Tips and Advice - Raising Foodie Kids

People don't believe me when I tell them what my kids eat. The truth is that they A) actually like and appreciate food and B) don't have a choice. While I am a mere 60 inches tall, you could say I am a short cook, but short order? No way. We raise our kids to value food - where it came from, how it tastes, the traditions that accompany it. We are foodie people in this family. My sons, ages six and four, are little connoisseurs of capers, goat cheese, clams, pine nuts and the like. They can eat pitted oil cured olives and know the difference between pepperoni and pancetta.

We recently had some friends over for an impromptu dinner. As per my modus operandi, I didn't prepare anything different for the kids. I was a tish worried at first since these particular friends had never been over before. I figured I'd make something simple that would bridge adult and kid palates (which incidentally, is fodder for another post, as I don't believe that kids are born with an innate sensory disposition toward chicken nuggets, fish sticks, and canned fruit). In our house, if I'm cooking egg curry or grilled snapper or fish tacos or tandoori chicken or pork carnitas, everyone is eating it. And may I add, enjoying it. Dinner is an important family ritual: food, family time, and conversation are the trifecta of our family's meal time.

I was hoping the same would hold true for our new friends.

My friend was bringing a salad. When she mentioned the dressing was a natural bleu cheese vinaigrette, I eased up a bit, figuring picky palates don't choose bleu cheese.

I roasted the melange of CSA vegetables I had in the fridge (Asian eggplant, broccoli, purple peppers, red onion), cut up some melon, and whipped up this lovely chicken. It's so easy that it passes the muster for a weeknight meal. As with all my recipes, measurements are not exact since I never measure a thing. I am one of those sensory cooks; I go by sight, smell, taste, and a good dollop of intuition.

My Take on Lemony Chicken

• 4 thinly sliced chicken cutlet (You can easily flatten out breasts yourself with a mallet. The thin cut makes cooking time fast.)
• flour for dredging
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 can of sodium free chicken broth
• white wine
• juice of 1 large lemon (2 small limes will do)
• corn starch
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons capers
• salt & pepper

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet with high sides. Dredge the chicken in the flour and add to hot oil. Cook a few minutes on both sides until cooked through. Remove chicken and let it rest on a plate. Add minced garlic and onion and let it brown ever so slightly. Pour in half can of chicken broth. Make sure you scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pan. All the goodness is in those bits! Add a healthy pour or two of white wine and the juice of one lemon. Add rosemary and the rest of the chicken broth, stir, and simmer. In a separate bowl, mix 1 teaspoon of corn starch in cool water and stir. Slowly add to sauce, whisking continuously to thicken. Toss in the mushrooms, capers, and chicken. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Simmer until mushrooms are soft. Serve with rice, roasted potatoes, noodles, or bread. A few slices of lemon and a couple sprigs of rosemary on top make a lovely presentation.

For our purposes, we just served ourselves right from the pan. Hey, being a foodie doesn't necessarily mean being a snob. But take note that my mother would be tres disappointed to know that I didn't properly serve my guests.

This chicken was four-year old approved. The day after our friends came over, the mom emailed asking me for the recipe because her daughter had asked for it. Cheers to foodie kids!