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Tips and Advice -
Raising Foodie Kids
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Written by Ilina Ewen
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I have been a cooking fiend the last few days. I serendipitously
received a new cookbook on my doorstep last Friday. I generally read
cookbooks like they're novels. I pore over them in the bookstore, thumb
through dogeared pages among the racks at used bookstores, and spend
hours gazing at recipes online. On rainy days, I curl up with a cup of Tension Tamer tea and browse through a stack of cookbooks. I clip recipes from the likes of Cooking Light , Food & Wine , Cookie , Bon Appetit , and Southern Living, all of which arrive in my mailbox monthly. You know what? I never make a single recipe.
I use cookbooks, recipes in general really, as inspiration. I don't
measure a thing and am fond of substitutions when the recipe calls for
something I don't have on hand and can't manage a trip to Harris Teeter.
I joke that I am the queen of "kitchen sink cooking;" I can muster up a
great meal with a dash of this and a dollop of that, whatever lurks in
the back of the pantry or in the bowels of the freezer are fair game. I
consult a recipe just to get ideas for spice blends, cooking times,
food pairings, or menu options. It is rare that I cook with a book
propped open.
Until I discovered Taste This! by Gina Von Esmarch.
I
was immediately drawn to the photographs. I hate when cookbooks don't
have pictures. It must be a Pavlovian thing. I made three things out of
Gina's cookbook, improvising just a tish, as any creative cook is wont to do. Let me tell you, this is the first time in my life that what I cooked turned out exactly like it looked in the picture. I'm telling you, her photos could have very well been from my own little kitchen.
Here's what I cooked up:
Chicken
Jerusalem, delectable shredded chicken and artichoke in a wine and
cream sauce served over rice. I added garlic and used gewurtraminner
since I was plum out of sherry. In a rare twist, we didn't have
leftovers. Deal even asked for some the next day for lunch. It's been
only three days, and Mac Daddy is asking for this dish again. Sure
signs of a family keeper, no?
Parmesan Crisps, sourdough bread
coated in finely grated, you guessed it Sherlock, Parmesan. Butter,
bread, cheese. How could one go wrong?! We could barely stop nibbling
on these while I was dishing up dinner. D.I.V.I.N.E. Gina has these
babies in the appetizer section, but they are so good that you'll want
to serve them with the main course too. I put them in a cool glass bowl
on the table so we could help ourselves as we enjoyed our meal. I
stopped counting at five. Like I said, butter, bread, cheese. Can you
blame a girl?
Needle in a Haystack, chocolate candy, 'nuff said. Pretty much the only dessert I can make without screwing up is instant pudding. But I could make these. Who knew chow mein
noodles and chocolate are long lost soul mates? We devoured these. The
best part? So easy and fun to make with the kids. I used half
chocolate, half butterscotch chips. I added unsalted peanuts, mini
marshmallows, and shredded coconut. The recipe recommends raisins too,
but you know how I feel about those wrinkled has-been grapes. This
treat is going to be my go-to recipe for school parties, holiday gifts,
block parties, you name it. Delish.
Think I'm gushing? Here are some family testimonials:
"This is the BEST haystack I've ever had!" exclaimed Deal, age 3.
Commenting
on said treats, "I know a way to get rich, Mommy. Let's make and sell
these!" remarked my entrepreneurial, if not somewhat cheeky, Bird, age
5.
What's so great about Taste This!
is that there is nothing chi-chi about it, no trips to the fancy food
show to track down obscure ingredients. Easy, family friendly, fast
cooking. No chicken nuggets or other such crap posing as healthy kid
fare. These recipes are family fare. You know me, no cooking
two separate meals for parents and children. The whole family eats the
same meal; I am not a short order cook (no short jokes, please). This
cookbook is great for a seasoned cook and a kitchen greenie alike. The Finger Lickin' Chicken is next on my list.
Oh, want to get your hands on this too? Check it out .
I can't wait to try more from this cookbook. I have a feeling it's going to be dogeared and sauce splattered very soon.
When Ilina isn't in the kitchen, you'll find her in her office writing for Dirt & Noise , her account of life as the sole woman in a house full of well, dirt and noise.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 05 March 2009 )
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Tips and Advice 
