AS THREATENED PROMISED, baked risotto has made its way into our weekly repertoire and here’s why: the kids love it! Plus, a baked version of this traditional Italian dish is easy to make before they even get home from nursery school. Sitting on the stove, it’s ready to be warmed again at dinner time. No…
Archives for April 2012
corn dog mini muffins and sautéed green beans with garlic
IS IT ME OR ARE CORN DOGS having a moment? I’ve seen tons of ideas all over Pinterest, including this gorgeous batch of fried mini dogs from Food Glorious Food, and decided to give it a whirl. The results were mixed: one-year-old Estelle liked them, nearly three-year-old Phoebe wasn’t thrilled. If you love your furry…
chicken & vegetable stir-fry with noodles
WHEN I SAW PHOEBE CLOSE HER EYES and suck up each noodle in this simple stir-fry one by one, I knew we had a hit. Even better, she actually ate ALL the vegetables. Including sworn enemies such as zucchini and carrots. So, yes, we’ll be making this again. It’s just a variation of toddler-friendly Asian noodles…
whole wheat penne pasta with pesto & beans
THIS DINNER WAS DONE IN 15 MINUTES. As if that wasn’t enough of a mini miracle for this mom, it was also eaten. Happily. Heartily. And so another spin-off series begins… Get ready kids. There’s more pasta on the way! And more, and more…
easy ham & cheese quiche
THIS WAS A SURPRISE TO ME. Toddlers love eggs. Scrambled eggs. Green eggs and ham. Even baked eggs with a crispy crust and tons of tasty fillings. Served hot or room temperature, it’s also as easy to eat like a pizza as it is with a knife and fork. And that’s just the beginning.
Homemade skillet pizza with pepperoni, salami and peppers
BARBARA KINGSOLVER, in the gorgeous memoir, “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle“, says her family eats pizza every Friday. Homemade pizza (her husband whips up the dough), and while toppings always vary, never having to think about “What’s for dinner?” just simplifies their week. I think it’s brilliant.
Baked risotto with bacon and peas
SPIN-OFFS ARE A VERY BIG PART OF MY master plan (rubs palms together yet controls the urge to laugh maniacally. Probably because that would be weird. Anyway…). Estelle LOVES rice these days so without driving everyone crazy, I’m going to try as many variations as I can, as often as I can. Also, Phoebe thinks…
Why are some kids such picky eaters? Simple solutions worth trying
A FRIEND OF MINE relayed a familiar scene with her four-year-old on Facebook. Lucy: “I don’t like these meatballs.” Me, noticing that they are still in big pieces: “Hmm, do you want me to cut them up a little more?” Lucy: “That won’t make them yummy.” So goes the battle that in our house, we…
Peanut butter dip with fresh apples…to go!
Today I’m honored to present a guest post from an extraordinary baker, Hani of Haniela’s Food & Photography. Snack time has never looked so good! Hello, my name is Hani, I’m an editor of Haniela’s and today I’m visiting Foodlets and will be sharing a really delicious recipe with you. Peanut Butter Dip with Fresh…
Mini turkey burgers with rosemary plus the secret to great roasted veggies
I WAS ON MY OWN for dinner the other night with the kids, so I knew it had to be good. Wary of my two-highchairs-to-one-adult ratio, this wasn’t the time to experiment with exotic flavors. In times like these (or when I’m so tired that I might tip over, not unlike a giant Weeble Wobble…
Easy roasted asparagus
IF ONLY EVERY DISH WAS SO EASY. To prepare roasted asparagus, you need a baking pan, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and asparagus. Balsamic vinegar is optional, a hot oven is not.
Bacon-wrapped pork roast with mustard sauce
IT’S EASY TO BE JEALOUS OF GIADA. After growing up in a famous family, Giada De Laurentiis is now an acclaimed cookbook author, Today show contributor and Food Network star. She’s also gorgeous, happily married and mother to an adorable mini-me named Jade. And let’s not forget the biggest kicker of all: she’s a wonderful…
Recipe Makeover: Jamie Oliver’s 30-minute scalloped potatoes with onions
My version of Jamie Oliver’s scalloped potatoes with onions is one of our family’s favorite side dishes. One we almost didn’t know about it. I made a discovery. Jamie Oliver’s 30 Minute Meals has been on one of our 900 Italian cable channels for quite some time but always dubbed, in Italian. I’d sort of given…
Why are we feeding our kids so much junk?
HERE’S A NEWS FLASH recently reported by USA Today: kids are eating too much sugar. Your kids, my kids and there are pretty serious consequences. (And let’s not even talk about my own sweet tooth. Except we should, more on that in a minute.) This isn’t a discussion about blame, though. I have two little…
Turkey sausage meatballs and easy pasta with peas
WE’VE JUST RETURNED FROM A THREE-WEEK TRIP to the US where we plan to relocate at the end of 2012. North Carolina looks like our future destination but first all things related to jobs, houses, schools and the other million details that make a life must align. (Wish us luck!) In the meantime, I’ve stocked…