Picky Child's Delight

It can be difficult-- even with thoughtful planning-- to come up with nutritious meals, seven nights a week, that appeal to every person in a large family. Since I don't make my children eat anything (though I always offer and encourage), I've found myself preparing two different dinners each night--sometimes three--in order to please everyone and ensure healthy eating.

This got to be too much.

Now, once a week, I make up a large bowl of "Picky Child's Delight." In essence, this dish is a balanced combination of foods with universal appeal. To make it, I combine a popular carbohydrate, accepted vegetable and favorite protein with a much-loved dairy.

Drizzle or spritz this with a small amount of light oil in order to keep it from drying out, cover it well, and keep it in the fridge for a side dish fill-in or whole meal substitute for the picky child du jour. The balance ensures healthy fill-ins for picky kids and the make-ahead plan offers last minute convenience.

Here are some of our favorite combinations...

Ham and Cheese
16 oz. whole grain* Penne pasta, cooked
1/2 lb. ham squares or diced Canadian bacon
1/2 lb. broccoli tops, steamed
8 0z. white cheddar cheese cubed
light olive oil
*optional

Pizza Mix
16 oz. whole grain* Rigatoni, cooked
8 oz. pepperoni, sliced
10 oz. black olives, sliced
8 oz. mozzarella diced
light olive oil

Peas and Shells
16 oz. medium shells, cooked
8-10 oz frozen peas, thawed
1/2 lb. chicken pieces, diced
8 oz. Jack cheese, cubed
light olive oil

Chicken and Rice
2 cups dry wild rice, cooked
1/2 lb. chicken pieces, diced
1/2 lb. cooked carrots, diced
8 oz. provolone cheese, cubed
bit of melted butter in rice

Breakfast Mix
16. oz macaroni, cooked
10 eggs hard boiled and cut up
1/2 lb sausage or kielbasa, cooked and chopped
2 green or red peppers, diced
8 oz. white cheddar, cubed

All ingredients are cooked and cooled before mixing. Some of my pickier kids will even try to pick out parts of Picky Child's Delight ! They eat it hot or cold and top it with their favorite condiments (Red Hot, Worcestershire, Ketchup, Olive Oil, Pasta sauce). I'd like to know your combinations if you make some!

Lamb of Spring Stew

1 1/2 lbs baby red potatoes
half a dozen carrots
2 stalks of celery
2 large parsnips
18 pearl onions
1 turnip
1 1/2 lbs boneless lamb stewing meat

Dice potatoes into one inch pieces and toss into a large crock pot or dutch oven. Slice carrots, turnip, parsnips, and celery. Toss on top of potatoes. Peel outer layer off onions and add them to the pot. Cut lamb meat into bite sized pieces and place on top.

1 Tbs butter
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves
2 Cups water
2 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Beef
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
Fresh cracked pepper
Secret Ingredient

Melt butter in a medium sauce pan and saute garlic and rosemary (cut into small pieces) for a minute or two. Turn the pepper mill over this a few times. Add water and Better Than Bouillon. Whisk until completely dissolved. Whisk in Dijon mustard. And now....

...for the secret ingredient

OK, it doesn't have to be shaped like a bunny, but the secret ingredient is...

CHOCOLATE.

Melt one oz. unsweetened chocolate in the broth and pour the mixture over meat and vegetables already prepared in the crock pot or dutch oven. Cook on low heat for 8 hours or higher heat for 5 hours.

10 oz. fresh snow peas
1 TBS. butter
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 Tbs corn starch
Black pepper to taste

Half an hour before cooking has ended, melt 1 Tbs. butter in a small saucepan and fry rosemary and black pepper for a minute. Add water and wine and bring to scalding. Whisk cornstarch in and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and add to the pot, stirring well. Top with snap peas 5 min. before serving.

Garnish with fresh sprigs of rosemary

Serve with plenty of fresh crusty bread and butter.
Enjoy!

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Ricotta and Peas

This recipe is an easy, throw-together-at-the-last-minute gem. I have never been very fond of mint used for culinary purposes, but somehow it works quite well here. Freshly chopped sage is a good substitution if you don't favor mint in your food.

1 pound medium pasta shells
table salt
1 cup frozen peas (4 ounces)
2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 ounces whole-milk ricotta (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (one 8 1/2-ounce jar) drained, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped coarse
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese , plus additional for serving
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves

freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil, covered, in stockpot. Stir in pasta and 1 tablespoon salt; cook until al dente, adding peas in last 15 seconds of cooking. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup cooking water, and return pasta and peas to stockpot.

2. Meanwhile, heat garlic, oil, and red pepper flakes in small skillet over medium heat; cook until sizzling but not browned, about 1 minute. Set skillet aside to cool slightly. Stir together ricotta, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, mint, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and garlic/oil mixture in bowl. Stir pasta cooking water into ricotta mixture; add ricotta mixture to pasta in pot and stir well to combine. Serve immediately, passing additional Parmesan separately. Serves 4-6.

Recipe courtesy Cook's Illustrated

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is a staple of our children's diet. They eat so much of it, I became concerned about the amounts of trans fats they were consuming. We switched to the messy, but tasty, natural variety several years ago. Then we switched again recently to this more convenient Skippy no-need-to stir. It has no hydrogenated oils or trans fats of any kind. Some contend with the "natural" label because it substitutes palm oil for peanut oil, but there is nothing wrong with palm oil. Also, Skippy tastes great and you can't beat the convenience.

Pan-Seared Filets with Red-Wine Shallot Sauce

This sauce wonderfully enhances any good cut of beef, and is very simple to prepare. It is one of the only meals enjoyed by my entire household. If you prefer to grill your beef, you may pan-sear one steak just until brown bits and juices accumulate in the pan, then transfer the meat to the barbecue. Enjoy!

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4 filet mignon steaks (rib-eye is a good second choice)

2 medium shallots , minced
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 cup dry red wine - Pinot Noir, Cabernet or Zinfandel
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 6 pieces
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Over medium-high heat, sear the steaks in a 12-inch heavy bottomed saute pan or skillet, about 4-8 minutes (4=rare; 8=medium) per side. Remove filets to a heat-proof platter and keep warm in the oven, reserving accumulated juices in the pan.

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Off heat, in the same pan used to cook steaks add shallots and sugar; using pan’s residual heat, cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are slightly softened and browned and sugar is melted, about 45 seconds.

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Return pan to high heat. Add wine, broth, and bay leaf; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits on pan bottom with wooden spoon. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 4 minutes.

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Stir in vinegar and mustard; cook at medium heat to blend flavors, about 1 minute longer.

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Off heat, whisk in butter until melted and sauce is thickened and glossy. Add thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf, spoon sauce over steaks and serve immediately.

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Recipe courtesy Cook's Illustrated

Irish Whiskey Soda Bread

From the King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook.

4 Cups flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 Tablespoons butter
11/2 cups raisins (plumped in milk at least 3 hours)
2-3 Tablespoons Irish Whiskey
2 eggs
1 Cup buttermilk

Preheat to 400 degrees.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Cut or rub the butter in using your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.

Drain the raisins. In a second bowl, mix the drained raisins with 2 Tablespoons whiskey. Blend these with the flour until thoroughly coated.

Beat the eggs and remove one Tablespoon and set aside. Add buttermilk to beaten eggs. Add wet ingredients to dry stirring just enough to combine.

Mix well, if the ingredients seem too dry (won't hold together) add the additional tablespoon of whiskey. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8-10 times until mixture comes together as a whole.

Form into a roundish ball and place on a well greased cake pan or casserole dish.

Brush top with reserved egg. Cut a four inch cross across the top with a floured knife.

Bake 45-50 min. or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Slice thin and serve.

Spring Nutrition Guide '07

Gabrielle Reece of Yahoo Health offers a spring cleaning plan for your body and a common sense health guide. Identify your problem areas and make the changes that will help you live a happier, healthier life.

Ok. Now I'm going for a run...