CUTE, RIGHT? Didn’t matter. I could whittle these carrots into the shape of Phoebe’s smiling face and it wouldn’t make a difference. She doesn’t like carrots. Or zucchini. And the only thing that coaxed her into eating one of each (as is our family rule at dinner time) was the promise of “cake” afterward.
Healthier cupcakes from a mix and chocolate butter cream frosting (Happy birthday Estelle!)
HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY ESTELLE! We took it easy this year (certain people are very tired because somone keeps waking up every night “complaining” about new teeth coming in) but still had a blast for Estelle’s big day. A family celebration, complete with wheat germy cupcakes (plus secret ingredients: applesauce and carrots) and homemade butter cream…
Fresh ginger cake, a David Lebovitz recipe makeover
I MAY HAVE ACCIDENTALLY EATEN a whole cake this weekend. Yes, Phoebe helped and so did Estelle but really, it was my determination that got it done.
Baked spaghetti with sausage and beans
SOMETHING WEIRD IS HAPPENING in Rome. It’s snowing. And not just a little bit; we’ve got 6 to 8 inches of the fluffly stuff outside our door. This kind of weather calls for comfort food, pronto.
10 absolutely adorable ideas for Valentine’s Day
SO. MUCH. CUTENESS. Not sure if I can take it! Looking for Valentine’s Day inspiration of my own, I clicked through some of my favorite blogs and all I can say is, wow. These are all unique ways to say it with sweets–and I especially love those with a nod toward nutrition. Gift tag shaped…
orange pound cake muffins, a david lebovitz recipe makeover
THESE TASTE LIKE EXTRA delicious Twinkies. That’s the first thing I have to say about this recipe. The second is, I’m sorry Mr. Lebovitz. (But I do hope you understand the method to my mini foodie madness.) Inspired by pastry chef David Lebovitz’s gorgeous book, “Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes“, we’ve started a new…
Fudgy chocolate brownies from Gwyneth Paltrow
CAKES! THIS IS EASILY Phoebe’s favorite food. Especially chocolate. Especially when she gets to help make them. So the fudgy chocolate brownies from “My Father’s Daughter” by Gwyneth Paltrow were a hit before they were even baked. And after.
No-fry French fries from Gwyneth Paltrow
CAN I PLEASE HAVE MORE POTATOES? These are words I like to hear. Especially when the alternatives are, “Her touching me!” or the newest installment in sass, “I don’t care”. Arms folded. None of that last night though, which was a welcome blessing because Paul worked a little later than usual, leaving me with the…
Rotisserie style roast chicken from Gwyneth Paltrow
IT DIDN’T START WELL. First of all the book took ages to arrive, three weeks after I ordered it from the usually trusty Amazon UK. Then there was the matter of buying a whole chicken. I’ve had poultry trouble before. But today I went to the butcher’s counter directly. Go to the source, I said….
Balsamic vinegar chicken sandwiches
PHOEBE’S NOT EATING ANYTHING with “salad” on top, but minus the offensive greens she tucked into one of these last night with gusto. Thanks to *Jessica Seinfeld’s sneaky trick, this tangy sauce includes freshly steamed and pureed broccoli, which doubled as a baby food side dish for Estelle. Paired with our new family favorite, roasted…
Green eggs and ham
YOU KNOW HOW TODDLERS BECOME OBSESSED with something and want it over and over? We’ve been in a Green Eggs & Ham bedtime rut routine for a while now and I’ll tell you what. It’s not awesome. But inspired by Phoebe’s unwavering passion (Is there anything that I like this much?), combined with a little…
Roasted fish with artichokes, tomatoes and olives
I NEED A NEW CATEGORY, called Partial Failures. That’s how I’d describe this dish but it’s not what you think. Phoebe is a sworn rice hater and carefully molding her portion of wild rice into the shape of a flower (using a cookie cutter and allowing it to set in the fridge overnight) made absolutely…
Oatmeal applesauce mini-muffins
THIS IS A NEW ONE. Phoebe and Estelle like something that I’m just not that into. Because we still had a few cups of delicious apple butter at our disposal, Phoebe and I whipped up some muffins yesterday and I’ll tell you this, the munchkins love them. For me it’s a texture thing; I was…
Toasted apple butter hand pies (a Martha Stewart makeover)
DESPITE THE UBER-URBAN SETTING, I WAS OBSESSED with all things domestic during my NYC days. Single, living in a series of 4th floor walk-ups and working all hours…it was an unlikely fit. (And definitely not very cool.) Then there was the question of space. None of the six apartments I eventually lived in had what…
Oven roasted potatoes with garlic, rosemary and lemon
FOR SOMEONE WHO TOLD ME THREE TIMES she doesn’t like potatoes, Phoebe sure ended up eating a lot of them last night! In fact, she had three helpings. They were toddler-size but still, nine potatoes later, it was quite a night for spuds. Even Estelle managed to mow down two big wedges herself, quite a…
Ham, egg & cheese breakfast cups
MMM, THESE ARE GOOD. That’s the review from my husband. (He’s actually asked me twice now, days later, “what was at the bottom of those?” Believe me when I say this is notable.) Unfortunately Phoebe hasn’t had them yet; things were entirely too flu-y for her this weekend but we’ll try again soon. In fact,…
Healthier chocolate chip cookies
IT WASN’T THE COOKIES’ FAULT. After whipping up a batch of The Sneaky Chef’s “Unbelievable Chocolate Chip Cookies” (pictured above) and another batch of “Chocolate Chip Cookies” from Weelicious, the whole family came down with the flu. Before things took a turn for the worse, we had just enough time to come up with this…
Barefoot Contessa Makeover: Mini meatloaves
WE HAD COMPANY OVER CHRISTMAS, including a 3-year old guest from Amsterdam. Phoebe was thrilled to have another “big girl” around but as you may know (and be reminded daily), it’s not easy to guess what will go over at this age. But when in doubt, I say go for comfort food. This recipe is…
Salmon-vegetable chowder
IN TIME TO GIVE IT A TEST RUN, we’re considering this salmon-vegetable chowder from The Food Network magazine for Christmas Eve dinner. It’s packed with veggies and just enough seafood to qualify for the Feast of Seven Fishes, a catholic tradition sometimes observed here in Italy. It’s a nod to the Roman Catholic tradition of…
Carroty macaroni & cheese (an excerpt from A Way to Garden)
A GREAT IDEA FROM A GREAT BLOG. I’ll take it! This better-for-you mac & cheese recipe comes from Melissa Clark’s book, “Cook This Now”, by way of the best gardening blog around, A Way to Garden. An excerpt from Margret’s masterful gardening site introduces one of my favorite makeover ideas for comfort food: MELISSA CLARK…