was a BIG hit with all of us and will definitely earn a place in the regular rotation.