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

Goan Shrimp Curry

This recipe comes from the unbelievably good At Home with Madhur Jaffrey.  If you're thinking "No WAY will my kids like that!" well . . . you might be right.  But if they like shrimp and they like rice and they like coconut, they just might like this. I've tamped the spiciness factor way down to make it more palatable for young tastebuds.  This recipe is also doubled, because my people eat a lot of it.  

Goa, just so you know, is like, in India and stuff.  

Goan Shrimp Curry

2 Tablespoons canola oil

4 finely chopped medium shallots

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 teaspoons sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2.5 cups coconut milk (well shaken, preferably before you take it out of the can)

2 lbs peeled shrimp

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

3 cups cooked basmati or jasmine rice

1. Cook your rice. I use a rice steamer. Those things are effortless. 
2. Chop your shallots. 
3. Mix cayenne, paprika, pepper, and turmeric in a bowl.  Set aside. 
4. Heat oil in a wok or sauce pan. 
5. When hot, add shallots. Cook until light brown. 
6. Take the pan off the heat and add spice mix. Stir once or twice, then put the pan back on the heat. 
7. Add the coconut milk and bring to a low but steady boil. 
8. Add the shrimp, salt, and lemon juice. 
9. Stir and cook over medium heat until shrimp turn pink.  
10. Serve over rice.  

Family Ratings

Lucy, who hates shrimp, except when it's cooked well: 10

James, who isn't crazy about spices: 7

Will, who's really becoming sort of laid back when it comes to food: 8

Ellen, who says I always make her ratings up: Bolivia

Paul, who ate the rest of the leftover shrimp: 10

Petra, our Italian daughter for the year: 7.5

Pasta with Chicken, CARAMELIZED ONIONS, and Blue Cheese

You may have noticed that I haven't posted anything in two or three years. That's because I haven't actually eaten anything for a long long time.

Okay, so that's not true. I've just been busy--raising a family, commuting to work, selling gold records under the pseudonym of Lil Wayne, etc. etc.

And, frankly, you know, sometimes you just don't come across that many new recipes that really float your boat.  In fact, I tried the one I'm about to share maybe 18 months ago. I liked it fine, and made a note of it, but didn't come back to it until tonight. And LOVED it. So very tasty. It's all about the caramelized onions, which, let's admit it: some of your kids may hate. Too bad. Give 'em baby carrots and then help yourself to a third serving.

This recipe comes from a book James gave me for Christmas put out by Food & Wine Books, called "Quick From Scratch Chicken Cookbook." Yeah, I know, right? Some Time Inc. mass-produced, un-authored grocery store text.  But, ya know, it's all about the caramelized onions, right?

Pasta with Chicken, CARAMELIZED ONIONS, and Blue Cheese

1 Tablespoon butter

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, quartered and cut into thin slices

1-1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast

3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled between your palms

1 garlic clove, minced (not between your palms)

3/4-1 lb short pasta of your choice

2 ounces crumbled blue cheese (about 1/2 cup)

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Trim chicken and season with salt, pepper, and rosemary
2. Begin to boil water with added salt.
3. Melt the butter and 2 TB oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/2 t salt and cook until the onions are very well browned.  Remove from pan. 
4. Add 1 TB oil to pan and reduce heat to medium. Cook chicken until brown, about 5 minutes. Turn. Cook another 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds.  Cover the pan, remove from heat, and allow to steam for 5 minutes. 
5. Add pasta to water. Cook until al dente, about 5-7 minutes, depending. DO NOT OVERCOOK.
6. Cut chicken into 1/4 inch slices.
7. Drain past, RESERVING 1/4 CUP OF WATER
8. In a large bowl, toss pasta, chicken, any juices in the pan, onions, blue cheese, salt, pepper, and 2 TB of pasta water. Mix. 
9. If pasta seems dry, add a little more water. 
10. Serve with crusty bread, a leafy salad, and raw baby carrots. 

Family Ratings: 

Lucy ("Are you kidding? Caramelized onions???"): 10

Will, who, though less demonstrative, admits the caramelized onions are nice: 9

James, who spent most of the meal picking the caramelized onions off the chicken: 7-8.5

Ellen, who seemed surprised how much she likes this dish: 10

Paul, who, let's face it, likes his own cooking a little too much: 10

Petra, our Italian exchange student who likes her al dente very al dente: Not yet sure how my cooking compares to the fine, fresh, Italian fare upon which she was raised!

Smoky Frittata

This is one of those recipes where you really don't care if your kids like it.  It's just that good.  That said, it's not out of the question that your kids will indeed gobble this dish up:  it contains cheese and more cheese and cream and eggs, and is like a tasty version of scrambled eggs, albeit with cauliflower thrown in.

A few notes:  if your kids aren't cauliflower fans, cut it into small pieces and reduce the boiling/frying time dramatically so as to not overcook.

The recipe calls for scamorza affumicata, a fancy Italian cheese that's often labelled "smoked mozzarella."  If like most people in the known universe you don't have access to this cheese, substitute comte or a similar gruyere-related cheese.  Don't be afraid to allow a little of the skin or rind to get grated in as well, for extra taste texture.

This recipe comes from Yotam Ottomlenghi's PLENTY, which is fast becoming my favorite vegetarian cookbook.

Smoky Frittata

1 small cauliflower, cut into medium-sized florets. 
6 eggs
4 TBSP creme fraiche (I just used sour cream)
2 TBSP dijon mustard
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika (if you don't have both kinds of paprika, just use one kind & don't worry about it)
3 TBSP finely chopped chives
5 oz. smoked scamorza, grated
2 oz. mature cheddar, grated
salt and black pepper
2 TBSP olive oil

1. Simmer the cauliflower in boiling salted water for 4 minutes until semi-cooked (do not let it get completely soft!).  Drain and dry. 
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Mix the eggs, the cream/creme, the mustard and the paprika and whisk the heck out of it, making sure everything is thoroughly blended.  
3. Stir in the chives and 3/4s of the cheeses.  Season well with salt and pepper.  
4. Heat the olive oil in a large, overproof frying pan.  The pan MUST BE OVENPROOF.  Not that I've tried it without, mind you . . . 
5. Fry the cauliflower in the pan on medium-high for about five minutes until golden brown on one side.  Pour the egg mixture into the pan and spread evenly.  Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes.  
6. Turn off the burner.  Scatter the remaining cheeses on top of the ingredients in the pan, then carefully transfer the pan to the over.  Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the frittata has set. 
7. Remove from oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.  

Family Ratings:  

Lucy, who loves everything, the more adventurous the better as long as it's not too spicy:  10

Jamie, who never got around to trying it:  No score. 

Will, who is actually becoming fairly adventurous himself:  8

Ellen, who is happy I've finely discovered vegetarian cooking:  10

Paul, who likes anything where the cheese to non-cheese ratio is high:  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

Simple Pasta with Nuts and Cheese

I clipped this recipe from the Columbus Dispatch (aka, the Dogpatch) roughly twenty years ago.  It's one of those recipes that I always forget about, but every time I make it I'm just delighted.  And this last time I made it, the kids loved it.  It's so simple, that it's about to become a staple at our house . . . 

Simple Pasta with Nuts and Cheese 

12 oz. rotini

6 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

1-2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil a pot of water and cook your pasta until al dente. 
2. When the pasta is close to done, heat the butter in a small pan at medium. 
3. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
4. Add the nuts and sauté two minutes, until toasted.  Remove from heat. 
5. Combine pasta, cheeses, parsley, and nuts in a serving dish.  Toss to coat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Family Ratings

Will, who's getting almost easygoing about food:  10

Lucy.  Nuts?!  Cheese?!  You kidding me?!:  10

Jamie, who also likes cheese:  10

Ellen, who can't believe I remembered this recipe after all these years: 10

Paul.  Nuts?!  Cheese?!  You kidding me?!: 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

Thai Ginger Chicken

If you'd told me three years ago when we were getting ready to go to Asia, that we'd spend a year there, take upwards of 20 flights traveling all over the region, and not visit Thailand, I would have told you you were crazy. Ever since the first time I sat down to a Thai meal in Madison, Wisconsin, I've been fascinated with this country. It doesn't hurt that every time I pick up a travel magazine and there's a picture of Thailand, it shows blue blue water and warm peaceful beaches.

Once we got to Hong Kong, there was a special program that sent Fulbrighters to various countries in the region, and I campaigned and bribed and arm twisted my way into getting an invite to Thailand. But then the stupid Red Shirt revolution happened in the spring of 2010, and all our plans fell through.

Which maybe explains why one of my favorite cookbooks right now is Thailand: The Beautiful Cookbook. Or maybe not. Maybe this is my favorite cookbook because the recipes are many, varied, and awfully authentic; the pictures are wonderful, and there's a lot of history and cultural stuff that's really interesting.

This is a relatively easy recipe. The key is the white pepper. Don't leave it out. I'm not saying your kids won't notice it--it's hard to miss that little tingle on the tongue--but they won't mind it. This recipe is sweet and full flavored.

(PS--My friend Jane tried this and said the quarter-cup of ginger blew her kids' ears off.  That in mind, you may want to cut back some the first time you try the recipe).  

Ginger Chicken

2 cups jasmine rice (or any white rice, really)
2 TB oil

1 lb boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 TB fish sauce

2 TB oyster sauce

2 TB sugar

A pinch of white pepper

1/4 cup slivered ginger

1/4 sliced green bell pepper

1/4 sliced red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup sliced onion

cilantro to garnish

1. Start your rice, according to instructions, maybe 15 minutes before you do anything else.
2. Chop all your vegetables and slice your chicken. If your kids don't like mushrooms, chop them into tiny pieces. Don't leave them out, though, as they really soak up the juices and add flavor.
3. Mix ginger, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar
4. In a wok or large pan, heat the oil.
5. Add the chicken and garlic; cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add all the chopped goods, the white pepper, and 3/4 of the sauce.
7. Mix well and stir fry for another 3 minutes, adding additional sauce if necessary.

Family Ratings:

Will, who likes chicken and is beginning to think he might be more adventurous than he thought: 9

Lucy, who likes to eat things she thinks are "exotic": 10

Jamie, who digs red peppers (go figure): 10

Ellen, who hated cilantro the first time she had it: 10

Paul, who's still determined to get to Thailand: 10

Carmelized Leek and Potato Soup

This is one of those recipes where you look at the name and say, "What? Seriously? My kids are going to like that?" Then you glance down at the list of ingredients and see pretty much nothing but starches and lots and lots of dairy, and it all makes sense.

Okay. So this is not a light recipe. But it is rich and filling, and you can have it with a salad and maybe some crusty bread and be perfectly satisfied.

The trick here is to burn the leeks. Seriously. The first time I made it, I cooked it too long and my leeks turned brown and made the whole stock brown. I thought it was a disaster until I tasted it; we've never looked back.

This recipe also works with vegetable broth.

Carmelized Leek and Potato Soup

1 cup butter. You heard me.

2 leeks, sliced pretty much up to the green part

1 quart chicken broth

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 cups of peeled, cubed potatoes (about 1-inch square). I prefer Yukon gold

2 cups heavy cream. Like I said: the recipe is NOT messing around!

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop all of your vegetables, and blend your broth and cornstarch. Set everything next to the stove, so that you're ready, because when those leeks go brown, everything will happen quickly!
2. Melt the butter (all of it) in a large pot over medium heat.
3. Saute leeks in the butter for 15 minutes, adding a little salt and pepper. Right around 12-13 minutes, the leeks should start to go brown. This usually happens very very quickly. Once they've begun this process, let them cook another minute, stirring constantly. If they don't brown, let them go another minute or two past 15. If they still haven't browned, turn up the heat and let them go yet another minute more. If they STILL haven't browned, don't worry about it. Just follow the rest of the directions.
4. Pour the cornstarch/broth mixture into the pot. Add the potatoes and more salt and pepper. Add the cream, every last drop.
5. Reduce the heat to simmer, and let it go for thirty minutes, maybe a little more, until the potatoes are tender but not mushy.
6. Serve immediately.

Family Ratings:

Jamie, who loves potatoes: 10

Lucy, who loves butter: 10

Will, who's not crazy about potatoes: 8

Ellen: 10

Paul, who's not getting any skinnier: 10

Stir Fried Tomato Beef

It's funny to think that there used to be a time when Chinese food seemed exotic and Chinese cooking seemed like some sort of uncrackable code. Back in the early '90s, my brother-in-law gave me a wonderful cookbook called "Everybody's Wokking," by Martin Yan. It was an introduction to Asian cooking very broadly, including Chinese recipes, yes, but also Thai, Korean, and Vietnamese. Despite the cheesy title--I mean, really? That's the best the marketing people could come up with?--it's a great resource, one that I've used so often some of the pages are falling out.

This recipe comes from that book (obviously), though I have adapted it for a big American families/bellies, and I've adjusted some of the cooking times so that the vegetables come out tasting a little fresher. The great thing about this recipe is that it tastes like "real" Chinese food--or, more accurately, like the food you get in a Chinese restaurant. Part of the secret, in case you're thinking about leaving it out, is the sesame sauce, so it's well worth the extra trip to the grocery store after you forget it the first time.

This dish can be served over either white or brown rice, and despite the fussiness of all the various sauces and marinades, it really doesn't take too long--in fact, once you start the stir-frying, it's really only about five to eight minutes.

Stir Fried Tomato Beef

Marinade

3 TB soy sauce

3 TB dry sherry

1 TB cornstarch

Sauce

3/8th cup chicken broth (just under half a cup, for the mathematically impaired)

3/8th cup ketchup

1.5 TB soy sauce

1.5 TB distilled white vinegar (is vinegar ever not distilled?)

1/2-1 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

1.5 teaspoons sesame oil

1 TB sugar

Stir Fry

1-1.5 lb flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain

3 TB vegetable oil

1.5 teaspoons minced garlic

1 medium onion, sliced into eight wedges

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares

2-3 medium tomatoes, sliced into eight wedges

1 can bamboo shoots, drained

1 head of broccoli, chopped into kid-friendly "trees"

2.5 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 TB of water

1. Cook the rice according to instructions
2. Mix marinade ingredients, add the sliced beef, and stir to coat. Set aside.
3. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Chop your vegetables and drain your shoots.
5. 2.5 teaspoons cornstarch in 2 TB water, set aside.
6. Heat the wok. Once it's hot, add two TB of oil and swirl to coat (the wok, not you).
7. Add beef and stir-fry for two minutes exactly. Remove. Don't worry that it's still pink.
8. Add remaining TB oil, heat, add garlic and onion, cook for 1-1.5 minutes.
9. Add the bell pepper, the bamboo shoots, and the broccoli. Stir fry for two minutes.
10. Return the beef to the wok and add the sauce. Stir in half of the cornstarch mixture.
11. Cook, stirring, until the sauce begins to thicken.
12. Add the tomatoes. Stir, cook for thirty seconds or so, adding the rest of the cornstarch if sauce still seems runny.
13. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Family Ratings, on a scale of 1-10:

Jamie, who always needs a toothpick afterwards: 9

Lucy, who doesn't like cooked tomatoes but loves beef: 9

Will, who hates everything: 10

Ellen, who would be a vegetarian if she were married to someone else: 8

Paul, who has fond memories of going to eat "authentic" Chinese food in LaCrosse, WI: 10

Japanese Chicken Soup with Rice

Yeah, I know: you look at this title and think "Really? My kids are going to eat that?" Yes, they will actually. The soy sauce gives this a wonderful salty taste that will appeal to kids, and the sherry adds just a bit of a sweet edge.

This recipe is one of Ellen's (as in, one of the dishes she cooks) and it comes from "Food Adventures," by Elisabeth Luard and Frances Boswell. Ellen has adjusted some of the amounts to make it more kid and large-family friendly.

Japanese Chicken Soup with Rice

2 and 2/3 cups short grain rice

3.25 cups cold water

1 lb boned, skinned chicken breast

5-6 cups chicken broth

2-3 TB soy sauce

1 TB dry sherry

6 medium eggs, beaten lightly

4 green onions, finely sliced

1. Cook the rice in the cold water. If you have a rice cooker, adjust the proportions to meet cooker instructions.
2. Cube the chicken and set aside.
3. Bring stock, soy sauce and sherry to a boil in a medium-sized pan.
4. Add chicken, return to a boil, and cook for six minutes.
5. Pour in the eggs and add all but a spoonful of the green onions.
6. Return to a boil, then turn the heat down and cover, allowing to cook on low for 3-4 minutes.
7. Divide the rice evenly into bowls, then laddle in the broth and chicken. Garnis with green onions.

Family ratings:

Jamie: 10

Lucy: 10

Will, who hates most things: 10

Ellen: 10

Paul, who isn't crazy about soup with bits of meat floating in it: 10

Pasta Carbonara

There's a T-shirt that says: "You had me at bacon." I'm pretty sure they were thinking of this recipe. It comes from Jeff Smith's The Frugal Gourmet, and I've made it so often that when I pick that book up and set it down on the table, it automatically falls to that page.

Pasta Carbonara:

1/4 lb bacon

1 stick (1/4 lb) butter

1 cup milk

2 Tablespoons regular vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 lb short pasta

2 eggs, whipped

1/3 cup of fresh-grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook the pasta according to instructions. Drain when slightly al dente.
2. Place three sheets of paper towel on a microwave safe plate. Place the bacon on top, then cover with three more sheets of paper towel. Microwave for 4-6 minutes, depending on the power of your microwave.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat.
4. Pour the milk into a microwave-safe cup or measuring cup. Remove bacon when done, place milk inside, and cook for two minutes.
5. Crumble the bacon.
6. Once the milk is done, add it and the bacon to the melted butter. Switch heat to medium.
7. Add vinegar to mix. Stir lightly, then lower heat to medium low. Cook for eight minutes until more or less smooth. (If the mixture curdles and divides when you add the vinegar, start over. Trust me.)
8. Drain pasta and add to a large bowl.
9. Mix eggs in a small bowl. Make sure cheese is grated.
10. Once the sauce is ready, pour the eggs over the pasta, followed quickly by the bacon/butter mixture. This, in effect, cooks the eggs.
11. Add cheese, toss. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Family Ratings:

Will who hates to admit that it actually tastes good: 8

Lucy. Are you kidding? It has bacon, right?: 10

Jamie. Are you kidding? It has bacon, right?: 10

Ellen, who's not actually that crazy about bacon: 7

Paul, who's not getting any skinnier: 10

The First Annual Food That Doesn't Suck Holiday Cookbook Blitz

Here's the idea: you like to cook. Your spouse/mom/boyfriend/kid wants to give you a cookbook for Christmas, but has nooo idea what's good and what's not.

So here's what we do: below, in the comments section, post a short--say, 20-50 word--review of your favorite cookbook. Be sure to include the title, the author, and maybe the publisher. Tell us why you like it, naming a couple representative recipes. See my sample, below.

Then wait a few days, come back, and see what everyone else has posted. Pick and choose, then pass the relevant details along to the shopper in your family, reminding them that cookbooks are one of those gifts that benefits them just as much as it does you!

Creamy Tomato and Ravioli Soup

Back when I was in college, I was nominated for a Rhodes Scholarship. Nominated, at least, by a faculty member. The next step was to receive an endorsement from the college itself, and I never made it past that stage. The school could only send along the names of two students, and apparently the committee decided they didn't want some long-haired, earring-wearing dude whose main ambition in life was to be lead singer of Don't Kick the Baby to represent the college.

Of the two chosen, one was a pre-med major who started the first ever Tae Kwon Do club in northeast Iowa, something the committee, I guess, thought was more significant than writing songs about losing your parrot and cheating on your girlfriend in Budapest. He went on to be a heart surgeon at--*YAWN!*--the Mayo clinic. The year I was in Hong Kong on a Fulbright, the college alumni magazine ran a little--really little--article about my grant. Opposite it, they ran a full page--as in, one WHOLE page--article featuring old what's-his-face karate guy, talking about how he promised some little girl he was about to cut open that she wouldn't die and that he would (I'm not making this up) "dance with her at her senior prom." And then he did. Cut her open, I mean, and saved her life, and danced with her her senior year. Which is pretty cool, I must admit, but even so: I was in Hong Kong, eating dim sum and buying custom-made suits. Surely that's almost as important as saving some kid's life?

Oh well.

Anyhow, the other person chosen to represent my school was this smart, tough, funny, field-hockey playing braniac name Julie. And while I was tempted to be annoyed with Julie for taking MY spot at the regional Rhodes interviews, I'd had her in a class or two and I think she was an RA with me, and I kind of had to admit tha she was actually fairly brilliant and impressive in a midwestern kind of way. Anyhow, Julie went on to become a college professor just like me, fighting the good fight for crap pay and minimal perks. You got to respect that. And then she gave me this recipe. So needless to say, all is forgiven.

This soup is pretty self-explanatory. Like the veggie chili from a few weeks back, it has a few cans, but boy does it have a lot of flavor. And the kids really gobbled it down.

Two minor points before you start:

1) If you're a vegetarian, I'm guessing the chicken broth could be replaced with veggie broth.

2) If this turns out to be too much, the next time you cook it go all the way through the recipe and stop JUST BEFORE adding the ravioli. At that point, remove half the broth from the pot and put it in the refrigerator along with half of the UNCOOKED ravioli. Then save it for another day.

Creamy Tomato and Ravioli Soup

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cans diced fire roasted tomatoes, drained

2 cans condensed tomato soup

2 cans of milk (use the tomato cans. um, duh.)

14.5 oz. can chicken broth (or veggie broth)

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

6 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

1 9 oz. package cheese tortellini or cheese ravioli

1. In a large saucepan or dutch oven, saute the onions and garlic for three minutes at medium-high heat
2. Add the roasted tomatoes, the soup, the milk, the chicken broth, the tomato paste, the parmesan, and the basil
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through
4. Add the tortellini or the ravioli, and cook for approximately nine minutes
5. Remove from heat and serve

Family Ratings:

Will, who likes to be clever: 8.9999 repeating

Lucy, who will eat a chicken tail but doesn't like cooked tomatoes: 8

Jamie, who had trouble eating the big raviolis: 7

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

Mediterranean Pasta with Feta and Other Stuff That Kids Are Supposed to Hate

This recipe doesn't look like much on paper: some noodles, some red peppers, some Italian sausage (made from chicken, no less). But put it all together and it tastes great. The key, I think, is that the feta melts when mixed with the cooking liquid from the pasta.

This is also a good dish for kids who pick bits and pieces from their plates: those who like sausage can eat the sausage, those who like noodles can eat the noodles, and so on. I know this is supposed to a bad approach to raising kids--"Eat everything on your plate, damn it!"--but I actually find that it works: they may think they're getting just what they like, but because everything blends, they're getting more flavors than they know. Will used to really resist this dish, but now he eats pretty much everything but the red peppers (which, I'll admit, I sometimes pick out myself . . . ).

Two things to keep in mind: first, start the pasta right away, even before you chop the vegetables, as the dish itself goes pretty quickly. Second, be sure to reserve a half-cup of liquid as you drain the pasta. I usually stick my measuring cup in the colander ahead of time just so I don't forget. That said, if you do slip up, just use any old half-cup of semi-dirty water. (Just kidding--but yes, regular water will work.)

This recipe originally came from an old issue of Cooking Light--or as my friend Jacqui calls it: Cooking "Light." It's become one of our family favorites, the sort of dish that's so easy and tasty, you have to force yourself to not cook it every week.

Mediterranean Pasta with Feta and Sausage

12 ounces uncooked pasta (rigatoni, ziti, bow ties, that kind of thing)

1 TB olive oil

1 red bell pepper, cut into slices which are then cut in half

1/2 ts salt, divided

8 ounces chicken or turkey Italian sausage, skin removed

1 ts dried oregano

1 garlic clove, crushed and minced

3/4 cup crumbled feta

8 kalamata olives, sliced

Ground pepper to taste

1. Cook the pasta. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid when you drain.
2. Heat the oil in a good sized pan (eventually, everything, including the pasta, will end up in this pot--so make sure it's big enough; I sometimes use a dutch oven.)
3. Saute the bell pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of salt for two minutes.
4. Slice the skin off the sausages; add them, the oregano, and the garlic to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, crumbling the sausage.
5. Add the pasta, the reserved liquid, 1/4 ts of salt, the cheese, the olives, and a dash or two of black pepper and cook for another two minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Just as the feta begins to melt, remove from heat and serve.

Family ratings, on a scale of 1-10:

Ellen: 10

Will, who hates food when it's all mixed together: 7

Lucy, who looooooooves sausage: 10

Jamie, who usually insists on being fed by an adult: 10 (he actually feeds this to himself, and always asks for seconds).

Paul, who thinks that feta is an essential ingredient in every household: 10

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