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No Kids' Menu at My Table |
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Tips and Advice -
Raising Foodie Kids
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Written by Ilina Ewen
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I love to cook. I love to eat. I love the cultural significance of food, and my wish is to impart that appreciation and awe to my boys. We shop together (oh, the grocery store and farmers market are wonderful places to engage children!) and cook together. Well, mostly they make a mess, and sometimes I admittedly yell while shooing them out of the kitchen. Most of the time they play underfoot while I cook or sit at the kitchen bar stools and chat with me. This simple exposure wil pay dividends I'm sure.
I cook one meal. No kids' menu fare (well, maybe sometimes). In general we eat the same stuff my husband and I enjoyed before we had kids. Take a look at what we had for dinner tonight. Recipes included!
Chicken with mushrooms and garlic in wine and cider sauce
Figs stuffed with goat cheese and honey
Roasted root vegetables
Honey crisp apple slices with caramel sauce
And yes, my kids ate it all too! I made up these dishes so here are the recipes the best I can remember. Improvisation can yield great results so let these inspire you!
Chicken Recipe:
Cube chicken breasts and dredge in flour to coat. Saute in heated 2 Tbs
olive oil on medium heat. Add one package of sliced mushrooms and two
minced cloves of garlic. Cook until chicken is browned and mushrooms
are softened. Add 1 teaspoon of tarragon, 1 teaspoon of capers, and a
squeeze of lemon juice. Add 1 cup of white wine and 1/2 cup of apple
cider. Scrape up those yummy pan drippings. Add salt and pepper to
taste. Cook down until sauce thickens (about 20-30 minutes). Serve over
brown rice or wide noodles.
Fig Recipe:
Quarter fresh figs without cutting all the way through. If you squeeze
them a bit from the bottom they will look like little flowers. Add a
half teaspoon of goat cheese into each fig. Drizzle with honey and olive
oil and freshly ground black pepper. Broil until cheese is bubbly.
Roasted Vegetables Recipe:
Cut variety of root vegetables into bit size pieces. I used parsnips,
sweet potatoes, and beets. Toss in olive oil, sea salt, and the needles
of one large sprig of fresh rosemary. Roast at 375 for one hour. Toss
every 20 minutes to ensure even cooking.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 19 November 2008 )
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Tips and Advice 
