Kids Dish

The jícama (pronounced hee-ka-ma) is a South American vegetable, also called the Mexican potato. It’s not pretty, but the taste is surprisingly sweet. It’s similar in texture to a water chestnut, but sliced raw it tastes kind of like an apple or pear. You can do a lot with a jícama, but they’re best served raw with dip or in salads. Since it hails from Latin America it pairs well with other staples from the region, like black beans and corn. Sliced raw, it’s great for scooping guacamole.

Or you can use jícama in a dip and serve it with crudités. Here’s quick recipe for jícama salsa. Serve it with jícama slices, other sliced veggies and veggie batons, and tortilla chips. You can use a less intense pepper if your kids don’t like things too spicy, or use the spicy pepper but remove the seeds to lower the hot-factor.

1/2 small pineapple
a 1/2-pound piece jícama
3 ounces dried apricots (about 1/3 cup)
1 small red onion
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro sprigs
1/2 fresh habanero or Scotch bonnet chile

Peel pineapple and cut enough into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1 3/4 cups. (You can use canned pineapple, just make certain to drain it or your salsa will be very soggy.) Peel jícama and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Coarsely chop apricots and chop enough onion to measure 3/4 cup. Finely chop cilantro and, wearing rubber gloves, finely chop chile with seeds. In a bowl toss together all ingredients and season with salt. Salsa may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered.

From the Holiday Insights website:

When: Always December 18th

But, Bake Cookies day is for EVERYONE!

I love baking cookies. Well, I love baking most cookies. I cannot, no matter what recipe I use and what approach I use, bake pretty chocolate chip cookies. I can make delicious chocolate chip cookies, but time after time they’re ugly. They always look lovely when I open the oven door, but as soon as they hit the air of the kitchen they begin to spread and flatten, leaving pockmarked crepes with bulbous chocolate chip lumps. Not pretty. Tasty, but not pretty. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I’ve experimented with the temperature of the butter, I’ve used the stand mixer, a hand mixer and my hands to mix. I’ve tried the recipe on the chip bag and the recipes in three different cookbooks. I’ve put them on the cookie sheet in rounded tablespoons and teaspoons wondering if it was the size of the uncooked dough that was the problem. I bought new baking soda. I let them cool on the tray and I’ve let them cool on parchment and I’ve let them cool on the racks. No matter what I do make them pretty. So I quit.

Instead I bake oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Delicious and higher in fiber than regular cookies. My new recipe of choice? Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, and Pecan cookies. They’re the perfect cookie- crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. A bit of orange zest adds some unexpected flavor. The cookies are addictive and store well though three dozen cookies of these cookies don’t last long.

Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, and Pecan Cookies
from Epicurious

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment or a Silpat (rubber nonstick baking mat). Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed, about 3 minutes. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove in a separate bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter with the mixer on low speed. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the second half. Stir in the oats, pecans, orange zest, and chocolate chips. Drop the dough, by the tablespoon, onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on a rack. Store at room temperature in a cookie jar or other airtight container.

I used less orange zest than the recipe called for the first time based on a recommendation from Smitten Kitchen (the photo was borrowed from Smitten Kitchen too since her photography is far superior to mine) and the full amount the second time I baked these. Everyone who ate them loved them both ways. I was surprised that no one mentioned the orange, especially after reading some of the reviews on epicurious.

I use ginger in recipes pretty regularly because I love its hot, tangy flavor. I use it primarily in Asian dishes like rice and stir fries and paired with carrots. But ginger, both in its sweeter ground form and fresh is a deliciously subtle addition to many baked goods.

With Christmas coming I know many people are in the middle of holiday baking. Here are two recipes for Ginger Cookies, one using fresh ginger and one using ground and crystallized. Because the dough in both recipes has to be refrigerated these are great to make ahead. You can freeze the dough and thaw in the refrigerator to use or refrigerate for up to three days before baking. Both recipes also store well so you can bake ahead and serve a few days later.

I know that the following recipe is for cookies, not health food, but if your little one likes ginger cookies and needs iron you can use blackstrap molasses. Just add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar.

Fresh Ginger Cookies

Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and then roll them in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until edges start to brown, about 15 minutes. Centers will be slightly soft. Let stand on cookie sheets 1 minute and remove to racks to cool completely.

For the Ginger Spice cookies you can substitute butter for some or all of the shortening. I’d recommend half and half, especially now that they make and sell trans-fat free shortening, but using all butter works too. I love crystallized ginger and the little ginger bits add a lot of sweet, spicy taste to these cookies, but if you’re not a fan you can omit it and add a bit more of the ground ginger.

Ginger Spice Cookies
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses

Here’s a third recipe from the Elementary Chef.

Inspired by yesterday’s tips for disguising nutrition, I decided to share a yummy and healthy recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. The original recipe was slightly different, but I modified it to make it healthier.

Pumpkin’s an orange vegetable so it’s full of beta-carotene and other anti-oxidants. It’s also low in calories, a good source of fiber, and has Vitamin A. Using applesauce in these cookies instead of oil lowers the fat calories, and the whole wheat flour is a source of whole grains. If your kids won’t eat them whole, try grinding the walnuts in a food processor. The walnuts are an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
modified from allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups canned or pureed pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, applesauce, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground spices, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
2. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.
3. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

These cookies are definitely more cake-like than cookie-like, but they’re delicious. I like using dark chocolate chips, but most kids will prefer the semi-sweet. You can also sub pecans in for the walnuts if you prefer the taste.

(these pumpkin cheese muffins are another delicious, semi-healthy, fall treat)

disguising nutrition, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, recipe, healthy recipe modifications

I really like the theme of an ingredient a week but I have to tell you that I is a tough letter to work with in terms of ingredients. Sure, there’s Italian parsley or iceberg lettuce and other Italian or Indian ingredients, but what fun is that? Besides, it’s almost officially summer and kids (and most adults) love ice cream.

We all know ice cream isn’t good for you. It can be full of fat and calories and many of the cheaper brands are full of chemicals and additives. But it seems that a little indulgence can be a good thing. Some studies suggest that an occasional splurge can help you stick to a healthy diet. Ice cream is also full of calcium, and for kids (like my own) who don’t like milk, a small dish of ice cream is better than nothing.

Instead of packing up the kids and heading to the nearest supermarket or ice cream stand, you can make some ice cream at home even if you don’t have an ice cream maker. My science teacher sister-in-law taught me how to make a single serving of ice cream using few ingredients, some ziploc style bags, and some gloves to keep your hands from freezing.

Freezer Bag Ice Cream

1/2 cup milk (or cream or half and half)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or chocolate syrup if you prefer chocolate)
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups crushed ice
4 tablespoons salt
2 quart size ziploc-style bags
1 gallon size ziploc-style freezer bag

Mix the milk, vanilla and sugar together in one of the quart size bags. Seal tightly, allowing as little air to remain in the bag as possible. Double bag it with the other quart size bag, leaving as little air inside as possible and sealing well. Put the two bags inside the gallon size bag, fill the bag with ice, then sprinkle salt on top. Let all the air escape and seal the bag. Put your gloves on, and shake and knead the bag, making sure the ice surrounds the mixture, for about 10 to 15 minutes or until it freezes. Tossing the bag back and forth, playing “cold potato” is another fun way to make the mixture freeze into ice cream.

You can read more about the science behind the experiment here: Finding Science in Ice Cream

ice cream, recipe, science experiment

You know that I’m a huge fan of dip. Kids love to dip food in things. I learned this the day that Katie scooped up a big pile of ketchup with a chunk of honeydew. Dip = fun for kids.

So take advantage of this notion to get your kids to eat some vegetables! In addition to the crudites mentioned before, you can encourage your kids to eat other veggies like eggplant.

Eggplant dip is yummy and easy to make. The most traditional version is called Baba Ghanuj and has tahini in it. Not all of us have tahini in the house, so try this Greek version, called melitzanosalata, that is a bit more simple to make.

Melitzanosalata

Of all of the foods that incorporate dill, pickles are probably the most famous. Kids love pickles. And as much as they love eating them, they’ll love making them. Trust me, some of my fondest memories as a kid involve “putting up” pickles and other veggies with my mother in summer.

There are a number of “jobs” that go into making the pickles - use caution when delegating to children since the jars can get really hot. Kids can count out garlic cloves, peppercorns and dill sprigs. They can wash cucumbers and, if old enough, wash out the canning jars prior to use. Mom used to let me label the pickles when they cooled, which was a great job.

Enjoy your pickles.

Dill Pickles

4 lbs of pickling cucumbers (use pickling cucumbers between 3 and 4 inches long, not regular ones and not coated with wax)
10-15 cloves garlic
1/4 c. pickling or canning salt (uniodized)
3 c. water
2-1/4 c. vinegar (white or cider vinegar, at least 5% acidity)
fresh sprigs of dill
black peppercorns

Wash and halve cucumbers.
Combine garlic, salt, water and vinegar in a saucepan and bring to boil, stirring occasionally until salt is completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Using a strainer, fill brine into warmed pickling jars (use proper canning jars with no cracks or chips - Mom used Ball or Mason jars). Pack cucumbers into jars, exercising care. Add a few sprigs of dill and a few fresh peppercorns to each jar. Top up with the remaining brine, leaving about a half an inch from the top. Cover with canning lids and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

If you’re in a hurry, try my mom’s “instant pickle” recipe:

Fill a ceramic bowl with apple cider vinegar to just over half full. Add slices of cucumbers to the vinegar. Season with salt, pepper or other herbs (like dill!) to taste. Voila! Instant pickles! Terrific for summer. They’re wonderfully quick and refreshing.

dill, pickles, cucumbers, preserves

It’s National Soft Pretzel Month!

At our house, we are just inches away from the heart of pretzel country. “The Bretzel” or “Brezel” was brought to the US in 1710 by the Palantine Germans, referred to commonly as the Pennsylvania Dutch. Not surprisingly then, the first commercial pretzel bakery was established in Pennsylvania Dutch Country in Lititz, PA by Julius Sturgis in 1861. That might explain why the average Philadelphian eats 12 times more pretzels than the average American (the average American only eats 2 pounds of pretzels per year)!

It follows then that my kids, all Philadelphians, are crazy about pretzels. But then a number of kids love pretzels. They are the second most popular snack - just behind the potato chip.

Soft pretzels are relatively easy to make. Try this recipe with your kids:

3 ½ c flour
4 T brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 T yeast

2 tsp baking soda mixed with 1 cup hot water

1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water

Mix 1 cup warm water and 1 T yeast together. Add brown sugar and salt in a food processor, or a large mixing bowl. Slowly mix in flour and blend until dough is smooth, not sticky or tacky (you may need to add more flour).

Divide the dough into 6 or 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, with thickness a little bigger than a pencil. S hape into an upside down U shape on your table. Bring the ends together and twist. Flatten the ends and bring to the top of the pretzel and press in the dough.

Place on a greased cookie sheet and let rise until about double in size (about 45 minutes).

Dip in the water-soda solution and then brush with beaten egg and water solution. Sprinkle with coarse salt or topping of your choice (such as sesame seeds, parmesan cheese or cinnamon sugar).

Bake at 475 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

pretzels, National Pretzel Month, Lititz, Sturgis

I promised that the site would be a little different…

Because today’s post is about snacks. And not carrots and celery (though I’m certainly not dissing vegetables!). But I’m talking about chips, pretzels and puffed cheese doodles - you know, yummy store bought snacks.

That’s right. Read that last part again. I said “store bought snacks” - there is nothing in the Mom’s Code of Ethics that says that you have to make all of your kids’ snacks yourself. I am soooo over this super mom myth that if you don’t carve out fruit bowls by hand and grind your own meat, that you somehow don’t love your kids. I do love my kids. I also only have 24 hours in a day. So yes, I buy snacks.

I buy lots of snacks, actually. My husband is of Pennsylvania Dutch descent so that means pretzels, pretzels and more pretzels. He is, of late, enamored with Martin’s Pretzels. He’s passed this love of pretzels along to my daughters. Amy, in particular, will always choose a pretzel over almost any other snack.

Running a close second - and the only snack that my kids will ask for by name - is Pirate Booty. Have you seen this stuff? Cheese puffs. Pirate Booty is cheese puffs. The cool thing is that all of the ingredients are natural - nothing chemical-y and scary. So I don’t feel guilty letting the girls eat it… and boy, do they. We usually have a bag in the cupboard. It’s a good complement to sandwiches at lunch time, or with a glass of milk for a midday snack.

And I have to admit that the name makes me giggle. I’ll never forget shopping in the Acme and hearing my then three year old shout, “Mom, I LOOOOVE BOOTY!” Heads turned. Katie, of course, was completely unaware and continued to ask, “Can I get some booty? Please!!!”

You can find Pirate Booty at Trader Joes and most grocery stores. Definitely check it out. The company that makes it, Robert’s American Gourmet, makes a number of all natural snacks. My favorite? It shouldn’t surprise you to know that it’s called Chaos.

snacks, Pirate Booty, Robert’s American Gourmet, pretzels