Cooking With The Kids

Barefoot Bloggers - Butterflied Chicken

2008-08-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

First, the kids have to apologize for the lack of postings lately. For the last few weeks, they just haven't been motivated to do too much, and now with school in full force, postings will only come on the weekends. So they are still here, and participating as much as they can.

Now, on to the chicken!

Sabrina: I really liked this. It was lemony and crispy - all good things about a chicken.

Alexander: I liked it. I've never seen a chicken flat like that before, so I thought it looked funny. But it tasted good.

Thanks Stefany! We really liked this and will try to make it again!

Butterflied Chicken - Ina Garten

1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus 2 sprigs
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 roasting chickens (2 1/2 to 3 pounds each), deboned and butterflied
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

Mix the chopped rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl to make a paste.

Place the chickens on a sheet pan, skin side up, and loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers. Place 1/2 of the paste under the skin of each chicken. Rub any remaining paste on the outside and underside of the chickens.

Turn the chicken skin side down and scatter the lemon slices and sprigs of rosemary over each chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Roll each chicken up, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Heat a grill with coals. Spread the coals out in 1 dense layer and brush the grill with oil. Unroll the chickens, place them on the grill and cook for 12 minutes on each side.

The Avocado Project - Continues

2008-08-19T14:13:00.003-07:00

Remember the avocado project? Well, guess what finally happened? Yes, we have roots growing!

It took longer than we thought, but Sabrina planted the pit this morning, and put it in a nice, bright sunny spot, so we will continue to watch for an actual plant to form - stay tuned!

Leftover Magic - Risotto Cakes

2008-08-15T06:02:00.001-07:00

Now that Sabrina is feeling better, she was inspired to take the leftover risotto and make something new. Well, the best thing (besides arancini) is to make risotto cakes. They are fast, easy and delicious.

First, put your risotto in a bowl. We had about 1 1/2 cups left, so she added 1 egg and some black pepper.

Stir it together really well, and if the mixture is too wet, add a tablespoon or so of bread crumbs so that the mixture will hold together. Don't add too much, because then the cakes will be dry.

Form into round cakes, compressing the rice gently so that it holds its shape. Dredge both sides into seasoned bread crumbs:

And place on a greased baked sheet. I lined the sheet with foil and sprayed it with nonstick spray.

Pop them under the broiler for about 5 minutes per side, or until crispy and golden brown.

Enjoy!

Barefoot Bloggers - Panzanella Salad

2008-08-14T07:32:00.001-07:00

Hooray for Ina! This week, we made Panzanella Salad that Melissa chose.

Sabrina here: I didn't like it, but it was a neat salad to put together. I had fun cutting all the basil leaves of the plant. Although I felt bad because now there's nothing left. I hope it grows back.

Alexander here: I didn't like it either, but at least I tried it. But I really liked cutting up all the vegetables. I'm getting really good with the knife. Although my mom didn't take any pictures of me doing it - something about the camera battery.

Panzanella Salad - Ina Garten

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained
For the vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Coming up next time for the BB group - Butterflied Chicken!

More Ice Cream

2008-08-09T19:45:00.000-07:00

Today, Sabrina tried a new recipe from David Lebovitz's book, "The Perfect Scoop". She loves cheesecake, so why not try Cheesecake Ice Cream?

She gathered the ingredients and started measuring them out:

It was a super quick and easy recipe to assemble. In the bowl of the food processor, she put in 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup cream, 2/3 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. The original recipe called for lemon zest but she wanted vanilla instead.

I don't know what it is about the food processor and kids, but they love using it!

After the mixture was smooth, she transferred it to the refrigerator to chill for several hours. While Alexander was making dinner, she fired up the ice cream machine and poured the cold mixture in. It froze very quickly - so dessert was ready in no time!

It tastes just like cheesecake! Smooth and creamy - but surprisingly, the kids didn't like it!

Sabrina said, "I guess I prefer my cheesecake in a crust. But I will try another recipe from this book - there are so many to choose from!"

Alexander's Chili Cheese Fries

2008-08-09T18:56:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! Alexander is finally back in the kitchen, and tonight he made chili cheese fries.

First, you have to start with his delicious homemade chili. We had some in the freezer, so getting dinner together was a snap.

He used a bag of regular french fries, but instead of deep frying them, he baked them at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes, until they were nice and crispy. Then he put some in his bowl:

Next stop - the slow cooker. It's the perfect place to heat up the chili without having to watch it constantly. He scooped it out onto his fries, until he had a nice thick layer:

The final step - the cheese. He used a monterey jack / cheddar blend. A few handfuls and it's almost ready:

Wow! It looks great! And you know what? He ate the whole thing!

Great job! I can't wait to see what he comes up with next!

Sabrina's Making Quesadillas

2008-08-07T07:10:00.000-07:00

Hooray! Guess who's finally back in the kitchen? Sabrina is, and today she is making a quesadilla. She's enjoying the last few weeks of hot lunches, because once school starts, everything is either room temp or cold. There isn't a cafeteria at their school so they can have fast food delivered, but that's not healthy - so the kids are plotting their strategy for great lunches.

But on to todays lunch - the simple, yet always delicious quesadilla.

First, put your plain tortilla in the pan and set the heat to medium:
Then, sprinkle on your choice of cheese - the kids like a cheddar / monterey jack blend:

Then top the cheese layer with another plain tortilla, and allow to cook for a few minutes.

Flip it carefully, and allow the other side to cook for a few minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is lightly browned.

Remove to a cutting board:

And cut into wedges. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

Graduation Cake - Wilton 1

2008-08-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

Well, she did it! Today was the last class for Wilton 1. And I made sure I had my camera so I could photograph the cake BEFORE we attempted to carry it home. Sadly, last week, the heat from the car melted the cupcakes she designed, thus the lack of pictures from Class 3.

We finally did the roses - they were tough, but like most things, once you get the hang of it, it was pretty simple. Sabrina decided that she wanted to pipe lines down the cake, so here she is, the pro with the piping bag:

A nice close up of our roses -

This is not the finished cake - Sabrina got a little crazy with the frosting after I took this picture, but she had alot of fun.
Next Saturday, we start Fondant and Gumpaste. Her grandparents 45th Wedding Anniversary is next month and she has big plans for flowers for the cake.

Barefoot Bloggers - Bonus Recipe

2008-07-30T22:44:00.000-07:00

To see Sabrina in action for the BB's Coeur a la creme, head over to My Baking Adventures!

Mexican Dip

2008-07-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

The kids haven't been cooking too much lately - these long, hot days seem to sap their motivation. All Alexander cares about it ice cream, although he had a molar pulled yesterday so I can understand that!

However, Sabrina made Mexican dip last night, a super simple recipe that I made up several years ago. It's so easy, and everyone loves it!

First, empty one can of refried beans into a bowl. Mash them up really well.

Next, add about 1 cup of salsa. We like our dip spicy but you can use whatever you like:

Then, add in 1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded cheese. We buy the cheddar/monterey jack blend from Costco.
Stir everything together really well. You can cook it several ways:

1. Microwave it for 2-3 minutes, or until bubbling and hot.
2. Place it in a shallow, well-greased casserole dish and bake at 375 until hot - or
3. Pour it into a slow cooker (this works best when you are doubling or tripling the recipe) and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Serve with chips for dipping -

Chocolate Mousse - Crockpot Style

2008-07-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

Sabrina saw this post on A Year of Crockpotting and thought it would be a great idea to make it for dessert this evening. Conveniently, we had everything on hand so it was super easy for her to get it going.

First, she whisked together the cream, egg yolks, sugar, coffee and vanilla in the crockpot:

Then she stirred in the 2 cups of chocolate chips:

We set the timer for 30 minutes - my crockpot is large so I warned her that it would cook faster.

After everything was hot and melted I helped her pour it into the blender.

It didn't "puff up" as much as we thought it would, but she poured it into ramekins, rapped them against the counter to remove some of the air bubbles, and chilled them.

Wow - it's very dense - not puffy like a regular mousse. She really enjoyed making it this way, it was certainly different than the traditional method - and if you need a good chocolate hit, this is the way to go!

Thanks Stephanie! We look forward to trying more of your great ideas and recipes!

Chocolate Mousse - A Year Of Crockpotting

2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 large egg yolks
3 T sugar
1/3 cup cold, strong coffee
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

In your crockpot, add the heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and coffee. Whisk until combined. Add the two cups of chocolate chips.

Cover and cook on high for about an hour, or on low for about two. (Ours took 30 minutes) You are looking for little bubbles in the surface of the cream, and melted chocolate. Stir to combine the liquid and melted chocolate.

Very carefully, pour the mixture into a blender. You'll get about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of liquid. Blend on high until it "grows" to about 5 to 6 cups, and doesn't seem like it will rise any higher.

Pour into serving dishes, and chill for 2-3 hours, or until set.

Barefoot Bloggers - Smoked Salmon

2008-07-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

This weeks recipe for Smoked Salmon spread was chosen by Ashley of The Spicy Skillet. A spicy skillet sounds like it would make some great stuff!

Ok, we have to start by saying this recipe really wasn't high up on our list - but you know, we have to try everything or else we'd be boring! And then no one would want to read our blog.

Alexander here: I got to use the hand mixer for the cream cheese and sour cream. Wow, this thing is cool! What else can I use it for?

I wanted to keep going but my mom said to stop. She didn't want it all over the kitchen.

Sabrina here: Our mom cut up the fish - it wasn't as strong as the tuna that our dad eats. We left out the horseradish because our dad wants to put the spread on his morning bagel and didn't want it to be spicy. Our mom thinks the horseradish would have been great.

At least I got a turn with the mixer!

Both kids: Well, we tried it and we really don't like it. But it was fun making it!

Thanks, Ashley!

Smoked Salmon Spread - Barefoot Contessa Family Style

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, drained
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound (4 ounces) smoked salmon, mincedCream the cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until just smooth. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, horseradish, salt, and pepper, and mix. Add the smoked salmon and mix well. Chill and serve with crudites or crackers

Ice Cream Sandwiches!

2008-07-23T19:47:00.001-07:00

What better way to keep cool that with an ice cream sandwich? Especially if it involves homemade sugar cookies and homemade chocolate ice cream?

Tonight Alexander will demonstrate the proper way to make the perfect ice cream sandwich:

First, line up two sugar cookies:

Then, scoop up the chocolate ice cream and put it in the middle of one cookie:

Put the other cookie on top of the ice cream and gently squish them together. It looks like a hamburger!
Now, his favorite part - THE SPRINKLES! Roll the edges in rainbow sprinkles till they are completely covered:

Perfect! Great job, Alexander!

Coming up tomorrow - Barefoot Bloggers!

We've Been Tagged!

2008-07-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

How funny - our mom tagged us! Even though she already knows all this stuff about us, she thought it would be nice if we shared this with our readers. And we thought she was the only one that read our blog!

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on the blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up

So here are our 6 random facts - our mom said we could do three each -

Alexander:

1. I really want to learn how to surf.
2. I can play "expert" on Guitar Hero III
3. When I am old enough, I want to buy a Lamborghini Murcielago. I'm saving my allowance now!

Sabrina:

1. Even though we already have three dogs, I REALLY REALLY want my own dog - a Chihuahua or Pug.
2. I love scrapbooking and I have an amazing book that I did all by myself.
3. Babymouse series books are my favorite - the books are about a middle-school aged mouse named "Babymouse", and she loves cupcakes, surfing and reading.

So how it's our turn to tag someone - we chose:

April's daughter Abby from Abby Sweets
Dianne's daughter Alexis from Dianne's Dishes
Anna's daughter Fuzz from Cookie Madness

Please play along!

Wilton 1 - First decorated cake!

2008-07-19T14:21:00.001-07:00

Today Sabrina and I had our second Wilton 1 class - and we got to decorate our cakes!

How do you think she did? She tried to make pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but the icing bag tore and made a mess. She was getting frustrated because the instructor made it look so easy, but I kept telling her it takes practice!

Just look at those stars!

This is my cake - I was trying a bunch of different tips and borders, so it isn't picture perfect, but we had a great time and that's all that matters.

Next week, we are doing figure piping!

The Avocado Pit - Progress Report

2008-07-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

Well, the avocado pit is still with us - Sabrina has been changing the water and keeping a vigilant eye on it. The outer skin has cracked, and if you look really close, the bottom has the very beginnings of roots starting.

Stay tuned!

Sabrina's Roasted Peppers

2008-07-18T19:57:00.000-07:00

The kids are back in the kitchen - after a few days away, they have realized that the food is better at home, especially when you make it yourself!

Sabrina wanted roasted peppers for her pizza tonight - so first, she blacked them on the barbecue. No point in heating up the kitchen if you can help it!

After she brought them inside, she put them in a bag to steam, so it would be easier to remove the skins.
Then she removed the seeds and the stem:

Then she cut them into strips:

She added sliced garlic and olive oil:

And here they are! Great job Sabrina! And the best part? They will stay in the refrigerator for several weeks - if they last that long!

Roasted Peppers

2 yellow bell peppers
2 orange bell peppers
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil

Roast peppers on barbecue until blacked on all sides. Place in ziploc bag and allow to steam for several minutes. Remove blackened skin, then open pepper and remove stem and seeds. Cut into strips, and place in a medium sized container. Place garlic on top of peppers, then drizzle olive oil over the top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Beach Shots!

2008-07-15T07:18:00.000-07:00

The kids are on vacation this week - so here's a few shots of what they did yesterday after we arrived in L.A.

First up - flying their kites:

Sabrina really got hers going:

But the pull of the water was too great, so they abandoned their kites, grabbed their buckets, and headed to the water. They built sandcastles which were quickly washed away by the rising tide.
Up for today? Universal Studios! But we have to convince Sabrina that there isn't anything scary there................

Peachy Keen!

2008-07-12T09:02:00.000-07:00

Now that the kids have mastered great ice cream, it's time to move on to frozen yogurt. It kills me to pay $3 per person each time we go to Golden Spoon, considering their cost is .25 cents a serving! Now there's a nice profit margin, along with a hefty serving of artificial flavor and color.

One of the kids' most loyal readers (besides their grandfather) is April from Abby Sweets. She requested that the kids try something with peaches - so Sabrina immediately thought of peach frozen yogurt!

After a quick online search, we found a great, easy recipe on makeicecream.com - now, since fresh farmers' market peaches don't exist here, we had to use canned.

The verdict? Sadly, neither Sabrina nor Alexander liked it.

Me? I think it was amazing. Perfectly peachy, cold and refreshing - I had a small cup for breakfast! (c'mon, it's fruit and yogurt!) This will definitely help beat the heat - and there's no shortage of that now!

Peach Frozen Yogurt - adapted from makeicecream.com

1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. gelatin
1/2 cup milk
2 tbs. corn syrup
1 1/2 lb. peaches (we used 2 15 oz cans, drained)
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar, gelatin and milk in small saucepan - let stand 5 minutes for gelatin to soften. Place over low heat, stirring, until gelatin dissolves - about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in corn syrup. Allow mixture to cool. Puree peaches in food processor and add to gelatin mixture along with the yogurt and vanilla. Stir well, then chill for at least 8 hours.
Process according to the manufacturers instructions on your ice cream maker.

Pretzels!

2008-07-11T08:17:00.001-07:00

One of Sabrina's favorite TV shows is "Good Eats". Alton Brown presents useful information in a fun, creative way so that anyone watching can understand how and why things bake and cook the way they do. It always amazes me how much information the kids retain after watching an episode -

The other night was the show about pretzels. And, you guessed it, Sabrina and Alexander both said "Let's make them"!

I honestly had no idea they were so easy - of course, the mixer does most of the work! Sabrina laughed when I told her that pretzels were one of the Daring Baker Challenges.

She got a little frustrated in the beginning - the dough was elastic and kept snapping back.

Alexander just kept bashing at his until it did what he wanted it to do.

Pretty!!
I didn't catch the reason for boiling the dough in water with baking soda. Maybe it flavors it?

One of Alexander's pretzels came apart in the water - ssshhh.
Boiled, salted and ready to go into the oven:

And 15 minutes later, you have this:

And are they good?

Sabrina here: Wow! These were great! My mom always says things are better when you make them yourself and I want to make these again! Like tomorrow! My dad ate his with mustard on it. I tried it, but didn't like it.

Alexander here: Can I have another?

Homemade Soft Pretzels - Alton Brown

1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast
22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for pan
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Pretzel salt

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Barefoot Bloggers - Our Week!

2008-07-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

Weeee! It's our week to choose for Barefoot Bloggers! We were so excited to make this recipe - Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread. It was so good, we made it twice - and the second time we decided that cornbread needs actual corn kernels in it. We also added roasted chile peppers instead of the jalapeños.

Our mom also taught us how to cut down a recipe, since this makes alot of cornbread.

Alexander here - It was really good. But my chili that we had with it was even better.

Sabrina here - It was a mouthful of chile pepper and corny goodness. Yum! What could be better than that? Next time I will make sure to not dump the chopped peppers all in one place.

It's also really good the next day - we put it in the toaster oven until it was nice and crispy. Thanks again Tara, for letting us join and choose a recipe!

Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread - Ina Garten

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppersCombine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

More Ice Cream!

2008-07-09T14:47:00.000-07:00

The always lovely April, who faithfully reads and comments on the kids' blog, asked if the kids could come up with an interesting ice cream that involved peaches.

Well, Sabrina has a really great idea in mind - so hopefully by tomorrow we will have it ready for viewing!

Creativity - Sabrina Style

2008-07-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

While we were at our local Michael's store signing up for Wilton classes, Sabrina found a cute pair of flip flops that just begged to decorated. A bottle of glue, faux-crystal charms, a little imagination, and she was good to go:

She takes her crafts very seriously:

How cute are these?
The only gripe I have is the bottle of glue we bought - the salesperson said it would make the charms stay on even if the sandals got wet. Yeah, well so does my hot glue gun!

Sabrina signed up for the Wilton 1 Class, which starts on Saturday. They normally don't allow children under the age of 12, but as long as I stay in the vicinity of the classroom, the instructor said it was fine. Sabrina is so excited!!

The Avocado Project

2008-07-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

The kids had an avocado left over from dinner the other night, and Sabrina wanted to know if she could make the pit grow into a tree. After a quick Google search, she discovered that you can, in fact, grow a tree from the pit.

Of course, it will take 20 years for it to bear fruit. She said she can wait. I asked her what she planned on doing when the tree was too large for the house. Her response? "Oh, I've got time to figure that out".

After she printed the instructions, she gathered her supplies: toothpicks, a clear glass, and the the most important part - the pit.

She secured the pit with the toothpicks - it looks like an alien!!

Now, she must keep the bottom fourth of the pit submerged in water at all times, and it should begin sprout within a few weeks.

I hope this project has a happier ending than the caterpillar.

You scream, I scream - we want ice cream!

2008-07-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

It's scorching here in the desert. No really - it was 111 degrees today and tomorrow it will be 112. Yikes! Sabrina's ice cream maker is going to be working overtime to keep the kids cool.

The kids made vanilla back in June, and that recipe, which came from Food and Wine, was outstanding. A few days ago, they tried a new chocolate gelato recipe from Epicurious, which again, was outstanding.

Tonights recipe comes courtesy of Diannes Dishes - with just a few tweaks, they had the most delicious chocolate ice cream they've ever had. We don't have any pictures of them making the base, since the camera battery was charging.

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

5 ½ oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (we used Ghirardelli)
2 cups heavy cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup half and half (we used ½ cup cream, ½ cup milk)
½ tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan, melt chocolate with ½ cup cream over low heat. Watch carefully so the mixture doesn’t get too hot. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Add remaining ingredients, stir well and chill until cold. Process according to your ice cream makers instructions.

They topped it off with homemade hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, and rainbow sprinkles:

Nothing tastes better on a hot day!

Do you think they enjoyed it?

I wonder what flavor they'll come up with next?

Stay Tuned......

2008-07-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

Because coming up later, we will be making homemade dark chocolate ice cream, thanks to a new recipe from Dianne's Dishes! It's only going to be 111 degrees today, so what better way to cool off than with ICE CREAM!!

The Best Chili Ever!

2008-07-07T19:05:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Alexander, tonight's specialty is chili. Not just any chili, though - the best chili ever!

Now everyone says their chili is the best, but how many 9 year olds make chili from scratch? Step right up, and see how Alexander does it!

First, chop up the garlic and onion:

Cut the chuck roast into small chunks:

Put the onion into a large pot with olive oil:

Then add the meat:

After it has browned, add the seasoning, tomatoes, beans and garlic:

Add enough hot water to cover the surface and stir well:

Then simmer till nice and thick!

Serve with shredded cheese:

Say cheese!
The Best Chili Ever

3 ½ pound boneless chuck roast - trimmed and cut into ¼” chunks
3 tbs. olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 5.5 oz cans chili beans (not drained)
2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 tbs. paprika
2 tbs. dried oregano
1 tbs. cumin powder
1 tbs. chili powder
Salt and pepper

Put paprika, oregano, cumin powder, chili powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper into a small skillet. Heat over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture is fragrant and lightly toasted. Set aside.

Heat 3 tbs. olive oil in a large cast iron pot. Add onion, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pat beef dry, and add to pot. Stir frequently until meat is browned. Add 2 tbs. of toasted seasoning mixture, and stir well. Add garlic, tomatoes, and chili beans, and stir well. Add enough hot water just to cover the top of the chili, about 1 ½ cups. Return mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours, or until nice and thick. Check seasoning, and add more spice mixture if necessary.

Aye Carumba! Fajitas

2008-07-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

When I asked Alexander what he was making for dinner tonight, the first thing he thought of was "fajitas". Then, of course, there was the debate over chicken vs. steak. We settled on steak, and after a quick trip to the market, he was able to get started:

First, he made the marinade - he squeezed two limes:

Next, salt and pepper, and Mrs. Dash Chipotle Seasoning:

Mix it all up, and let it sit in the refrigerator while preparing the vegetables.

First, he cut up red pepper:

Then zucchini:

And finally, onion - this part was a little difficult, the fumes started to burn his eyes, so he let David do the work.

Now, Alexander was able to get in touch with his primal side - David let him start up the barbecue. He cooked the vegetables in a pan on the side burner, and put the meat on the grill. Then, it was ready for carving. David helped him get it started:

And now, it's dinnertime:

It was as delicious as it looks!

We also had a side dish with it which you can read about on Thursday - so make sure to come back for Barefoot Bloggers, because it was the kids' turn to choose this weeks recipe!

Happy Fourth of July!

2008-07-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

The kids haven't been cooking too much over the last few days - but if you want to see what Sabrina has been creating, head over to My Baking Adventures!

Have a happy and safe July 4th!

Kanpai! Sushi Night!

2008-06-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

Sabrina made sushi last night! Now there's something I never thought we'd make at home! It's just rice, seaweed, vegetables and some crab (not the kind that begins with a "k"), so I knew she could do it!

We went to Whole Paycheck to find the correct sushi rice and a piece of ahi tuna for David - sadly, the tuna is being returned today, it was tough and for that price, they can have it back!

Here she is, patting the rice onto the sheet of seaweed: (notice the trays of meatballs in the background - that was their other project yesterday!)

Next, laying out her fillings: fresh king crab, cucumber, avocado - sounds like a California Roll to me!
Rolling it up wasn't so hard, after watching the sushi chefs for years, it's pretty simple -

Artfully arranged on the platter:

We threw in some panko breaded shrimp that I found at Costco - they were great. And Sabrina even ate one - she usually doesn't like shrimp but she enjoyed these!

Alexander wasn't up 100% yesterday, too many late nights have led to a cranky boy, so he had teriyaki chicken with steamed rice. But the sushi was awesome, and Sabrina was so thrilled that she made it herself!

Sloppy Joes - Alexander Style

2008-06-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

Well, after a bit of a Guitar-Hero induced hiatus, Alexander is back in the kitchen and better than ever! I convinced him that his adoring public needed to see him back in action - and it was also a way to get him involved in something other than annoying Sabrina and her friend. He decided to make Sloppy Joes - and I wanted a recipe that was easy to follow, and guaranteed delicious.

I've used Rachael Ray's recipe for Sloppy Joes before, and I always substitute ground beef for the turkey. The only way we like turkey around here is smothered in gravy with mashed potatoes.

So while Sabrina and her friend splashed around in the pool, Alexander learned one of the best ways to win a girls heart - (by cooking dinner!):

First, he started off by browning the meat in a large pan:

Then he added chopped onion:

Next, he mixed up the tomato sauce, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce, along with a sprinkle of Mrs. Dash seasoning and black pepper:

And then he poured it over the meat, and carefully blended everything together:

Simmer for 10 minutes, and serve! Yes, that pan is as big as it looks - it's a 14" skillet from Smart and Final.

Sloppy Joes - adapted from Rachael Ray

1 ½ lbs ground beef
½ large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash seasoning
1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 tbs. brown sugar
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
Fresh ground black pepper

In a large saute pan, brown the ground beef. Add onion, and cook for several minutes on medium-high heat. Mix together seasoning, tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper to taste. Pour sauce over meat, blend well, and simmer for 10 minutes, until sauce is thickened and bubbling.

Serve over crusty rolls.

The verdict? Sabrina's friend went home and told her mom that Alexander made Sloppy Joes, and they DIDN'T come from a can!! And that she should learn how to make them. Got to love a childs honesty.................

Everyday Food's Mac & Cheese - by Sabrina

2008-06-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

The other night, we were watching the Food Network Challenge, and all the chefs were preparing their signature mac and cheese dishes. Well, after about a half an hour, Sabrina looked at me and said, "Tomorrow, we are having mac and cheese for dinner!" All that cheesy goodness was just too much to handle.

So I handed her my recipe for Everyday Food's Macaroni and Cheese, and turned her loose:

First, she prepared the cheese sauce:

A close up - perfectly smooth, and extra cheesy:

And for her favorite part, the crunchy bread crumb topping:

I think she just likes using the mini-chopper!!

Sabrina here: It's the best mac and cheese ever!

Macaroni and Cheese -adapted from Everyday Food

1 pound short pasta, such as cavatappi

6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk

3 cups shredded (12 ounces) medium cheddar cheese
1 cup finely grated (2 ounces) Parmesan Reggiano cheese

3 cups very coarse fresh breadcrumbs
Coarse grind black pepper

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water 4 to 5 minutes less than package instructions. Drain, rinse with cool water, and return to pot.

Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Add milk; bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in cheeses until smooth. Pour over pasta; toss to coat. Pour into greased baking dish.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter; toss with breadcrumbs, and season with pepper. Sprinkle over pasta.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake until bubbling, 25-35 minutes.

Chicken With Ina

2008-06-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

This weeks choice for Barefoot Bloggers came from our mom, Megan at My Baking Adventures.

Alexander here: This is my favorite way to have chicken. I love it! I like to dip it in ketchup. Sometimes Mommy puts arugula over the top, but tonight she didn't.

Sabrina here: I really like it. We've had it a few times already, and sometimes I have it with mozzarella cheese and Daddy's homemade marinara sauce, other times I have it with lemon juice squeezed over the top.

So now, the kids will demonstrate their chicken cutlet skills:

First, Alexander cracked the eggs into a pan:

Then, Sabrina pounded out the chicken breasts , till they were nice and even:

Now, at this point, you won't see any more action shots, because the kids don't like touching raw chicken. So this is where I had to step in.

Sabrina here: My mom made me stop eating so she could get a picture of the chicken. We also had baked ravioli - it was really good. My Pop-Pop thought Mom had made the ravioli from scratch - she almost fooled him, except she couldn't stop laughing.

Sabrina and Alexander here: We loved this! It's also good the next day, if you put it in a squishy roll. Yummy!

Thanks Tara, we really like being a part of this group - and we can't wait for our turn!

Parmesan Chicken - Barefoot Contessa Family Style

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil
Salad greens for 6, washed and spun dry
1 recipe Lemon Vinaigrette, recipe followsPound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.

Lemon Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepperIn a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Yield: 6 servings

R.I.P. Caterpillar

2008-06-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

After waiting and waiting for the caterpillar to turn into a butterfly, we were saddened to discover that something (pesky bugs?) broke open the cocoon and destroyed the caterpillar. The kids are really bummed out.

At least we got to see the fuzzy resident while he was happily munching our parsley plant!

Watch It Wiggle..........

2008-06-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! Sabrina's been keeping busy this week - her brother is at basketball camp and out of her hair, so she has had a chance to exercise a little creative freedom in the kitchen.

She's been dying to make a layered Jello mold. So yesterday, we picked up an industrial sized tub of Cool Whip from Smart and Final, and today she performed a little gelatin magic.

Now the only problem we ran into was that I've never made a gelatin mold before. So I hit the Jello website and found a recipe that was exactly what we were looking for.

First, dissolve the gelatin in hot water:

Stir in ice water to thicken:

Stir in Cool Whip:

After mixing in the Cool Whip, she poured the mixture in the pan - we used a bundt type cake pan, it was the only one I had that was large enough to accommodate both layers. I could have used a 9 x 13 pan, but Sabrina had her eye on the flower shaped pan.

After the lemon layer chilled, she repeated the steps with the lime jello.

Don't mind the fork marks, Sabrina was poking it before I was able to get the picture. Although we greased the pan, the mold was a little difficult to remove - so please overlook the messy shot:

Unfortunately, we forgot about the salad tonight so we broke it out of the mold while we were cleaning up from dinner. The verdict?

Sabrina here: It was really good - lemony and limey. I'd like to try and make it with different flavors.

I thought it was outstanding. Perfect for the super hot weather. We're waiting for David to try it, his mother used to make a salad similar to this so we are anxious for his opinion.

Lemon - Lime Jello Mold - adapted from Jello.com

2/3 cup boiling water
1 pkg (4 serving size) Jello Gelatin (we used lemon and lime)
Ice cubes
½ c. cold water
8 oz Cool Whip, thawed

Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Add enough ice cubes to cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to Jello and stir until ice is melted and mixture is thickened. Whisk in Cool Whip until well blended.

Pour into greased mold and refrigerate until set and firm, about 2 hours. Repeat process with another flavor Jello, then carefully pour over top of first layer. Chill for at least 4 hours.

Unmold and enjoy!

Sabrina's Making Ice Cream!

2008-06-16T13:37:00.000-07:00

Since the temperatures are well over 100 degrees - and they won't be going down anytime soon (like October!), Sabrina decided it was time to break out the ice cream maker!

She received this as a gift last year for her birthday, but we have had trouble finding a recipe that produced good quality ice cream. So far, all the recipes we've tried are too icy. Now, the machine she is using is supposed to produce soft serve, but we are looking for a recipe that stays reasonably soft after it's been in the freezer for several hours - without being too hard.

Now Dianne over at Dianne's Dishes gave us this recipe, but since we don't have sweetened condensed milk in the house, we tried a different recipe. This came from the current issue of Food and Wine, and Jeni Britton, the creator, is quite well known in Columbus, Ohio for her ice creams. I didn't save the entire article, I just tore out the recipe, so I can't tell you any more than that! So with recipe in hand, Sabrina got ready for the ice cream:

First, Sabrina prepared the ice bath.

Then, she mixed milk and cornstarch. We've never put that into ice cream before!

She measured out the cream cheese and set it aside to soften. According to the recipe, you add the cream cheese to keep the ice cream "scoopable".

Then she combined the milk, cream, sugar and corn syrup. She brought it to a boil, then whisked it into the cornstarch mixture. Return the entire mixture to the pan and return it to a boil, stirring constantly until it boils and thickens.

Carefully whisk the hot mixture into the cream cheese and whisk until completely blended. Put the mixture into the ice bath and stir occasionally until it is cold, about 20 minutes.

Pour the cold base into the ice cream maker and let it go!! It took about 20 minutes for our machine to produce the ice cream.

The verdict? WOW!! Alexander had a black and white cookie on the bottom, two scoops of ice cream, and topped it with rainbow sprinkles.

Update: Even after freezing for several hours, the ice cream was smooth, creamy and easy to scoop.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream - Jeni Britton / Food and Wine Magazine

2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened (3 tablespoons)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (we used 1 tbs. vanilla extract)
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch. In another large bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth.
In a large saucepan, combine the remaining milk with the heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla bean and seeds. Bring the milk mixture to a boil and cook over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves and the vanilla flavors the milk, about 4 minutes. Off the heat, gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Whisk in the salt. Set the bowl in the ice water bath and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 20 minutes.
Strain the ice cream base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pack the ice cream into a plastic container.
Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream and close with an airtight lid. Freeze the vanilla ice cream until firm, about 4 hours.

The Kids are rolling in dough

2008-06-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

In an effort to combat the summer boredom that has started to set in, the kids asked if we could make play dough. Actually, I was in the midst of making pizza dough, and they like to pretend they are in a pizza tossing competition, like they saw on the Food Network.

So to avoid having them ruin good pizza dough, I suggested we make homemade play dough. So who do you think ended up making it? Yes, me.

And what started out as a fun way to pass the afternoon quickly escalated into a dough-throwing match that ended with me swearing never to make playdough again.

I found this recipe a long time ago on the Family Fun website. It's quick to make, and unless your children are grinding it into the pavement like mine do, it lasts for a few weeks.

Homemade Play Dough - adapted from Family Fun Magazine

2 cups flour
2 cups water
1/2 cup salt
2 tbs. vegetable oil
1 tbs. cream of tarter

Combine all ingredients in a large pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat - it can be colored at this point. Cover tightly to store.

Barefoot Bloggers - 3 P's Please

2008-06-11T21:41:00.000-07:00

Another fun week with the Barefoot Bloggers - Alexander is doing the cooking today, so I'll let him do the narration for the pictures:

Hi, this is Alexander - and this is so cool, I got to check out the chop and grind buttons on this chopper thing - I put in pesto, spinach, peas, oil, parmesan cheese and mayo (mayo?) :

It was fun watching it go around and around - especially making the machine change directions:

Then I stirred the pasta with the sauce. Sabrina couldn't try it because she's allergic to nuts.

Ok, here I am eating it. My mom really liked it. It was okay, not my favorite. I like pasta with butter and olive oil. And pepper. And cheese. But I'm glad I tried it.

Here's the recipe if you want to try it.

Pasta, Pesto and Peas - Ina Garten

3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto, packaged or see recipe below
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignolis, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.
Pesto:
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

VTV - Zucchini Parmesan

2008-06-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

Sabrina has graciously agreed to be my substitute host for this weeks Vindicate The Veggie. The theme for this week was freestyle - and the market had exceptional zucchini yesterday, and since Sabrina loves fried zucchini chips, we decided to take this one step further and use up the leftover marinara sauce in the fridge.

First, slice the ends off of the zucchini and slice them lengthwise into about 4 strips.

Dip the slices into beaten eggs first:

Then dip them into seasoned breadcrumbs:

Instead of frying the zucchini, she put the slices onto a well-greased baking sheet and baked it at 425 degrees until it was golden and just starting to get crispy.

Then layer the slices into a greased casserole pan, and alternate the slices with the marinara sauce.
Top off the sauce with a bit of mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a 400 degree oven until hot and bubbling.

Enjoy!

Sabrina here: This is so great - I burned my tongue on the hot cheese - but I can't wait to eat more! I love zucchini this way but it's even better with the sauce!!

The Caterpillar - Still Waiting

2008-06-10T16:58:00.001-07:00

We are into Day 7 of the caterpillar chronicles. The kids have been checking it faithfully - it could be any day now, so they will be watching more closely than before.

No Cooking Today - Building Instead

2008-06-10T13:33:00.001-07:00

The kids aren't cooking today - Alexander had a gift card from his birthday last week that was burning a hole in his pocket so we made a trip to Target. Here's what he came home with:

Much to my utter amazement and surprise, this is what the kids are doing right now:

They are using the dogs bed (on the right) as a holding station. They've been doing this for the last 45 minutes. We'll see how long it continues until there's a fight.............................

Alexander has to help me later - it's Sabrina's birthday tomorrow and she wants panda bear cupcakes from a cute little book I picked up at the bookstore last week. I can't remember the name but we'll definitely be posting pictures later.

Sabrina's Making Matzo Brei

2008-06-07T08:22:00.001-07:00

Sabrina has been anxious to get back in the kitchen and cook, after being sick last week - then spending the first two days after school got out watching every episode of Spongebob. That's enough to make your brain congeal into cold oatmeal.

Today she's making matzo brei. David makes this for them every blue moon (which is to say not very often) so she wants to learn how to make it herself.

First she assembles her ingredients:

Then she mixes the eggs with a splash of milk, and a dash of vanilla extract:

Next, she breaks up 3 matzo crackers into the egg mixture, tosses it together a few times, then lets it sit for a few minutes to allow the egg mixture to soak into the crackers.

She coats a large frying pan with non-stick spray and puts it over medium heat. Then she places the mixture into the hot pan and lets it cook for a few minutes.

Then she flips it to cook the other side:

While that's cooking, she mixes sugar and a pinch of cinnamon.

Here's Alexander when he saw what was for breakfast.

A sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar, and maple syrup, and breakfast is done!

The Caterpillar Saga Continues

2008-06-06T22:06:00.000-07:00

Sabrina went online today and checked out a caterpillars transformation cycle from cocoon to butterfly - and it takes anywhere from 8 to 10 days. Now, we are heading into the third day, so they are watching it closely to see what happens.

Stay tuned!

Alexander's Big Burrito

2008-06-05T19:27:00.000-07:00

Tonight Alexander finally got his cooking groove together and made dinner. After throwing around several options, he chose to make a burrito. Actually, his first choice was a taco, but alas, we were out of shells. So here he is, in action, making his burrito.

He allowed me to assist by cooking the meat, since he was busy blowing up water balloons (more about that tomorrow).

First, he spooned the meat onto the tortilla.

Then, he sprinkled shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese over the meat.

Next, several drops of Cholula Hot Sauce - his favorite.

Finally, roll it up and eat it!

The picture of his dessert is here.

The Caterpillar Cocoon

2008-06-05T11:58:00.000-07:00

With all of the hulabaloo over the past few days - school ending, Alexander's birthday, etc., we forgot about the caterpillar eating the parsley plant. Until today.

Sabrina went outside to check on him and this is what she found:

Look directly into the center of the plant, to the left of the two yellow leaves and the long skinny stem- and you will see a long green pod - that's the caterpillar. I can't believe we missed it!

Just to refresh your memory, here is the picture from 2 days ago:

Sabrina is going to put a post-it note by the back door reminding us to check him each day - how long does it take a caterpillar to turn into a butterfly?

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

2008-06-03T07:06:00.000-07:00

We found a new tenant in the parsley plant the other day. He isn't paying rent - but rather than evict him, the kids decided to chronicle his journey from parsley eating caterpillar to beautiful butterfly. He has doubled in size since we first spotted him just a few days ago.

We'll post live updates as they happen!!

No Cooking This Weekend

2008-06-01T13:15:00.001-07:00

Sabrina has been sick all this weekend - so there's no cooking going on. Trying to get her fever to come below 100. Hasn't happened yet.

Hopefully they will get back in the swing of things within the next few days -

Feel better soon!!!

Soup for the weary scholar

2008-05-31T05:48:00.001-07:00

It's the final 3 days before school ends and boy, are the kids feeling it. Every year they seem to get sick right when the school year is almost over - I guess it's a combination of excitement and being run down.

Poor Sabrina, she had such a bad day at school - her throat has been sore for a few days - but we chalked it up to allergies. We have had so much wind the past few days you can feel the dust in your hair by the end of the day. Yuck. So when we picked them up yesterday, Sabrina could barely talk. We took her to the doctor, and it's not strep, but her throat is inflamed and raw. Alexander suggested a trip to Golden Spoon to make her feel better, but when she turned that down, I knew we were in trouble.

So in an effort to make her feel better, I threw together Tortellini En Brodo - or tortellini in broth.

1 qt box chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups frozen cheese tortellini

Pour broth into medium saucepan and bring to boil. Add tortellini and boil for 7 minutes, or until tortellini are cooked. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper, pinch of parsley, and a little parmesan cheese. Serve with an extra hug.

Barefoot Bloggers - Our first week!

2008-05-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our first week of the Barefoot Bloggers. We have been so excited to get this post up!

First, we'd like to thank Tara from Smells Like Home for allowing us into the super-cool event. She seemed excited that we wanted to join - we really like Ina Garten's recipes since she doesn't make anything strange or unusual.

Our first recipe for this event was Herb Baked Eggs. Now, we usually eat eggs as an omelette - so this was something totally new.

Sabrina here: I wasn't sure about this, but my mom said, if you don't try you'll never know. She says that a lot.

Alexander here: I like to try new things so this should be interesting.

Now Alexander made himself scarce that day (Guitar Hero 3 anyone?) so I (Sabrina) made the eggs with my mom. She just sat with the camera while I did all the work!! Aren't there laws against that?

So first, I read the instructions and laid out the ingredients.

Then, I measured out the herbs - we didn't have fresh, so I used dried.

I crushed up the rosemary so it wouldn't stick you like a pine needle.

I put the butter and milk in the ramekins. My mom said these wouldn't crack under the broiler.
She usually makes creme brulee with these. Hey Mom, why haven't you made creme brulee lately?
Next I cracked the eggs into the hot ramekins. Oh, I forgot, I preheated these under the broiler to melt the butter.
Then I sprinkled the herbs on top of the eggs. I didn't realize that I wasn't supposed to use all of it - well, they'll be extra herb-ish. That's a word I just made up. Do you like it?

This is how I presented it to my dad - with rye bread - his favorite!

Do you think he liked it?

I think I'll make this for him for Father's Day - he'd really like it!

Well, thanks for visiting our blog - the next recipe up for Barefoot Bloggers will be Pasta, Pesto and Peas. Three p's - ha ha ha ha!!

Coming up tomorrow -

2008-05-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to check back tomorrow when we post our first round with the "Barefoot Bloggers"!!

Barefoot Bloggers

2008-05-26T07:02:00.001-07:00

The kids have joined a new blogging group called the Barefoot Bloggers, and every two weeks a different member of the group selects one of Ina Garten's recipes for everyone to make. They are really excited and have already emailed Tara with their selection.

Sabrina has already completed this weeks recipe so be sure to check back on Thursday to see how it turned out! (Hint, it came out so well her father asked her to make it again!!)

More of Sabrina's Sunday cooking

2008-05-26T06:40:00.000-07:00

Last night, Sabrina was in charge of the potatoes for dinner. She decided to make regular mashed potatoes but added horseradish to spice things up a bit, and put the potatoes into a pie pan to make a "pie" of sorts, but really, she just likes the crispy crust on the top!

So first, she peeled the potatoes - russets work best. We learned the hard way not to put the potato peels down the disposal - so she peeled them onto a paper towel!

Then, she cut them into medium sized chunks - after they were cut she put them in the saucepan filled with water so the potatoes wouldn't turn brown.

Cook the potatoes until tender - it took about 25 minutes. After they are cooked, drain the water, keeping the potatoes in the pot, and return them to the cooktop, stirring over medium low heat, the help "dry out" some of the water so the potatoes aren't mushy.

Now pour the potatoes into a large bowl and start mashing. At this point, we added 4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup of milk, a pinch of salt, black pepper, 3 tablespoons of sour cream and 2 teaspoons horseradish. Keep mashing until you get the desired consistency. We like ours chunky so she didn't get too crazy with the mashing.

She sprayed a 9" pie pan with Pam, and spread the potatoes into the dish. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned.

If you look closely into the middle, you can see the heart-shaped design she made!!

Sabrina's Sunday Meatballs

2008-05-25T10:44:00.001-07:00

Today, it's Sabrina's turn to cook. She and her father got an idea to make meatballs - and these are David's adaptation of Rachael Ray's ricotta cheese meatballs.

First, she grated the parmesan cheese
Then, chopped up the garlic with a little help from the mini-prep:

David helped her blend everything together - I can't show you that picture - it was a little messy.

Let the rolling begin!!
Ready to go into the oven -

Great job, Sabrina - I can't wait to try one!

Alexander's waffles

2008-05-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

Since it's Saturday (yeah!!), there's always more time for breakfast. So when Alexander came downstairs early and announced he was ready to eat, I told him he could be in charge of his breakfast destiny. "Waffles today!", he announced.

So I helped him set up the waffle iron, and here he is in action - today we are using boxed Aunt Jemina mix, since I wanted to keep things simple.

First he learned how to properly measure out the mix -

Then add the water -

And 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil -

Stir gently - so it doesn't go flying all over the counter - and yes, that happened!!

Ladle into your waffle iron -

So he didn't get quite enough batter the first time, but that's ok - it looks like a dinosaur came and took a bite out of it!!

And enjoy! Good job, Alexander!!

Come back later, Alexander says he wants to make crumb cake!

Sabrina's cooking tonight

2008-05-20T18:25:00.001-07:00

Since the temperatures have been well over 100 degrees the past few days, we have been doing an extraordinary amount of barbecuing. The kids haven't had a chance to make too many things, but tonight Sabrina made our secret family recipe for baked beans. Her grandmother has been making these beans for at least 20 years - and to my knowledge it is one of those recipes that isn't written down, just made up as you go along. So follow along with Sabrina:

First, assemble your ingredients - 1 large can beans, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, spicy brown mustard and onion. The mustard didn't want to get into the picture.

First, open the beans and pour them into a medium size bowl.

Next, chop your onion. This onion was very large, so she used about 1/4 of it. Chop the onion into small pieces. You don't want to bite into a large chunk of onion!

Put the onion in the bowl with the beans.

Then put one squirt of mustard into the bowl.

Now 2 squirt of barbecue sauce.

Then 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.

Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a greased pan. Sabrina sprayed the inside of a large loaf pan.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Remove from the oven and enjoy!!

Sabrina's Rice Krispie Treats

2008-05-17T10:17:00.000-07:00

Yay! Sabrina is making Rice Krispie Treats. Her grandfather dropped several hints that he would like them, and since they are coming over tonight, she thought it would be nice to surprise him with a batch!

She gathered her ingredients and got started. First step, grease a 9x13 pan so you can get your treats out without a sticky mess:

Next, measure out your Rice Krispies cereal. 8 and 1/2 cups of cereal for this batch. Make sure you put the cereal in a large enough bowl - you need plenty of room.

Now, measure out 1/4 cup of butter and one 10.5 ounce bag of mini marshmallows.

Microwave the butter and marshmallows for 1 minute on high. Stir, then microwave for another 30 seconds until the marshmallows are just about melted. Stir well until you have a smooth mixture. Be careful, it is hot.

Now, pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the cereal and start mixing. Work quickly because the mixture is very sticky and once it cools down you won't be able to mix it.

Once everything is well mixed, pour the mixture into your greased pan, and gently smooth it down. Don't be too rough, unless you like smashed rice krispies

Ta-da! Now, set the pan aside to cool completely, then cut into squares. We are going to dip half of the squares into chocolate to see how they come out. We'll post pictures of those later.

Sabrina's Artwork

2008-05-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

Sabrina really wants to be an artist when she gets older. I told her she already is one! She's been drawing her whole life and she creates all kinds of cute characters - here is one that she made for me to put above my desk. Every time I look up I see it and it makes me smile!

Alexander makes a grilled cheese sandwich

2008-05-12T13:28:00.000-07:00

Since yesterday was Mother's Day, Alexander decided that he would make his own lunch so I could relax. Relax while watching him cook? I think not.

However, he agreed to let me photograph him every step of the way (disguising the fact that I was supervising).

Here is Alexander making his delicious grilled cheese:

First step is to melt the butter in the pan.
Then place the bread into the hot butter.
Then place the cheese on the bread - two slices of American - he hasn't graduated from the school of better cheese yet.
Press down gently to help the two slices of bread stick together.Cook until both sides are toasty brown. Then remove the sandwich to a cutting board and cut into whatever shapes you like. Alexander chose squares.

The last step is the most important - enjoy your lunch!
Coming up next time - Alexander will show us how he makes his cappuccinos!

Sabrina's baking bread!

2008-05-10T14:31:00.000-07:00

We found this amazing bread recipe in the current Williams Sonoma catalog. It's what they are calling "no-knead" bread - you mix the dough and leave it to rise for 12-18 hours. Sounds like something even a child could do! And thats exactly what I told Sabrina - and she couldn't wait to get going. She gathered her ingredients, chopped her herbs, and had the dough ready in no time at all.

The dough, which calls for very little yeast, was full of lemon zest and rosemary. I can think of so many things to add to it, but we kept it simple this time.

It's so different from any bread recipe you've ever tried. The dough is so soft and sticky, I kept thinking we should add more flour.
Now since she was in school when the bread finished rising, all I had to do was smooth it into a ball, coat it with flour, and leave it for another 2 hours.
Finally, it was time to bake. I preheated the oven, placed the dough into the pan, and set the timer.
Checking the dough at the halfway mark.

Wow, baked to perfection. The smell from the lemon zest and rosemary was intoxicating. I couldn't wait to show her when she got home from school.
Now there's only one thing left - to eat it!

Eggs - Alexander Style

2008-05-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a good night sleep to make you wake up good and hungry. Alexander surprised me at 6:15 this morning with "I'm starving! Can we have eggs for breakfast?" I told him that since he has his own blog, he could do it!

One of his favorite things to do is crack the eggs. Sabrina hates it because she doesn't like to get "egg juice" on her hands.

But he got busy right away. After breaking the eggs into a bowl, he mixed them up, and added a splash of milk:

Then, he preheated the pan (which I had sprayed with non-stick spray first) and carefully added his eggs:
The hardest part of this is waiting. He tried to attack the eggs with a spatula right away, but I told him to wait unless he wanted them mutilated . In the interim, we cooked up hashbrowns and sausage patties.

And of course, there's always someone loitering in the background, waiting to see if something will come her way:
Ok, breakfast is ready! Eggs perfectly cooked, hash browns toasty, and sausage patty covered in maple syrup. Ready for another hard day at school!

Cooking With The Kids - The Beginning

2008-05-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

Hi! We're the kids - and we have this blog to share our experiences in the kitchen. We love to eat, and we love to cook. Our mom set this up so we can document our times in the kitchen.