Salmon in Tomato Cream Sauce

This recipe comes from Madhur Jaffrey's AT HOME WITH MADHUR JAFFREY. If you have kids, you might be thinking: Salmon? Indian cooking? No way.

Maybe. My fairly fussy thirteen-year-old quite likes this, and our visiting students from Egypt and Serbia LOVE it--as do I. It's tasty, a little sweet, very creamy, with a little bit of kick from the cayenne that can be dialed back very easily. Give it a try. Even if your kids don't like it, you will, and eventually the little buggers will grow up and move away, breaking your heart, so, you know: all's fair in love and war.

One note: this calls for skinned salmon fillets. If you can't buy fillets skinned, then try doing it yourself. It's actually not that hard: lay the fillet skin-side down on a cutting, board, then press the fingers of one hand down firmly on a centimeter of the thin side of the fillet. Then, hold a large french chef (the knife, not the person!) at a ninety-degree angle to the fillet. Sawing up and down very slightly, move the flat of the blade into the fillet, in the direction you want to skin. Keep moving your fingers to keep up with the blade. The blade should never rise so high as to threaten your finger tips. Be patient. I learned how to do this, and I'm about as inept a chef as any you've ever met.

One thing to remember: the salmon here tastes amazing--but even better is the taste of the sauce on the basmati rice. So don't skip the rice!

Salmon in Tomato-Cream Sauce

3 cups basmati rice (always use basmati! it just tastes better!)

1.5 lbs salmon fillets

1/4 ts. salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 ts. ground turmeric

1/2 ts. cayenne pepper (divided)

1 cup tomato puree

1 cup heavy cream

1 ts. salt

1 ts. sugar

1 ts. garam masala (it's there in the spice aisle of your grocery store; trust me)

1 ts. ground cumin

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 ts. cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 ts. whole cumin seeds

1 tablespoon canola oil

1. Prepare the three cups of basmati rice according to instructions. 
2. Wash (and skin if necessary) the salmon
3. Cut the fillets in half, width wise, so that they're shorter and easier to work with.
4. Sprinkle both sides of the salmon with salt, pepper, turmeric, and 1/4 ts. cayenne. Feel free to use more of everything if necessary. 
5. Here, the recipe says to put the salmon in the fridge in a plastic bag for an hour. I sometimes do, but it taste fine without doing this. 
6. Mix together the sauce, including everything else on the list EXCEPT the whole cumin seeds and the oil
7. When the rice is near to ready, heat the oil in a frying pan at medium heat. 
8. When just hot, toss in the whole cumin seeds. When the seeds have sizzled for 10 seconds, pour in the sauce. Mix. Bring to a simmer. 
9. Add the fish pieces. Cover with sauce. 
10. After a minute, turn the fish pieces over and lower the heat to medium-low. 
11. Continue cooking for 6-7 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. 
12. Serve with the sauce!!!!

Family Ratings: 

James, who's less fussy than he used to be but still fussy: 10

The Serbian kid, who said she eats anything, but nonetheless has favorites: 10

The Egyptian kid, who really does eat anything (except pork): 10

Ellen, who occasionally remembers why she married me: 10

Me, who can't stop talking about how much I love this dish as I stuff it into my mouth: 10

Chickpea & Feta Orzo Salad

This is one of those recipes where every flavor stands out nicely, but the dish as a whole blends well.  It's also incredibly simple. And it's perfect for summer because it won't heat up your kitchen.

It serves mainly as a side-dish, though I suppose one could make a double recipe and treat it as a main course.  Serve at room temperature, or cooled in the fridge.

Chickpea & Feta Orzo Salad

1 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
1/2 cup green onions, sliced thinly
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1 15-oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed
3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1.5 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 TBSP cold water
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1. Cook the pasta according to directions being sure not to overcook.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Drain well again. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cheese, green onions, dill, and chickpeas.  Toss gently. 
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, water, salt, and garlic. 
4. Drizzle the sauce over the pasta mixture and toss to salt. 

Family Ratings: 

Lucy, who never met a cheese she didn't love: 10

Jamie, who's taken to picking small bits of something or other out of all of his foods, but likes chickpeas:  8

Will, who's becoming increasingly easy-going:  9

Ellen, who's no fool:  10

Paul, who's searched his whole life for a pasta salad that didn't seem forced:  10

Kid-friendly Tuna with Vietnamese Ginger Dipping Sauce

This is clearly one of those recipes where, if your kids are the least bit fussy at all, you've already dismissed it as a possibility.  Which means you're probably not even reading this, so I should probably ignore you.  But what can I say?  I'm a nice guy.  I want everyone to feel important, even if they might just have thoughtlessly dismissed arguably the greatest recipe I've ever posted on my blog.  

Oh my god.  This is SOOOO good.  All three of the kids love it, even Lucy who's almost actually given up claiming she doesn't like fish, solely because of this dish.  

The key is the dipping sauce, which is so good that in truly big fat American style I've gone ahead and doubled the recipe here so that there's enough to go around.  Speaking of fat Americans, though, this recipe is extremely low in fat and really very good for you.  Serve it with jasmine rice and green beans or baby carrots, or some other simple vegetable.  

This recipe is from Andrea Nguyen's wonderful book "Into the Vietnamese Kitchen."  If you don't own this book, you should get on Amazon and buy it immediately.  

Final tip:  if your kids try to reject this dish just because it's tuna, lie and tell them it's chicken.  

Kid-Friendly Tuna with Vietnamese Ginger Dipping Sauce

3 Tuna steaks, roughly 1.5 pounds total (they should be about 1-inch thick)

Marinade

1/2 tsp sugar

1.5 TBSP fish sauce

1 TBSP fresh lime juice

2 TBSP canola or vegetable oil

Dipping sauce: 

A 3 to 4-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced

9-10 TBSP fresh lime juice (about 5-6 limes)

5 TBSP sugar

4-5 TBSP fish sauce

1. Combine marinade ingredients in a large plastic bag or a small (8x8) baking dish. 
2. Add tuna steaks to marinade and turn to coat.  There's no need to marinate, but it doesn't hurt to let them sit for a while as you prepare the dipping sauce and any side dishes.  
3. Combine the first four ingredients of the dipping sauce.  Adjust ginger and lime juice to taste.
4. Begin by adding 4 TBSP fish sauce.  Adjust to taste.  When you have it just right, mix well and divide the sauce into individual bowls.  These sit alongside each person's plate.  
5. Heat a skillet over medium-high until hot. 
6. Add the tuna steaks. 
7. Cook for 2 minutes on one side. 
8. Carefully turn steaks. 
9. Cook on the second side for 3 minutes. 
10. Test the steaks with a knife.  They should be white at the edges and pink in the middle.  If they look too rare, cook for another minute or two at most, but be careful:  you want pink in the center.  Overcooked tuna tastes like unsalted cardboard.  
11. Transfer steaks to a cutting board and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.  
12. Serve.  

Family Ratings:

Will, who likes to tease his sister about hating fish:  10

Lucy, who's loathe to surrender her hatred of fish, just because: 10

Jamie, who's pretty sure he's eating chicken:  10

Ellen, who likes that her husband is serving something healthy for once: 10

Paul, who figures that if he eats a healthy dinner he can then have a huge slice of cake: 10

Tasty Tasty Tasty Lamb Stew

Oh my god.  I love this recipe.  It's easy.  It's tasty.  Kids like it, but it's also classy enough that when you serve it to company, you look like a friggin' culinary genius.

That said, it's likely a weekend dish, as it really does require a couple hours to simmer itself into melting tenderness.  Serve over rice (brown or white) with some kind of vegetable.  Hide the leftovers from your spouse.

This comes from A TASTE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN, by Jacqueline Clark and Joanna Farrow.  Last I looked, it seemed to be out of print, but this cookbook is so consistently good it would be worth it to hunt down a used copy and sell your Beamer to pay for it.

Tasty Lamb Stew

3 TBSP olive oil (divided)

3-3.5 lbs lamb fillet, cut into 2-inch cubes (I just use lamb stew meat.  It works dandy).

1 large onion, chopped

6 large garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 bay leaf

1 tsp paprika

1/2 cup dry sherry (I just use your generic cooking sherry.  Works dandy).

4 oz. fresh or frozen f-f-f-f-fava beans (sorry--you knew I was going to do that). 

2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley

Salt and fresh-ground black pepper  

1. Heat to medium high 2 TBSP of the oil in a heavy, flame proof casserole dish or dutch oven (now might be a good time to ask your mother for some Le Creuset . . . )
2. Heat the meat and brown on all sides.  Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.  (I usually do the meat in two batches).  
3. Heat the remaining oil in the pan, then add the onions and cook for five minutes or so, until soft.  Return the meat to the pot. 
4. Add the garlic cloves, the bay leaf, the paprika, and the sherry.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 2 hours.  Feel free to stir it once or twice in that time to make sure all the meat is soaking in the juices. 
5. Test the meat.  At this point it should be fall-off-your fork tender.  If it's not, cook for another 10-20 minutes, still on low.  
6. When the meat is tender enough, add the fava beans.  Cover and cook for another 10 minutes.  
7. Stir in parsley and serve.  

Family Ratings

Lucy, who is likely the most culinarily adventurous 11-year-old you've ever met:  10

Jamie, who spends most of his meals trying to get Lucy to laugh:  8

Will, who's never liked meat he needs to pick from his teeth:  8

Ellen, who thinks baby sheep are cute and isn't much of a meat eater:  7

Paul, who thinks this is the tastiest stew he's ever encountered:  10

Thai Lemon Grass Pork Chops with Dipping Sauce

The beauty of this recipe is that you get an amazing amazing amazing taste, but you only have to marinade for ten minutes!  Another great thing is that, because the dipping sauce is served in small separate bowls, you can make it (and your pork chops) as hot as you want without hurting the kids.  Unless, of course, they've really been annoying you lately and you want to hurt them . . ..  

Not that I'm suggesting that, mind you.

These can be grilled or cooked under the broiler.  The recipe comes from Thailand:  The Beautiful Cookbook, and like most recipes from that book, I haven't changed it a bit.  

Thai Lemon Grass Pork Chops with Dipping Sauce

Marinade Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoons white pepper

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons fish sauce

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 Tablespoon cognac or whiskey or white wine

2 Tablespoons chopped lemon grass

1 Tablespoon finely chopped green onion

2 Tablespoons coconut milk

5-6 bone in pork chops, about 1-1.25 lbs total

Dipping Sauce Ingredients

1/4 cup fish sauce

5 Tablespoons lime juice

1 pinch (or more, if you like) dried red chili pepper flakes

1 Tablespoon finely chopped green onion

1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro

1.  Mix all the marinade ingredients together thoroughly. 
2. Add pork chops and make sure they're well coated.  Allow to sit for at least ten minutes.
3. Mix together dipping sauce ingredients. 
4. Broil or grill the meat for about 8 minutes on each side or until done. 
5. Serve.  

Family Ratings: 

Will, who kind of digs pork:  10

Lucy, who kind of digs everything except for fish and tomatoes:  10

Jamie, who insists he wants the dipping sauce even when he really doesn't:  10

Ellen, who occasionally grudgingly admits that there are some benefits to being married to me:  10

Paul, who sort of enjoys being who he is, especially when he's eating these pork chops:  10

Wild Rice Salad with Chicken (or leftover Turkey)

This is one of those recipes that I found in the newspaper maybe three weeks ago.  Since then, we've made it approximately 26 times, and it's been gobbled down every time.

Obviously, it's intended for the efficient re-use of leftover chicken or turkey--you need about two cups of either.  Since I don't always have chicken laying around the house, I've also included a little coda that shows how to prepare chicken breasts specifically for this recipe.

Don't worry about either the onions or the hot pepper sauce bothering your fussy kids:  the grapes and apples will distract them, and I find that they also generally like the chewy-ishness (yes, that's a real word) of the wild rice.  But then, who doesn't?

Wild Rice Salad with Chicken (or Turkey)

1 cup uncooked brown rice

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 cup uncooked wild rice

3 cups chicken broth (more or less, depending on whether or not you're using a rice steamer)

3 cups water (again, more or less)

2 cups leftover chicken (or 1-1.5 lb. uncooked chicken breast--see note, below)

1 cup seedless grapes, halved

1/4 cup celery

1/4 cup green onion, sliced

1/4 cup walnut pieces

1/4 parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 Granny Smith Apple, cut into wedges

1 cup chicken broth

For the dressing:

1/4 cup orange juice

2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

1. Rinse the three rices and mix them together.  If you have a rice steamer, pour them in to the steamer and measure in the appropriate amount of liquid, being sure to use equal parts chicken broth and water.  If you're NOT using a rice steamer, you'll likely need a total of six cups of liquid (or slightly less)--again, using equal parts chicken broth and water.  
2. Start the rice.  Go read a book or play with your kids or something.  (Obviously, this step can be done ahead of time).  
3. If you DON'T have any pre-cooked chicken, at this point follow the instructions in my note below.  
4. Once the rice is done, scrape it into a large bowl to cool.  Stir it on occasion to let the heat out. 
5. Taste the rice and add a little salt if it needs it. 
6. In a small sauce pan, heat up the chicken broth.  When it's just starting to boil, drop in your apple wedges.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes until just soft.  Remove apple wedges, get rid of the chicken broth. 
7. Chop your cooked chicken, the celery, the green onions, and the parsley.  Slice your grapes.  Mix all of this together with the walnut pieces and the salt and pepper.  When the apples have cooled, chop them into thirds and add them as well. 
8. Mix together the ingredients for the dressing.  
9. Combine the rice, the chicken mixture, and the dressing.  Add additional seasoning if necessary.  
10. Serve. 

NOTE:  If you don't have pre-cooked or leftover chicken, do this while the rice is cooking. 

1. Trim and separate 1-1.5 lbs. chicken breasts, then cut each breast in half again. 
2. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil and one Tbsp. butter in a small frying pan.  
3. Brown the chicken very very lightly.  You don't want to form a hard coating.  
4. Add roughly 1 cup chicken broth.  
5. Cover.  Bring to boil.  Cook on medium-low for 8-12 minutes.  (You can also throw in the apple wedges at this point, if you'd like.)
6. Once the chicken is done, chop and continue the recipe until completed.  

Family Ratings

Lucy, who pretty much loves everything:  10

Jamie, who's getting really fussy, but likes the grapes and wild rice:  10

Will, who's 13 and feeling kind of contrary:  8

Ellen, who's a little surprised I'm cooking something so healthy:  10

Paul, who's even more surprised:  10

Root Beer Sloppy Joes

This will come as no surprise to anyone, but as a kid growing up in Wisconsin, I wasn't really what you'd refer to as "normal."  I didn't like hamburgers, I hated McDonald's, Cheetos kind of freaked me out.  I refused to drink my milk and thought sloppy joes were disgusting.

I still hate milk.  Not sure why, other than it tastes very literally like something that just came out of the stomach of a large animal.  I've come around to sloppy joes, though, largely because of this recipe, which came out of the Roanoke Times.  The keys here are:  a) the dried thyme, which gives the whole dish a nice layered taste; and b) the toasted whole grain buns.  And no, I'm not usually one for whole grain buns, either.  But what can I say?  I think this is one of those dishes where you look at the ingredients separately and shake your head--but when you put them all together?  The kids absolutely love it.  

Root Beer Sloppy Joes

1 lb. ground sirloin or high grade Angus chuck

1 medium onion finely chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup root beer

4-6 whole-grain hamburger buns

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Slice the buns in half, lay them face down on the rack, and toast for 4-6 minutes, until just crispy on the insides. 
2. In a large-nonstick skillet, cook ground sirloin for 4 minutes on medium until the pink is nearly gone.  Drain. 
3. Add the onion and garlic and cook for another 4 minutes, stirring regularly. 
4. Add the chili powder, thyme, mustard, salt and pepper.  Stir.  
5. Stir in ketchup and root beer.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. 
6. Serve on the toasted buns.  

Family Ratings

Will, who really is becoming more easy-going as an eater:  10

Lucy, who thinks the root beer makes dinner taste like dessert (even though it really doesn't): 10

Jamie, who's taken to eating twelve snacks between 4:00 and 6:00, and then saying he doesn't like my cooking:  7

Ellen, who kind of rebels against anything that seems even vaguely midwestern:  7

Paul, who's not getting any skinnier:  10

Lentil Apricot Casserole

A warning:  your kids are going to stare at this and say, "It looks like goat barf."

And another warning:  you're going to agree with them.

So okay:  this recipe doesn't win any awards for presentation.  It looks like hurl.  I can give no stronger recommendation for this dish, though, than the fact that Jamie--Jamie, by far my fussiest eater these days--took seconds of this dish on his own accord.  And then took thirds.

I'm not sure what makes it work.  Obviously, dried apricots are awesome.  And the bulgar wheat gives a nice texture to the dish.  I've never been a friend of lentils--they taste like dirt, if you ask me--but I like them in this dish.  This recipe is actually Ellen's discovery, coming from Michele Urvater's Monday to Friday Cookbook.  This is generally a great book, though a lot of the recipes require a pressure cooker.

Be sure to serve with low-fat yogurt or sour cream.

Lentil Apricot Casserole

1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 teaspoons curry powder
1 cup bulgar wheat (also known as millet)
1 cup dried lentils
4 cups chicken broth (water will work if you're a vegetarian)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dried apricots, cut in half
Plain low-fat yogurt or sour cream

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  
2. Heat the oil in a 4-quart ovenproof pan over medium heat. 
3. Add the curry powder and the bulgar wheat/millet.  Saute about 1 minute.  
4. Add the lentils and the broth.  Bring to a low boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. 
5. Cover and bake until the grain and lentils are tender, about 25 minutes.  
6. Remove from oven (dur!), stir in the apricots, add a 1/2 cup more broth if the dish is starting to seem dry.   
7. Re-cover and bake for 10 more minutes.  
8. Adjust seasoning and serve with yogurt/sour cream.  

Family Ratings

Will, who's kind of proud of no longer being the fussiest eater in the family:  9.5

Lucy, who would probably eat this even if it included dirt instead of lentils:  10

Jamie, who's kind of proud of now being the fussiest eater in the family: 10

Ellen, who's been trying to get us to eat less meat for year:  10

Paul, who can actually tolerate the lentils when they're with dried fruit:  9

Greek Lamb Sausages in Tomato Sauce

Okay, I'll be honest:  these are really more meatballs than sausages; I mean, they involve ground meat patted into more or less ball type things--so, meatballs.

But then, as I was writing the title of this post, I thought, "Meatballs.  If I say meatballs, no one will look at this recipe."  And at that moment I understood exactly what Jacqueline Clarke and Joanna Farrow were thinking in A TASTE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN when they decided on the whole "sausages" thing.  

And trust me:  these meatba--er, sausages deserve your attention.  They're stunningly flavorful, but mild enough that the kids will like them too.  They take a bit of time, so I'd recommend them for weekend meals, at least the first few times you try them.  After that, you'll be so addicted you'll make them on a weekday even if it means staying up until midnight to do it.  

Greek Lamb Sausages in Tomato Sauce

1 cup fresh bread crumbs*
2/3 cup milk

1.5 lbs. ground lamb

2 tablespoons grated onion (I know:  weird, right?)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Flour for dusting

1/4 cup olive oil

2.5 cups tomato sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

2 bay leaves

1 small onion, peeled (but NOT chopped!)

Salt and fresly-ground black pepper to taste

*Be sure to make your own:  basically, toss 2-4 slices of bread in the food processor and pulse until you've got fairly fine crumbs.  

1. Combine the bread crumbs and the milk. 
2. Add the lamb, onion, garlic, cumin, parsley, and salt and pepper.  Mix well with your hands. 
3. Shape the meat mixture into fat little ovals, about two inches long, rolling each one in the flour and setting aside. 
4. Mix the tomato sauce, sugar and bay leaves in a pan. 
5. Peel the onion and cut off the ends.  Put the whole onion in the tomato sauce.  Simmer for 20 minutes. 
6. Heat the oil in a separate frying pan to medium.  
7. Fry the sausages for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally until browned evenly. 
8. Remove sausages and place on paper town to drain. 
9. Add the sausages to the tomato sauce and cook on medium low for about 10 more minutes.  
10. Serve with a green salad and/or risotto.  

Family Ratings

Lucy, who increasingly likes anything, and the weirder the better:  10

Will, who still resists rating anything as highly as fajitas:  8

Jamie, who can sometimes surprise us by gobbling things down:  9

Ellen, who loves the taste of lamb but feels guilty . . . : 8

Paul, who loves the simplicity of the flavors in this dish:  10

Pan-Glazed Chicken with Basil

This is an old standard in our family:  it's about as easy as they come and very flavorful.  It comes from Cooking Light's 5 Ingredient, 15 Minute Cookbook.

Pan-Glazed Chicken with Basil

4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. Slice the chicken breasts in half, length-wise.  (If they're extra thick, you might want to slice them thickness-wise as well, just to make for more even cooking.)
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. 
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet at medium-high. 
4. Cook chicken for five minutes each side until lightly browned. 
5. While chicken is cooking, mix together the vinegar, honey, and basil
6. When chicken is ready, stir in the honey mixture and cook for one additional minute. 
7. Serve with rice, baby carrots, lime jell-o, and anything else your kids like.  

Family Ratings

Will, who has a habit of picking up a large chunk of meat and eating it off his fork, like the Asians do with chopsticks:  10

Lucy, who could probably already make this herself:  10

Jamie, who actually finishes it before we have to tell him to:  10

Ellen, who comes from the midwest and likes minimalist, fresh flavorings:  10

Paul, who's had this about 600 times in the last 17 years and is mildly sick of it:  9

Thai Pepper Steak

Yes, I know this is the second Thai recipe I've posted in a row.  I'd had plans to post recipes for gooey chocolate cake and balsamic vinegar chicken (two different dishes, just in case you were worried).  But then I made this for the first time tonight, took one bite, and went, "Well heck!  THAT'S good!"

(Actually, that's not what I said.  I said, "Well %$#@!  THAT'S &^%$ amazing!" but since this is a family oriented blog--unlike my other blog--I thought I'd keep it clean.  Just this once.)

Anyhow, this also comes from Thailand:  The Beautiful Cookbook, which, despite its awkward name, is rapidly becoming one of my favorites.  I messed a bit here with proportions (using less white pepper than they recommended) and cooking order/time (I prefer my red peppers not cooked into a mush), but other than that, this is straight from the book.

Excuse me:  the @#&% book.

The recipe below is for four servings, but this recipe doubles nicely.  It probably halves nicely, too, for that matter.

Thai Pepper Steak

Marinade: 

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon white pepper 

The rest: 

1-2 cups rice (I use jasmine) cooked per instructions

1 lb. tender beef (I use flank steak or flat iron steak)

2 tablespoons oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup thinly sliced onion

1/4 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper

1/4 cup thinly sliced green bell pepper

3 Tablespoons fish sauce

1 Tablespoon Maggi Seasoning *

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

* You should be able to get Maggi Seasoning in the foreign foods section of your grocery store; it's in a little yellow and red jar with a yellow cap.  If you can't find it, one site I visited recommended just using bacon bits . . . 

1. Start your rice, according to directions.  
2. Mix the marinade ingredients.  It'll be pretty pasty.  Don't worry.  
3. Slice the beef across the grain very thinly--say, 1/8 of an inch or less.  (An 8-inch French chef knife is best for this.  Just be sure to hide your thumb behind your other fingers).  
4. Place beef in the marinade and mix.  Set aside for at least 10 minutes.  
5. Chop the garlic, slice the onions, etc.  
6. Mix the fish sauce, Maggi Seasoning, sugar, and sesame oil together in a small bowl.  
7. Heat your wok or a large frying pan until hot.  Coat with the oil.  
8. Toss in the garlic.  Cook for five seconds. 
9. Add beef.  Stir fry for 1-2 minutes until still just barely pink.  
10. Add the onions and stir-fry for 30 seconds. 
11. Add green and red peppers.  Stir-fry for 30 seconds.  
12. Add the fish sauce, etc.  Stir-fry for 2 minutes.  
13. Serve over rice!

Family Ratings

Lucy, who's recovering from the flu and was cautious:  10

Will, who's something of a beef eater, even if he doesn't have one of those weird hats:  10

Jamie, who insisted on eating the meat with none of the sauce:  7

Ellen, who appreciates that her husband cooks for her, even if she's not crazy about beef:  8

Paul.  Seriously?  You have to ask?:  10

Popcorn Fish

I've never been a real fan of fish. For years, the only kind I would eat was the deep-fried perch that you can get at most restaurants on a Friday night in Wisconsin. Originally, of course, this tradition had something to do with the Polish Catholic population in the state, but eventually it just became a means of delivering grease to the general populace. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Anyhow, these fish are not deep-friend, and not "popcorn" in the sense that they're small finger food, a la Kentucky Fried's popcorn chicken barrel. Rather, I call it popcorn fish because that's what it tastes like: buttery, salted popcorn. The kids love it.

This recipe originally comes from Gary Rhodes' Great Fast Food. This is a good book, despite the cheesy picture of Rhodes on the cover with a doofy, late-90's only in England would a person get this kind of haircut, haircut (says a man who used to have a mullet). Indeed, at first the recipes were so easy that I kept thinking I must be cheating. It's also the kind of book where, everytime I flip through it, including this morning, I find an appealing recipe I hadn't noticed before.

This recipe is rich, so you don't have too make too much. And it goes great with a simple green salad and, as Rhodes recommends, boiled baby yukon potatoes.

Popcorn Fish

4 six-ounce cod fillets, skin removed

1 ounce butter, softened

4 ounces unsalted butter, chilled and diced

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 Tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and pepper

1. Turn on the broiler.
2. Season the cod on both sides with salt and pepper and brush with softened butter.
3. Place on a baking or broiling tray and grill for eight minutes. Do not turn over.
4. While the fish is cooking, place the unsalted butter, the lemon juice, and the stock in a small pan. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly. Do NOT let the sauce boil. If it curdles, you'll have to start over again.
5. Place the fillets on plates and cover with sauce. Serve.

Family Ratings

Will, who loves, of all things, fish: 10

Lucy, who hates fish but loves popcorn: 10

Jamie, who's pretty sure he's eating chicken: 8

Ellen, who worries about eating too much fish, what with the environment and all: 9

Paul, who's starting to rethink this whole "hating fish" thing: 10

Thai Chicken Wraps

This recipe comes from the cleverly named Wraps by Mary and Sara Corpening and Lori Narlock. I like this book a lot, though I have to admit that: a) some of the recipes are a bit fussy; and b) the instructions aren't that great, very often burying time-intensive ingredients like cooked rice toward the end of the list, so that you think you're way ahead of schedule and then all of a sudden you have to stop and boil something for 45 minutes.

That aside, this is a tasty tasty recipe, the kind of thing that on paper looks like it'll be okay, but on the plate thrills even the really fussy eaters. The trick, I think, is the mint, which gives the whole dish a lighter, slightly surprising taste.

A vegetarian version of this is easy enough: just omit the chicken and add another cup of zucchini. I've also found that it's a large recipe, easily enough for two meals for our family, so you can either plan for that, or cut everything in half.

One key, by the way, is to cook the zucchini until it's just soft: the meat inside the skin will begin to shine. Once you see that shine, stop cooking or the whole thing'll go mushy.

Thai Chicken Wraps

2 cups cooked jasmine rice, warm (use regular, if you want)
2 cups diced zucchini

1 cup diced onion

1-1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1 cup coconut milk (be sure to mix the coconut meat and the milk really well)

1 tablespoon minced fresh lemongrass, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon red curry paste

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Kosher salt (if you're using regular salt, decrease amounts by half)

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 inch tortillas (I just use plain; they're fine)

1. Cook your damn rice.
2. Chop the veggies and the basil and mint, and cube the chicken
3. Blend the coconut milk, lemongrass, curry paste, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid thickens, about 15 minutes. Don't freak out if the liquid sort of thins first before it thickens. That's normal. You'll be fine.
4. Remove from heat and add the lime juice to the sauce.
5. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and the onion, seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook until the meat just inside the zucchini skin starts to look shiny, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook! Set aside in a large bowl.
6. Wipe the skillet (or don't) with a paper towel, then add the remaining tablespoon of oil, heating over medium heat. Add the chicken and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook until no longer pink in the middle, about 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Drain all the juice out of the pan.
7. Add the chicken to the zucchini. Add the rice and the basil and mint, and mix well. Stir in the coconut milk sauce.
8. Serve in a big bowl on the table, with lots of spoons so that kids can take as much as they want and put it on and roll it into their own tortillas.

Family Ratings:

Will, who only gives a 10 to fajitas: 9

Lucy, who's just learning math: 8 and four quarters

Jamie, who struggled a little bit trying to hold the tortillas: 7

Ellen, who was happy to have the leftovers: 10

Paul, who could actually see eating this even without meat: 10

Crispy Thai Mango Tacos

Okay, let me be frank with you: the real name of this dish is "Crispy Pork Larb"; You can understand why I changed it for this blog. That said, whatever you call it this dish is one of the reasons (my spouse is the other) that I have any friends--or, more bluntly, why even if I don't have any friends, I still get invited to potlucks. Put another way, this is the best tasting food you will ever put in your mouth. I've never met a person who's tasted it an not loved it.

The recipe below comes from Small Bites by Jennifer Joyce, but I've made some adjustments to make it more kid friendly (The adult version, for instance, takes another quarter of the red chili pepper). This dish also works well with vegetarian-friendly fake ground meats, though it won't get quite as crispy.

Thai Mango Tacos

Dressing:

3 TBSP brown sugar

1/4 medium red chili pepper (or jalapeno or whatever) deseeded and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 TBSP peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger

1/2 cup lime juice (or slightly less, say 3/8 of a cup)

1.5 TBSP fish sauce

Tacos:

3 stalks lemongrass

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb ground pork

1-1.5 Tbsp brown sugar

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 ripe mango, diced

3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

20 heart of romaine lettuce leaves, to serve (I find these packaged in the produce section, usually three stalks to the bag. Simple wash, cut off the stem at the bottom, and allow to dry)

1. Make the sauce first by crushing everything but the juices together in a mortar and pestle or a small food processor. Add juices and mix well.
2. Cut away any tough bits from the lemongrass, and finely slice the rest.
3. Heat your wok to high. Add the oil, let warm, then toss in the lemon grass and cook for 15 seconds.
4. Add the pork in one big lump and cook it until crisp underneath. Seriously, while you don't want it black, you are burning it here.
5. Break pork with a fork and/or spatula, then add the sugar and continue cooking for three minutes.
6. Add onions and cook for two more minutes or until the meat is thoroughly done. Remove from heat.
7. Pour the dressing over the pork, add the mango and the cilantro, then mix to combine.
8. Serve to table, allowing everyone to make their own by lining the seams of the lettuce leaves with the meat/mango mixture and eating like a taco.

Have plenty of napkins handy! This is messy but good!

Family Ratings (on a 1-10 scale):

Will, whose idea it was to cook the onions: 7.5

Jamie, who has a little trouble managing the lettuce leaves: 7.5

Lucy, who loves Thai food: 10

Ellen, who loves Thai food: 10

Paul, who likes being invited to parties: 10

Spanish Chicken

The Columbus Dispatch is arguably one of the worst papers in the world: poorly written with a blatant political slant, it makes most weekly small-town papers look like The New York Times. The exception--at least 16 years ago, when we lived in Ohio--was the food section. Over the course of our five years there, I must have clipped two dozen recipes from the "Dog Patch." I've lost a lot of them over the years, but a few have become family standards.

This is one of the latter, written by Sue Dawson. The original recipe called for whole chicken cut up, but I like it better this way, as it shortens the browning period and is less messy. The combination of sweet peppers, salty ham, moist chicken and slight heat is what makes this dish so memorable.

Spanish Chicken (Pollo en Chilindron)

1-1.5 lbs boneless chicken breast, cut into one-inch pieces

1 thick slice of ham (1/4 lb or more) diced

2 TB olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 large sweet red pepper, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes, half-drained

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2-1 teaspoon salt

3-5 good cranks on the pepper grinder

1. Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken lightly. Be careful not to overcook. You should still see some pink at this point.
2. Remove chicken and set aside. Add garlic, onions, sweet pepper, hot pepper, and ham to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are beginning to soften. Again, do not overcook.
3. Return chicken to the pan. Mix, adding salt and pepper. Add tomatoes.
4. Cook on medium to medium low heat for 20-25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and the liquid starts to evaporate. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Serve immediately with rice or potatoes.

Family Ratings

Will, who likes chicken: 9

Lucy, who likes ham: 10

Jamie, who likes (how weird is this for a five-year-old?) red peppers: 10

Ellen and Paul (who like things that taste good): 10

Weekend Roast Beef and Potatoes

This dish is really really easy, but because of the cooking time, it's probably best for weekends. I grew up eating this roast beef. I suppose some readers of Bon Appetite will be offended by my use of dried french onion soup as a spice, but given the choice between hanging out with those folks and hanging out with the woman who birthed me, raised me, and continues to give me emotional support, I'll go with my mom a good 58% of the time.

I'm not really sure what to call the cut of meat you want to get for this dish: in Wisconsin, where I grew up, you just went to the meat counter and asked for a "beef roast." Down in Virginia, where I am now, there's top shoulder roasts and round roasts and beef butts and bottom round shoulder beef butts. Basically what you want is a nice hunk of meat (3-4 lbs.) that's got some fairly serious marbling to it. Too lean a hunk or too skinny of a piece will lead to a dried out roast.

Speaking of dry, one key here is to make sure the tinfoil wrapped around the roast is air-tight. Crimp and double-crimp all of the seams, and if you poke a hole in the foil by mistake, either start over or double wrap with another sheet. Seriously: miss this step and your roast will have the taste and texture of dried dog food.

Just in case, I've included a recipe for "gravy" here that uses the juice from the roast. I know it's not true gravy, and that if I'd read more cook books and cooking magazines I could put together a really fantastic concoction that would make even Julia Childs happy. But you know what? I drive 100 miles a day to and from work, have three kids ten and under, and just don't have the time or patience. And besides, this au jus stuff that I make tastes pretty good . . .

Finally, feel free to just make the roast and skip the potatoes, or just make the roast and the potatoes and skip the gravy. Whatever works for you.

And my apologies to the vegetarians in the crowd: I've yet to find a suitable soy-based substitute for a 3 lb. lump of meat. Coming soon though: a chick-pea pasta that'll knock your socks of.

The Roast Beef

1 3-4 lb beef roast with good marbling

1 envelope dried onion soup (I usually go with Lipton)

A really big sheet of tin foil, large enough to wrap around and tent over the roast

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Rinse the roast and pat dry with paper towels
3. In a baking pan with lay out the sheet of tinfoil
4. Pour half the envelope of dried onion soup onto the foil
5. Situate the roast onto the foil
6. Pour the rest of the soup mix on top of the roast
7. Very very very carefully seal the roast in the tin foil. Be sure all seams are air-tight, and that the foil tents over the top of the roast. If possible, also leave a little space on the sides of the roast as well.
8. Cook for 2.5 hours.
9. Remove from oven. Carefully open the foil from the top, avoiding the steam and preserving the juices if you wish to make the "gravy" (below).
10. Cut and serve.

The Roasted Potatoes

1-1.5 lbs small potatoes (new or red are fine)

Salt to taste

Olive oil or Olive-Oil Cooking Spray (e.g., Pam)

1. Clean the potatoes and cut in half (or quarters, if they're large)
2. Throw into a pot of water.
3. Heat to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Test with a fork. If your fork can go in easily, they're ready for the next step. If not, let them go for another 5 minutes and test again.
5. Drain the water from the potatoes. Spray cookie sheet with olive oil.
6. Arrange potatoes, cut face down, on sheet.
7. Spray very lightly with olive oil. Or don't, if you don't feel like it.
8. Sprinkle with salt.
9. Roast for 45 minutes, turning once if you think of it.
10. Remove and serve, slathered in butter.

The "Gravy"

The juice from roast beef from above.

2-3 Tablespoons of flour

A large pinch of dried rosemary, crumbled between your fingers

Fresh-ground pepper to taste

1. Pour the beef/onion juice from the tin-foil into a frying pan
2. Spoon maybe half a cup of juice into a small bowl and mix with the flour until pasty and smooth.
3. Pour the mix back into the frying pan and whisk. If it's still a bit thin, repeat step 2 with another 1-2 tablespoons of flower.
4. Turn heat to medium-high.
5. Crumble the rosemary into the sauce.
6. Add pepper.
7. Heat until it begins to thicken.
8. Serve with potatoes and roast.

Family Ratings

Lucy, who loves potatoes, loves roast beef, and loooooves onions: 10

Will, who often leaves the table to get a toothpick: 8

Jamie, who also loves potatoes, but only if you let him have as much butter as he wants: 10

Ellen, who grew up eating roast beef and roasted potatoes in England and isn't a fan of beef: 6

Paul, who grew up eating this stuff: 10

Penne Vodka

Yes, this is the same dish you can get at your favorite Italian restaurant. And yes, it's full of butter and cream and cheese and alcohol, so you want to go easy and not stuff your face. But the great thing about it? Since it's basically a fancy mac and cheese, your kids will love it.

This pairs nicely with the Sweet Tart salad (below), especially if you use white balsamic vinegar for the salad dressing. And be sure to buy a loaf of crusty bread to sop up the leftover sauce--because, you know, this dish doesn't have enough carbs as it is . . .

Penne Vodka

1 lb penne or a similar pasta (the kids may prefer bow ties or rigatoni)

1 stick of butter (Yes: butter. Don't mess this up with margarine)

3/4 cup vodka

1/2-3/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup canned tomatoes, drained

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon salt

1. Cook the pasta according to directions. I like to leave it a little al dente. Whatever you do, don't overcook.
2. Melt the butter in a dutch oven or other large pan.
3. Add the vodka and the pepper flakes. Simmer for three minutes, or until just before your nose hairs don't curl when you put your head over the pot for a wiff. (You think I'm kidding, but I'm not . . . )
4. Add the tomatoes and cream and simmer for five or so minutes.  Stir frequently to keep the items from separating too much.  
5. Add the salt.
6. Drain the pasta really well, and add it to the pan.
7. Lower the heat and add the Parmesan. Mix.
8. Turn off the heat and serve.

Family Ratings:

Will, who's loathe to give his father any positive reinforcement: 8

Lucy (oh my god, are you kidding?): 10

Jamie: 10

Ellen who's still skinny after all these years: 8

Paul, who's not: 10

Sweet Tart Salad

This is an easy salad that has bits and pieces to keep everyone happy. My basic philosophy here--as with a lot of my dishes--is that its okay for a kid to eat around the edges of a dish, because even if they're just eating, say, the apples in this dish, they'll be picking up other flavors, whether they want them or not. And over time, their tastes will expand and they won't even notice the "weird" things in a dish.

Okay, so it's just a theory.

A couple variations on this:

• If you can't find good pears, use sweeter apples alongside the Grannie Smiths.
• If the balsamic vinegar taste here is too strong for your kids, try white balsamic vinegar.
• If the kids really fuss about the blue cheese, just put it in a separate bowl on the side for the adults to sprinkle.
• And no, the extra halves of the apple and the pear don't go to waste. You eat them, dummy.
• If you have leftover dressing, it'll keep for at least a week and maybe longer.

Sweet Tart Salad

One bag of green lettuce (red leaf, baby romaine, that sort of thing)

1/2 Grannie Smith apple, chopped

1/2 Asian pear, chopped

1/3 cup blue cheese

3 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon honey

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix the vinegar, olive oil, and honey. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Put the lettuce in a large bowl.
3. Top the lettuce with the apples, the pear, and the cheese.
4. Pour 1/2 of the dressing on the salad and toss. Add more dressing to taste.

Family Ratings on a scale of 1-10:

Lucy, who will eat everything but the blue cheese: 8

Jamie, who will eat anything we put in his mouth: 8

Will, who will only eat the apples and pears: 3

Paul, Ellen, and every other adult who's eaten this salad: 100

Ma Po Tofu

I should hate this dish: it has tofu, brown rice, and ground pork, three things I'm not really so crazy about. But dang it tastes good! And as it turns out, the brown rice is essential to the flavor of the dish. I've added extra here to give really fussy kids something to stuff themselves with if they won't touch the tofu . . .

Two tricks make this work: first, you have to press the tofu to remove a lot of the moisture. Second, you have to be patient while the tofu fries, letting it get a nice golden-brown color. If you're pork is too lean, you may want to actually stir-fry the tofu separately in a little oil ahead of time, then go back to step #7.

And actually, here's a third trick: if the word "tofu" scares your kid, just lie and say it's chicken. Or pork. Or Tuna. Whatever works.

This recipe feeds five pretty comfortably.

Ma Po Tofu

2 x 14.5 oz. packages of firm or extra-firm tofu

1/2 lb ground pork

2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and chopped (or grated)

5-6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup chicken broth

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

4 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons oyster sauce

4 cups cooked long-grain brown rice

1/2-1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

1/2 cup chopped green onions, to garnish

1. Start your rice. Brown rice can take a little longer to cook.
2. Line two plates with paper towels. Slice each cake of tofu width-wise into six smaller cakes. Place half the cakes on one plate, the rest on the other plate. Cover the tofu with another layer of paper towel, then place a heavy plate on top. Allow to sit for half an hour or so.
3. Chop up the garlic and the ginger. Combine and set aside.
4. Chop up the onions. Set on the table for garnish.
5. Combine the broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chili sauce. Stir well. Set aside.
6. Cut each of your 12 tofu cakes into 8 roughly one-inch square pieces. You should be able to do this while they're still sitting on the plates.
7. When you know the rice is close to being done, heat up your wok or a non-stick frying pan. Add the pork and crumble for two minutes. It may still be pink. Don't worry.
8. Add the ginger and garlic. Stir-fry for 30 seconds or so, until it becomes fragrant.
9. Add the tofu. Cook for six minutes or so, allowing it to become firm and golden brown. If the pork or the tofu start to stick, use your spatula to scrape under the meat. That way you won't break apart your nice tofu squares.
10. Once the tofu is lightly golden, add your broth mixture and mix lightly. Bring to a boil and cook for two minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat.
11. Serve the tofu over rice. Top with green onions.

Family ratings on a scale of 1-10:

Lucy, who will eat the onions raw: 10

Will, who likes it but deducts points for "spiciness" purely out of principle: 7

Jamie, who honestly believes he's eating chicken: 9

Stuffed Pumpkin

This recipe looks complicated, but it's not: essentially, it involves gutting a pumpkin just like you would for a jack-o-lantern, making an easy bread pudding, and putting the bread pudding into the pumpkin. Even so, this is a good show-off recipe, the kind of thing that makes your friends think you're a culinary wizard. Even more important though, since it basically involves bread, cheese, and bacon, most kids will eat it.

Because it takes 90 minutes to cook, this is definitely a weekend recipe. I've adapted it from Dorie Greespan's Around My French Table, and though I haven't tried it yet with an acorn squash, I will once the grocery stores and road-side stands stop carrying pumpkins.

One final note: I generally DOUBLE this recipe for a family of two adults and three kids. That usually leaves some leftovers for lunch the next day.

Stuffed Pumpkin

1 pumpkin, 2.5-3.5 lbs

1/4 lb stale break, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1/4 Gruyere, cut into 1/2 squares

1-2 cloves garlic, minced (maybe less: the flavor can be very strong)

1/4 lb bacon, cooked and chopped

1/4 minced green onions

1 TB minced fresh thyme

1/2 cup (or slightly more) heavy cream

1.5 ts ground nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut open and gut and seed the pumpkin, just as you would for a jack-o-lantern. Be sure to keep the lid.
3. Rub the inside of the pumpkin with a combination of salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. Slice and cube the bread, and mix together in a large bowl with the gruyere, garlic, bacon, onions, and thyme. Add more salt and pepper, to taste. Mix well.
5. Put the stuffing in the pumpkin. If it doesn't all fit, don't worry.
6. Mix together the cream and the nutmeg. Pour into the pumpkin. Place the cap back on the pumpkin.
7. Put the pumpkin on a cookie sheet. Carefully slide it into the oven.
8. Bake for 90 minutes. Test with the tip of a knife. If it slides in easily, remove the pumpkin from the oven. If not, cook for ten more minutes, and then remove.
9. I usually use a thin spatula to place the pumpkin on a serving dish. Then I remove the lid, slice the pumpkin in half, then slice each half in thirds to serve. Everything but the skin and stem can be eaten.

Family ratings on a scale of 1-10:

Lucy who will eat anything: 10

Will who tends to talk a lot when served a dish he doesn't like: 8

Jamie: 8

Ellen and Paul: 10