Tag: Kid Friendly
Brownies with Black Beans- For Passover…
- One 15 ½ ounce can black beans- strain and rinse well
- ¼ cup extra light olive oil
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup evaporated cane sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate- grated
Coat an 8 X 8 baking pan with some oil and keep aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Add the beans to a large food processor and add the oil. Process till smooth. Add the eggs, cane sugar, cocoa, vanilla extract. almond extract, baking powder and salt. Process till everything is incorporated and smooth. Take the bowl off the processor and add the grated chocolate and mix with a spatula. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes till knife comes out clean.
Asian Meatballs
Going with the Asian theme this week…
- 1 pound ground turkey, dark meat preferable
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 egg, beaten
- Salt
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 inch ginger, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
Process the green onions, ginger and garlic in a food processor. Keep aside.
Transfer the turkey meat onto a medium-mixing bowl. Pour the breadcrumbs into a small bowl and pour the sesame oil, oyster, Worcestershire sauce, tamari and the beaten egg on top. Let the breadcrumbs soak for 15 minutes and add to the turkey including the salt. Add the green onion mixture and mix well. Keep aside.
- 2 cups marinara sauce
Simmer the sauce in a medium saucepan. Form the meatballs and drop carefully. Cook the meatballs on a medium heat till all of them are formed. Cover with lid for ten minutes. Take the lid off and taste for seasonings. Serve hot with spaghetti.
Pasta with Sausage and Sweet Pepper Sauce
- ½ pound pasta, al dente with a cup of pasta water set aside
- 4 chicken sausage links, chopped in ¼ inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the sausages and sauté on medium high heat, stirring constantly. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes till the sausages are golden brown. Keep aside.
- 1 cup fresh tomato sauce or marinara sauce
- 1 red pepper
- 1 orange pepper
- 1 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- Salt
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Start the grill outside or preheat the broiler. Coat the peppers with the oil and grill or roast them till the skin is charred- about 20 minutes. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes. Take the peppers out and peel the skin and take the seeds out. Place the peppers in a blender with the tomato sauce. Blend till smooth. Taste for seasonings and add salt if needed.
Add two cups of the sweet pepper sauce to the sausages and add the pasta and half cup of the pasta water (add more water if needed). Mix well and check for seasonings. Serve with cheese on top.
Applesauce Chocolate Cake with a Spiced Icing
Great dessert for the holidays…
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon powdered nutmeg
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
- ½ cup extra light olive oil
- 1 cup turbinado sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup homemade or store bought applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour a 9” round pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a large bowl of a mixer, add the melted chocolate and the oil. Add sugar and beat until mixture is creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then add the applesauce and vanilla and mix well. Stir in dry ingredients and pour into the round pan.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until tester is clean. Let cool and then top with the spiced icing.
Spiced Icing
- ¾ cup confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar)
- ¼ unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon powdered nutmeg
- 5 tablespoons milk
In a small mixing blow, combine the sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg and milk. Whisk well until all ingredients are incorporated and smooth. Add more milk if needed to reach the desired consistency.
Pour on top of the the cake and spread to the sides evenly.
Bolognese Garlic Bread Sandwiches
I watched Rachel Ray make these on her show and loved the idea. I changed up the recipe a bit and added mushrooms to make the dish healthier. I also jazzed up the ricotta cheese. These sandwiches were absolutely delicious. My daughter gave them two thumbs up!
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped pancetta
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 5 ounces Cremini mushrooms, grated
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 small bunch, thyme
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup tomato sauce, preferably home made
- 2 cups milk
- Salt
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the pancetta and sauté for a minute or two. Add the ground turkey and separate the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Saute on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme. Saute on high heat for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauté for a minute. Add the tomato sauce, milk and salt. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer with the lid on. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or till the meat is cooked through. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Keep aside.
Ricotta Topping
- 1 cup full fat ricotta cheese
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
Place the olive oil, garlic and parsley in a small frying pan. Heat over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes- just enough time to cook the garlic without browning. Add salt and let cool. Add to the ricotta, mix well and keep aside.
- 4 ciabatta rolls
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Add the garlic, oil and salt to a small frying pan. Cook on a very low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn’t get brown. Take off the heat and drizzle the garlic mixture all over the four rolls. Toast in the oven until fragrant and golden brown. Take out and assemble the sandwiches. Place about half a cup of the ground meat. Top with ricotta mixture and serve.
Greek Chicken with Potatoes & Feta
- 1 to 1½ pounds chicken thighs and legs (bone in)
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (1 teaspoon dry)
- ½ cup kalamata olives (pitted)
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 teaspoons salt
Transfer the garlic, oil, olive, oregano, lemon juice and salt into a mortar and pestle (or a processor). Take the paste out and add to a large zip lock bag with the chicken pieces. Marinate for 3 to 4 hours.
- 3 to 4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 to 5 plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces and seeds squeezed out
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Add the chicken with the marinade. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, oil and salt. Mix well and bake in oven for 40 to 45 minutes till the chicken is tender and potatoes are crisp. Take out of oven and garnish with feta. Serve with roast vegetables and couscous.
Roast Chicken with Orange and Meyer Lemon
Chicken is one of the most popular proteins. There are tons of recipes in books, magazines and on the internet- but people are still always looking for new recipes to make their weeknight meals a bit more exciting.
One of the more classic ways of making chicken is roasting a whole bird. A lot of people are a bit intimidated to make this dish.
It is one of my favorite ways to eat chicken. I love how my house smells as the bird is roasting in the oven. I also love how I can create a one pot meal by adding tons of vegetables to the bottom of the roasting pan.
For this particular one, I used a lot of winter ingredients in season. I made a compound butter consisting of orange and meyer lemon zest. I filled the bottom of the pan with carrots and fennel.
The chicken was delicious….
- One 4 to 5 pound whole chicken
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of 2 Clementine or 1 Navel orange (save the oranges)
- Zest of 1 Meyer lemon (save the lemon)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- Salt
- Pepper
Mix the butter, olive oil, zests, salt and pepper in a small bowl. In the meantime, place the chicken in a roasting pan on a roasting rack. Spread the butter mixture on top and under the skin. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper inside the cavity as well as outside.
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Juice of the spare oranges and Meyer lemon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Pour the chicken broth at the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the orange and lemon juice. Place the juiced oranges and lemon into the cavity. Tie the chicken legs together and tuck the wings in.
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 pound fennel, trimmed and sliced
Place the vegetables at the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the chicken until the dark meat registers 160 degrees F. Take the chicken out and cover with aluminum foil. Take the vegetables out keep warm. Reduce the liquid by half and pour into a gravy boat. Take out excess fat and serve with the chicken and vegetables.