Easy Pizza Playdate

4 little boys + 1 day of icky weather = Make Your Own Pizza Playdate

What you’ll need:

• Baking sheets lightly rubbed with olive oil
• Pizza crusts (I used Trader Joe's refrigerated ones and each bag of dough made two 8” pizzas)
• Sauce(s): we had 2 choices: marinara (“smooth”) and vodka (“chunky”)
• Cheese(s): we put out shredded mozzarella and shredded cheddar
• Toppings: have the toppings pre-cut and in bowls so little fingers can easily get to them…I offered up red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, salami and roasted broccoli

Unless you’re into clouds of flour, I recommend doing the rolling the dough part yourself then calling the munchkins in to do the decorating. At first half the kids just wanted cheese pizza…but then one of them got the idea of making his pizza into “a face” and that opened up a whole exciting way of using (minimal amounts of) veggies. This was a messy project, but nothing a dustbuster and some paper towels couldn’t handle! Plus each kid went home with dinner to share with their brother or sister...and my children's dinner is made. Bonus.

Chimichurri Rice with Sausage & Spinach

On the day my older son has Kindergarten soccer practice (otherwise known as: one very patient dad trying to herd cats), our whole evening routine is thrown to the wind. Normally I feed my kids around 5:00 and they’ve had their bath and stories and are in bed between 6:30-7:00, respectively. Friends balk at their early bedtime, but neither kid’s complaining (any more than they already would no matter when they had to go to bed) and there is a brief period of calm at the end of the day.

But on the days we’ve got "soccer", we don’t even get home until 6:15 or so. This means I feed my kids their supper at 4:30 then race around putting shin guards on, looking for the soccer ball…and then spend an hour trying to keep my little one off the field and out of the parking lot. Unless I really plan ahead, dinner these nights doesn't get started until well after my husband has gotten home so it's got to be quick and easy...or takeout.

Last night, after the kids were asleep I went downstairs to figure out what I could quickly whip up. I hadn’t been to the market in several days and the fruits and veggies from our CSA were pretty slim at this point in the week. Still, with a little digging around the freezer, dinner turned out great….and plentiful enough that we can both have it for lunch today.

Chimichurri Rice with Sausages & Spinach

1 pkg Trader Joe’s Chimichurri Rice (in freezer section)
1 pkg Trader Joe’s Andouille Chicken Sausage, sliced thin
1 large bag frozen spinach

In a large fry pan, sauté the chicken sausage in a little olive oil. Add the frozen spinach and sauté until warmed through. In the meantime, heat the Chimichurri Rice according to the package (I did the microwave heating). Once warmed, add to dry pan with sausage and spinach. Done!

And last but not least, Rainbow Dinner...

11 colors again. A great plate of choices. You get the picture by now…here’s one thing I forgot to mention though. A friends asked if I waste a lot of food when I put out so many choices? No, not at all. If something hasn’t been touched and is still fresh, it gets recycled in the next meal. Sometimes one child just isn’t in the mood for watermelon, or cucumbers, etc. But chances are if they see it a couple times they’ll venture to try it. I do not make ultimatums at dinner, saying you must each such and such. I am fortunate that they both have a pretty varied palate and neither little guy is picky. The battle I fight is keeping them in their seats! There's a lot of energy at our dinner table...

Rainbow Lunch Bonanza

Green: grapes & celery (“2 greens!”)
Orange: carrots & a slice of sharp cheddar cut with a cookie cutter for added excitement…heck if it makes them eat it… (“2 oranges!”)
Red: cubes of watermelon (“1 red!”)
Pink: 1 slice of Applegate turkey rolled into a tube (“1 pink!”)
Purple: grapes (“1 purple!”)
Blue: blueberries & blackberries (“wow, 2 blues this time!”)
Brown: cup of Trader Joe’s High Fiber O’s and a side of hummus (“2 browns!”)

11 colors in this Rainbow Lunch…lots of excitement at meal time.
Time spent preparing lunch: about 2 minutes.

Rainbow Breakfast

My comment yesterday about a plate of food looking like a rainbow and my son counting the colors on his plate spurred a bunch of emails from friends. It seems that we’re all looking for ways to encourage our children to eat a variety of wholesome foods…and what child doesn’t like a contest? By suggesting your child go on a “hunt” for colors on their plate, you will be encouraged to make it more colorful, and they will (hopefully) be excited to see what’s being served. This is today’s breakfast entry and the count that ensued in our kitchen at 7am. If you're daunted by the prospect of getting ready for school morning chaos, please keep in mind that all of the fruits and veggies were prepped yesterday so making breakfast just involved scrambling eggs and toasting the muffin:

Green: grapes & chopped avocado (“2 greens!”)
Yellow: scrambled eggs & yellow peppers (“2 yellows!”)
Red: bell peppers (in the eggs) (“1 red!”)
White: onion (in the eggs) & cream cheese (“2 whites!”)
Purple: grapes (“1 purple!”)
Blue: blueberries (“1 blue!”)
Brown: whole wheat raisin English muffin (“1 brown!”)

Grand total...10 colors!

The path of least resistance...

This isn’t rocket science, but time and time again I am reminded that:

• My grocery will be much less costly if I shop with a list, and
• We will eat more fruits and vegetables if they are prepped and ready to simply grab from the fridge or fruit bowl.

I am hopeless when it comes to my first revelation. It’s not that I’m not organized...it’s just that I love food. So if I’m shopping and something looks really fresh and yummy—or quick and interesting—I tend to grab it. Then I come home with what I intended to shop for and the spontaneous purchases and well, sometimes it’s too much.

I’m not going to fight that battle. I am shopping without a list these days. I am choosing what looks fresh and is priced well. If it’s local, even better. No matter what meal I am making, I always get at least one fruit and veggie on the plate. My older child totally gets the “rainbow” concept when it comes to food and likes to count the colors on his plate.

If you spend an extra half hour when you get home from the market, washing and/or slicing your fruits and veggies…and storing them front and center… you will certainly eat them more than if they’re tucked away and need prep before you can enjoy them. This is why “value added” fruits are so appealing—you see the ripe mango or sliced pineapple and think “hmm, that looks yummy”. You can do the same in your fridge.

Right now, to give you some ideas, here’s what I have prepped and ready to go:

• Strawberries – ½ the box is cut up and sprinkled with a little Turbinado sugar so they’re in with a little syrup for morning pancakes, the other ½ simply has the stems lopped off and are ready for a snack or to pop in a lunchbox;
• Grapes – washed and torn into small bundles, perfect for the kids to grab as they run outside;
• Watermelon – this is the one “value added” item I bought this week since I knew we wouldn’t plow through a whole watermelon. I cut it into chunks that I can quickly pop onto the kid’s plates at mealtime or into a lunchbox;
• Blueberries and blackberries – washed and ready to pop onto pancakes, cereal, oatmeal, or for a snack;
• Red and yellow peppers – washed and cut into matchsticks for lunches and snacks or quickly chopped to go in scrambled eggs or a salad;
• Peas - steamed and ready to be inhaled by my older one and flung/catapulted across the kitchen by my little one;
• Carrots – washed, peeled and cut into matchsticks (or buy a bag of the mini ones);
• Celery – washed and cut into manageable pieces, ready to quickly become “ants on a log” with cream cheese or peanut butter and raisins;
• Spinach and Romaine – from our CSA, washed and stored in a damp paper towel;
• Cucumbers – from our CSA, washed and cut into “cucumber pennies” that the kids like to dip in hummus for snack or lunch;
• Apples – are washed and out in the fruit bowl on the counter;
• Bananas – are also out in the fruit bowl on the counter, within easy reach of my kids.

Cuban Picadillo

I am starting to get some serious pangs of anxiety when I realize that the lack of a nap is becoming a trend in our house. This lack of "mommy time" explains why my postings have been sporadic at best this past week. I will type fast so I can share this recipe for picadillo with you because it is so easy to prepare, and so yummy… This meal is even better on day two, once flavors have had a chance to really meld. Plus, it freezes well, so if you’re making it once you might as well make extra and enjoy a night off of cooking later this month or next! We like to serve in whole wheat wraps, but traditionally picadillo is served over steamed white rice. Either way, it is delicious.

Cuban Picadillo

Olive oil
1 lb ground turkey (or you may use beef, if you’d like)
2 onions, diced
3+ cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 peppers, diced
1 cup (or more) Amontillado (dry sherry)
Oregano (dried), about 2 teaspoons
Cumin, about 2 teaspoons
6 oz. can tomato paste
Capers with their brine, at least 2 teaspoons
½ cup raisins
½ cup slivered, roasted, unsalted almonds
½ cup Spanish olives
Bay leaf
Pepper (to taste)
Kosher Salt (to taste)

Serve with whole what wraps or steamed rice

In a large skillet, sauté the ground turkey, onions, garlic and peppers in olive oil. When the meat is just about cooked through, add the remaining ingredients: sherry, oregano, cumin, tomato paste, capers, raisins, almonds, olives and bay leaf and stir together. Wait to season with salt and pepper until the dish is cooked through and you have sampled it. The olives and the brine from the capers add quite a bit of salt to the dish!

This was a favorite of my personal chef clients. If you store in a tightly covered container it will freeze well for up to two months.

And on that note, I will go retrieve my little one from the nap-that-did-not-happen.

Mango with Fresh Mint, Cinnamon and Coconut

The title of this entry gives you the recipe for this healthy, sweet way to end dinner. But, if you want more explicit cooking instructions: chop mango into bite-sized pieces, sprinkle with (unsweetened, toasted) coconut, a dash of cinnamon, and some chopped mint. Done! Not only is it pretty, but the flavors are wonderful together.

Citrus-Infused Black Beans

Simple. A great side for any Mexican/Cuban-inspired dinner!

2 oranges, juiced and zested into a saucepan
1 or 2 onions, diced
Cumin
Chili powder
Coriander
Cinnamon
Honey
Cider Vinegar
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

First I zested and juiced two large naval oranges into a saucepan. Brought that to a boil (to reduce the juice and give it a more pungent flavor). Added the diced onion as soon as it was chopped. Added a healthy shake of chili powder, coriander, cinnamon, and cumin. Let my little one squeeze some honey in for sweetness. Added a splash of cider vinegar for tang (but as it boils, this taste will mellow). Then once the liquid was reduced by about half I threw the beans in, popped a lid on top and turned the heat off to let the flavors meld. They are really delicious!

Simple Spicy Curry (with help from Maya)

Today was non-stop. I team taught a Stroller Strides class…played at the park with my little one…zipped through Whole Foods (which I love, but that reminds how much less expensive Trader Joe’s is) with minutes to spare before picking up my bigger one…took them both for an impromptu picnic (brown rice sushi from Whole Foods and one of the Whole Food’s bakery’s decadent “granola bars”) at the New Canaan Nature Center…home in time to nap the little one and squeeze in half a workout myself…before taking the big one to his music class and then treating the kids to a (dinner busting) gelato at Gelatissimo. Totally worth it. I tried to give them a goat cheese polenta terrine thingy I picked up at Whole Foods (my little one boisterously asked for it and I thought I had a slam-dunk kid’s dinner, but he probably thought it was a cupcake…) anyway, that totally bombed. But in the couple minutes they were sitting still, turning up their noses, I whipped up this curry for our dinner. Most of the time I try to make something I can also give my kids. Maybe it's subconsciously to broaden their palate, but it's also just to keep things more sane around here. But they won’t touch anything spicy, so this is all for us.

Simple Spicy/Sweet Chicken Curry

1 container Maya Kaimal Vindaloo Sauce
3 zucchini, chopped
3 breasts of all natural chicken, chopped into 1” pieces
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Fuji apple, chopped

Combine everything in a saucepan; bring to a boil then lower heat to low. Pop a cover on it, so the chicken cooks through and the zucchini and apple become tender. I had to run an errand, so I actually turned the heat off after it simmered 10 minutes or so, left the lid on, and when I came home dinner was ready (and the house smells amazing).

As Kaimal says on her website, “I make my products with the finest ingredients and traditional techniques to reflect my favorite flavors of India. I take no shortcuts—so you can.” As long as I recognize all the ingredients in a sauce such as this, I am all for shortcuts.

Simple Roasted Veggies

I am all about economies of scale when it comes to cooking. If I am making any of my meatball recipes, or something like chicken enchiladas, I make a batch for the freezer. When I whip up a frittata or protein pancakes I make extra for later in the week, so we can simply heat up breakfast in a matter of minutes...but still enjoy a healthy homemade meal. So last night, when I needed to make a veggie side for dinner, I decided to also roast several different veggies to cut down on prep time later this week.

All veggies were tossed in a little olive oil and kosher salt then roasted in a 375 degree oven for between 20-45 minutes, depending upon the type of veggie. The idea is to cook them until they’re crisp tender. You don’t want to overcook them (to the point when they’re mushy) or they’ll be nasty the night you make them…and even worse a couple days later! Here’s what I roasted, and what I intend to make with each one to give you some ideas:

Leeks (tender spring ones from my CSA delivery) – were eaten last night as a side with our halibut
New Potatoes – the kids had these as a side with their chicken apple sausage dinner last night then I chopped them up in a hash I made for our breakfast this morning; we still have a couple leftover and I’ll crisp them up in a fry pan tonight with the kid’s dinner
Zucchini – always a good addition to a frittata; will be tossed in salads; will toss with a little more olive oil, some lemon zest and fresh mint and serve as a side with dinner tomorrow
Broccoli - chopped some and added it to my son’s Annie’s Mac & Cheese at lunch today; will make scrambled eggs with broccoli and Feta; if I have any left, I’ll toss in a sherry vinaigrette and add some pine nuts and yellow raisins for a nice sweet-tangy room temp side
Carrots – also appeared in my son’s Mac & Cheese; roasting them brings out their sweetness, so my kids like to snack on these; another idea for a side would be to toss carrots in a tangy vinaigrette like this: 1T olive oil + 1T mustard + 2t lemon juice + 2t honey...whisk and add chopped fresh parsley
Peppers and Onions – were used in today’s hash; will be used in the frittata; perfect in the black bean burritos that are a current favorite with my kids (probably because it’s a meal they can eat while moving…); and will be a side to the fish tacos I am making Friday night

So, I have a fridge full of veggies ready to go…but tonight I don’t have to use any of them as it’s my night to pick up dinner from my Supper Exchange (see posting from March 18 if you want to set up your own). Chicken Curry here I come!

Simple Multi-Tasking Meal: Pasta with Red Sauce becomes Papardelle with (Soy) Chorizo Sauce

Today was one of those days when I needed my meal to multi-task…and I only had a short time to prepare dinner before my kids started spiraling downward. It was so cold and rainy here today that I wanted to give my kids a warm, hearty meal. Got home at 5pm, dinner was ready at 5:30 and the kids were bathed, read to and asleep by 7pm. Delicious success.

1 pkg Trader Joe’s (TJ’s) Sprouted Wheat Papardelle
1 jar TJ’s Organic Pasta Sauce
1 pkg TJ’s Soy Chorizo
Freshly shredded Parmesan

After preparing the papardelle according to the directions on the package (boiling it for 7 minutes with a dash of kosher salt), I mixed in a healthy dose of tomato sauce and freshly shredded Parmesan for the kids and served it with a side of finger-friendly strawberries, mango, cucumbers and carrots. (The consistency of the sprouted wheat pasta went unnoticed, in fact, everyone really liked it.) While they started eating (underfoot) I simply sautéed the chorizo until browned, added the remainder of the sauce, and stirred in the papardelle until warmed and nicely blended. Then I sat down and ate with them. This made a simple, but healthy, pasta dinner a little more interesting and zesty… and it’s another meal that holds up well until your husband comes home from work if you also eat in shifts at your house.

The REAL "Protein Pancakes" of my childhood

Thank you to Loren Kaplan, my Rustic Canyon neighborhood pal, who located the original Canyon School Cookbook: Cosmic Cookery for Kids. This cookbook from the 70’s contains the real Protein Pancake recipe I so fondly remember my mom whipping up. I thought I'd done a good job of recreating the recipe through memory and the combination of a bunch of recipes I'd found online, but this makes much more sense with the ratio of cottage cheese to flour. Since the cookbook is likely not an easy find, here’s the recipe:

Cosmic Cookery for Kids' Protein Pancakes

1 lb cottage cheese (1 tub)

6 eggs

pinch salt

pinch sugar

1/2 cup flour

2 T soft or melted butter

2 t vanilla

Blend everything in the blender until the batter is smooth with a consistency of sour cream. Bake small pancakes on hot buttered griddle, turning once. Serve hot with a little cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top. Also good served with sour cream, applesauce, jam, etc. May be used as a main dish.

Now I know what I am making the kids for supper tonight. Mmmm, I wonder if the cookbook also has my Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Toy’s Egg Foo Yung?

And a Quick 'Asian' Inspired Dinner Too

I’m all about spring cleaning these days, so I am determined to work through the ingredients I have in my pantry…plus the random assortment I amassed during yesterday’s grocery shopping trip. I don’t have much time to cook dinner during the week. I tend to assemble dinner while I am giving my children a snack, and then pop it in the oven while we play before dinner (or they play and I squeeze in a workout, some emailing, and a phone call if I am lucky). This afternoon, I assembled dinner in less that 30 minutes again and it’s cooling down for the boys. It smells amazing. This time dinner has a little more Asian/SE Asian influence (all ingredients from Trader Joe’s for anyone who would like to try it at home):

Pork tenderloin + TJ’s Peanut Sauce: seared the pork tenderloin in a bit of olive oil, then transferred it to a roasting pan and coated it in peanut sauce; roasted at 375 until it reached an internal temp of 160 degrees. If you wanted to dress it up, you could sprinkle some chopped peanuts and cilantro over the top to make it look pretty...

For one veggie, I tossed a bag of organic baby carrots + a little olive oil (would be great with sesame oil too, but my husband isn’t a fan of sesame) + a drizzle of honey + some grated ginger + kosher salt + pepper and roasted the carrots in the same 375 degree oven until they were crisp tender. If you were using sesame oil, and wanted to be fancy, you could shake some black sesame seeds over the top before roasting them. That would be pretty….

There’s really nothing ‘Asian” about the other veggie side, but everyone likes it and I had all the ingredients on hand: 1 bag organic frozen spinach (thawed) + hearty scoop of organic whipped cream cheese + a splash of half & half + small handful of shredded Parm + lemon zest. Combine all of the above in a saucepan and heat on low until melted/combined.

And pictured above, I combined 1 bag of TJ’s brown rice (from the freezer section, heated according to pkg) + with diced mango + fresh mint + a splash of rice vinegar + kosher salt + pepper.

Have to run because we’re going to sit down to an early dinner. Early dinner + early bath + early bed = relaxing evening for you-know-who.

Quick Mediterranean-Inspired Dinner

Against my better judgment—and totally against my efforts to save money by shopping with a list—yesterday I went to Trader Joe’s hungry and with a 2-year-old who was not in the mood to market. I came out with a heaping cart of really random stuff. The upside, I got to concoct dinner in a loosey goosey manner, trying to put a dent into all of these random ingredients I came home with. It was a hit, and the house smelled amazing….

1 pkg all-natural chicken tenders
1 tub crumbled Feta cheese
1 jar roasted piquillo peppers
½ jar pitted kalamata olives
1 large can organic diced tomatoes
1 tub (fresh) organic cherry tomatoes
1 bag frozen artichoke hearts
Zest of 1 lemon
½ pkg fresh mint, I tossed in whole leaves
splash of olive oil
splash of sherry vinegar
dash of freshly ground pepper
(the Feta added enough salt to the dish)

I tossed everything together (which took mere minutes) and roasted it at 375 (in a big ceramic baking dish) until the chicken was cooked, stirring twice to meld flavors. Served it with green beans, which I blanched.

My older son who does not eat meat (“or anything with a mother”) avoided the chicken, so I heated a package of TJ’s multigrain pilaf, stirred in some of TJ's shredded "Quattro Formaggio", then topped the rice with a hearty side of the tomato/olive/Feta mixture, three things he does like. Mmmm.

Simple Sunday Supper

As part of my older son's “Spring into Service” weekend, I spent a windy, drizzly Saturday morning picking up (unmentionable) trash at Veteran’s Park in Norwalk, the afternoon helping to oversee a volunteer project at The Tiny Miracles Foundation’s office, and capped it off with dinner at Rio where I got serious indigestion from inhaling two margaritas and an order of chicken fajitas in record time because my kids would have rather been home with a sitter… when will I learn that the need for a break is mutual?

The first thing I did today—no wait, first I made French Toast and Southwestern Egg Wraps for breakfast (can you say short order cook?...)-- then I did a big PR submission on behalf of The Tiny Miracles Foundation, (quickly, very quickly) read Monday through Sunday’s New York Times (that were in the kitchen staring at me every time I walked by the growing pile of old news), and took my husband on a tour of the ground wasps that seem to have set up an intricate underground maze in our backyard. Now, I feel I deserve a break. I’m not going to the supermarket, and its way too pretty to spend too much time at the stove today. Thankfully, with a little help from my buddy “Joe”, as in Trader Joe, I was able to quickly whip up Jambalaya. I risk posting this “recipe” because many a friend has received this Jambalaya when they’ve had a baby or were in need of a yummy meal. But, it’s just too easy and delish not to share…

2 packages Trader Joe’s Jambalaya*
1 package Trader Joe’s chicken sausages**, thinly sliced
3 bell peppers (we’ve got 2 red and 1 yellow on hand), ½” dice
1 bag organic frozen peas, prepared according to the pkg
zest of 1-2 lemon(s)

Sauté the chicken sausage and bell peppers in a bit of olive oil. Heat the Trader Joe’s Jambalaya according to package. Combine Jambalaya, sausage, peppers, peas and lemon zest. Done! Oh, and it pairs nicely with TJ’s cornbread (over by the muffin mixes) and a salad.

* TJ’s Jambalaya is found next to the pasta and all of the prepared Indian sides in the Darien store. It comes in a 10 oz. pouch.
**I recommend TJ's Chicken Apple sausages for those who prefer a mild Jambalaya or Chicken Andouille Sausages for those who want a little kick.

Classy Kid and Cookies

I had pipedreams of going to a Parent’s Association meeting at my son’s school all by myself today…enjoying a (hot) cup of coffee with fellow moms….actually hearing what the speaker had to say…and capping my morning off with an organic latte and a treat at Le Pain Quotodien. Instead, I had our little one in tow. The novelty of my purse full of pens, play-doh and little cars and trucks quickly wore off, as did drinking half & half through a skinny straw. At the ripe age of two, my son decided it was time to go…and right then. So he did his attention grabbing “Dammit!” yell a couple times over and we quickly exited the meeting.

Score? Toddler: 1, Mommy: 0.

With our playgroup cancelled and the weather totally foul, I was in no mood to play trains or Candyland…again. So, I suggested we make some cookies. After all, what is a pity party without cake or cookies? If you’re looking for a rainy weekend activity, I can confirm (10 cookies later) that these are worth whipping up.

2 sticks of organic butter, softened (or done so in the microwave for 20 seconds)
1 cup dark brown sugar
½ cup Turbinado sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1 ½ cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
hearty dash of cinnamon (2 Tablespoons or so)
sprinkling of ginger (1/2 or 1 teaspoon)
3 cups Quaker oats
Copious amounts of semi-sweet chocolate chips (at least a bag, come on these are cookies…)
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins (optional, but the chocolate is not in my book)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (for easier clean-up).
Using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla; mix.
Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and ginger; mix.
Add oats, chocolate chips and cranberries (or any other ingredients you’re adding); mix.
Form drop cookies and bake 10-12 minutes, or until a nice golden brown.

Bumpy Slides, Cherry Blossoms, Rockets and Margaritas

I am, achem, recovering from my older son’s 2-week spring vacation. Actually, it was wonderful. We stayed in town for the first week and a half and I took the kids on a daily park adventure. Fine, so there was that one day early in the vacation when I called my husband at work to say “the kids are having a ball…they’re running all over like they’ve never been to a park before…Me? I am FREEZING, and I am fairly certain I am the only mom here,” I complained as I took inventory of the young au pairs and groups of nannies catching up while their charges ate sand. But after I changed my attitude, and was thankful that I have two healthy, really really excited little boys who think there’s nothing better than going to the local parks, things started to look up.

Then, at the tail end of the break, we packed the kids up in the car and went on a D.C. adventure. I had my doubts that going to D.C. with kids so young was going to be fun for any of us, but I was wrong. It was the perfect getaway. We stayed outside of the city, so the Metro alone was an adventure for them. (We made sure we picked a hotel that welcomed children, and that had a Starbucks close by.) We discovered (with the Michelin Guide’s help) a fabulous gourmet pizza place that served unique microbrews. We romped around the National Zoo the first afternoon, meandered through the Air & Space Museum in awe on (rainy) day two, and popped the kids in jogging strollers for a long circuitous walk to all of the Monuments and the Capitol on the morning of day three. Oh, and did I mention that all attractions were clean, very well kept, free…and that the Cherry Blossoms were starting to bloom?

Then, we capped off this exhausting but fun leg of the quick getaway with two nights in Richmond, VA, to visit our dear friends who moved south a little while back. The four little boys ran amuck and giggled for 48 hours straight, and the parents booked some well-deserved babysitting time to catch-up and enjoy each other’s company. On Saturday evening, we ate in with some of their local friends so I whipped up one of my go-to dinner party meals: chicken enchiladas. I have shared the “recipe” below so that you can give it a whirl if you are entertaining a crowd. It is easy to prepare, difficult to botch with cook times, and can be assembled in advance then just popped into the oven. Now that makes for a relaxing evening with friends!

Corn tortillas
Enchilada Sauce (I like Hatch brand, which you can get at Whole Foods)
Shredded Cheese(s)

The filling can really be anything. As I show my cooking lesson clients, once you understand the consistency (it helps to have a visual but the idea is: moist enough that the enchiladas will be solid and creamy, but not so moist that they'll be runny...), you can modify the ingredients depending upon whether you’ve got vegetarian eaters, meat lovers, mild and cheesy guests, those that like beans, those that don't….you get the picture. That night, I made ours with:
2 rotisserie chickens, white meat removed/shredded (I was all about ease that day)
2 envelopes Taco seasoning (Garden of Eatin’ brand is a favorite)
2 bricks low-fat cream cheese
2 cans black beans, drained
4 bell peppers, diced
3 onions, diced
1 can diced mild green chiles
½ jar of pickled jalapenos, diced

I assembled the enchiladas (not worrying if they cracked in the process b/c they're going to be covered in copious amts of sauce), poured the enchilada sauce over the two big baking dishes, sprinkled them with cheese and voila, done. Pop them into a 350 degree oven until heated through and cheese is lightly browned, about 45 minutes or so...though I was having such a good time that I forgot and left them in for about an hour and a half, no damage done. We served them with a yellow rice (which we added some frozen peas to for color/texture), black beans spiked with lime and jalapenos and lots and lots of homemade margaritas. Yes, the neighbor's “Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville Machine" made an appearance. Mmm hmm, I just might have to get one of those for our summer entertaining…

Making a Meal Multi-Task

I love it when I read an article in a magazine, or find a book, that gives me a pat on the back for what I am doing right and offers up ideas that are realistic. One of my more recent finds on this front is Lisa Barnes’ new cookbook, “Petit Appetit – Easy Organic Snacks, Beverages, and Party Foods for Kids of All Ages”. There are lots and lots of cookbooks out there, but I like hers because she does a good job of explaining what types of foods you should have on hand to easily create child-friendly homemade meals (similar to what I offer clients on my grocery shopping trips), she talks about how to instill good habits from the start and how to integrate your children in the cooking process. While I consider myself an excellent cook who is savvy in these areas, it’s always nice to have a refresher!

I recently made the boys Mango Chicken Quesadillas from the cookbook…but since I was hosting my book club that night (and my husband, achem, happened to be off on the ski slopes with college buddies which meant chaos between 5-7pm as I fed, bathed, and read to them and then quickly tidied up the house, opened the wine, lit a fire and put out a couple of apps in preparation for my friends’ arrival…) I needed a recipe that could multi-task. So after making two basic whole wheat tortilla brushed with olive oil/chicken/cheese/black bean/mango/cilantro quesadillas for them I doctored up the ones for my girlfriends.

For the mom ones, I added some mango chutney, more fresh cilantro, some finely chopped pickled jalapenos and a dusting of cumin, cinnamon and smoked paprika. I baked all of the quesadillas at 350 until they were crisp, and then sliced them into quarters for the kids, more manageable eighths for the moms (who don't want to put their wine glass down for too long). They were delish. I served them room temp with a dipping sauce I quickly whipped up (since whole wheat tortillas are fabulous, but a little dense) of Greek Yogurt + Mango Chutney + Chili Powder. The child dinner/hearty adult app was so good that I made it again the following week for my kids and my husband…then the next day brought the extra quesadillas over to a friend’s house so the mommies could enjoy a delicious lunch while the kids played.

Come and Get 'Em!

As I mentioned in an earlier entry, I am immersed in Stroller Strides Instructor Training this weekend. I am truly excited about all the pre- and post-natal exercise knowledge I am picking up but the intense days have meant that my sweet husband is left in charge of Thing 1 and Thing 2. Today they went “mountain biking” in Waveny (something I would have liked to have seen…) Anyway, anyone who knows me can be assured that the boys were well fed in my absence. Yesterday I whipped up a batch of our favorite “Protein Pancakes”, a Chicken Apple Sausage Frittata and a hearty Spanakopita for them to reheat for breakfasts and lunches, in addition to replenishing the supply of Trader Joe’s Pesto Pizza and organic carrots, apples (you’d think I was raising two horses, not boys) and whole milk.

For my friends who might like to make their own batch of Protein Pancakes heading into the week ahead, here are the details. Because this is akin to baking you need to stick to a recipe this go round:

“Protein Pancakes”
Makes about 30 small pancakes.

4 eggs
15 oz tub of ricotta cheese
2/3 cup of sour cream (preferably the organic whole milk variety)
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur white whole wheat flour)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups organic whole milk
Liberal amount of vanilla (optional, though I think they are bland without it)
Liberal amount of cinnamon (optional, but again, we like this addition)
Zest of 1 lemon (optional again)
Butter*

Toppings: maple syrup (get the good stuff), vanilla yogurt & berries, sliced bananas, etc…

Heat a skillet (or griddle if you’ve got one… we don’t, I just use a big Green non-stick fry pan). Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with a hand mixer until well blended. I then use a ¼ cup measuring cup and drop batter onto the non-stick fry pan in batches. *If your pan isn’t non-stick then you’ll want to melt some butter beforehand to prevent sticking… Flip the pancakes when they start to bubble.

The beauty of these pancakes is that they are moist, not cake-y like Aunt Jemima’s. And, you can put them in your fridge in a sealed container and just heat what you’d like in the microwave throughout the week. In addition to making them for the boys while I am away this weekend, I often make these for Sunday breakfast and then parse them away for mornings before school. It’s a beautiful thing to have a healthy, homemade breakfast without any effort on a random Tuesday!