Mixing Bowl Kids

Chicken and Pesto

What a great combination!  Lately I've gotten into the habit of roasting a half dozen or so boneless skinless chicken breasts rubbed with pesto, and using them in an assortment of dishes throughout the week.  One such example is the "Italian Sandwich", which is a baguette or bun, topped with tomato sauce, chicken with pesto and a small amount of grated cheese.  The sandwich is named as such more for the colour of the three toppings (red, green and white) then for the flavours themselves (any opportunity to teach a lesson!).  This is a popular lunch-box meal in our home and even tastier when placed under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp the bread and melt the cheese.  My little chefs are able to put this meal together with very little guidance, and they feel so proud of themselves for making something that tastes so yummy.  One side note - I wouldn't let them prepare the actual chicken with pesto as they're too young to learn about the proper handling of raw chicken.

Other possible uses for the baked chicken are as follows:  Served over salad, mixed with pasta and veggies for a quick dinner, wrapped up in a whole wheat pita with avocado, salsa and Monterrey Jack cheese for a quick and easy chicken taco, or even on top of pizza dough for a nice protein addition to an otherwise carb-dense meal.  Please feel free to let me know if you have other ways of using chicken with pesto in your family meals...I look forward to reading your suggestions!

Roasted Chicken with Pesto

6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup of pesto

~ Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper

~ Place chicken breasts and pesto in large bowl.  Toss together in a mixing bowl and place chicken breasts on the baking sheets

~ Place the baking sheet in the pre-heated oven and cook for 25 minutes or until breasts are no longer pink inside and when pierced the juices run clear

"Italian Sandwiches", my recipe

1/2 baguette, sliced in half lengthwise

2 chicken pesto breasts, sliced

1/2 cup tomato or pizza sauce

1/4 cup grated mozzarella or provolone cheese

~ Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper

~ Place the baguette on the baking sheet and top each piece with half of the sauce, chicken breast and cheese

~ Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until bread is crispy and the cheese has melted

~ Serve with a side salad or platter of veggies and dip for a delicious lunch

Lunchbox Cookie - Madeleines

I have been having a love affair with France for about 20 years.  I think it began in elementary school when I was presented with the French award in seventh or eighth grade.  In Secondary school it quickly became one of my favourite and best subjects, and in my first year of University, I watched my first French film, and the crush that had been brewing since those pre-teen years was now a full fledged romance.

In my early twenties I was fortunate enough to live in the South of France for several months, and my exposure to the French culture, especially the cuisine, was anything but disappointing.  Baguettes, brie and rose wine were now a regular part of my vocabulary and diet.  Boulangeries were on every street corner and I would wake early to walk down boulevard d'italie to watch the bakers produce the most fragrant and lovely breads, pastries and cookies I had ever laid my eyes on.  One morning, en route to Italy via the TGV, I popped into that illustrious bakery and bought a pain chocolate for breakfast and a Madeleine for my afternoon snack on the train home.

The madeleine was truly the most delicious little cookie I had ever tasted.  At that point in my life my exposure to cookies had been Oreo's and homemade chocolate chip, so you can imagine why I was so smitten.  I vowed then that one day I would learn how to make those amazingly perfect, delicate and delectable little treats.

Upon my return to Canada, I quickly forgot about my love for the Madeleine, and more or less abandoned cookies all together.  I moved on with my life, met a love, had children and became immersed in my parenting.  As my children grew, so did their love for cookies, and one day we headed out for a walk and stopped by the lovely little French boulangerie in my neighbourhood.  My eldest son chose a pain chocolate for his snack and my youngest chose a madeleine...just the things I had selected so many years ago, in a place so far from here.

Needless to say Madeleines are now a favourite treat in our home..and my children's friends enjoy them just as much as we do.  My son and I each have our own madeleine pans now - his bought for him in Paris when my husband and I traveled there last year.  We love to make madeleines together (they are surprisingly very easy to make and an ideal cookie for children to make with their parents) and when we do, my thoughts always fill with hope that one day he will have a passion for something that he can share with his children.  My affaire de coeur with France and her food has only grown now that the real loves of my life are part of the relationship as well.

Madeleines, recipe from Classic French Cooking

1/2 cup of salted butter, softened plus 2 tbsps of melted butter for greasing the pans

1 cup of superfine sugar

1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

6 eggs

1 tbsp. orange blossom water, or orange juice

~ Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Brush the madeleine pans with melted butter and set aside.

~ Beat the sugar and the butter, with a stand or hand mixture, until white.

~ Sift the flour with the baking powder and set aside

~ Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter mixture, beating thoroughly between each addition until well blended.  As you add the last few eggs you may need to add a tablespoon of flour to the mixture to keep the batter from separating.

~ Using a wooden or metal spoon, fold in the remaining flour and orange blossom water or juice

~ Using a teaspoon, spoon the batter into the madeleine pans until just barely full.  Transfer to the pre-heated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cakes have filled the tins completely and are firm to the touch.

~ Allow to cool and then transfer to a cooling rack.  Dust with icing sugar and store in an air-tight container when perfectly cool.  They will last for 2-3 days.

~ Enjoy!

The Cookie Craft Party

Surprising to many, the history of cookie decorating dates back to sometime around the 14th century, when German Monks made a gingerbread-style cookie and topped it with coarse sugar.  A few hundred years later, the Grimm brothers wrote their version of the popular fairy-tale Hansel and Gretel, which inspired bakers to make edible gingerbread Christmas cards.  Around that same time, Dutch settlers introduced cookie cutters to North Americans, and homes across the continent were filled with cookie cut-out Christmas ornaments hanging from their seasonal trees.  Cookbook publishers eventually caught wind of the trend and began featuring recipes which included English sugar cookies cut into shapes such as bells and Santa Claus.

One of the signature parties at Mixing Bowl Kids is a Cookie Craft party.  So much fun for boys and girls alike, guests of the party will make, bake and ice cookies, while learning piping and decorating techniques and creating fabulous looking sweets.  This party is ideal for seasonal celebrations (Spring, Easter, Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's) but is also a great way to celebrate a birthday (cookies can be selected to match the theme of the party) for a little baker-in-the-making.

The possibilities for the Cookie Craft party really are endless and I might even suggest that this party would also be a great classroom or community centre activity, as well as an interesting way to teach history and art.  As for those handmade gingerbread Christmas cards, I'll let you know if I decide to give them a whirl.

Wishing you all a very happy weekend...and I hope you find the time to get into the kitchen with your kids.

 

A Man-ly Meal!

My children love to talk.  They talk to themselves, each other and my husband and I, frequently and incessantly.  I've often wondered if all children are like this, or if I happen to have a particularly verbal pair.  When speaking, they both use an amusing lexicon that is as completely unique as each of their personalities.  My eldest son in particular has quite a way with words.  For example, instead of saying that "Team A is playing versus Team B", he says "they are going to verse each other"...instead of saying there are "many" he says there are "much".  You get the idea.  Aside from being very verbal, my first born is also witty, and when the two are combined, it provides even more amusement for us when he speaks.

One day, while trying to cajole me into staying on the playground for longer than the pre-determined time (in minus 30 degree temperatures, with high winds and blowing snow) he told me I could stay out there longer and just "take-it-like-a-man".  My friend, who was braving the elements in the playground with me, was very amused by this and we refer to "taking-things-like-a-man" quite often. 

Fast forward to this past week, when everyone was home for March Break, and I was in need of a dinner that would fill the boys up, despite my dismal supply of food.  I did have a steak in the fridge, and I decided I would make a "take-it-like-a-man" meal for dinner...BBQ steak sandwiches made with baguette, caramelized onions and melted cheese.  Filling enough to please the man of the house, yummy enough to please the children of the house and easy enough to please the cook of the house (me).

Of course, being the Mommy that I am, it couldn't be strictly a manly meal, so we rounded it out with some carrot sticks and apple slices and everyone seemed to enjoy the combination.  Although I didn't have my guys work on this dinner with me, they easily could have and will, the next time we put this simple dinner together.

"Take-it-like-a-Man Steak Sandwiches", my recipe

1 pkg of lean steak (any type will do), sliced thinly against the grain for tender pieces

2 tbsp. of butter

1 large onion, sliced

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of barbecue sauce

1/4 cup of beef stock

1 large baguette

1/2 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese (cheddar and mozzarella will work just fine)

~ In a small saucepan, melt the butter over med-high heat.  Add the sliced onion, turn the heat down to low, cover and allow to simmer for about 25 minutes.

~ While the onions are cookies, slice the beef and set aside.  Add olive oil to a large pan, and turn on to medium-heat heat.

~ Add the beef and cook until browned (approx. 2 minutes), turn meat over and cook the other side for the same amount of time.  

~ Add the beef stock to deglaze the pan, and then add the barbecue sauce, stirring well to combine.

~ Turn the heat to the lowest setting and leave to simmer.

~ Once the onions have caramelized, remove from the pot and add to the beef mixture.  Mix everything until well combined.

~ Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

~ Slice a large baguette lengthwise.  Spread the beef mixture over the bread and top with the shredded cheese.

~ Place baguette in pre-heated oven and bake until bread is lightly toasted brown and the cheese has melted.  Remove from the oven, slice and serve with carrot sticks, apple slices or a side salad.

~Enjoy!

The Mystery (or magic?) of Soup

I think I have yet to mention this, but we are a soup loving family.  Like, we really love to eat a lot of soup...often.  For lunch or dinner, weeknights and weekends, soup can often be found gracing our table with it's very welcomed presence.  I wouldn't say that the boys have always loved soup,  but now they eagerly lap it up with an assortment of bread and/or crackers...whatever we have on hand that will allow them to devour soup with something other than a spoon.  Aside from the love we feel for our soups, I also find those full, steaming bowls to be somewhat of a mystery as well.

Most of us love mysteries...the plot is introduced and then begins the suspense of waiting, with baited breath, for the outcome to be revealed.  I feel that way about the ingredients I set a-top the burner...wholesome, fresh foods, simmered with a sprinkling of seasonings, a glass of wine and some stock, simmering, simmering, simmering and finally...finally revealing a pot of delicious,brothy goodness.  How will it taste?  Smell?  I love solving the mystery with the first bite...and often I am surprised.  Such great taste with such little effort...mysterious! 

The other mystery (or magic?) of soup is this - if I were to put some white beans, a slice of bacon, some chopped up carrots and a heap of steaming spinach in front of the boys, they would moan, groan and possibly cry at the thought of having to eat..that. If those exact ingredients are carefully placed into a soup pot, seasoned a smidgen, and covered with wine and stock, while they simmer, simmer, simmer...we suddenly and mysteriously have a meal that is well received (and enjoyed) by the previously unhappy eaters. 

The love of soup (and mysteries) encourages me to continue cooking these pots of warm and yummy food for my family several times weekly. I encourage you to try this recipe with yours, and see if you can make a little mystery (or magic) happen in your own kitchen as well.

White Bean and Bacon Soup with Carrots and Spinach, my recipe

2 cups of dry navy beans, soaked overnight*

1/2 pound of bacon, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 cup white wine

1 tbsp. olive oil

6 cups of chicken stock, store bought or homemade

1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed (or 1 cup fresh if you can find it)

Salt and pepper, to taste

~ In a large stock pot, saute the carrots and garlic over med-high heat,  until softened (approx 5-8 minutes).  Add the wine and cook until some of it has evaporated. 

~ Add the beans and bacon, and cover with the stock until everything is fully covered.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stir and then reduce the temperature to a low simmer.

~ Leave on the stove to simmer for 2-3 hours, or until the beans have softened.  Add the spinach and season with salt and pepper

~ Serve with some nice bread and crackers, some veggies and dip or a nice side salad

~ Enjoy!

* Place 2 cups of dried navy beans in a large bowl.  Fill the bowl with warm water, cover, and leave to rest overnight.  Drain and use in the soup when you're ready for them.  This will speed up the cooking process of the beans.

S'more Brownies

With all the blustery cold weather we have been faced with lately, my family, like most others, is ready for the summer months which bring plenty of sunshine and warmer days. While we thoroughly enjoy skating and sledding, hot chocolate and crackling fires, we are ready for a change of seasons and temperatures.

Last summer we camped for the first time and found it to be such a wonderful experience for the entire family.  Our nightly "s'mores and ghost-story-telling" were the most fun for me, and I'm sure my children would probably agree. Thinking of those times we decided to spend the past weekend making a different sort of s'more.  One that would work for us now, but would remind us of what we have to look forward to, as we moved a month ahead on the calendar and just that much closer to those camping days we were missing.  

After a quick search on-line I discovered this wonderful S'more Brownie recipe.  With an ooey gooey marshmallow topping, soft brownie centre and crisp graham cracker crust, we may have found a seasonal substitute for our favourite camping snack.  The three of us put this together with ease and all agreed that it was a truly yummy treat.

So for those who are looking for a way to bring a little summer to their lives, this recipe may do the trick. And if not, only seventeen more days until Spring...one season closer to our beloved summer.

Oh yeah....if you're looking for a boredom buster for March Break, plan an indoor camping experience for the kids, complete with a tent set-up in the playroom and ghost stories told by flashlight.  I can assure you these treats will be well received and will almost pass as a substitute for the real thing.

S'more Brownies, from the Food Network Kitchens

Crust:

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1.5 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs

2 tbsp. sugar

pinch of fine salt

Brownie:

8 tbsp. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

1.5 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. fine salt

4 large cold eggs

1 cup all purpose flour

Topping:

4 cups of large marshmallows

~ Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.  Line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch

~ For the crust:  Lightly butter the foil with some of the melter butter.  Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.  Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan.  Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

~ Next make the brownie.  Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl.  Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes.  Stir, and microwave again, until completely melted, about 2 minutes more.  Alternatively, out the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl.  Bring a saucepan filled with an inch of water to a slow simmer, and set the bowl on the pan without touching the water.  Stir occasionally until melted.  Stir the brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate.  Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter.  Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

~ Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

~ Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the boiler and pre-heat on low.  Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden (keep an eye on it, it can go quickly), about 2 minutes.  Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps.  Carefully separate any marshmallows from the foil and fold away.  Cut into 12 squares.

~ Enjoy!

 

Guess who's cooking dinner?

How would you feel if I told you it won't be you?  That's right, dear reader....instead of cooking you'll be supervising your little chefs (and possibly enjoying a glass of wine too!) while your children - ages 8 or older - will be whipping up a healthy, delicious and easy family dinner in less than 40 minutes.  I know, I know...it just sounds to good to be true, but I promise you that with very little effort on your part, this can, and hopefully will, happen often.  

You see, we have a new weekly feature here on Mixing Bowl Kids - each week I will post a recipe and pictures of a meal cooked for our family by my seven and eight year old sons.  This is new for us as well and I'm so excited about this new routine we are hoping to accomplish.  My plan is to print off a recipe, lay out the ingredients and tools needed and hope their creative culinary juices begin to flow.  I think you would agree by the above photo, that our first attempt at this was incredibly successful.

Please do try this...your children will feel so proud of what they've accomplished and you will enjoy a healthy meal as a family that you didn't have to cook.

Pesto Potatoes, Salmon and Green Beans

2 lbs baby new red potatoes

1/2 cup of pesto

2 tbsp olive oil

4 pieces of salmon

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp garlic

1/4 tsp salt

1 lb of green beans

1 tbsp butter

~ Preheat oven to 450 degrees

~ Toss the potatoes in a large bowl with the pesto and olive oil

~ Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet.  Put into oven (on the bottom rack) and set timer for 35        

   minutes.

~ Mix together maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic and salt.  Pour into a large zip-lock bag.  Add the salmon,    toss around and put in the fridge for 15 minutes (set a timer for this)

~ When timer rings, set salmon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Place into oven on the  

   top rack and cook with potatoes until the first timer goes off.

~ Meanwhile, fill a pot with water.  Bring to a boil and add green beans.  Cook for approx. 4 minutes.  

   Drain beans, return to pot and toss with butter.  Place the pot on the turned-off burner to keep      warm.

~ Take the potatoes and salmon out of the oven (make sure to use oven mitts)

~ Turn off the oven

~ Put one piece of salmon, a few potatoes and some beans on each plate.  Serve to your family.

Tips: These were the exact instructions I gave to my children.  I had left out the list of ingredients and tools required, on the counter, and my eldest son read the recipe/instructions while my younger son did most of the mixing and tossing.  I helped to remove the pans from the oven and drain the beans as the pot with the hot boiling water was too heavy for the boys to carry.