March 12, 2012 by headchef

 

   We have been browsing other food blogs and came across Skinnytaste.com. We love food blogs because they have pictures of the final product which is how my Little Chefs choose their recipes like Southwestern Black Bean Salad.  The ingredients are very familiar so I knew we would not have a problem that way.

  It was pretty difficult for Little Chef C to use this juicer for the lime. She tried squeezing the two handles together with all her might, but she just was not strong enough.

   Little Chef C did not follow the order in the directions. She added ingredients whenever she grabbed them. Luckily for this recipe I don’t think it really mattered.  We used canned corn, not frozen corn because that is what we had available.

   Little Chef C used the Vidalia Chopper for the onion and tomato. We have found if I cut them to the right thickness she is able to hit the lever down. If the fruit or vegetable is firm she is not able to do it no matter how hard she hits the lever. This time she was not successful in using this tool. She needed help with almost every hit.

   After adding all the ingredients she stirred it all together, covered it with plastic and put it in the refrigerator to marinate until dinner.

   Little Chef D cooked the tortillas. We reviewed she needed to flip them when she saw the bubbles.

   She was able to flip them herself and put them in between a clean dishtowel to keep warm.

    Little Chef C said “I don’t really like getting my hands dirty”.  She was trying to cut the avocado without touching it! It was very funny to watch. She cut straight lines down, then tried manuvering herself and the knife to cut the other side. I suggested she turn the cutting board instead of working in an awkward position. The cutting board was moving around by itself with each cut. I finally convinced her to at least hold on to that.  She folded the avocados into the bowl and we were set.

   Even though the title of the recipe says it is a salad, we ate it in a tortilla. Little Chef A added some sour cream because “I wanted it to be a bit creamy.” I agree with her, it needed a little something else to bring it together. My Little Chefs really enjoyed this recipe. They even fought over the leftovers the next day!

Southwestern Black Bean Salad
Gina’s Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 12 • Size: 1/2 cup • Calories: 106 • Old Points: 2.5 pts • Points+: 3 ptsCalories: 105.9 • Fat: 6.0 g • Protein: 3.2 g • Carb: 13.0 g • Fiber: 3.6 g  Sugar: 1.2 g

Sodium: 137.8 mg

Ingredients:

  • 1 15.5 oz can b
    lack beans, rinsed and drained
  • 9 oz frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 small hass avocado, diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1 scallion, chopped
  • 1 lime, juice of
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp cilantro
  • salt and fresh pepper

Directions:
Combine beans, corn, tomato, onion, scallion, cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix with lime juice and olive oil. Marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Add avocado before serving.

March 9, 2012 by headchef

  We chose a cookbook, Easy Menus for Dining In (Better Homes & Gardens), and decided to make a few recipes from it.  This book was great for the Little Chefs because it had a lot of pictures. They want to SEE what they will be making before they start. This was quite an enjoyable recipe to make. It was simple. All that was required was to make a simple syrup and cut some fruit. It was very evident my Little Chefs skills have improved!
  Little Chef A was assigned to make the simple syrup. I let her read the recipe, measure everything out and pour it all into the saucepan. She did a GREAT job. She said the star anise “smelt like jelly beans.”

  Little Chef C washed the strawberries and started cutting them before I gave her direction. The only thing I needed to tell her was to cut the strawberries in half one more time so they would fit in her mouth.

  Little Chef A cut the pineapple. This was a new experience. I showed her how to cut the side off and she wanted to do it. After cutting this (below) piece she said, “I think I have have cut it too fat.” I couldn’t have said it better! I helped save part of the pineapple and she wanted me to cut the rest. After explaining the core is very hard too eat I showed her how to cut the rest and she finished up.
  Both Little Chef A and C helped with the cantaloupe. I cut off the rind and they cut it into smaller pieces. It was so much fun cutting along side them and feeling like they could do their jobs safely. I caught a glimpse of the future in that moment. Cooking together, laughing, having fun….all this hard work really is paying off!

  The recipe calls for wine to be added to the simple syrup. I was going to use apple juice but of course did not have any in the house but we did have Martinelli’s Sparking Cider and decided to use that as a substitute.
  When the Little Chefs were eating bowl after bowl of their fruit salad Little Chef C noticed all the fruit was not cut to the same size. Some were bigger and some were smaller. I was impressed she noticed such a detail. The syrup was interesting. I found it made all the fruit come together with one taste. The very distinct flavors each fruit had was not as strong. I missed that. The Little Chefs were happy to have leftovers the next day! They will choose fruit over sweets any day!

Fruit Salad with Star Anise
Easy Menus for Dining In (Better Homes & Gardens)

Ingredients1/2 cup water1/2 cup sugar3 star anise1/2 cup white Zinfandel wine6 cups assorted fresh fruit (such as pineapple chunks, blueberries, raspberries, peeled and sliced pears, diced mango, quartered strawberries, and/or cubed cantaloupe or honeydew melon)

Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

DirectionsIn a small saucepan combine the water, sugar, and star anise; bring to boiling. Boil, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened and syrupy, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in wine.In a large bowl combine desired fruits. Add syrup, tossing to coat. Cover and chill at least two hours or up to 4 hours.

To serve, remove star anise. If desired, garnish with mint sprigs.

March 8, 2012 by headchef

  Little Chef D was excited to make HER recipe today. Recently we were shopping and saw Paula Deen’s aprons. Little Chef A said, this is YOUR chef look!  This Dessert Quesadilla looked so good on the Food Network site we just had to make it.
  Little Chef D cut the banana with a butter knife. That is the safest for her to use and it was fine because bananas are so soft. I showed her what size to cut them and instructed her to cut them thin, not too fat. With each cut she made she said, “Is this too large?” Sometimes I answered yes, sometimes no. The sizes did vary, but that is what I have come to expect, especially for Little Chef D.

  We were using tortillas that need to be cooked. These are a staple in our home so all the Little Chefs know how to cook them. Little Chef D lightly browned both sides of two tortillas. I had made some spreadable butter earlier in the day because we just ran out, she used that on one side of each tortilla.

  She was very careful in her placement of the bananas on the tortilla. So careful in fact, I turned the heat off, then when it was completely topped turned the heat back on. She loved drizzling the chocolate nutella which we used instead of chips.

  The cinnamon and the brown sugar was then added. Little Chef C measured out the brown sugar. She was having so much fun playing with it, she packed it into the ‘holding bowl’ after it was measured making it difficult for Little Chef D to get it out.

   She put the second buttered tortilla on top. I helped her flip it when it when it was ready.

   I find it interesting when they say they LOVE something, like this dessert, but don’t want more or don’t want to finish. Little Chef C said, “Can I not finish this? All I taste is bananas and chocolate.” I didn’t quite know how to respond. That is what you should taste! I didn’t hear any other complaints, some wanted a second piece. This one was enough for all of us for an after school snack!

Dessert Quesadilla

Paula Deen

Ingredients

  • Nonstick, nonflammable cooking spray
  • 2 (10-inch) flour tortillas
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 medium banana, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
  • 3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar, plus more for top
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Vanilla ice cream, optional
  • Caramel sauce, optional

Directions

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Spray the grill rack with cooking spray.

Brush 1 side of a tortilla with some melted butter. Place the tortilla on the grill, buttered-side down. Arrange the banana slices on the tortilla and top evenly with the chocolate morsels. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Place the remaining tortilla on top to cover the bananas. Brush with more butter and sprinkle some brown sugar on top. Grill until the chocolate is melted and the bananas are soft, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Cut into wedges and serve with ice cream and caramel sauce, if desired. Serve immediately.

March 7, 2012 by headchef

  Before starting this recipe Little Chef Dad said, “So what kind of pain and suffering are you doing tonight?” He knows first hand how much patience this requires and how close to breaking I sometimes get. That and the dishes, oh the dishes! How many loads in the dishwasher will we do today is another common question. Little Chef A is very good at drying all the dishes I wash by hand. She sticks with it until they are done which I very much appreciate.

   The recipe calls for green tomatoes. When Little Chef C went shopping with me yesterday we could not find them. Instead we bought tomatillos. The Salsa Verde was made earlier in the day because it needed time for the flavors to develop. This really is true. We tasted it after it was made and it was a bit sour. A few hours later it was wonderful! The paper outside was taken off the tomatillos. Little Chef C said, “it feels a bit sticky, but it is fun to unwrap them. I don’t care about how my hands feel.” Little Chef A helped and when finished said, “I need to wash my hands. I care about my hands being clean.” Funny how the two are different. However, I think Little Chef C only said that to go against her sister.  Little Chef C then cut the tomatillos. She said, “Dad cuts an apple like this. I’m doing it like Dad. I like cutting it (the stem) like this. I think it is great she found a way to cut them in a way that worked for her. Yes she is using the knives that do not work well. But, she needs more practice before I let her use the real knives. She still does not watch out for her fingers well enough.  The onion she cut with the Vidalia Chopper since it is too hard for her to dice with her knife. That was not a good solution. She had a very difficult time, I ended up doing most of it for her. She did cut a jalapeno for the first time. We talked about it and decided only one jalapeno. We could add another one if she wanted, but we couldn’t take one out if it was too hot.  I explained she needed to be very careful and not touch her face or anything until she washes her hands very well because it will burn. We then talked about the heat coming from the veins and the seeds. She did a great job and washed her hands afterward. However…a while after we were completely done she touched her eye and it didn’t feel so great. She must have had some residue under her fingernails. Maybe next time she should use gloves.

  She put all the Salsa Verde ingredients into the food processor. She tasted it and said, “no more jalapeno, it needs more salt and pepper. I can’t taste the salt and pepper.”

  A few hours later when it was time to cook Little Chef C salt and peppered the rib eye on both sides. I think next time I should put the salt in a small bowl for her to take some out of instead of using the entire box to dump the salt instead of sprinkling some salt on the meat! She did much better with the pepper. She put the meat in the pan very well, but when it was time too flip it over she said, “I do NOT want to touch that meat that spits. Can you do it (flip the meat). I do not want burnt onions.” I asked why she said that, who burns the onions? She said, “on Worst Cooks in America they are always burning the onions and chicken.” They do not watch cartoons, they really do prefer cooking shows.

   The Dirty Rice was next. The onions were put in the saucepan first. Little Chef C said, “I want it to get a light color. I almost always cook with onions.” How interesting she thinks of that, and how true.

  When the tomato sauce was put in the recipe said it would take a 3 minutes to reduce. Maybe the heat was turned up too high, but it only took a minute. Luckily we were smart this time and were adapting as we cook and collectively decided to add in the rice before something burns.

  We were enjoying our meal. Little Chef C was telling everyone how she made everything and what ingredients she used. We all decided the rice had quite a bit of heat, but that the Salsa Verde needed a little more heat. The Little Chefs drank a lot with their rice! Its a good thing Little Chef C only put in half the cajun spice! All of a sudden Little Chef A said, “I thought just kids threw up, not adults.” I asked where she saw someone throw up. “Chef Robert. Remember on the show (Restaurant Impossible) there was a big mess and he threw up.” She is correct it was a very very dirty kitchen. I don’t know why I watch that because it makes me NOT want to go out to eat. It reinforced my desire to learn more at home and have our ow
n “XXXX Family Restaurant” as we call it. Though when we say we are going to eat at the XXXX Family Restaurant  Little Chef D says it can’t be a restaurant because we do not have very many chairs. At least we have enough for all of us!

Seared Rib Eye, Salsa Verde, Dirty Rice

Robert Irvine

Ingredients
Salsa Verde:

  • 2 large green tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup small diced yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons white balsamic
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
  • 2 jalapenos, seeded
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dirty Rice:

  • 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
  • 1/2 cup small diced yellow onion
  • 1 cup cooked black beans
  • 2 tablespoons small diced carrots, previously boiled, semi-soft
  • 1/2 cup tomato juice
  • 3 cups cooked white or brown rice
  • 1/2 cup celery leaves, tips only
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun spice

Steak:

  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • Four 8-ounce rib eye steaks, trimmed
  • 1 tablespoon sea or kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the salsa verde: First, dice the tomatoes, medium cut, then puree them in a food processor or blender. Next, add the cilantro, onions, balsamic, garlic, oil and jalapenos. Again, puree, taste, then season with salt and pepper. After seasoning, place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to merge.

For the dirty rice: In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and allow to warm. Next, add the onions and cook, with stirring motion, until slightly translucent. This should take 3 to 4 minutes. Next, add the cooked beans and carrots and allow to warm. Then add the tomato juice and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to cook until the juice has reduced to 1/4 cup, 3 to 4 minutes. Next, add the rice. Warm the rice and blend the flavors over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Once the rice has warmed and the juice has finished reducing, remove from the heat, add the celery leaves, taste and season to preference with the Cajun spice.For the steak: In a large saute pan over high heat, add and warm the oil for 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the steaks on both sides with the salt and pepper, and add to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the steak and repeat the process on the second side for a final 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pan, allow to rest and serve over the dirty rice. Finish with salsa verde.

Cook’s Note: This steak should be medium-rare to medium based on a 3/4-inch, 8 ounce steak. For additional doneness, finish in a preheated 400 degree F oven to desired temperature.

March 6, 2012 by headchef

We found a recipe for Potatoes Anna, but the potatoes had to be boiled first, then sliced, then layered in a skillet to cook again. It seemed like a lot of steps so I looked for a different recipe for the same name. I found this recipe by Emeril.

The ingredients were easy to get together. Little Chef C knew which potato peeler to choose. She used the “Y” peeler last time and realized it was difficult. She did well peeling the potatoes even though there were peels all over the floor when she was finished. I didn’t have a problem with that, but she did forget to clean them up.

She has used the mandolin before and did much better this time. She said, “At first I need help (when the potato is huge) then I can do it for a while, then it gets hard.” She still cannot slice the last 1/3 of the potato. I suppose that means she can only slice the middle 1/3 herself! Perhaps because the cutting was not smooth all pieces were not equal in thickness. Oh well, that is normal for us!

She loved layering the potatoes. To make Pommes Anna the correct way the potatoes are beautifully layered in a circular shape. She was not that partular about where she placed the potatoes. She did keep track of the order; potatoes, butter, salt, pepper, potatoes… Painting the potatoes with melted butter was so much fun for her.

Sprinkling with salt and pepper…she was very generous.

The potatoes were finished in the oven, then flipped over, not so gracefully onto a plate. We needed more butter in the pan at the very beginning because it stuck, luckily not too much. Little Chef A said “I mostly like the brown ones because they have a bit more flavoring then the white ones.” I agree completely with her. Maybe next time we should try slicing the potatoes in the Cuisinart instead. That might be a better tool for Little Chef C. This is a recipe I want to do again, it was great!

Pommes Anna

Emeril Lagasse

  • 2 pounds large Yukon gold potatoes
  • 1/4 cup clarified butter
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel and trim the potatoes into a uniform cylindrical shape. Cut the cylinders into thin, 1/16-inch slices, preferably with a mandoline so that the slices are of uniform thickness.

Liberally brush an 8-inch saute pan with clarified butter and arrange the potato slices in concentric rings emanating from the center of the pan. Lightly brush each layer with clarified butter and season each layer lightly with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes on the stovetop and cook undisturbed over medium heat until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to the oven and cook until caramelized and cooked through, about 30 minutes, pressing the potatoes occasionally to compress and shaking the pan to keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom.

Drain the excess butter from the pan and turn the potato cake out onto a cutting board. Slice into quarters.

March 5, 2012 by headchef

 

   Little Chef A looked through her Giada At Home cookbook and marked some recipes she wanted to try including Beef Skewers with Cherry Tomatoes and Parsley Sauce. Little Chef C was the one who went shopping with me. She was so excited to mark things off the list when they were put in our cart!

 The first ingredient that went into the food processor was the parsley. Little Chef A twisted and pulled it apart. She said it was “easy at first, then harder because it was getting closer to the stem.” The second ingredient was garlic. She LOVES the smell of garlic. I always get a huge reaction from her once she opens the lid. This time when she was measuring she said, “What can I use to level it off, my finger?” I really wanted her to find something else. “I know why you said no, because I am sick.” That is partially true yes! The next ingredient was red wine vinegar. “I want to pour over this (food processor) so it doesn’t spill.” I was so happy, she is learning!

 

   Little Chef A was SO good with this recipe! She was being so careful to level everything off, yes with her finger except the garlic, and she even put things away as she was finished with them. She even learned a little about fractions when she was measuring out the red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. She used only the 1/2 teaspoon and had to figure out how to make 1 teaspoon, 1 1/2 teaspoons, and 1/2 teaspoon. I was impressed, she could do it!

   The last ingredient was the olive oil. She was very careful to measure it out and pour it in.

“What if I spill?”

“Then we will clean it up.” 

“I don’t want to take a spill.”

This is one time when it is ok to dribble down the side of the measuring cup into the hole. I never thought the hole was too small, but when my Little Chefs try to pour in olive oil I am always wishing it was a lot larger!

   With the sauce completed, half was poured into a bowl and the other half was reserved for the beef. It was time to cut the meat. Little Chef A got out the big cutting board. I told her I would get her a knife. “I hope it isn’t a white one.” –the white ones are ceramic knives and we have told the Little Chefs they are never allowed to touch them as they are very sharp. “I hope it isn’t a big one.”

   I showed her the size I wanted her to make. She was very anxious to get the knife back and do it herself! I was impressed! She did very well. The sizes were very similar, more then ever before. She even lined up one piece to help her obtain the same sizes–her idea. She did extremely well having slimy hands. She didn’t comment at all until after she was completely finished. “Can I please wash my hands now.”

  I explained to her she needed to mix the meat and the sauce then cover it and put it into the fridge for a few hours until dinner. “I know what we use, plastic.” She knew where it was and how to cover the bowl and put it in the fridge.

   In the the two hours that passed, she checked on her ‘recipe’ in the fridge various times. Finally she was able to skewer the meat and tomatoes. I did have to tell her to use the pointy end, it would be easier. She didn’t look at both ends to realize they were different. Little Chef A was excited about creating a pattern with her food! She said, “It is a bit messy, but pretty fun.”

  I was surprised how difficult it was to get the beef and tomatoes off the skewer. Yet
one more time I had to tell the Little Chefs it would come off easier through the pointy side. Little Chef A said, “The tomatoes look pretty gross, but they actually are pretty good.” They all enjoyed this meal, but agreed next time two of the Little Chefs would enjoy it more with only half the red pepper flakes. The beef on its own was fine. Dipping it in the sauce with more red pepper flakes was a little too spicy for them. One or the other would be fine, or both with half the flakes.

March 1, 2012 by headchef

    Curious Chef is a company that has products for kids in the kitchen. I was looking for something that my Little Chefs could use without me wincing each time they cut! There were mixed reviews for these knives, but I decided to go for it anyway.  When we first received the package my Little Chefs were so excited to “have a knife of their own.” They wanted to make a recipe everyday where they had to cut something.

 We have been using them for a couple months now. I have been disappointed with them since the beginning. They look and feel like fake knives. They are very light weight which makes them easy for Little Chefs to use. At least one of the knives is discolored because Little Chef C “cut” (I really mean tore) pepperoni with it.

  Bread is easily cut with these knives. Besides that, we have not had much luck.  Little Chef A tried cutting pancetta. She was trying to push the knife down to somehow MAKE it cut through. She did this often, just as Little Chef C pushed down then pushed to the side to tear whatever she was cutting.

   Little Chef C and D tried cutting limes. Little Chef C was allowed to change to a better knife. Little Chef D kept sawing away very determined to finish her task.

  I wondered if it was just their lack of practice that was the problem so I tried using them myself. They are awful! They do not cut, even more me! Most times the Little Chefs tried cutting carrots or whatever, but when I saw it did not work I let all but Little Chef D switch to a regular knife. I found myself finding other alternatives for Little Chef D to cut with such as the Vidalia Chopper instead of using these knives.
  In my opinion, if you are trying to teach a Little Chef how to cut, but not actually want them to cut anything besides bread these would be great. If you are wanting to actually teach your Little Chef how to cut actual food do NOT buy these Curious Chef knives.