Toddler Mac and Cheese

This recipe is great for toddlers because it is drier and less sticky than regular Mac and Cheese and the can eat it with their fingers.



Ingredients: 1 16oz package of elbow macaroni
                       4 tablespoons of Smart Balance(I use this instead of real
                        butter for keeping the cholesterol low.You can use extra
                        olive oil as well)
                        1/2 cup all purpose flour
                        2 1/2 cups of whole milk
                        1/2 lb of American Cheese
                        1/2 lb of Mild cheddar cheese

Preparation:  Prepare macaroni according to package directions
                        using al dente time for cooking
                        Melt Smart balance in sauce pan
                        Add flour and stir continually so the roux mixture doesn't
                        burn
                        Add milk a little bit at a time and stir until  the roux
                        thickens. Remove from heat
                        Add grated cheeses and stir until cheese melts to a
                        and a smooth mixture forms
                        Stir in pasta and reheat on  low burner until mixture is
                        heated and then serve

Should serve four.

The important thing about this recipe is forming a good roux with the oil
or smart balance.This is what makes it usable as a finger food for toddlers

Make your own Pizza

Sounds like a lot of work.Why bother? Here is why.  Look at an empty pizza box from any of the vendors and you will see that there is so much grease in your purchased pizza that it has soaked through the entire bottom of the box. It is not hard to make home made pizza.Get a pizza shell from Bobili at the supermarket or buy the frozen pizza dough and roll it out. Then add your own marinara sauce (see recipe on this blog) toppings and shredded mozzarella cheese. Stay away from the pepperoni. It is a killer not only because of the fat but because it contains so many chemicals.The sodium nitrite is the worst .This chemical has been shown to be carcinogenic. I feel this way about all luncheon meats. Salamis, bologna, ham etc all has these chemicals.So do hot dogs.Stay away from these and your family will be much healthier. Below is my take on a good home pizza.You can Jazz it up or down to suit your family.



Ingredients: Bobili pizza shell
                      Home made or store bought marinara sauce
                      Cooked 7 % hamburger meat
                      6 oz's of sauteed mushrooms
                      Onion rings
                      Tomato rings
                      Asparagus tips

Preparation: Remove pizza shell from wrapping
                       Spoon out marinara sauce and spread evenly over shell
                       Use as much or as little as suits your family's taste
                       Spread other ingredients over pizza shell
                       Cover with either regular or reduced fat mozzarella's cheese
                       Bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees
                       If you have young children make 1/2 of the pizza plain
                       cheese or ,another pizza with just cheese depending on the
                       crowd your are feeding

Chicken Tacos

Kids really like tacos.They can fill them themselves and can pick them up and eat them by hand.I like chicken tacos because they are less messy than ground beef. It is also a way to get some veggies into your kids mouths. Below is my rendition of this perennial favorite.


Ingredients: 1lb of boneless chicken breasts trimmed of gristle and cut
                       into small pieces
                       2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
                       1/2 jar of mild salsa
                       1/4 of a head of iceberg lettuce,chopped
                       1/2 carton of grape tomatoes halved
                       4 ounces of shredded Mexican cheese
                       1 avocado diced 
                       6 to 8 soft multi grain tortillas

Preparation: Heat olive oil in a large saute pan until hot but not
                      smoking
                      Add chicken to the pan and saute until juices are
                      gone and chicken is not brown
                      Add the mild salsa to the pan and turn heat down to low
                      As the chicken simmers, place the lettuce,tomatoes,
                      avocado and cheese in small bowls in the center of the
                      table
                      Wrap tortillas in a  moist paper towel and heat for seconds
                      in microwave.
                      Place chicken in serving bowl and serve with warmed
                      tortillas
Serves four
 
                        

Pork Schnitzel

This is a recipe reminiscent of my German heritage. It is a great fall dish.

Ingredients:  8  boneless thinly cut pork pork chops,fat removed and
                       beaten to 1/4 inch in thickness, salted to taste
                       1 1/2 cup of plain breadcrumbs
                        2 eggs beaten with addition of 1 tsp of lemon juice
                        1 large bag of spinach
                        1 lemon cut into 8 wedges
                        4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation: Place eggs and lemon juice in shallow bowl
                       Place breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowl
                       Bread each pork chop by first dredging through egg mixture
                       then breadcrumbs placing them on a large plate
                       Let chops rest for 20 minutes to allow breading to stick
                       Heat olive oil in large pan until hot but not smoking
                       Saute each chop in oil and place on oven proof platter
                       Keep chops warm in 225 degree oven while you wilt the
                       spinach.
                       In a separate pan,place 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and spinach
                       Drizzle spinach with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
                       Cover and cook 2 minutes
                       Remove chops from oven surround with wilted spinach and
                       lemon wedges
Serves 4

I like to serve this with mashed potatoes (see recipe on this blog)
                      

             

                        
                      
                       

To Fish or Not to Fish

We all know seafood is good for you,but children do not usually like it.To them it smells bad and looks unappetising. I and my daughter are allergic to shell fish so that put another crimp in trying to serve fish to my family.
One thing I learned was to disguise.You can do this by serving a mild white fish breaded in panko bread crumbs and sauteed in extra virgin olive oil. Another thing that can be done is to serve it with a fruit or tomato salsa.Below is my recipe for a mango salsa that fits the bill.

Ingredients:  1/2 cup diced pineapple
                       1/2 cup diced mango
                       1/2 cup diced papaya
                       1/4 diced red or orange pepper
                       1 tablespoon lime juice
Preparation:  Mix ingredients in a bowl
                        and serve with fish

Some quick things you can do is get a can of  Dole tropical fruit and add the mango to it. When your kids get more older,you can add a diced jalepeno.
  

Ya talkin' bout football

As on most Sundays in the fall our TV is tuned to football all afternoon.Not being a big football fan myself, I concentrate on the food.Chili seems to be on the menu for most games,so I am sharing my recipe with you. Everyone has a favorite in this category.See if you like mine.



                                          Gabbie's Chili

Ingredients: 1lb of hamburger meat
                       1 large onion chopped
                       3 cloves of garlic chopped
                       1 green pepper chopped
                       2 large jalapenos finely chopped
                       1 14.5oz can of black beans drained
                       1  14.5oz can of dark red kidney beans drained
                       1  14.5oz can of great northern beans drained
                       1 large 28oz can of tomato sauce
                       2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes
                       4 tablespoons of chili powder
                       2 tsp ground cumin
                       1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper
                       salt and pepper to taste
Preparation: Saute meat,onion,green pepper and jalapenos in a large pot
                       until browned
                       Add beans,tomatoes,chili powder,cumin and red pepper 
                       Add salt and pepper and then bring to a boil
                       Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours
Serve with corn chips or over your favorite pasta

I find this dish may attract sons and son in laws to your house towatch the game 

Let's Talk About Salads

I think we all know salads are good for you.I mean made at home salads if you didn't guess.They have fiber and significant vitamins and minerals.Unfortunately they can be pretty boring if you stick with a lettuce,tomato and cucumber trifecta at every dinner. To mix it up a little,try using different types of greens.You can use Bibb,arugula or
romaine or spinach for example. You can add fruit like pears and apples
or add chopped dates or dried cranberries . Glazed walnuts are a big hit
at my house as is a handful of trail mix.The ideas are endless and they really pay off. Many times my family has said "great salad Mom".The one
thing that you must do,in my opinion,is make your own salad dressing.It is not hard and it eliminates so many chemicals,preservatives and fat.My favorite bbalsamic dressing recipe is below.


                                 Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients: 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
                      8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
                      3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
                      1/2 tsp salt
                      1/4 tsp pepper

Preparation: Mix all ingredients in the order given in a salad dressing
                       container with a tight lid.Shake until emulsified then pour
                       over salad,toss, and serve