Family Bites

The Little Red Hand Mixer

Once spring arrives, I eagerly anticipate weekend trips to local antique markets in search of must-have vintage items.  Kitchen goods usually, although I've also been known to score a few other furnishings while out antiquing (tavern-turned-coffee-table for $20!) 

Last year I decided to hunt for vintage hand mixers.  Perfect for little fingers, I thought the mixers would be a great addition to our kitchen gadgets and something I could buy specifically for the boys to use when they wanted to work alongside me in the kitchen.

Boy, am I glad I purchased some of these!  I picked up two over the course of the summer, for no more than $5 a piece, and gave them a good scrubbing.  They now hang in the kitchen, ready for use, whenever the mood strikes one of the kids.  

Jackson put his retro find to use this week when he worked on some homemade pudding.  With little explanation from me, he was able to navigate this simple recipe.  He needed both hands for mixing, so we placed the bowl on a wet towel to prevent it from sliding on the counter.  The gadget went from bowl to pot quite easily and other than a measuring spoon, cup and spatula no dishes were required.

We're off to my wonder market this coming Sunday.  Keep your fingers crossed that I happen upon a few other great finds!

Jack's Dark Chocolate Almond Pudding (adapted from Moosewood Cookbook)

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 2 cups almond milk
• 1 oz. semisweet chocolate
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the cornstarch, sugar and cocoa in a medium saucepan.  Add the almond milk and stir until smooth.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly.  Allow to boil for 1 minute and reduce the heat to low.  Add semisweet chocolate and stir until melted (3-4 minutes). 

Remove from heat, add vanilla and stir.  Pour into teacups or individual ramekins and refrigerate for two hours.  Sieve a little confectioners sugar on the top and serve.

Five Tips for Entertaining with Kids - Holiday Meals Edition

(image via Hostess with the Mostess) 

Gathering family and friends together for a holiday meal is a seasonal ritual for most of us. We invite, plan, organize, cook, clean, and then welcome guests to our home. While the adults mix, mingle and chat, the young ones in attendance typically scurry off and play before the meal is served.

Entertaining these lovely little people can be such a fun addition to any celebration, but it can also cause a touch of anxiety to the host, or possibly even the parents. Keeping everyone entertained and well-behaved isn't always easy, but here are five methods we employ to ensure everyone is happy during a holiday meal.

1. Be Sure to Serve Something Kid-Friendly

Always an essential rule for holiday meals or party planning in my books. I'm fairly familiar with the likes and dislikes of the kiddies who make their way to our home for celebratory occasions, and I always try to include them in my meal planning process. This doesn't necessarily mean I serve chicken fingers or mac and cheese,  but I try to ensure there is a commonly liked veggie on offer, fresh bread and a meat that is sure to please everyone. There is nothing worse than attending a dinner with nothing available for the kiddies to eat. If you're lucky enough to have small children who will eat anything, then this won't be an issue for you when you go to another home, but keep in mind that not all children will eat like yours. Be sure to have something familiar on hand so everyone will enjoy something to eat.

2. Designate a Special Space for the Kids to Eat

This doesn't have to be a kids table specifically, although if you have the room that can be a welcome idea for the young eaters. At our annual Christmas party, the dining table is transformed into a buffet and the kids seek refuge from the standing adults by gathering under the table to eat. They love to have a secret space to call their own and the big people can move around freely without trampling the little ones. If space for a designated kids table is an issue, set pillows out around the coffee table and let the kids sit on the floor to eat. Consider allowing the children to eat outdoors at a patio table while the adults enjoy their meal inside. In any of these situations the kiddies will be more entertained and less bored if they don't have to sit and listen to adult conversation. I can also attest to hearing some really sweet discussions taking place between a group of cousins which makes this type of seating arrangement worth any hassle it may cause.

3. Paper and Pencil Crayons are Your Best Friends

Those who know us well know we don't travel far without  a stack of paper and a container of pencil crayons. Waiting for dinner, or waiting for tablemates to finish their meal can be a boring task. Paper and colouring utensils provide a vehicle for fun games, comic book drawings, sketching, scribbling etc. Placemats can be designed, maps of the house/garden can be drawn and words games created. This is the easiest way to  keep kids of all ages entertained and happy at the table.

4. Specialty Dinnerware

I find it surprising how this simple idea can make such an impact on the kids.  My mother-in-law almost always purchases fun theme plates for the kids to use during meal time. They clamour for their favourite item in the group and happily nosh off their designer dinnerware. In our house we have small cups with built-in straws which are a favourite for all visiting children. Be sure to stock something special in your cupboard and the kiddies will feel special while dining.

5. Plan a Fun Activity or Two

This can be something for the dinner table or a reward for good behaviour. We have done trips to a nearby park, pumpkin carving, scavenger hunts, donut eating on a string, and charades. The latter is a favourite of the group and one that can be played during the meal. Place a small bowl in the centre of the table with the names of all the guests in attendance, and have each child draw one name and act as that person the entire time they are eating. This is especially funny when there is a large family gathered together. Older cousins can pair up with younger ones and good time will be had by all.

What are your tips and tricks for entertaining children at Holiday meals?

The "Parisian Picnic" - Nine Yummy Things to Platter Up

Living abroad had a tremendously permanent affect on me and most of what I do in my day to day life. It was while living in France I learned the most about myself, saw how not to act as a mother (I'll share more about that another day!) and discovered how to truly appreciate family, friends, food and fun above materialistic goods and consumerist attitudes.  Interesting, since I was living in one of the most affluent areas of the world (Monte Carlo).

Aside from this wonderful appreciation for different things in life, I also learned how to eat some really good food.  Really good.  I picnicked almost every day with an assortment of goods found around the kitchen and it was effortless compared to the North American picnics I was used to.  No barbecued chicken, pre-made sandwiches and sugar-laden beverages and treats.  Nope...it was just a collection of random pantry items and fridge-foods tossed together and laid out for everyone to help themselves.  Brilliant, really.

Now, as a Mom with really hungry boys, this is one of my favourite ways to feed my kiddies.  I don't wait specifically for warm weather or picnic-blanket eating - instead we have "Parisian Picnics" all the time. Especially when we're feeding other kids.  I have put together a short list of how I like to use these picnics and the foods I like to include in them.   I hope this encourages you to have a French-inspired feast one of these days.

  

Weekday Lunches - This is my favourite way to feed a gaggle of kiddies who've come for lunch.  Place assorted items on a large wooden cutting board, with small items and dips and spreads tucked neatly into little bowls.  Give each child a small plate and let them at the buffet!  It's so interesting to see who eats what and I find my own children might be inclined to eat something they think they aren't fond of, if their friends give it a go first.

Family Weekend Lunches - The perfect opportunity to clean out the fridge before the next round of food shopping.  It's great to set out food and let family members help themselves as they are home and feel the need to nosh.  Sometimes one of us adults is out with one child and instead of cooking two lunches we just leave everything out, with some plates on the side and can help ourselves as we feel the need.

Parties/Holidays/Large Gatherings - I find this to be an easy and stress-free way to entertain. Whether you are hosting ten people or thirty, set out a large picnic table/buffet table and fill up the space with an assortment of your favourite ingredients, using your most-loved baskets, bowls and platters.  If this is an adults-only party you can use premium cheeses and meats and if your event involves lots of little-ones be sure to include some kid-friendly fare like homemade marshmallows, cookies and chocolate dipped strawberries.

Here is a list of nine yummy foods to include in any "Parisian Picnic":

1. Breads - baguette, wraps, mini bagels, rye bread, biscuits

2. Crisps and Crackers - wheat crackers, rice crackers, raincoast crisps, pretzels

3. Cheeses - brie, goat, assorted cheddar, blue

4. Fruits - grapes, apples, strawberries, 

5. Veggies - broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, celery, olives

6. Meats/Main - Virginia ham (sliced), quiche, roast chicken

7. Dips/Spreads - hummus, babaganoush, egg salad, tuna salad, tzatziki, butter, preserves

8. Beverages - flat/sparkling water, sparkling juices, lemonade, wine

9. Sweets/Treats - chocolates, dried fruits, dates, nuts, bite-sized cookies, cake, loaves

Tell me, what foods would you include in your "Parisian Picnic"?

Ten Ways to Enjoy Roasted Garlic at the Family Table

Isn't it great when you eat something that tastes so good you forget just how good it is for you?  I can think of approximately ten foods that fall into this category, but none please me as much as garlic.  Used for centuries for both culinary and medicinal purposes, garlic dates back to 500 A.D and is consumed in almost every culture around the world.

We eat an inordinate amount of garlic, specifically roasted garlic.  I tend to throw a few heads in the oven each time I make a cake or bake something that requires the oven to be on for at least 20 minutes. Then we use the garlic that day, or the day following in a myriad of ways. Culinary multitasking at it's best. We have always fed garlic to the kids so the strong, pungent taste is not offensive to them and, in fact, they adore it now.  Without further ado, here is a list of how we enjoy roasted garlic at our family table:

• Smear the roasted cloves onto pieces of sliced baguette and serve as the "carb" portion of your dinner.
  
• Mash the roasted garlic and spread it over a baked potato in place of butter.
  
• Place garlic in a saucepan with some olive oil, diced onion and thyme.  Saute and then cover with chicken stock and simmer for 15 minutes.  Puree and add a splash of cream. Makes a delicious soup.
  
• Serve 2-3 heads of garlic as a veggie.  The kids will have fun fishing the cloves out of their skins.
  
• Toss cloves of roasted garlic, baby spinach and goat cheese with warm pasta for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
  
• Mash the roasted garlic and combine with some mayo.  Spread on bread and top with turkey, lettuce, avocado and swiss cheese for an open faced sandwich.
  
• Combine roasted garlic cloves with chickpeas, lemon juice, olive oil and dill for a rustic hummus spread.  Serve with assorted veggies.
• Combine roasted garlic cloves and olive oil and spread on pizza dough in place of traditional tomato sauce.
• Make a salsa with mashed roasted garlic, diced red pepper, feta cheese, green onion, oregano and olive oil.  Serve with assorted crisps and crackers.
• Saute roasted garlic cloves with any of the following: bok choy, asparagus, broccoli, green beans or snow peas (whatever your kids will happily nosh on).

The simplest, most unassuming item can add such an interesting element to your dinner table.  The fact that it also cures colds, repels mosquitoes, manages cholesterol and supposedly treats acne is just an added bonus. How do we create this gem of an ingredient?  It couldn't be easier! 

Roasted Garlic

• 6 garlic bulbs
  
• olive oil
  
• sea salt
  
• fresh ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Peel away the outer skin of the garlic bulb and slice 1/2 off the top.  Place the bulbs on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle each with some olive oil and a generous sprinkling of sea salt and ground pepper. Cover with another sheet of aluminum foil in order to create a foil parcel and bake for approx. 35-45 minutes, or until the cloves are softened to the touch.  Allow to cool and remove from the skins by squeezing the bulb to release the individual cloves or pulling them out with the tip of a knife.

Do you enjoy roasted garlic?  What is the multitasking-ingredient most often used in your kitchen?

Books for Cooks

(photo courtesy of slash food) 

As I navigate these fresh waters of blogging and twitter, I can't help but notice that most of us have quite the affection for the written word.  I suppose it makes sense - if we didn't then we wouldn't be doing what we're doing. Almost daily I read something extraordinary here in the internet world, and I'm also learning about how much you are all seem to love to read.

I thought I would share what we're reading here Chez Scott, and perhaps you can leave me some suggestions for what you and your family are dipping into these days.  Cookbooks recommendations most welcome, of course.

Jan - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson

    Writing Motherhood by Lisa Garriques

   The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznik (shared reading with Jackson)

           Best of Food Writing, various authors

           The Craft of Baking, by Karen DeMasco and Mindy Fox

Rob - Open, by Andre Agassi

Ben - All of the Percy Jackson books, by Rick Riordan

           Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke

   Holes and Small Steps, by Louis Sachar

          Anything Calvin and Hobbs

          The China Wall, by Johnny Bower

Jackson - Star Wars Lego Visual Dictionary

                    Maps and Mapping, Jimmy Johnson

                    The Invention of Hugo Cabret with me!

          

Chai Concentrate

So, while we're on the subject of things-I-make-that-I-store-in-small-jars-in-my-fridge, I thought I would tell you about my chai concentrate concoction.  

I love chai tea and perhaps even more than chai tea, I love a spicy, warm chai tea latte.  Creamy, frothy and perfectly seasoned, a chai tea latte is the fuzzy-blanket of drinks for me.  My comfort drink for those mornings that seem extra tough, or evenings that are unseasonably cool. 

Almost every coffee shop in my city sells their own version of this latte, and while I love them all, I must confess that I don't love their price tag.  Five dollars is a large chuck of money to pay for a drink, at least in my books, and I've known there must be a more budget-friendly way to create my beloved beverage at home.

Luckily for me, I was right.  After perusing a few cookbooks, google searches and a tea book I spotted in my local bookstore, I came up with the following recipe.  A chai tea concentrate I store in my fridge and use to make lattes whenever the need strikes.  I don't add this mixture to each cup of tea I drink, but rather just the times that I feel in need of treat or some comfort.  A heaping spoonful is added to a cup of black tea and voila...a homemade chai tea latte.

It pleases me to know that I have this little gem of a jar in my fridge and my chai tea lattes are only a steeped tea-bag away.  

All I need now, is to find out if there is a way to make wine in jar? 

Chai Tea Concentrate

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp cardamom

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

• Place all ingredients into a glass jar with a tight fitting lid,  and stir until well combined and the sweetened milk is flecked with the incorporated spices.  Store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

To make the tea:

• Add 1-2 heaping tablespoons of chai mixture to a cup of hot black tea.  Stir well until the mixture has completely melted.

Edible Valentines

Looking for some Valentine inspiration?  Here's what we made for the boys' classroom give-aways last year. Ben, my fourth-grader, felt he was growing too old for the store-bought boxed cards, and Jackson, my second-grade foodie, wanted to give something edible.  So, we came up with the above which is nothing more than our favourite chocolate chip cookies cut into heart shapes.  Ditto with the Rice Krispie treats.  

To make the goodies, we pressed the cookie dough into a round pizza pan, and baked until cooked (slightly longer than the original recipe).  Once thoroughly cooled we cut out heart-shapes using our favourite cookie cutters.  Then, we did the same with the Rice Krispies.  Once everything was cut and set, the pieces were speared with a popsicle stick and embellished with some melted chocolate.  Cello wrapping, printed tags and a spool of ribbon completed the look. 

This year we're back to paper cards, but fun ones of the homemade variety.  We're making goodies for the teachers though, which I'll be sure to share with you later this week (hint: think citrus and chocolate).