Grilled Fish Trio, Grilled Snow Peas/Portobello and Rice Pilaf

Posted on June 10, 2010 | 2 comments

Falling Through the Cracks

When I grill food on tin foil, it feels as liberating as serving dinner on paper plates.  The kids like it because they don’t get too much of that charcoal taste and texture (yes, they don’t like the black stuff).  I like it because I simply just throw it away after the food is cooked– no cleaning pots/pans or serving dishes.  No matter what it is, veggies, steak, chicken, pork and fish – it all works on tin foil.  And the best part is, you don’t have to worry about stuff falling through the cracks and you still get some grill marks and delicious grill taste.  Now if it could only catch the things on my “to do” list from falling through the cracks….

Grilled Fish:  While not a fan of cooking multiple main courses, my kids and I picked 3 different fishes at the market today, “I want salmon, no I want swordfish, no I want…!”.  The customer next to us said to me, “I have never seen children so excited about fish before!”. 

Grilled Teriyaki Salmon:

  • Put a piece of Salmon on tin foil and pour a little teriyaki sauce on top (and bottom), sprinkle with ginger powder, pepper and some fresh garlic cloves.
  • Wrap in tin foil and grill for 7-8 minutes.

Grilled Swordfish:

  • Cut a piece of swordfish in half and place on tin foil (with a little EVOO on bottom).  Pour a little EV Olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic clove and splash of white wine on top.
  • Wrap in tin foil and grill for 8-10 minutes.

Grilled Flounder

  • Place flounder on tin foil (fold thin sides under to cook evenly).  Pour a little EV olive oil, salt/pepper, garlic clove, fresh lemon and spices (I used thyme and parsley).
  • Wrap in tin foil and grill for 6-7 minutes.

Grilled Grape Tomatoes

  • Place grape tomatoes on tin foil.  Toss with EV olive oil, salt, pepper (and fresh basil if you have it.  FYI it will turn black on grill).
  • Wrap in tin foil and grill for about 10 mins.

Snow Peas

  • Wash and take strings off snow peas.  Place on tin foil and toss with salt/pepper, fresh garlic and ginger powder.
  • Wrap in tin foil and grill for about 10 mins.

Portobello Mushrooms

  • Slice mushrooms and place on tin foil.  Toss with EV Olive oil, salt/pepper and grill for about 10 minutes.

Rice Pilaf:

  • Cook rice pilaf (Far East brand) according to directions (does take about 30 min.)

How Can the Kids Help?

  • Smash the garlic clove
  • Pick and/or sprinkle herbs on fish
  • Squeeze the lemon wedge on fish
  • Help wash veggies (teach importance of washing food)
  • Measure and pour rice pilaf ingredients
  • Fish coloring/activity pages: http://www.coloring.ws/fish.htm

Did You Know?

  • To get Omega 3 in eggs, farmers force hens to eat flaxseed (fish oil).  Don’t bother, just eat fish instead.
  • If Omega 3 is “added” to your food, chances are it wasn’t meant to be in there in the first place.  Just eat fish!

Now THAT was good!

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Posted in Family Dinner, Seafood

Grilled Flank Steak and Asparagus, Baked Potato Spears, Purple Salad

Posted on June 3, 2010 | Leave a comment

Love Your Food Store Like Your Friends

We love the people in our lives for different reasons and each person has their own strengths; one friend might be a good listener, one might give good advice, another friend might tell you the ugly truth, and so on.  Most likely, it’s difficult to find everything you need all in one person.  I feel exactly the same way about my food stores, I love them all for different reasons and they are all good at something special:

  • I love Fresh Market for their meat and produce
  • I love Whole Foods for their cheese and bread
  • I love George’s Shop n’ Bag for their home-made deli meat and nuts/dried fruits
  • I love Sonny’s (Ambler) for their fresh fish
  • I love Trader Joe’s for their packaged foods and snacks
  • I love SOAP.com for their paper products and cleaning supplies (delivered for free!)
  • I want to love Wegmans but they are just a little too far!

Why do you love your food store?

Flank Steak:

  • Put a piece of flank steak in a Ziploc bag  and add ABOUT:  1/4 cup of EV olive oil, soy sauce, ginger powder, garlic powder, black pepper (don’t need salt)
  • Marinate as long as you have (10 minutes or 10 hours)
  • Grill on tin foil on HIGH for 5-6 minutes.  Flip ONCE and cook on MEDIUM for another 5-6 minutes

Asparagus

  • Wash and cut ends off asparagus.
  • Lay on tin foil and toss with EV Olive oil, salt/pepper.
  • Cover with tin foil and seal (poke holes on top to vent).
  • Cook with steak (5 mins. on High and 5 mins. on Medium – no flip required just a shake).

Baked Potato Spears:

  • Cut potato in half then cut each piece in half again.  Cut spears like you would orange slices (on an angle).
  • Toss in a Ziploc bag with EV olive oil, salt/pepper and onion powder.
  • Lay on baking sheet (line with parchment or tin foil) and bake for 45 minutes on 425 until golden brown.

Purple Salad:

  • Boil beets and cut into small cubes.
  • Boil (or microwave) baby carrots just for a couple mins. and cut up.  (You can add these raw if you prefer)
  • Cut up grape tomatoes and red bell peppers.
  • Cut up a mozzarella ball.
  • Add all veggies into bowl and toss with EV Olive oil, salt/pepper, a splash of rice wine vinegar and red wine vinegar.
  • Everything with turn PURPLE – even the cheese

How Can the Kids Help?

Did You Know?

  • It has been reported that Asparagus Therapy has been used successfully to treat cancer  (Asparagus therapy includes eating 2-4 TBS of pureed asparagus per day).
  • Asparagus grows upright from a crown that is planted about one foot underground.
  • Image of asparagus growing: http://www.aadl.org/files/images/asparagus%20growing.jpg

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Posted in Beef, Family Dinner

Shrimp with Black Beans and Tripoline Pasta

Posted on May 28, 2010 | Leave a comment

Cereal AFTER Dinner?

When I was a kid no matter what was for dinner, I always had room for one thing….no not desert, (although I had room for that too) but what I really craved was, a bowl of cereal.  I don’t know why but it could be 5 minutes or 5 hours after dinner and I just HAD to have it.  I have since gotten away from this habit in the last several years, UNTIL now.  I just bought a healthy version of “Sugar Smacks” for the kids at Whole Foods called, “Honey Kissed Wheat Puffs” by Isabel’s Way.  Of course the first ingredient is still (evaporated milled) sugar and although there aren’t many other ingredients (and I can read them all), one of them is corn syrup – which is basically more sugar.  What is really bad is that I literally just downed 2 bowls after several healthy portions of tonight’s pasta.  What can I say (as I wipe the milk off the bottom of my chin)?  How ‘bout “Do as I say – not as I do”.

Shrimp w/Black Beans and Tripoline Pasta:   I threw this together at the last minute with items from my pantry/freezer– it took as long as the pasta took to boil (10 minutes) and was easily enough for 6 people.

  • Defrost some (cooked) shrimp from the freezer – I used a whole bag.
  • Boil pasta water and cook 1 lb. of GF pasta (al dente).  I used Tripoline which is like linguine but the edges are curled a bit.
  • Heat up some garlic in EV olive oil in a large pan.
  • Add a large can of Peeled Tomatoes and a small can of Diced Tomatoes to the pan.  One can is enough if you are only making 1/2 bag of shrimp.
  • Smash tomatoes with a wooden spoon.  Add salt/pepper, fresh basil and a dash of hot pepper flakes (trust me it will not be hot).
  • Squeeze the tails off the defrosted shrimp and add to the pan of tomato sauce – Toss.
  • Pour sauce over pasta and serve with grated cheese on top.

How Can Kids Help?

Did You Know?

  • Shrimp is the #1 eaten seafood in America
  • The Bubba Gump Restaurants serve shrimp 18 different ways
  • The Worlds Largest Shrimp was 16 inches long (found in Columbia in 2006)
  • Live Shrimp:  http://southsantee.com/images/Shrimp-live.gif

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Grilled Chicken Cutlets, Grilled String beans, Corn on the Cob

Posted on May 27, 2010 | Leave a comment

Grilling Saved My Marriage

Mia told me tonight that I was “getting a little carried away with the grilling” and suggested that I go back to cooking food in the pan or oven.  To add insult to injury, she also informed me that her dad was actually a better griller than I am – which is fine with me.  You see, Mike’s grilling skills are actually one of the reasons we have such a good marriage.  When we were dating, we ate dinner at my parent’s house a lot.  My father would be grilling and my mother would be yelling instructions out the door “Flip the steaks now!”.  It was then and there after dating only a few months that I turned to Mike and told him that if we were ever going to be married someday that he would have to become a “Grill Master”.  Well, Mike’s grilling skills have reached perfection and here we are 16 years later happily married.  But, looking back on those wonderful dinners with my parents, I can’t help but think the same thing over and over…..WHY didn’t I say, “Laundry Master”?

Grilled Chicken Cutlets: Tonight’s dinner took 10 minutes to cook.

  • Took about 10 thin, small chicken cutlets and marinated them in a Ziploc bag with Fresh Market’s Anytime Marinade (it tastes like a mild BBQ sauce with only 6 ingredients).
  • Grill chicken on a piece of tin foil for 5 minutes on High.
  • Flip chicken and cook for an additional 5 minutes on Medium.

Grilled String beans

  • Snap ends off fresh string beans and lay on a piece of tin foil.
  • Toss with a little EV olive oil, ginger (powder), salt/pepper and 2 garlic cloves.
  • Grill with chicken for 5 mins. on High and 5 mins. on Medium.

Corn on the Cob

  • I boiled the corn because the kids don’t like grill marks on their corn.  Boil for about 5-10 minutes.
  • Try the new tool from Kitchen Capers that peels the corn off the cob for the kids (if they like that).  Also, get the corn holders for the ends of the cob.
  • What’s not to like about fresh corn with a little butter and salt?

Salad

  • Tore pieces of Romaine and shredded a few carrots over the salad.
  • Tossed with leftover Balsamic vinaigrette made the other night.

How Can the Kids Help?

Did You Know?

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Posted in Chicken, Family Dinner

Grilled Cod w/Mango Tomatoes, Grilled Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus, Raw Salad

Posted on May 26, 2010 | 7 comments

What NOT to Order

I went to my favorite fish guy in Ambler today determined to make grilled tuna (Mac has been bugging me to make it).  When I arrived, it wasn’t as bright red as usual but I figured it would be fine.  As I began to order it, I heard him whisper, “get something else”.  So I quickly changed plans and ordered a big piece of the Cod.  “Great choice!” he told me – as if it was my idea.  It reminded me of a waiter that says something like, “are you SURE you don’t want to try the salmon instead?” – hint, hint, the veal is a real loser tonight.  So I was thinking….wouldn’t it be great if someone could warn you before every meal what NOT to order, sort of a fairy godmother of food?  Imagine if Stacey and Clinton from What NOT to Wear came jumping out of the restaurant’s kitchen to guide you in ordering the best items off the menu.  C’mon tell me that wouldn’t be the coolest!

Grilled Cod w/Mango Tomatoes: 
I am not a girl that ever likes fruit in my dinner but when I bought this Mango and cut it up for the kids, Mia told me it tasted like lemon (which I forgot to buy for the fish).  I asked her if I should put it on the fish and she suggested that I add some sliced grape tomatoes and Voila!  Plus, once grilled it didn’t taste fruity at all.

  • Pat your fish dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt/pepper.  Place on a piece of tin foil.
  • Chop some fresh thyme, parsley and tarragon (from my herb pots – you can use dried too) and sprinkle it in on top of or inside the cod fish filet (if it is sliced).
  • Dice a mango and some grape tomatoes and put on top of and all around the fish.
  • Drizzle with some EV olive oil, white wine and lemon juice (bottled is ok).
  • Place another piece of tin foil on top and tighten sides with bottom piece.  Poke a couple holes for steam to escape.
  • Grill on HIGH for about 10 minutes.  Turn the heat down to Medium for another 5 mins. or so (depending on thickness of fish).

Grilled Asparagus

  • Snap the end off of one asparagus piece to see where you should cut the bottoms off the rest.
  • Lay asparagus on tin foil and toss (with hands) EV olive oil, salt/pepper, lemon juice and 2 cloves of garlic.
  • Wrap in the tin foil and grill for 10 minutes on High.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

  • Peel and slice sweet potatoes (about ½ inch thick). 
  • Toss with EV olive oil, salt/pepper and a sprinkle of brown sugar.
  • Lay on an open piece of tin foil and grill on High for 10 mins. and then Medium for 5 mins. (same as fish).

Raw Salad:  Raw salads are so good for you and so easy to make.  Just cut up whatever you have!

  • Peel and dice celery, orange pepper, cucumber, grape tomatoes and avocado.
  • Toss with EV Olive oil, salt/pepper and Rice Wine Vinegar.
  • Squirt some fresh or bottled lime juice on before mixing to ensure the avocados don’t brown.

How Can the Kids Help?

  • Plant a few herbs in a pot and let the kids help you pick them.
  • Sprinkle the chopped herbs and mangos/tomatoes in and around the fish.
  • Toss asparagus with seasonings with hands!
  • Sprinkle brown sugar on the sweet potatoes
  • Help add ingredients and mix the raw salad.
  • Fish Coloring Page:  http://www.rugbyclc.com/resources/fish+-+colour.gif

Did You Know?

  • This dinner took 15 minutes to cook!
  • I like grilling on tin foil because the kids don’t like things too charcoaled plus it makes for an easier grill clean-up and ensures that nothing falls through the cracks!
  • Cod is it one of the cleanest sources of protein with little or no carbohydrates or fat.
  • Cod provides you with healthy doses of B12, B6 and Omega 3 fatty acids, plus it’s a very mild flavored fish – all good things for your heart, cholesterol levels, and fish has anti-inflammatory effects on the body and may help protect against skin cancer.

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Posted in Family Dinner, Seafood

Grilled Rib Eye Steak, Butternut Squash Risotto and Grilled Veggies

Posted on May 25, 2010 | Leave a comment

Walmart Should Be Ashamed

I needed some paper products for the Lacrosse party tonight and decided to go to Walmart since I was in the area.  I walked into the store and not even 1 foot from the front door was a display for Dolly brand deserts for $2 a box.  They were these nasty powder and chocolate donuts and a disgusting pink sparkle, crème-filled twinkie thing.  I kid you not, the ingredient list was 20 lines long and I could barely read a word of it.  Why is this not against the law?  I bet some street drugs are healthier for you than these deserts.  I could not find one natural yogurt in an entire wall of yogurts.  There were plenty of low-fat, low-sugar, low-carb processed products – God knows what’s actually in them.  Can’t we just eat REAL FOOD?

I continued to walk around the store in amazement – not one person looked healthy, and I am not talking about weight.  I actually do not believe that weight alone is the sign of health.  I know lots of people that are overweight that eat healthy and look healthy.  But I also know several skinny girls that eat only “low-fat/low-carb”– now they are scary.  I want to yell out, “give that girl a cheeseburger please!”.  Don’t people realize (no matter what your size) that all this obsession with healthy eating is killing us?

Grilled Rib-Eye Steak

  • Brush a little EV olive oil, salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence on each side of the steak.
  • Grill on High for 3-5 mins. Flip and turn heat to Medium to cook through for another 5 minutes (to taste).

Butternut Squash Risotto  (This does take at least a half-hour so I like to make this one on Sunday)

  • Cut-up butternut squash into small cubes and lay on baking sheet.  Toss with salt/pepper and a little EV oil (with hands) and bake on 400 for approx. 20 minutes.  Set aside.
  • Heat up olive oil and cook 3-5 shallots until soft (not brown – about 5 mins.).
  • Add a splash of white wine and 1 cup of Arborio rice – stir for about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add salt/pepper, a little rosemary and 1 cup of Vegetable broth to rice.
  • Add an additional 4 cups of broth (one cup at a time) and stir until the liquid is absorbed each time (5 cups total).
  • Secret ingredient:  add a tablespoon of cream cheese and of course the butternut squash and stir.
  • Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

Grilled Veggies  (Serve these by themselves or throw them on your salad)

  • Cut up a broccoli head and a red bell pepper.
  • Toss on some tin foil with EV olive oil, salt pepper and 3 cloves of garlic.
  • Seal tin foil and grill with steak (about 10 minutes).

Salad w/ Balsamic Vinaigrette:  LOVE my new Salad Spinner (thanks Aunt Nina)- it keeps the lettuce SO crisp!

  • Wash and thoroughly dry lettuce.
  • Salad Dressing:  Pour ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar, 1 Tsp of mustard, salt/pepper in a jar (w/lid).   Add about 3/4 cup of EV olive oil and shake hard.
  • You can put the veggies on the salad and toss it all together with the dressing if you like.

Desert:  Mia made this up.

  • Toss strawberries with a little Sugar in the Raw (even a dash of balsamic vinegar is great).
  • Scoop them into an ice-cream cup and top with whipped cream or fluff.

How Can the Kids Help?

  • Drizzle the oil and spices on both sides of the steak (you flip it over).
  • Sprinkle the salt/pepper on the butternut squash and toss with EVOO with your hands!
  • Measure the wine, rice and chicken broth and help stir the risotto
  • Measure salad dressing ingredients and use immersion blender to mix.  Teach safety about unplugging appliances immediately after use.

Did You Know?

  • Butternut squash is technically a fruit because it has seeds – it’s a member of the gourd family but is much healthier than zucchini.
  • Butternut squash is high in fiber, potassium, B6 and beta-carotene – all good for preventing heart disease, breast cancer, and it’s good for your immune system.  Plus just one cup provides you with ½ of your Vitamin C for the day!
  • The smaller the squash, the more flavorful it will be.

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Posted in Beef, Family Dinner

Tagged , , ,

Laziest Chicken Noodle Soup

Posted on May 21, 2010 | Leave a comment

The New American DreamSee full size image

I cannot tell you how many smart, educated and all-together fabulous moms, who enjoy food themselves, succumb to the “short order cook” syndrome.  If you are not familiar, this is the person who cooks something different for her spouse, each of the kids, and herself (if she has any energy left).  This amazes me.  Did your grandmother do this?  My favorite show growing up was Little House on the Prairie – I am pretty sure that Caroline Ingalls did not offer multiple choice dinner options.  Bear with me, I am on a roll….do starving children in Africa or flood victims in Haiti turn away broccoli with melted cheese or sweet potatoes with brown sugar/butter.  Hell no!  Why?  Because they don’t have the luxury and most likely, they are malnourished.  However, isn’t it ironic that studies show that our children (with all the options in the world) are also lacking in basic nutrition?   Sometimes, more choices do not result in a better outcome.  The new American Dream – less is more, go figure.

The Laziest Soup:
My kids weren’t feeling great so I cooked this soup in 10 minutes.  It works with or without meat.

  • Heat up 2 boxes of organic broth (I like to mix 1 chicken and 1 vegetable).
  • Pour about 2 cups of pasta in the broth (I like the mini shells but whatever works).
  • Slice some baby carrots and put them in the broth with the pasta and boil for about 10 min. (you can add any other veggies you have if you want i.e., celery, mushrooms).
  • If you have some leftover turkey or chicken breast you can cut it up and add it in the last 2 mins.
  • I sprinkled some parsley and a little black pepper on top for color (but skip if you want).
  • Serve with some crackers or bread and of course, a big hug.

Did You Know?

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Posted in Chicken

Tagged ,

Italian Frittata and White Bean/Artichoke Soup

Posted on May 19, 2010 | Leave a comment

What Happens in…stays in…. 

When did the movies get so nasty?  I think it was when they started selling pizza and hot dogs – what’s next Chinese Food?  Must we serve the exact same food everywhere?  I heard that some Chinese restaurants are actually serving chicken nuggets now.  Even the new movie theaters smell like stinky feet and god knows what else.  It’s like getting on a packed airplane for a 3+ hour flight and the person next to you in the center seat pulls out a bag of McDonalds.  Does a nose clip come with that barf bag?  I see these 300 pound men and women at the movies ordering enough food for the Octomom and Gosslin Families combined and I want to yell “Stop – do you know that will kill you!”.  Pretty soon they are going to install moving walkways up the aisle because nobody will be able to walk the steps.  Now can you please tell me one final thing?  As completely offended and utterly disgusted by all this behavior at the movies, why is it that even I cannot resist the free pass – to eat an entire bag of Sour Patch Kids in the dark.  You know what they say, what happens in the movies, stays in the movies. 

Frittata:  You can make this frittata with any ingredients (ham, sausage, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, shredded cheese, herbs) and serve it for breakfast, lunch or dinner! 

  • Scramble 8-10 eggs and add salt/pepper, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese (and 2 TBS of milk if desired)
  •  Heat TBS butter (or EVOO) in a hot skillet and cook your ingredients (prosciutto/asparagus) until cooked through.
  • Add a drop of EVOO to ingredients to prevent eggs from sticking if needed.  Pour eggs over ingredients.
  • Cover and let cook for 5 minutes (eggs will still be wet, careful not to burn bottom of pan). 
  • Put skillet in the oven on BROIL for about 5 minutes until knife comes out clean.  Serve it like pie.

         Note:  You can also simply bake the frittata on 350 for 20 mins. after you pour the eggs  into the pan. 

White Bean/Artichoke Soup:  I made this up from ingredients in my cabinets (served 4).  The color wasn’t the prettiest but it tasted so delicious! 

  • Sautee 1/2 onion in a soup pot with a little EV olive oil until soft.
  • Add 3 cups of chicken broth, 1 can of drained cannellini beans, 1 can of chopped artichoke hearts, and 1/2 teaspoon of chopped rosemary.  Boil and then simmer for 30 mins.  Use hand (immersion) blender in the pot to blend and thicken soup.
  • Add good hit of salt/pepper and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Serve with bread for dunking!
    The kids didn’t like it until I gave them the bread to dunk.

Salad:Clean and dry romaine thoroughly so it won’t get soggy.   Add toppings (yellow pepper and tomatoes) and toss with salad dressing. 

How Can Kids Help? 

  •  Teach kids how to crack eggs (do each one in a separate dish so you can fish out shells if needed).
  • Measure and add 1/2 cup of cheese to the eggs.
  • Wash asparagus and help pull apart prosciutto into pieces.
  • Teach kids how to know where to cut bottom of asparagus – take a piece in your hands and snap the bottom off gently.  Wherever it breaks is where you should cut the rest.
  • Teach kids how to measure butter (2 TBS) and add to pan.
  • Dinner Game:  Pick a letter (or start with A) and see how many foods you can name that begin with that letter.  It’s a good way to teach new foods.

Did You Know? 

  • A Spanish Tortilla is like an Italian Frittata but is usually made with potatoes (no cheese) inside and served with a garlicky mayonnaise.
  • A French Omelet hold a small amount of filling and is rolled-up several times.
  • Frittata means “fried” (although some people bake them – like my husband).
  • Pasture raised hens lay eggs that have:  1/3 less cholesterol, 1/4 less saturated fat, 2/3 more vitamin A, 2 times more mega-3 fatty acids, times more vitamin E, 7 times more beta carotene (the yolks are actually orange)

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Posted in Family Dinner, Pork

Chicken w/ Ziti and Broccoli

Posted on May 18, 2010 | Leave a comment

Overfed and Undernourished

For my 50th recipe post I thought I would share some insights from my new favorite book “In Defense of Food”.  This book has left me feeling violated, lied to and completely untrusting of government food agencies and food companies.  Michael Pollan has let the cat out of the bag about the Western Diet:

  1. A new study failed to find a link between a low-fat diet and the risk of coronary heart disease.
  2. The push to replace saturated fats with corn/soy products has backfired, as these trans fats are twice as bad and they are killing us.
  3. Western Diseases (obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer) are linked to the Western Diet of highly processed foods and refined grains.
  4. Cultures that do NOT eat the Western Diet, do NOT demonstrate the same chronic tooth decay and disease.
  5. In 1973, the FDA overturned a law from 1938 that required food companies to label foods as “imitation” (even if they are).
  6. To get Omega 3’s in eggs, they force hens to each flaxseed (fish oil).
  7. There are 17,000 new foods introduced each year.
  8. Don’t eat food your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize.
  9. Don’t eat food products that are a) unfamiliar, b) unpronounceable, c) more than 5 in number or d) have high-fructose corn syrup.
  10. Food with health claims on them aren’t worth eating (a banana doesn’t come in a box with a sign “high potassium” on the front).

Chicken Ziti and Broccoli:

  • Drizzle some olive oil in a large pan. Chop and heat 1-2 cloves of garlic and heat in the oil.  Sprinkle a few red pepper flakes for extra flavor.  Note:  Use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder if you prefer).
  • Salt/pepper and cut 4-6 chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and brown in the oil.
  • Boil pasta water and cook bite-sized broccoli florets in the water until cooked through.  Use hand strainer to pull out broccoli.  Reuse water to cook a little more than ½ pound of ziti (save some pasta water).
  • Add to pasta and broccoli to chicken in the pan.  Add about a ½ cup of half & half (or milk or chicken broth), ½ cup of parmesan cheese and a juice from 1/2 lemon and stir.  Sauce will thicken quickly.
    If using whole garlic, take it out now.
  • Add more salt/pepper if needed.
  • Stir.  Add a little pasta water if needed to thin sauce and serve with a little more grated cheese on top.

How Can the Kids Help?

  • Smash or peel garlic (after mom smashes to open).
  • Add EV Olive Oil to the pan (pour until you count to 3).
  • Help wash broccoli and cut into bite-size pieces (or tell Mom which pieces to cut).
  • Help measure chicken broth and parmesan cheese.
  • Roll the lemon to loosen juices and help squish juice in a bowl (get seeds out) or turn lemon upside down and let juice go through your fingers to catch the seeds.
  • Fun Folic Acid Coloring and Activity Pages: http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/bnp/folicacid/documents/folic%20Acid%20Coloring%20Pages%20Eng.pdf

Did You Know?

  • Chicken Ziti and Broccoli is a staple in Boston (especially in the North End) but is not nearly as common in Philly.
  • Crops are shrinking to a few “high-yield” varieties (e.g., half of all broccoli grown commercially in the U.S. is a single variety due to its high-yield).
  • The combination of eating broccoli and tomato together slowed tumor growth more than either one eaten separately.  Better check-out my Chicken Tomato-Broccoli dinner!

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Posted in Chicken

Easy Eggplant Parmasean (Not Fried)

Posted on May 14, 2010 | Leave a comment

Obsessed With Food Much? 

Do you think we are obsessed with food?  You be the judge….

  1. Instead of “Hi kids, how was your day?” I always say, “Hi kids, what did they serve for lunch at school today?”
  2. I let my 7 year old use a butcher knife to ‘smash’ a garlic clove and remove the peel herself.
  3. You literally cannot even stop by my house without being fed (“You HAVE to try this!”).
  4. Mia doesn’t understand why all restaurants don’t serve linguini with clams.
  5. We begin planning the next meal while still eating the current one.
  6. Mac can easily knock down over 30 pieces of sushi and sashimi for dinner.
  7. Dinner with friends at one of those little “sharing plate” restaurants is our worst nightmare because there is never enough food (of course everyone ‘poses’ with the last bite).
  8. We have been known to critique the food everywhere we go (even a funeral).
  9. At a family/friend party I overheard my niece (22 yrs. old) telling everyone that she was definitely going to serve Prime Rib at her wedding (P.S. she doesn’t have a boyfriend).
  10. We have lived in 3 countries and visited countless cities all around the world and yet the only way we remember a town is by recalling what we ate there (“Oh NOW I remember Brugge, we ate at that romantic, outside restaurant with white sheets hanging everywhere and they served coffee in these antique funky contraptions….”).  I actually don’t remember much more about the town than that.

Eggplant Parmesan

  • Cut ends off eggplant and peel the skin off with peeler.  Slice into circles about ½ inch thick.
  • Dip into egg and then bread crumbs.  Lay directly onto baking sheet or onto cookie rack first.  Spray with PAM or a little olive oil and bake for 8-10 minutes.
  • Put some tomato sauce on bottom of baking dish, lay eggplant (only slightly overlapping),sprinkle  mozzarella and a little parmesan cheese on top and then tomato sauce again.  Do one more layer and sprinkle some parm on the top.
  • Bake for approximately 30 minutes on 350.

Tomato Sauce  Don’ waste your money on jar sauce if you don’t have to.

  • Sautee some garlic in EV Olive oil.  Dice and add ½ onion and ½ cup of carrot and cook until soft. 
  • Add 2 cans of crushed tomatoes and 4-5 basil leaves. 
  • Add some salt/pepper and cook for at least 15 minutes.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts:  Since I am baking the eggplant, why not roast the brussel sprouts at the same time?  Also, one dish for prep and serving!

  • Wash and cut brussel sprouts in half.  Dice a shallot.
  • Spray bottom of baking dish with PAM and add brussel sprouts/shallots.
  • Pour a little EV Olive Oil, salt/pepper and Herbs de Provence (if you like) and toss around.  You can spray PAM instead of the EVOO. 
  • Bake with Eggplant for 30 minutes at 350 then cook for another 5-10 mins. on 400.

How Can the Kids Help?

Did You Know?

  • Eggplant is a fruit
  • An eggplant is almost 95% water.
  • Eggplant is an excellent source of dietary fiber. It’s a very good source of vitamins B1, B6 and potassium. It’s a good source of copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, and folic acid.  http://www.elements4health.com/eggplant.html

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