Posts filed under 'Picky Eaters'
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The Food Network show featuring Sunny Anderson, "How’d that get on My Plate?" is a great peek into how so many foods make it to the grocery store and ultimately onto our plates. I loved the episode on "Super Sweet Corn" and I applaud the Food Network for airing such an entertaining (and educational) show. It helps people to appreciate the labor and attention required to bring food to our tables.
Sunny also has her own show, "Cooking for Real" with some really super recipes. This recipe for PB & J Pancakes just had to be tried at our house. Based on some of the comments on her site, I made a few small adjustments. My kids snarfed these right down and indeed they were very tender and light. The peanut butter flavor could be a bit stronger for my taste but the kids loved them as is. These might be really good with diced bananas and/or chocolate chips and no jam as a portable snack. I made mine on my blini griddle so they were about 3 inches in diameter, perfect size for my youngest.
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PB&J Pancakes with Strawberry Jam "Syrup"
1 cup of flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1/2 cup + 4 tsp. creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. oil
2 eggs
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. buttermilk, slightly warmed in microwave (35 seconds is good)
Measure out dry ingredients and put into a bowl. Place peanut butter in a microwave-proof dish and heat on medium for a 45 seconds. Stir in the oil. Then whisk in the buttermilk and eggs. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Heat your griddle and spray or coat with some oil. Use about 1/4 cup batter per pancake. Flip when bubble rise to the surface.
To make jam "syrup" place you favorite jar of jam in the microwave for a 1 minutes or less until you can pour it out onto your pancakes.
PS from Kimberly: If you are really going for classic PB&J pancakes, replace the strawberry jam with grape jelly!
February 22nd, 2009
To say that this book is a Mayone family favorite is an understatement. The Seven Silly Eaters, written by Mary Ann Hoberman and illustrated by Marla Frazee, is such a bedtime standard in this house that I can read it without looking at the words.
Parents of fussy eaters will enjoy this story because it is a tale about a family full of children who will only eat one thing. It begins with Peter who will only drink warm milk. His sister Lucy is stuck on lemonade, more specifically pink lemonade. The verse is fun and rhyming. The illustrations are superb. Each of my children have a specific picture that makes them laugh out loud. Vincenzo likes to point out the boy sitting on the potty. Lollie always loved the chaotic kitchen.
How does it end? We can’t tell. To find out, you’ll have to get it at the library or at the bookstore.
December 4th, 2008
I have a vegetarian son who is looking forward to Thanksgiving because he can have Quorn roast. Never mind that he has these products every week, as it is a great source of protein for him. Made from a myco-protein (meaning it’s derived from mushrooms, but they don’t taste anything like mushrooms) Quorn products are soy-free. They contain fiber and no cholesterol. We like all of their products and we are not all vegetarians, but I am trying to eat meat less and less. Their patties are far better than any other veggie burger product out there and even my little fussy eaters adore their Chik’n Nuggets. These are very versatile analog meats. They are not, however vegan.
November 18th, 2008
Have you ever noticed that the Fall fruit basket resembles the colorful foliage that marks the season? I love Fall fruits for eating out of hand and for making desserts. Clementines are a perfect little lunch box stuffer, not to mention their health boosting properties (vitamin C, fiber,quercertin). A good, juicy pear needs little promotion and the red ones are just pretty.
Pomegranates can be a bit messy, but they are so worth it. The juice will stain fabric so my rule is that they have to stay in the kitchen, at the table. Sitting with Lollie, noshing on pomegranate arils (aka "the seeds") is one of my most cherished rituals of Fall.
Recently, grocery store pomegrantes have been amazing. We have been eating one or two a week. In nature, the more colorful the fruit or vegetable, the more nutrition it packs. Pomegranates offer a bevy of low calorie nutrition in the form of polyphenols and fiber. We could probably do a week’s worth of posts on pomegranates, stay tuned…
This week, skip the fresh flowers on the table. Instead go for a Fall fruit basket and relish in the fact that it is nourishing with very little effort. Enjoy!
November 14th, 2008
‘Tis the season for apples; I have been seeing several references to applesauce cake and wondered about its origins. A quick review at my cookbook shelf, and it seems that applesauce cake has its origins in the Southern states and it is usually made around the holidays. Most recipes I saw were studded with dried fruits and nuts which made me think that perhaps it was an American fruit cake with no alcohol. I made this version because my kids love applesauce and I knew this would be a moist, nut free, easy recipe. Sure enough, all the children loved its simplicity. It was gobbled up.
Applesauce Cake
1 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Oat Flour
3 Tbsp. Wheat Germ
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 stick of butter, room temperature
1 cup, minus 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
3 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup apple juice
1 cup apple sauce
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 inch bundt cake pan or sqaure baking pan.
Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour through nutmeg). In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the honey, eggs, apple juice and applesauce and blend well. Turn off mixer and scrape down sides. Blend together again. In 1/2 cup batches, add the dry ingredients. Pour into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Once cake is cool, dust with powdered sugar.
November 13th, 2008
Here is a new product that belongs to the "Why did they not think of this sooner club?" Taco shells that stand up so that they are easier to fill: Brilliant! Tacos are a much loved dinner in our home. My children enjoy them because they get to be 100% in charge of what is on their plates. "Taco Night" is easy on me because I can prep almost everything in advance and it allows me to sneak some beans into the bellies.
All the fixings.
Thou shall eat beans and not realize it because you are too busy making your taco.
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Look Ma! No Hands!
Hey Maverick, have some taco with your sour cream!
October 13th, 2008
This is another of my favorite gizmo’s: I got this apple peeling gadget from L.L. Bean many years ago when I was first married. I get so many comments from people, especially kids, who come into my kitchen to visit. While it may seem ridiculous to have something that just peels apples, it is really useful for baking and as an added bonus, children tend to eat more apples. First, they eat the "apple spaghetti" which is the actually the peel (Where all the phtyo-nutrients are!) and then they eat the "apple accordian." Here is a recipe that I adapted from Pie In The Sky by Susan Purdy. It is bursting with apples and it is so outstandingly delicious, you’ll end up making it once a month. Aspen Apple Cake will be all the justification you need to add a countertop peeler to your kitchen cache.
Aspen Apple Cake for Sea Level Dwellers, adapted from Pie In The Sky
2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
½ Cup Wheat Germ
½ tsp baking powder
½ baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
3 cups chopped baking apples (about 3 large), such as Granny Smith
1 cup dried cherries from the great state of Michigan (you can also use raisins)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 ½ cups Safflower or Canola oil
2 cups Sugar
(for a special treat try 1 cup real dark brown sugar, such as Muscovado, mixed with 1 cup white sugar)
3 eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
3 Tbsp. whole milk or buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together the dry ingredients (reserving 2 Tbsp. of flour to toss with apples and dried cherries and nuts.). With an electric mixer beat together the eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla and milk. With mixer on low add dry ingredients, scraping down to make sure it all gets incorporated. Fold in the apples/cherry/nut mixture.
Pour into a buttered and floured 9-10 inch tube pan and bake for 75 to 80 minutes. I made this one in a 9×13 pan and it baked for 55 minutes.
September 28th, 2008
We like meatloaf of all varieties because it is easy to put together, budget-friendly and pretty darn tasty. Personally, I am a big fan of the leftover meatloaf sandwich. When I saw this 5-ingredient recipe in a women’s magazine, I thought to myself that it was too easy and too simple to possibly taste good. Well, I am very OK with admitting that I was wrong. The recipe has been passed along to several friends and family members who all agree that it is remarkably good and easy and simple. Maximize the oven and serve this main course with baked sweet potatoes. At Casa Mayone, steamed green beans round out the menu.
Easy, Pleasing Meatloaf adapted from Kraft Foods
Serves 8
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1/2 cup favorite bottled Barbecue Sauce, divided
(for the fussiest eaters, substitute ketchup)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. lean ground pork
HEAT oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, mix together the stuffing, milk, eggs and 1/4 cup of the BBQ sauce. Mix the meat into the seasonings. It does not have to be a smooth mixture. Overmixed meatloaf can sometimes be tough.
SHAPE into oval loaf in 13×9-inch baking dish; brush outside of loaf with remaining sauce.
BAKE 1 hour or until cooked through (160ºF). Let meatloaf rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Leftover Meatloaf Sandwich
2 slices white sandwich bread, toasted
2 tsp. ketchup
2 tsp. mayonnaise
1/2 inch slice leftover meatloaf, warm or cold
(to warm meatloaf, heat slice in the microwave for about 30 seconds)
1 – 2 slices cheddar cheese
thin slices purple onion or Vidalia onion
Spread the ketchup and mayo onto the inside of the bread. Top with meatloaf, cheese and onions. Slice in half. Serve with a pickle and some potato chips.
Flavorista Note: These sandwiches are not just for lunch. They would work nicely as a great, no-cook, easy dinner.
September 25th, 2008
Every now and again, I am pleased to find out that a gigantic multi-national food corporation can still produce a decent product. While not fancy, Triscuit Thin Crisps are absolutely superior to the original Triscuit. They are crispy and have a nice crunch. I feel better about eating Thin Crisps instead of say potato chips because they offer 8% RDA of iron, have no trans fat, and are made from whole grain wheat. Fifteen Triscuit Thin Crisps equal 130 calories and 3 grams of fiber. These crackers are excellent for cheese spreads, peanut butter and of course schmootz’s. The packaging may have slightly changed so make sure that it says Thin Crisps. Thanks Nabisco!
September 13th, 2008
My seven year old son, Maverick*, grew potatoes this year. For two years, he has been a single crop farmer. Last year, he grew corn in his 3×4 foot patch of earth. Planting seed potatoes was fun: Prep the soil. Make little mounds. Insert seed potatoes. Water and watch for potato worms. Harvest (late summer/early fall). All told, we dug up eight pounds of potatoes.
Be sure to pick up or order your seed potatoes early. Vendors often sell out. Mail Order Sources for Seed Potatoes:
Hash Brown Potato Cake
2 cup grated potatoes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1. Heat oil and butter in a 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot scatter potatoes in the pan. Add salt and pepper to the pan.
2. Cook for 15 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Using a spatula, flip the potatoes over.
3. Cook for an additional 8 – 10 minutes until crispy.
4. Serve immediately.
Serves 4 for breakfast or as a great side for dinner.
*screen name
September 6th, 2008
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