Our kids have started taking turns cooking dinner on Sunday nights. It’s adorable and guess which dessert they’re all dying to make again? This Lemon and Blueberry Puff Pastry Tart from Super Simple Baking for Kids! I say AGAIN because my little rascals helped test every single recipe in my book, Super Simple Baking for…
2-Ingredient Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles
MY KIDS DON’T USUALLY DRINK JUICE. It’s just too sugary. If we’re going to have a lot of sugar, I’d prefer a big ol’ cake. Or better yet, some ice cream. Just go for it, I say. But the one exception is lemonade. Sometimes my husband makes a batch of fresh lemonade with the rascals. Sometimes…
Avocado Toast
THAT’S RIGHT. No jam, but a thick smear of fresh avocado instead. Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle salt and breakfast (or snack) is done faster than you can say, “My kids will NEVER eat that”. I know because I didn’t think mine would either. But because we’re always gluttons for punishment…
Lemon Yogurt Cakes with Blueberries
THERE’S A SECRET TO MAKING A CAKE MOIST. Add yogurt. This time, it was vanilla and the result was delicious. I learned about yogurt cake when we lived in Italy. Estelle was about a month old when we took a weekend trip to Umbria and did all sorts of things I can’t imagine doing now. Hikes (which…
2 Dinners in 1: Grilled Chicken Becomes Creamy Lemon Pasta and Peanut Ginger Stir-Fry
MAKING DINNER EVERY NIGHT ISN’T EASY. This, we know. One of my favorite new techniques for getting food on the table is actually cooking less. Yep. By cooking one base I can make at least two meals. We’ve done it with ground beef, rice and tomatoes in Stuffed Red Peppers, which later became the base…
sauteed swiss chard with garlic & lemon
I KNOW. YOU THINK YOU DON’T LIKE THIS. And you’re probably SURE the kids don’t. But they just might! Ours do, and I’m as amazed as you are. This Swiss chard recipe is based on one of our favorite side dishes from Italy, bitter greens sauteed in olive oil. The kids love it. Plus there’s…
how to make mini marshmallow flowers
SHHH. There’s a very small person sleeping right next to me, which is the only reason I’m able to post today’s cupcake recipe and how to make mini marshmallow flowers tutorial. That, and even on Father’s Day, my brave husband has taken all three of our “bigger” kids out to breakfast and to church. Alone….
lemon chicken strips
MOVE OVER CHICKEN NUGGETS. These lemony chicken strips are so juicy and full of flavor that your kids may never ask for the frozen stuff again. They also MAY put their shoes and coats on tomorrow without whining one bit (and if they do, please tell me exactly how that happened, okay? Thanks!) Well anyway, let’s just see…
pan cooked kale with garlic and lemon
SURE WE’VE GOT KALE CHIPS, but this is another way to make the super green stuff kid-friendly. And you might be surprised.
one-pot roasted lemon chicken with green beans & potatoes
RIDICULOUSLY GOOD. And easy. And all the kids eat it. That’s what I have to say about this chicken recipe, the one making the rounds on Facebook right now (have you seen it?) that’s actually from Real Simple. And also this: We’ve had this recipe twice in the last week and might have it again….
strawberry lemonade tiramisu, a dessert recipe from “The Yummy Mummy Kitchen”
SPRING, MEET A DESSERT MADE IN YOUR HONOR. Fresh from the pages of *The Yummy Mummy Kitchen, a beautiful kid-friendly cookbook, and the same one that we just happen to be giving two copies away (hint: enter now!), I’m delighted to share this pretty little treat by Marina Delio. So simple to prepare–it’s mostly stacking–I…
Grilled lemon chicken with buttered green beans
THIS WAS A CHILDHOOD FAVORITE OF MINE. Sort of. The 1980s version involved a bottle of lemon juice and a skillet, and I loved it. Now I use the grill pan and a real lemon, but the idea is the same. Marinated chicken is juicy and flavorful, just as perfect for a fresh summer dinner…
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…
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…
Roasted fish with potatoes
IF YOU’RE NOT A FISH PERSON–more importantly, if your kids aren’t–this dish is for you. Tender and mild, the fish fillets simply roast under a bed of thinly sliced potatoes slathered with olive oil plus fresh rosemary and lemon. The flavors are subtle yet the dish feels hearty. Decidedly not fishy. In fact, my toddler…
how to get toddlers to try seafood
THIS POST COULD’VE been called “how to get a toddler to try seafood” except I have no idea how to do that. Here’s how it worked for us (hint: it involves flavors she already likes.) We’re in Puglia right now (the southern coast of Italy; the heel of the boot) and in this region of…