Yesterday I had the pleasure of moderating the Family Foodies: Raising the Next Generation of Gourmands panel at BlogHer '10. The panelists were Danielle "Haulin' Ass" Wiley of Foodmomiac and Sarah W. Caron of Sarah's Cucina Bella. The title of the session (not picked by us!) was completely over-the-top high-brow, but I promise, the session was not.
We spent the hour and 15 minutes discussing topics like how we feed our families, how we get our kids to try a wide variety of foods and cuisines, and why we love to cook (and love to teach our kids about food and cooking). But the best part of the session was the amazing audience who was not shy at all about sharing their favorite tips and tricks, too. It was a dynamic, interactive session, and by the time it was over, we all raced to the afternoon snack break because talking about sauteeing shallots in butter makes you hungry!
At the end of the session we passed out some of our favorite family-friendly recipes. In case you couldn't be there, I'm sharing them here.
Enjoy!
P.S. If you were at the session, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
BlogHer ‘10 Raising the Next Generation of Gourmands!
Family-friendly recipes to share from the Sarah Caron, Danielle Wiley, and Stefania Pomponi Butler. We hope you enjoy our recipes!
From Sarah Caron
Sarah’s Cucina Bella
http://sarahscucinabella.com/
California Turkey Club Wraps
serves 4
My five-year-old son adores this wrap. He’s a big avocado fan, and loves how the creamy
avocado tastes with crisp lettuce, crunchy bacon and delicious turkey and Swiss.
4 soft flatbreads or tortillas
4 leaves Boston Bibb lettuce, ribs removed
1 medium tomato, sliced
3/4 lb honey maple turkey breast (deli meat – Boar’s Head is recommended)
4 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked and drained on paper towel
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
Lay the flatbreads or tortillas out.
Divide the lettuce, tomato, turkey breast, cheese, bacon and avocado evenly between the
flatbreads or tortillas, layering in that order.
Roll the flatbread or tortilla up, making the wrap. Cut in half.
Serve immediately.
Chicken Ala Caron
(Bacon Cheddar Barbecue Chicken Rollatini)
serves 4
This recipe is among my most-requested for birthdays and special gatherings. The layers of
flavor – sweet barbecue, salty bacon, meaty chicken and sharp cheddar – make it special.
1 lb chicken breast (boneless and skinless, thin sliced)
1/2 cup grated cheddar (sharp)
1 slice bacon per chicken breast
barbecue sauce
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an oven safe pan with cooking spray.
Wash chicken (remember, you need 1 lb of thin sliced chicken). Lay out pieces and divide
cheddar evenly among them. Starting at one end, roll each one up tightly. Lay out bacon slices
(these should be UNCOOKED) and wrap around each chicken roll. Secure with a wooden
toothpick and place in the pan. Be sure that your toothpicks don’t have any plastic fringe on
them or anything — that would be a disaster.
Once all the chicken is rolled and wrapped, place the pan in the preheated oven and cook for
20 minutes. Remove from oven and brush each roll with about 1 tbsp barbecue sauce. I prefer a
honey barbecue for this application like Sweet Baby Ray’s.
Return the pan to the oven and cook for 5-6 more minutes. Then, turn the oven off and turn
the broiler on high. Do not open the door or remove the chicken from the oven. Cook for an
additional 5-6 minutes until the bacon is browned on top.
Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Parmesan Rosemary Sweet Potato Fries
serves 4
Sweet potato fries have really caught on in recent years, and these are my family’s favorite
variety.
About 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (preferably the easy
release kind).
Peel the sweet potatoes. Cut into strips that are about 1/4 inch wide on each side.
Place the sweet potatoes into a large bowl. Add oil, salt, and rosemary. Stir well to thoroughly
coat the fries. Stir in 2/3 of the Parmesan. Spread out onto the baking sheet in a single layer.
Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
Cook for 20-25 minutes, turning about halfway through. Fries are done when they are browned
around the edges. Transfer immediately to a paper towel lined plate and serve warm.
Chocolate Chip Cookies with a Hint of Oats
yields 3 dozen cookies
My kids love helping in the kitchen and baking cookies is one of their very favorite things to
make. These delicious cookies are a new favorite, perfect for ice cream sandwiches or just
munching on for dessert.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup oats (not quick-cook)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. KID STEP: Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Set aside.
KID STEP: Sift together the all-purpose flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, granulated
sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy in
appearance.
KID STEP: Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture a little at a
time, until fully incorporated.
KID STEP: Add the eggs to the mixer one at a time, beating until incorporated after each
mixture.
Add the chocolate chips to the mixer and mix for a few seconds to combine.
Using a 1 tbsp cookie scoop, drop the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet, leaving about 2
inches between each mound. Cook for 9-11 minutes, until golden. Let the cookies cool on the
baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
***
From Danielle Wiley
Foodmomiac
http://www.foodmomiac.com/
A note from Stefania: I have tried all of these recipes and every single one of them is a staple in our house. I won't ever make another meatloaf again, the chili is to die, and the soup is made almost weekly throughout winter in our house. I love it that much.
Foodmomiac's Meatloaf
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs
2 Tb. ketchup
1 Tb. yellow mustard
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tb. dehydrated minced onion
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tb. prepared horseradish
Combine everything together in a large bowl using your hands (This is the most important part. I honestly believe that it is impossible to make good meatloaf using a spoon.)
Place in a 9 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.
Foodmomiac Chili
1 to 1-1/2 pounds chuck roast, frozen for 40 minutes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
4 cups water
1 bottle beer
1 32oz. can whole, diced or crushed tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can hominy or sweet corn, drained
Pull the meat out of the freezer and cut it into 1/2 inch cubes (partially freezing makes it easier to cut through the meat). Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat, add the olive oil, and then brown the meat on all sides. Add the onion, garlic and peppers. When these start to soften, add the chili powder and cumin. Cook for about 5-6 minutes. You want the spices to really give up their flavor and get nice and toasty (but not burnt). Add the water, beer and tomatoes. If using whole tomatoes, cut them up a bit in the can before adding them. I just stick my knife in the can. You can also using kitchen shears for this. Cook over low heat for at least three hours, adding more water as necessary. When you have about 1/2 hour to go, add the beans and hominy (or corn).
Note: You can easily adapt this recipe to a crockpot. Before adding the water, beer and tomatoes, transfer the mixture to your crockpot. Also, you will need to HALVE the amount of water used, as liquid will not cook off in a crockpot. Also, you can add the beans and corn right away instead of waiting until the end. I usually cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Italian Vegetable Soup
4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks of celery, diced
5 carrots, diced
6 small red potatoes, diced
2 large zucchini, diced
1/2 red cabbage, diced
1 can chick peas, drained
1 can tomato paste
8 cups boiling water
3-4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh basil minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
rind from a chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)
1/2 pound cooked macaroni (whatever shape you like)
freshly ground Parmigiano Reggiano
Heat a large stockpot and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic and celery. Cook until slighly softened and smelling fabulous. Add the carrots, potatoes, zucchini, cabbage and chick peas. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Add the boiling water, salt, pepper, basil and cheese rind. Bring to a boil, cover, turn to low and simmer for at least an hour. Remove the rind.
Place the cooked macaroni in the bottom of the bowl. Add the soup, top with cheese. Enjoy.
***
From me!
Shakshouka
The perfect summer dish since it uses tomatoes, zucchini, basil, and feta. It’s wonderful as a brunch or light lunch dish and terrific as a quick dinner when served with rice or pita.
SHAKSHOUKA
I used tomatoes and herbs from my garden. All the other ingredients were local except for the feta. Serve with rice pilaf or warmed pita bread. Simple yet so delicious.
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 4-5 cloves of garlic (less if you don't adore garlic like I do)
- 2 sweet onions, halved and sliced
- 3 Korean squash (paler and more gourd-like than Italian zucchini), cut lengthwise then chopped into half moons (zucchini is a fine substitute)
- 3 tomatoes, quartered (more if you want it more tomatoey)
- 1 sprig of fresh oregano, leaves chopped
- 4 eggs
- 4 ounces of good-quality feta, crumbled
- 8-10 basil leaves, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Heat a large saute pan (with lid) over medium heat, pour in a generous amount of olive oil (at least 4-5 glugs or tbsps). Add garlic and onions and saute for about 5 minutes until onions are soft and garlic is golden. Add in zucchini and tomatoes. Stir, then cover and let zucchini and tomatoes cook down, about 15 minutes. Stir occassionally and lower heat if needed. Add in oregano and salt and pepper to taste. make four little wells in the shakshouka and crack an egg into each. Sprinkle liberally with feta and cover for 5 more minutes until eggs are just set and feta is melted. Remove from heat, sprinkle with basil and serve at once. Serves four.
PENNE WITH RAW TOMATO-PEPPER SAUCE
The key to this sauce is using fresh red peppers and the best extra virgin olive oil you can afford. You really taste the olive oil in a raw sauce. I had an assortment of local peppers and it was fine, but all red peppers is preferable. The raw sauce also makes a great dip. This is like summer in your mouth.
- 4 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 3ish red peppers, seeded and chopped
- 2-4 cloves of garlic, whole
- 1/4 red or yellow onion
- handful of fresh Italian parsley leaves
- best-quality olive oil
- a handful of fresh basil, chiffonade
- salt and pepper
- freshly grated pecorino romano cheese (or any local hard sheep's milk cheese)
Place all of the above (except basil, salt, and pepper) in a food processor or blender and whiz until it is smooth. While veggies are whizzing, drizzle in 4-6 tbsps of best-quality fruity olive oil. Scrape into a bowl. Add basil, salt and pepper and set aside. The sauce will have a pinkish-orangish hue and will smell fragrant.
Cook one box of penne for 1-2 minutes less than package indicates or until barely al dente. It should be chewy. Drain and return to hot cooking pot. Spoon sauce over until it is well-sauced. (You may not use all the sauce.) Add cheese, toss and serve. Serves 4 adults. Great cold, too.
FISH IS TOO HARD TO COOK, YOU SAY
It's not, really, it's not. In fact, fish is the staple of my favorite "Twenty Minute Meal." If you have a glass dish with a lid (i.e. Pyrex or Corning), you can use it to steam fish in the microwave. Yes, I said microwave, but bear with me. You know how microwaves are famous for steaming veggies like broccoli and asparagus so perfectly? Fish gets the same gentle treatment, and because fish has such a high water-content, it's nearly impossible to ruin it. Fish only takes 5 minutes in the micro, and this cooking method is healthy, too. Follow the time management tips below and this meal will be on the table in 20 minutes if you are serving (white) rice, or even less if you are serving cous cous.
First things first, put some rice (try basmati or jasmine depending on how you are preparing the fish) in the rice cooker and turn it on. Or, get your water boiling for cous cous. (Don't forget to salt the cous cous water and add a little butter or oil.) While rice or cous cous is cooking, prep the fish. You can use any kind of thicker fillet (salmon, halibut, bass, snapper etc.) Lay the fish (I cook about a pound and a half for my family of four) in a lightly oiled glass dish. If you are working with several fillets, it is okay if they overlap.Now, the fun part. You can give your fish any kind of flavor you want. Don't worry about being precise. Just glop everything on top of the fish, cover it with the lid, and away you go. Here are my favorite additions:
- a few glugs of coconut milk, a couple cloves of smashed garlic, some ripped (Thai) basil leaves, a handful of cilantro leaves, sliced chilis, smashed lemongrass stalks or lime zest, and a dash or two of fish sauce
- grated citrus zest (any kind), citrus juice (any kind), sliced green onions, garlic, salt, and pepper
- a shmear of pesto (preferably pesto made without cheese)
- a palmful of ground cumin, a couple cloved of crushed garlic, sliced sweet onion, cilantro leaves, salt, and pepper
- a splash or two of light soy sauce, a splash of sesame oil, grated ginger and a glug of mirin (rice wine), sprinkle with sesame seeds
- a heaping tablespoon of black bean chili sauce rubbed over the fish and some xiao tsing rice wine (or sherry)
Cover and microwave for 4-5 minutes or so for a 1 inch-thick fillet and let sit covered until the rest of your dinner is ready. Comes out perfectly steamed/poached everytime.
While the fish is cooking, make a green salad or saute some quick-cooking veggies like snap or snow peas, green beans, or broccoli. There you have it. Dinner in under 20 minutes.
KOREAN BRAISED SHORTRIBS (KALBI JIM)
So easy it's ridiculous. Serve with steamed short-grain (sushi) rice and kimchi if you are lucky enough to have access to a store that sells it.
- 5 pounds of beef short ribs, rinsed, trimmed of fat, and patted dry (see photo below)
- 5 carrots, scrubbed, cut into large sections (I cut each one into three pieces)
- 1.5 cups of low-sodium soy sauce (or regular if you prefer)
- 4-5 tablespoons of sugar (white, brown evaporated cane, whatever you prefer)
- 3 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil
- 5 whole cloves of garlic, peeled
- water
The short ribs (easily obtained at a Korean market) should be thick and chunky. In a large pot, combine all of the above ingredients along with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Don't worry if all the ingredients aren't covered by liquid, it will be as it cooks. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until meat has shrunken away from the bone, but isn't falling off. Stir occasionally. (This cut of beef is already very tender and does not require long simmering.)
Serve while hot in shallow bowls so the rice soaks up some of the delicious sauce.
If you want to serve this the next day, let it cool then skim off the fat before reheating.
Variations: Traditionally, daikon or Japanese radish is included in this stew. If you want to use this, simply peel and cut one daikon (navel orange-sized) into 2-inch chunks. If you don't want to add daikon, you can also add a 3 or 4 of halved waxy potatoes like Yukon golds. Lastly, a slice or two of fresh ginger is nice in this. Remove it before serving.
