Feed Your Kids – Page 51 – The leading authority on basketball cupcakes and Basil-Lime martinis…

Hannah Montana (Banana Fee-Fi-Fo-Fanna) Concert

The Hannah Montana concert last night was AWESOME! Girl, Friend C and Cousin A had a great time. I knew that I was only along for the ride (or, rather, to provide the ride), but I actually enjoyed it, myself. I was familiar with some of Hannah/Miley’s songs, because I’ve watched the show a few … Continue reading “Hannah Montana (Banana Fee-Fi-Fo-Fanna) Concert”

The Hannah Montana concert last night was AWESOME! Girl, Friend C and Cousin A had a great time. I knew that I was only along for the ride (or, rather, to provide the ride), but I actually enjoyed it, myself. I was familiar with some of Hannah/Miley’s songs, because I’ve watched the show a few times with Girl and we frequently listen to the Disney music channel on the XM radio in the mornings on the way to school (Hannah/Miley gets LOTS of rotation there – natch). I was less familiar with Aly and AJ’s music, but was totally bowled over. Those girls ROCK! They were slamming on their guitars and really belting out the lyrics. Obviously, a lot of concerts are beefed up by background “lip synch” tracks, but if Aly and AJ were using one, it was much less obvious than during the Hannah/Miley part of the show. She was wonderful, too, though. I have to admit that I was watching for the “body double in the wig” portion of the show (not that I hold it against her – it’s a show, after all – they have to use whatever tricks they can find), but I didn’t see it. There was another part of the show where Aly (the curly-haired one) and AJ (the straight-haired one) came out to sing another song – maybe that was added in and wasn’t part of the original show – maybe that was to give Miley time for her costume change.

The concert was a TOTAL estrogen fest. You’ve never SEEN so many little girls all in one place. There was LOTS of screaming. LOTS. Thankfully, the concert arena had re-purposed some of the men’s room (covered the “MEN” signs up to change them to “WOMEN”), so the lines weren’t unbearable. This was confusing to a couple of dads that happened to be there, though, and I did hear a couple of tiny girls ask what the weird-looking sinks were in the bathroom (as the moms hurried them past, saying, “NO! That’s NOT where you wash your hands!”).

Anyway, here are some photos:
(I’m not the greatest photographer, under the best of circumstances, but add in lots of noise, flashing lights, a dark arena and LOTS of screaming and well….I did the best I could.)

In case you’re not familiar with the whole Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus/Aly & AJ genre:
Miley Cyrus is Billy Ray Cyrus’ 15-year old daughter. She has a wildly popular TV show on the Disney Channel. If you haven’t heard of it, you either have been living under a rock or have no females in your life under the age of 14. She is currently on a concert tour, singing songs as both Miley Cyrus and as Hannah Montana, the character that she plays on the show. Aly & AJ are older, but still Disney-affiliated, I believe. No show, but a couple of albums under their belt. They were the warm-up band for Miley/Hannah for the last few stops of the tours, but last night”s concert was their last show with her. The concerts have sparked all kinds of controversy because they’ve been sold out in every city, commanding prices online and through scalpers above $1000 per ticket (I didn’t – and wouldn’t – pay that, by the way). People resorted to all sorts of desperate measures to get their hands on tickets. I am fortunate to have a connection with the concert venue and was able to procure tix with minimal effort, but also have lots of friends here in Austin that were able to secure them through the legit online box office – I think that they must have found a way to weed out the mass online ticket brokers and make the tix more available to fans at a reasonable price.

Hundreds of dollars worth of piano lessons every month? Totally worth it.

Girl just won the spelling bee at her school! The last two contestants were Girl and her good friend, C. They went head-to-head for about 8 rounds, and smiling and cheering each other on. Here’s the kicker: the word that got best friend eliminated? Crescendo. The word that Girl had to spell, after that, to … Continue reading “Hundreds of dollars worth of piano lessons every month? Totally worth it.”

Girl is over the moon and will go on to compete at a district-wide bee in a couple of weeks.

FYI – Good friend C. is super-smart, very sweet and an amazing speller. She stayed in the bee last year much longer (3rd place!) than Girl did, so this was truly anybody’s game and either girl would have been thrilled to have the other one win. I am taking both girls (and Girl’s cousin, A) to the Hannah Montana concert tonight to celebrate. YAY!

Celebratory Lunch:

Grilled Herb-Roasted Turkey and Pepper-Jack Cheese with a baby salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Chicken Paprikash and Sauteed Spinach

Chicken Paprikash, adapted from this Cooking Light recipe 1 Tbsp. canola oil 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 medium sized breasts), cut into bite-sized pieces 1/2 tsp. Baby Bam seasoning 1 cup chopped white onion 1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper 2 pressed garlic cloves 1 Tbsp. paprika (add a little … Continue reading “Chicken Paprikash and Sauteed Spinach”

Chicken Paprikash, adapted from this Cooking Light recipe

1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 medium sized breasts), cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp. Baby Bam seasoning
1 cup chopped white onion
1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper
2 pressed garlic cloves
1 Tbsp. paprika
(add a little sprinkle of pimenton, too, for extra smoky flavor)
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
a sprinkle (1/4 tsp?) freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 scoops sprouted ground flaxseed (available at Costco)

1/2 pound pasta or egg noodles, cooked and drained

Heat the oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the Baby Bam over the chicken pieces and toss/stir to coat. Add chicken to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the garlic, onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until softened (about 3 minutes). Add the paprika, chicken stock, tomatoes, and tomato paste to the pan and cook for 5 minutes or so, turning down the heat, if necessary, to prevent bubbling over. If you would like for the sauce to be smoother and less “chunky”, use an immersion blender at this point (right in the pan) to puree the sauce. Add the caraway seeds and half-and-half to the sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the ground flax. Stir to blend completely. Return the chicken to the pan and continue to simmer (5 to 10 more minutes) until the sauce is nice and thick, the chicken is cooked through and the flax is completed mixed in. Serve over the cooked pasta, with sauteed spinach on the side.

Sauteed Spinach

1 lb. fresh baby spinach leaves
2 Tbsp. olive or canola oil
Baby Bam seasoning to taste (1 to 2 tsp.)

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a VERY large saucepan. Add the spinach, a little bit at a time (it will shrink CONSIDERABLY as it cooks). After all of the spinach is added and has started to wilt a little, sprinkle the Baby Bam over it, stirring (I like to use tongs) to incorporate. When all of the spinach is at least partially wilted (you don’t have to cook it to death), remove it from the heat and serve.

Celebrating the 18th Anniversary of my 21st Birthday….

As part of an early present, Hubby signed us up for a “Knife Skills” class at Whole Foods. We went last week and it was a great class. I also got this: and this (from my BF, Eileen, and her family):

As part of an early present, Hubby signed us up for a “Knife Skills” class at Whole Foods. We went last week and it was a great class.

I also got this:
secret%20ingredients.jpg

and this (from my BF, Eileen, and her family):

Chai Spice Seasoning Blend

I’ve been threatening to make a batch of Chai macaroons (macaron), but haven’t been able to. It’s been rainy and wet here and I’m worried about the impact that all of the moisture would have on the meringues. So, I’m waiting for drier weather before I give it a try. I have also ordered some pistachio extract so that I can give a pistachio version a try (I thought that I would use ground pistacho instead of almond meal and then would use a bit of the pistachio extract in the buttercream), so the macaroon project (thankfully!) is on hold for the moment.

I did, however, want to give you all the recipe for my Chai Spice Seasoning. I’ve noticed quite a few searches for it are directing people to my site (since I have my fancy-dancy new Google Analytics set up) and I don’t want to be a tease, so here it is:

Chai Spice Seasoning Blend

1 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground mace or nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground coriander seed
a small sprinkle of ground black or white pepper
optional: a little (1/8 tsp?) star anise or anise seed, if you’re willing to go through the trouble to grind it

Mix all of the spices together and store in an airtight container. Add to tea, coffee, any baked goods (especially yummy with chocolate – try it in brownies!). Add a pinch to meringue or whipped cream or sprinkle it in your cereal or over your oatmeal. Try blending it into a sweetened vinaigrette for a great dressing over baby spinach, fruit and nuts. If it’s too “spicy” or exotic for you, feel free to cut back on some of the other spices and bulk up the percentage of cinnamon until your taste buds (or your childrens’) get used to it.

But that other 1% really stinks…..

99% of the time, Boy and Girl get along beautifully…. Boy and Girl had a piano class last night that they had to attend together. I dropped them off and told them I’d run an errand or two and would pick them up when the class was over an hour later. I gave them a … Continue reading “But that other 1% really stinks…..”

99% of the time, Boy and Girl get along beautifully….

Boy and Girl had a piano class last night that they had to attend together. I dropped them off and told them I’d run an errand or two and would pick them up when the class was over an hour later. I gave them a mini deck of playing cards (that I ALWAYS have in my purse – you never know when you’re going to meet a Midwesterner who’s dying to play some Euchre!) and told them they could play “War” or something, if I was running a minute or two late or if the class let out early. They were in a great mood and were being perfectly friendly to one another when I dropped them off. An hour later, however, they were sullen and grumpy and climbed into the car while shooting each other dirty looks. Apparently, Girl had been “annoying” (unspecified definition) and so when Girl tried to deal Boy some cards, he didn’t want to play and threw the cards back at her. Of course, I wasn’t there and didn’t hear what happened or what was said, so there was no way that I could settle it (and I really didn’t want to, anyway!), so I just frustratedly suggested that maybe they could remember that they were both human beings and they should treat each other accordingly. I told them that it sounded like they both were not as kind to one another as they could have been and that if either of them felt like they had something to apologize for, this would be a GREAT time to do that, so that we could get on with our pleasant evening. I followed up my “suggestion” with a promising description of building a fire, having a hot meal and cuddling on the sofa together while watching an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise. Of course, none of these things would be able to happen if they weren’t getting along and couldn’t settle their argument….

So, this is what they come up with to say to each other:

Boy:
“I’m sorry that I got mad at you when you were being ANNOYING.”

Girl:
“I’m sorry that I got mad at you when you wouldn’t pick up the cards that you threw at me.”

Me:
banging head on steering wheel

Lasagna, version 2 and Individual Pesto Lasagna Roll-Ups

I’m still looking for a great, basic, all-purpose lasagna recipe. I saw this one and thought I would give it a try the other day. It was good and was definitely “classic” (I used ricotta instead of cottage cheese), but the sauce wasn’t as rich as I would have liked. If I make this again, I will maybe add a little tomato paste or some balsamic vinegar to give the sauce a little more depth, but this was a good, kid-friendly, basic lasagna. Girl liked it a lot. Boy isn’t a big fan of tomato sauce, so I made him some little individual, pesto-sauced lasagna wraps:

Directions:

Take a cooked lasagna noodle and spread it with a very thin layer of prepared (or store-bought) pesto, just enough to very lightly coat it. Spread a thin layer (2 to 3 Tbsp.) of the ricotta cheese mixture (from the above lasagna recipe) on top of the pesto. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and crumbled, cooked hamburger meat (just reserve a little when you brown the meat for your lasagna, above). Very gently roll the lasagna into a spiral and place it carefully in a small glass or ceramic baking dish. Spread a little more pesto over the top and sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese. Bake for the last 15 – 20 minutes of the time that your lasagna is baking, until completely cooked and bubbly (you just want to make sure that the eggs in the ricotta are cooked though). Boy really loved these and had one in his lunch the next day.

Vinaigrette, a tutorial

Vinaigrettes are simple, versatile, classic and almost universally well-received. There are endless ways to make them. They are limited only by your own creativity. The basic formula that I use is: 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, but that’s just a jumping-off point. A tiny bit of … Continue reading “Vinaigrette, a tutorial”

Vinaigrettes are simple, versatile, classic and almost universally well-received. There are endless ways to make them. They are limited only by your own creativity.

The basic formula that I use is: 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, but that’s just a jumping-off point. A tiny bit of something sweet (honey, maple syrup or even plain sugar) is a good flavor balance. Be sure to whisk together all of the liquid ingredients (except the oil) and then VERY slowly pour in the oil, continuously whisking, to thoroughly combine and emulsify the ingredients.

For example:

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard, optional
1 tsp. to 1 Tbsp. honey
(depending on how sweet you want the dressing to be – you can substitute sugar if you prefer)
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard and honey. Slowly pour in the olive oil while continuously whisking, until dressing is thoroughly blended. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

(I make at least one batch of that per week – I can practically make it in my sleep now.)

If you happen to have some puree or coulis (of any sort) on hand, you can use that as a flavoring base to make a specific kind of vinaigrette: roasted red pepper, canned pumpkin, raspberry puree, cranberry sauce, etc. You can adjust the vinegar-sweetener combinations accordingly. Apple cider vinegar is great if you want your finished vinaigrette to have a leaning towards the sweet side. Canola or safflower oil is great if your salad will have a lot of fruit in it (olive oil can be overpowering for a not-too-savory salad) and you want a lighter oil. White balsamic vinegar is great if you want the herby flavor of balsamic, but don’t want to discolor the composition of your salad. Feel free to substitute any vinegar (raspberry? champagne?) or any oil (walnut?) to complement the flavors of your salad ingredients.

Other possible additions:
poppy seeds, minced garlic, ginger (with a bit of soy sauce, chopped peanuts or peanut butter, rice vinegar and peanut oil with a small splash of sesame oil mixed in to give an Asian flavor), chopped fresh (or even dried) herbs, a bit of jam or concentrated fruit juice, toasted nuts, citrus zest, or a bit of freshly-grated parmesan cheese.

Don’t be afraid to be generous with the salt – each portion of the dressing only gets a portion of the salt, so it’s really hard to make it taste too salty (taste it to be sure, of course!). Salt can really add the perfect flavor punch and is really pretty crucial.

I like to store prepared vinaigrette in small, lidded glass jars or bottles. I really like the glass bottles that Starbucks Frappuccino comes in. I don’t drink them, but have a wonderful neighbor that does and she saves them for me (I run them through the dishwasher before using them). They’re the PERFECT size to hold about a cup of dressing (with enough head space for shaking before serving, if it’s been sitting a while and has settled or separated a bit).

Here is the recipe for my pumpkin vinaigrette (everyone that I’ve ever served this to has LOVED it):

Pumpkin Vinaigrette

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp. pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin)
4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
8 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except the olive oil into a small bowl. Whisk well. Add olive oil and whisk until incorporated. Makes about 1 cup. The full directions for a spectacular fall salad can be found here.

and here is a great recipe for Raspberry Vinaigrette that Girl absolutely LOVES:

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
pinch of salt (I don’t use pepper in this vinaigrette, since it’s meant to be sweeter)
4 Tbsp. raspberry coulis
(the coulis is a bit of a pain to make, but you can use it to garnish desserts also and it will keep nicely in the freezer – ignore the directions about the chocolate sorbet)

I serve this over a salad of baby spinach and apple or mango chunks and girl is in HEAVEN.

Sloppy Joes, Version 2

Homemade (high fructose corn syrup free) Sloppy Joes 1 15-oz can tomato sauce 1 cup ketchup (high fructose corn syrup free) 1/4 cup chopped white onion 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper (red or green, whatever you have on hand) 1/2 tsp Baby Bam seasoning 1 – 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 tsp. celery seed 1 … Continue reading “Sloppy Joes, Version 2”

Homemade (high fructose corn syrup free) Sloppy Joes

1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup (high fructose corn syrup free)
1/4 cup chopped white onion
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper (red or green, whatever you have on hand)
1/2 tsp Baby Bam seasoning
1 – 2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. chili powder
1 15-oz can beans (black, kidney, pinto – your choice), drained and rinsed
1 pound ground beef
2 scoops sprouted ground flaxseed (available at Costco)

Brown beef until cooked through. Drain and set aside in a separate bowl or pan. Saute garlic, onion and bell pepper in the pan (using whatever beef fat residue is left in the pan, adding a tiny bit of canola or olive oil, if necessary) until soft. Add beef and all other remaining ingredients back into the pan. Simmer until sauce reaches your desired consistency (10 – 30 minutes), stirring frequently. Stir in flaxseed just before serving and simmer 1 to 2 more minutes, until well combined.

If you’re in a hurry and don’t want to wait for the sauce to thicken, use only half the can of tomato sauce.

Chicken-Veggie-Barley Soup

Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup sliced or chopped carrot 1 cup finely chopped celery 3/4 cup finely chopped white onion 2 pressed or chopped garlic cloves 1 large aseptic box (I use Pacific brand), about 4 cups, chicken broth 2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces about 3/4 cup … Continue reading “Chicken-Veggie-Barley Soup”

Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup sliced or chopped carrot
1 cup finely chopped celery
3/4 cup finely chopped white onion
2 pressed or chopped garlic cloves
1 large aseptic box (I use Pacific brand), about 4 cups, chicken broth
2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
about 3/4 cup barley
about 1 Tbsp. Baby Bam seasoning
fresh chopped parsley, optional

NB: The barley that I used was NOT the quick-cooking kind, but if that’s the you have on hand or all that you can find, it will still work, just put it into the soup later, following the cooking directions on the package.

Sprinkle the Baby Bam over the chicken and stir to coat. Heat half the olive oil in a very large saucepan or small stockpot. Add the chicken to the pan and cook, stirring and turning constantly, until the chicken pieces are browned on all sides (about 3 minutes?). Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the other half of olive oil to the pan and heat it slightly. Add the veggies to the pan (garlic, onion, celery, carrot) and saute them until soft (about 3 minutes?). Add the the barley and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Do not allow the barley to change color – you just want it to be warmed through and very lightly coated with oil. Add the chicken back to the pan and pour in the chicken stock. Cook the soup over medium-low heat (keep it just barely simmering) until the chicken is cooked through, the veggies are softened and the barley is tender to the bite (30 – 45 minutes – but less if you use quick-cooking barley).

If you have any of this soup left over, it still tastes great the next day, but the barley will absorb more of the stock as it sits, so it will become thicker and stew-like.

I served this with roasted brussels sprouts.

Boy and Girl both liked this (Hubby was out of town on business that night) and it was great (warm and filling) for the super cold weather we’ve had the last couple of days. I had to take a short break from macaroons, because we’ve had some rain (I think that might adversely impact the meringue), but I will try two more batches soon. Boy has requested pistachio and Girl has requested chai. After that, I’m going to stop with the macaroons, I promise.