Our Monthly Spice Update!!

If I have learned one thing while helping my husband try to lose weight, if the meal doesn't taste good, then he loses interest in dieting.   "You are what you eat" is very true.  But what I wish some could  learn is that great food doesn't have to be sauce laden or hard to make.  It can be as basic as adding a new spice to chicken and throwing it on the grill.

Recently a friend of mine was over for dinner and she commented on my green beans.  "These are fantastic Mary, what did you do to them?" She laughed when I said that I just squeezed lime juice on them after I steamed them.   No butter, no oil is necessary. 

Today I contemplated this and decided that most people don't know what to do with herbs and spices.  Ask yourself do you know when to use cumin?  Do you know what Cilantro can do to rice or quacamole.  Have you ever considered using Taragon on chicken?.  So we decided to spend sometime this year, sharing what we know ( and don't know) about herbs and how I use them to make my dinners different and lower in fat and calories.

Each Week we will share with you what we know about certain herbs and spices and how we use them at home.  If you have ideas or comments, please send them our way as I am always looking for new things to try.  This week we will look at Taragon, Flat Leaf Parsley and Cumin.

Taragon - For me, Taragon tastes alot like licorice or anise.  It is actually in the Sunflower family which I did not know until recently.  Taragon's flavor gets stronger when it is heated so you really don't want to use to much.  I love it with Chicken.  I takes some fresh lemon juice, some taragon and salt and pepper and marinate the chicken.  Throw it on the grill and you have a new meal to try out on your kids.  If you want to add some color tomatoes actually go very nicely with taragon so chop some up and put on top of the chicken after it is grilled or put into the marinade.

At Thanksgiving and Easter my family always loves my green beans with taragon, shallots and white wine.  I steam the vegetables and then throw them in an ice bath to stop them from cooking.  When it is close to dinner I saute 1 large chopped shallot in a bit of olive oil with a 1/2 tsp or so of chopped taragon ( add more if you need it) and a 1/4 cup of white wine.  I then add the cooked green beans and serve.


Flat Leaf Parsley - I always have Parsley on hand.  It is easy to grow and it is nice fresh or dried. It is an extremely versatile herb.  It will help freshen up your boiled potatoes, You can add it to plain white or brown rice for a little kick.  I think Flat Leaf Parsley has a stronger taste than Curly but that's my opinion.  This is one herb that I can say is hard to describe the taste.  It is a little bitter. It can garnish the top of any dish and adds something nice to Pesto as well.  And did you know it is high in Folic Acid???

We add it to white rice to give it that "not so white feeling".  We sprinkle it on meat.  And it add that extra "something, something" to Pesto!

Cumin:   I love Mexican food so this spice is a staple in our house.  It is also used in Indian style dished but it adds a completely different take on steak, chicken, pork, or shrimp!!  It is a nice spicy flavor with a hint of nuts.  It is essential in curry and most mexican meals have it has an ingredient.  I found a pork taco recipe from Cooking Light Magazine that made me fall in love with the spice.

The other night I took left over chicken, shredded it.  Sprinkled it with Cumin, Paprika, Garlic Powder, salt and Pepper.  Sauteed it in the pan and VOILA - chicken tacos! Of course I addded lettuce, tomatoes and some salsa... But YUM!

Cauliflower- they will love!!

There is something to be said for Martha Stewart.  When I follow her advice, things just turn out better.  For example, one recent Thanksgiving when we were have 25+ people for dinner, I followed her entire "getting ready" guide from the magazine...and you know what, it was the best Thanksgiving that I have ever had... and our guests felt the same way.

So tonight when I had a head of cauliflower and some steak and tomatoes left in the refrigerator, I called on Martha for help.  I have Martha's Cooking School cookbook which is fabulous and a must have in your library of cook books.  I have always steamed Cauliflower and it never has any taste.  Her suggestion was so easy - roast it.  I cut the cauliflower in flowerettes, added some olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted it at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.  After about 15 minutes, I tasted it and although it tasted good, it still needed something.  I grabbed a shallot, which I always have on hand, and cut it up and threw it in and cooked it until both the cauliflower and shallot were golden brown. The shallot gave it that added flavor. I served it with grilled steak and tomatoes broiled with parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and basil.

This simple meal earned me rave reviews from my 3 toughest critics!! For me, the fact that they ate every bit on their plate and all of it was healthy, is what makes cooking so worth every minute for me!

Enjoy.

Fish friday at Coastal Flats

Last night my parents and sister and I spent our dinner at Coastal Flats in the Tysons mall.            
We chose Coastal Flats because my parents wanted fish as it is Lent and it was recommended by our friend Laura who loves it.

When we got there the whole bar was full and there was a 20 minute wait.  There was one more table  available in the back corner of the bar so we took it. We were welcomed by a waiter who
was funny, very happy and willing to help. She ask us what we wanted to drink and she fed us to some nice hot bread with a honey butter that was delicious. We found the service to be the best in tysons yet.

We all ordered what we thought we would likeon the menu. My mom ordered the medeteranian shrimp with couscous. She stated it was really good bar food.  My dad ordered the thai chicken salad
which he thought was quite good but had a bit too much garlic. My sister had a beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes. She thought the mashed potatoes were like pieces of cotton candy melting on her tongue, and the steak was as tasty and chew as gum. I had a cheeseburger that was phenomenal. It was served with french fries that tasted like they were direct from Brussels. The portions were all perfectly sized and delicious. When the entrees came to the table they were steaming and all the food looked very fresh.

The overall experience was very good.  Service was excellent, the food was good and for a chain, it was well worth it.  It was kid friendly and the prices were right.  You should try it soon!

A night out with the Farmer and his wife and son!!

Last night we went to Pizza Paradisio on M street in Georgetown with the farmer, his wife and child. We chose Pizza Paradisio because the farmer's little boy Brock loves pizza and cupcakes; Georgetown Cupcake is around the corner.

When we walked into the resturaunt there was a glow of light over a bar and a huge brick oven.  The restaurant was packed and all you saw was the delicious mouthwatering pizzas. The wait time was about 10 minutes and we were entertained while we were waiting by the amazing brock!. We were brought to our table within 5 minutes. We ordered our appetizers of  fresh mozzarella and tomato salad, the bread pane and we had bruschetta. When they came to the table the smell was so good you could taste it the price was very reasonable according to my mom.  They tomatos were the best I have tasted all winter.  Cherry tomatoes that were crunchy and flavorful.  And the Bread was perfectly toasted and soft inside.

We then ordered our pizzas, a pepperon thei, a margarita and one with onions, sopresseta, red peppers and olives. They sounded fantastic. When they came to the table,  they look cheesy, juicy and crusty. It tasted like were having a piece of heaven in your mouth. There is nothing better than perfectly cooked brick oven pizza.  This restauraut was the bomb. 

And the best part....after a yummy dinner.. head across the street and finish it off with my favorite cupcake from Georgetown cupcake!!  The only tough part is the parking so don't get frustrated.

Brasserie Beck - Washington, DC, A kids review

Tonight we went to  Brasserie Beck for my moms B-Day. When we first walked in,  all I saw was a huge open kitchen and what seemed like 50 foot ceilings.  There were 10 chef's cooking in the kitchen. We were walked to our table by a pretty hostess lady and the waiter welcomed us and gave us the specials. The waiter was very nice and came to get our food and to give us our food in reasonable times. He brought us french bread which came right out of the oven and there was a creamy soft butter to go with  it. My mom said the wine was amazing and her salad that was mixed greens, eggs, bacon, walnuts and blue cheese was excellent.. I let my family rate the appetizzers on a scale of 1 -10 with 10 being the best.  My mom said 8, My dad said 9 and my sister said 7 on the salad so I give this appetizers a B+.

Then the dinner came and our mouths watered as it looked so good. I ordered Mussels in a white wine and lemon herb sauce.  My sister ordered Beat salad with goat cheese.  My dad ordered a cassolet which is a traditional french stew with duck and beans. My mom ordered the bar steak with frites and vegetables.
All the plates looked very nice.  Mussels are my favorite and they came in a big steaming pot.  Watch the hands though as it is very hot.

We ate our delicious meals and rated them 1 by 1.

The mussels was a 10 for sure but not as good at the ones at Balthazer in NYC.  .My sister liked her salad but said it has a bit too much goat cheese but she gave it a 9.  My dad was a 7 and my mom was a 7. it was good and my mom said that for the price it was a nice meal.  Meaning that the prices didn't break the bank.

What was really worth the trip was the desserts.  They really gave me a good impression of the resturant. I ordered a  chocolate cake with a fruit syrup I gave it a 10. My mom and dad shared a creme brule that was rich creamy and tasteful.  They gave it a 10.  My sister ordered raspberry filled doughnuts with a mocha mouse and she gave it a 10. So desserts got an A++++++++++++++++.

Overall it was nice restaurant that I think most kids and adults would like.  The atmosphere was noisy and fun and the food was very good.

Side note!! they had very clean, jazzy bathrooms.

The Perfect Roast Chicken and Easy Chicken Stock

"Mommy, that was the best chicken ever!", my daughter raved last night.  When you get a response like that, you know it's a recipe for the blog!! I love making and eating a roast chicken. I also know that I have limited time at night so I like it to be easy. Easy to cook and clean in my motto!  So I have come up with a roast chicken that is a one pot wonder.  The kids love it, it is easy to get them involved in making it, and the best part is that the whole meal is in one pot!  If you try, please let us know what you think.  My recipe was for a family of 4.  And then I will show you how to make a quick stock that you can freeze for another night!  Don't skip this part...homemade stock makes everyday meals taste better.

Ingredients:

2-3 lb (larger depending on your family) chicken - I found the best chicken's at Costco, they are organic and yummy!
3 large baking potatoes
5 large carrots
1 stalk of celery
2 large shallots
2/3 cup of white wine
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 lemon
salt/pepper
Herbes de Provence blend

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Rinse the chicken and discard any of the inerds.  Dry the chicken inside and out!
3.  Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. 
4.  Cut the lemon into 4 and stuff inside the chicken. I don't worry about trussing the chicken. Put the chicken in a roasting pan and salt and pepper the top and a few shakes of the herbes de provence.  Put the chicken in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. While you are dealing with the chicken, have the children peel the carrots, celery and potatoes.
6. Cut the potatoes into cubes and slice the carrots and celery. I let my children cut the carrots and celery and use a duller knife.  This is a great way to teach them the proper use of a knife.  SAVE ALL THE UNUSED PARTS OF THE CARROTS, CELERY, AND SHALLOTS FOR OUR STOCK!
7.  Cut the shallots.  I love shallots and in this dish, shallots help to make the sauce very creamy.
8.  Place the vegetables in a large bowl.  Pour in the wine, lemon juice, shallots, salt and pepper lightly and add a few shakes of the herbes de provence. Mix well.  
9.  Pull the chicken out of the oven and lower the temperature to 425 degrees.  Spread the vegetables in the pan surrounding the chicken.
10.  Put the pan back in the oven and cook for 45-55 minutes. Check the chicken and vegetables from time to time and if the vegetables need a stir you can do it once.  You don't want to stir too much though or they can get mushy.  Check the temperature of the chicken by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.  You want it to read about 165 degrees. 
11. If the chicken is done but the vegetables need a few more minutes (which is rare but not unheard of), take the chicken out and place the pan back in the oven until the vegetables are tender.
12.  Cut the chicken and serve with the vegetables.  You will notice the vegetables have a yummy creamy lemony  flavor that the kids just love.

Enjoy!

Chicken Stock
1.  Take the chicken bones and place in a large stock pot.  Cover the chicken with water.  Add all the left over carrots, celery, shallots.
2. Take a small onion and cut it into 4 chucks.  Place in the pot. 
3.  Add a bay leaf, any of your favorite herbs.. I add parsley and thyme.
4. Add 1/4 of a cut lemon
5. Add 2 boullion cubes.
6.  Boil for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Skim any fat off when needed.
7. Let cool to room temperature. 
8.  Pour the stock through a mesh strainer into a bowl or a very large measuring cup.
9.  I then pour the broth into double ziploc bags, date and put in the freezer for another time.  You can keep it for almost 3 months!

Review: Evo Bistro - 1313 Old Chainbridge Road, Mclean VA

We have been to Evo Bistro many times since moving to the area.  We have found there are not really many choices for a reasonably priced meal in Mclean, besides Italian.  Evo focuses on tapas and wine. The atmosphere is always lively.  It's a nice local choice for reasonably priced food and it's very casual so jeans are definitely appropriate.  Our kids like it as well.

We have found the food to be extremely consistent, as is the service.  We have tried almost all of the tappas but one of my favorites is the salmon served with a tomato, artichoke and black olive ragout.  We also love the salads.  My children like the mussels in white wine and spices, although the complaint is that sometimes a bit too garlicky.   They make a chicken and shrimp and shellfish paella which is an entree and really wonderful.  Perfectly spiced and enough for 2!  Wednesday nights they offer 1/2 price on ALL of their wine bottles so this is the night to go.  They have some nice selections and at half price, you can't go wrong.

An 8 year old CAN DEFINITELY cook on her own!!

I had to work last night so I put my husband in charge of dinner.  Our daughter was insisting that she could could cook.  My husband is one not to argue if someone else wants to cook so he handed her the recipe and observed..When I sat down to eat...Wow, I was impressed.  She had such a smile on her face.  She was so proud of her accomplishment.  She made Lemony Shrimp Scampy over linguine.

This is one of those dishes that looks elegant, taste's wonderful and you can make in less then 15 minutes!  We adapted a recipe from Cooking Light Magazine,  The cooking light recipe calls for orzo and no vegetables and is good as well.

8 oz of linquine
3 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
salt and fresh pepper
1 tablespoon of olive oil
5 tsp butter
1 1/2 lbs of frozen jumbo or large shrimp, peeled, deveined, stems off
2 teaspons minced garlic
5 mini Zucchini's sliced into 1/4 inch rounds.( I really think any vegetable would work so try what your family likes).
3 tables spoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons grated parmasean or romano cheese

1.  Cook pasta according to the box, drain, add 1 tsp olive oil, parsley and salt , cover and keep warm.

2.  Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a saute pan.  Season shrimp with salt and pepper.  Add to pan and cook shrimpt for 2 minutes or until done.  Repeat until all the shrimp is almost cooked.

3.  Melt remaining butter in the pan, add garlic and zucchini and cook about 1 minute.  Do not let the garlic brown so keep stirring to prevent this. Stir in Shrimp, juice and some fresh pepper, cook 1 minute or until zucchini and shrimp are cooked. 

4.  Pour the shrimp on top of the pasta and toss gently.

5.  Sprinkle with the cheese and serve.

The Kids gobbled this up!!! Not one thing was left to eat.. I think the lemony taste works for them.  Let us know what you think.

War of the Frozen Pizza's- Adults vs. kids

Written by my ten year old son without edits by mommy:

Tonight my family and I had a frozen pizza taste test. We purchased all the pizza's and cooked them. It was fun having my first taste test and I think you should try one too. The pizza's in our taste test were: Wegmans Margarita pizza, Kashi stone fired thin crust pizza, and California Pizza Kitchen thin crust margherita.

Our taste test results were:

1. Wegmans pizza-
Total fat 12 grams, calories 290, sodium 810mg, cost $4.99.
I think it was the best pizza. because of the thin crunchy crust and awesome cheese!My mom and dad thought it was good, but not there favorite. Even though it might be the tastiest pizza's to me and my sister, it had a lot more sodium than the others.. My recomendation is have it every now and then. The best part is that it only takes 14 minutes to make.

2. Kashi-Stone fired thin crust
Calories 250grams, fat 9 grams, sat fat 4 grams, sodium 630 mg. cost $5.99 .
This wasn't my favorite. There were to many different spices with each taste, but my parents loved it and I enjoyed the crust..This pizza had broccili,  oinions, artichokes, and mozzerella cheese.  It only takes 6 minutes to make. My recommendation is to have this pizza you want something quick and healthy.

3. California pizza kitchen crispy thin crust margherita -
Calories per serving 300, total fat 13grams,sat fat 6 grams sodium 530mg, cost $5.49.
This pizza was terrible to my sister and I, because it tasted like cardboard and had like 3lbs of basil.My family  and I didn't like it.  My recomendation don't eat this pizza unless you like alot!!!! of basil.

This taste test was a great experiance. I learned that adults and kids like different kinds of pizza's.  Although my sister and I liked the wegmans pizza, My parents preffer the spicy Kashi brand. I was surpised that neither of us liked the california pizza kitchen as many families like that restaurant.  I hope that you might try something like this in your house too.

My daughter loves stir fry!

I try to let the children choose what we are going to eat one night a week.  It was Valentine's Day and my daughter said she wanted Stir Fry.   Stir fry on the spot is not my forte so I went online to Cooking Light... have I mentioned I love that magazine and website.. and found a recipe.  I did not have all the ingredients that the recipe called for. So an adventure into what we would do with the recipe ensued..... My daughter put in her two cents...I added a little of this and that.  And WOW!! We had a wonderful Chicken Stir fry with cabbage, green beans, carrots and mushrooms.  My husband commented that it was the best stir fry he ever tasted...he was even more pleased as it was a light option...he's watching his figure :)

I don't know what to call it so Chicken Stir Fry will do.  It is an adapted recipe from cooking light called Thai Style Stir Fried Chicken.  Our adapted recipe is below but the one on their website had good reviews as well.  I just think our version turned out a but more kid friendly... By the way..my daughter and son love anything when there is sugar in it so this recipe I knew would be a hit.

1/4  cup  rice vinegar
2  tablespoons  brown sugar
2  tablespoons lime juice
1/8  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
 1 and 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts - we used chicken tenderloins.  Cut the chicken into thin bite size strips.
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 cup chopped Shallots
1 cup sliced carots
1/2 cup of green beans cut in 3
1 and 1/2 cups of chopped cabbage
1 cup or more of assorted mushrooms
1 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fish sauce ( although you may be able to get away without...I am just not sure)
Salt & Pepper

1)  Mix the first four ingredients , pour over the chicken and marinate the chicken for at least 15 minutes but preferrably longer.

2) Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a stir fry pan.  If you don't have one a large saute pan will work.  Stir fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes until almost completely cooked and then set asside.  Ooops almost forgot, reserve the marinade.. we will use it later.

3) Add remaining old and stir fry the onions and carrots.  They start to brown a little, that is ok just don't burn it.  Stir fry about 2-3 minutes or so until onions are transclucent.

4) Add the cabbage, green beans and mushrooms and pour reserved marinade over.  Shake some salt and pepper on the top and stir fry until vegetables are cooked.  About 3-5 minutes depending on the pan.  Add the fish sauce and the chicken.  Continue to cook until chicken is cooked through.  About 1 more minute depending on the size of the chicken pieces.

5) Serve over brown rice or better yet, we used Chinese Glass noodles.  Also called rice sticks!!

The whole meal took about 15 minutes not including marinading time.  You could do that when the kids get home.  Have it all ready measured!!!  I think you could add whatever vegetables you like and this would be fine.

Let us know if you try it and what you think.

Energy Drinks and children - don't mix!!

This was all over the news today.  We don't drink Energy drinks but definitely worth reading and being aware of:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110214/ap_on_he_me/us_med_energy_drinks

Healthier French Fries!!

I admit that I have a passion for french fries.  I love the salt and crunchy taste. I could eat a plate full at one sitting.  This has lead me on a search for a healthier version and last night, I think we found it.  My husband bought me a womderful slicer from William Sonoma last year that takes a potato and with a few pushes, slices the potato into the perfect french fry. This also can be done by hand, you just want to slice the potato as evenly as you an to avoid the small ones burning.   I used 2 potatoes and 1 sweet potato and this was plenty for the 4 of us.

Take the french fries and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add salt and pepper. Spray a cookie sheet with Pam Olive Oil Spray.  Line the potatoes on the cookie sheet then spray the potatoes with the Olive oil spray generously  Put in an oven that has been preheated to 450 degrees for about 45 minutes.  When you take them out, sprinkle your favorite spice on them if you want.  I used rosemary.  They were delicious, nutritious and the kids asked for seconds! 

If you are short on time, we found that the Alexia brand crinkle fries are light, crispy, low in fat and all organic.  They range in price, but we find them at Whole Foods for about $2.79.  For some reason, the standard grocery stores have the Alexia brand much higher.  I always keep these on hand for a last minute, healthy side dish.  If you like Spicy, try the salt and pepper frys.

South Beach Food and Wine Festival - Kids Events

Good morning my fellow foodies in Florida.  As we mentioned yesterday,  We attended Giada's kids kitchen at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival last year and the kids learned alot, had a great time and it was enjoyable for us as well.  It's $20 and it's a great event and they have many food network stars.  A fun way to teach your children more about healthy eating!!

Here's the link.  Check it out.

http://2011.sobefest.com/e/kohl’s_fun_and_fit_as_a_family_featuring_kellogg’s_kidz_kitchen_(saturday)-11

The Kids are cooking with Giada DeLaurentis tonight!!!

Last year, we took the kids to see Giada host a kids kitchen at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival.  The kids loved it.  I highly recommend it to those of you in the South Florida Area. It is coming up as it takes place every February. The kids have fun, they play games, they are given alot of free stuff such as fun, healthy snacks, toys, towels, etc. and then Giada demonstrates some cooking techniques that kids can handle. Some of the children are even picked to help.  We always liked Giada before the cooking "class" but she has been one of the kids favorite chef's ever since.  So tonight, when I asked what they wanted to have for dinner...My daughter ran over to the Cookbook that is always displayed on our counter.  Giada's- Everyday Italian.  It was her turn to pick the meal and she seemed to already know what she wanted.

This cookbook is one I think every household should have.  It has easy to follow italian staples that you can serve for a week night meal or impress guests as well.  It was an easy choice tonight.  My daughter, who tends to be the pickier of the two, decided we should make one of our favorites: Pork Milanese.  There was no disagreement from the peanut gallery so I made sure we had everything we needed and we set out to make dinner.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I always have the kids get out every ingredient first, then we measure everything for the entire meal.  It is the best way to teach kids to cook and gets them more involved. I always keep Boneless Pork chops on hand... Everything else in this recipe, I always have on hand in the pantry so this is one of those meals you don't have to think about. It goes well with just about any vegetable but we decided on Zucchini.  Add a side of linguine, garnished with a little butter, cheese and parsley and Voila, a lovely meal for 4 and it takes only 20 minutes or so and costs under $15!!  The best part is that we made the zucchini super kid friendly and they both ate every bite. 
We have adapted Giada's recipe a bit and the remaining information on the post will be written completely by the daughter. I will place the full recipe with instructions at the bottom of the post.... We are also going to add some pictures.  Hope you enjoy.

Below is my 8 year old daughter's version:

First, we got all the ingredients together. Mommy said that was tthe most important so we keep organized.  The ingredients were:
1 cup of flour in a small bowl
2 eggs mixed in a bowl
1 bowl of  1 and 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup of romano cheese, a hand ful of fresh basil chopped and a sprinkle of thyme.
4 boneless pork loins
3 medium size zucchini
Linguine
Lemon juice
Olive Oil
Next we cut up the zucchini.   My mom had us scoop out the seeds from the zucchini and then slice it so it looked like a moon.  She said this would make it taste better for kids.

 Then we pounded the pork.  When we finished pounding the pork we mixed the egg. Then we diped the pork into the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Then we put the pork in the pan.  We cooked until it was brown and crispy on both sides.  Then we put it in baking and put it in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
Then we cooked the pasta. About 10 minutes ( mommy said to follow the directions on the box)

Then we took the cutup zucchini, 1tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and salt & pepper and mixed it in a bowl and sprayed a frying pan with Pam Olive Oil Spray.  We sauteed the zucchini for about 7-8 minutes until it was cooked but still crunchy.

When the pasta was finished we added some butter, parsley and salt.

We took the pork out of the oven and put it all on plate.  We sprinkled romano cheese on the pasta. 

We had fun making it and we all ate everything on our plate.  Even the zucchini.  My mommy was right, the zucchini was crunchy without the seeds, not mushy at all and I ate every bit.  I really like cooking.

RECIPE:

Pork Milanese with sauteed Zucchini and pasta
Ingredients:

4- 6 oz pork loins, pounded thin

1 Cup of Flour

1 1/2 cups of Panko Breadcrumbs

1/2 cup of grated romano cheese ( or parmesan)

handful of fresh basil chopped

tsp of thyme

2 eggs lightly beated

2 medum zucchini, sliced lengthwise with the seeds scooped out.

1/2 pound of lingquine

3 tablespoons olive oil

lemon juice

salt and pepper



Directions:

1) Put a pot of salted boiling water on the stove for the pasta.

2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

3) Heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Dip the pork in the flour and then shake. Then dip in the egg finally in the breadcrumbs and place into the hot pan.

4) Brown the pork on both sides and then place in baking dish and place in the oven. Let it cook about 10-12 minutes until fully cooked.

5) Meanwhile, put the past in the water and cook according to the directions on the box.

6) Slice the zucchini about 1/2 inch thick. It will look like 1/2 moons. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a nonstick pan on the stove and spray with Pam Olive Oil Spray. Add the zucchini. Pour 2 tablespoons of lemon juice on top and cook until desired doneness. We like ours on the crunchy side.
7) Pasta should be finished, drain, add some butter, salt and pepper and parsley.

8) Place one piece of pork, pasta sprinkled with cheese and zucchini on each plate. Voila - dinner is served.
Serve the Pork with some lemon slices

A Night out at Pizzeria Orso - Falls Church, VA

Written by my 10 year old:
Tonight we went to a famous, local Pizzeria in Fall Church with a good selection of pizzas and appetizers.
We ordered a house salad (half size was enough for all 3 of us), fritto misto, pizza diablo.  The salad was light with homemade croutons, the fritto misto ( or fried vegetables if you don't speak italian) was lightly fried and served with a creamy dip. I even enjoyed the zucchini which isn't my favorite vegetable.
The Pizza was made in a brick oven and had a thin crust cooked to perfection. The pizza diable is a peperoni and fresh mozzarella pizza.  The pepperoni's were small bite sized and loaded on top of the pizza.  The crust was bubbly and was crunchy and delicious. Although we didn't stay for dessert it had a
lovely dessert menu and one or two arcade games which I can't wait to try on our next visit.
There was a gigantic Bar area to chat, have a drink or have dinner for one.
If you love pizza like me this is a great place for you.

Ask for Lizette, she was a really nice waitress and her suggestions were great!

Healthy eating habits start at the grocery store.

I was working out at the gym yesterday and it struck me as somewhat comical... Every television station on had something to do with eating.  Whether it was Mrs Obama wanting fast food restaurants to have smaller portions for kids, Obama Care, Obesity in children... I was perplexed and amazed that we don't seem to get it.

I am the type of person that prefers to be proactive about things.  I find it ironic that American's don't seem to get that many of the issues we face are related to the way we eat.  Increases in obesity, Increases in heart disease, increases in cancer.  All can be linked in someway to eating healthy.

While speaking with some of my friends recently, many were under the impression that in order to eat right, it cost too much money.  I can see that most would think that, but that doesn't have to be the case.  What has to happen is that people need to learn how to get a healthy meal on the table at a low cost.  It CAN be done.   You have to have a goal.  Try it for one month and see how much you spend.

So here is how I put affordable meals on the table. 
I use current month food magazines for recipes.  If you don't get them, sign up at Cooking Light.com or Myrecipes.com. The reason I use current magazines, or last years magazines from the current month is so that I can reach GOAL #1.  Goal #1 is to use fruits and vegetables that are in season.  They cost less than those that are out of season.  I love Cooking light magazine, it uses great in season products, it provides easy to follow recipes, and each month it provides low cost meal ideas as well.  Not only does it have great recipes that my whole family loves, they are easy to make and I find that many are great for left overs

Before I go to the grocery store, I decide what the "menu" for the week will be.  Then I peruse my refrigerator to see what I already have.  Then I create my shopping list.  I have actually started using the shopping List on myrecipes.com.  It allows me to pull the recipes that I found in many of the magazine and it creates the shopping list for me.  This may sound like it takes a long time but  this  step takes me about 15 minutes.  I never go to the grocery store without a list!! I also eat before I go...If you are hungry you tend to buy more.  Stick to the list....

I do always read the circulars to see if there are any good "deals" at the grocery stores and I usually look for the deals on meat and fruits and vegetables.  If I see chicken breasts on sales, well then I know that I should look for a chicken recipe.  I like to get enough to make it for 6-7 servings so I have left overs.

A few snacks I always have on hand and last are apples.  My kids love them with peanut butter.  I also keep on hand bags of carrots and hummus.   We love the lemon hummus that SABRA makes.  And I find that every month there are coupons for SABRA in the newspaper.

Mushroom Risotto, Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Roast Asparagus!!

Our day began like any other, except for the fact that I had a plan.  A plan to teach my children to make risotto.  Sounds enticing, does it not? As is with most cooking sessions in our house, we follow a simple rule.  We don't start cooking until all the ingredients are out and measured and we have read the recipe all the way through.  I can't tell you how many meals I have ruined by not reading it through and understanding the process.

We get every ingredient that we will need to make the meal...This is my number one rule and suggestion when trying to teach chidren to cook.  Get lots of little glass dishes and before you start have the kids measure everything out.  It keeps them busy and engaged and interested and makes it much more fun.

So for this risotto, I adapted a recipe I found several years ago in a cookbook called "Risotto" by Judith Barrett. In Judith's book you will find 100 classic and contemporary recipes for risotto.  They are all incredibly easy and she did a great job organizing this cookbook.   If you can't find it, there are also some wonderful Risotto recipes online.  I like Food Network.com for recipes.  They have some great ones and are very current.

Porcini Mushroom Risotto:

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup chopped wild mushrooms ( I usually use cremini, shitake, baby bellas but any will work)
1 tablespoon of olive ol
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped shallot
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup white wine
5 cups of lowfat chicken broth or stock
1 lemon
1 tsp lemon zest
3 tablespoons of freshly grates parmesan or locateli romano cheese ( I mixed them if I have them both available)
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
1) Get all your incredients out, measure and place in small dishes so they are ready for each step.
2) Boil 1 cup of water and then pour over the dried porini's.  Let this steep for about 15-20 minutes.  Drain the porcini's and chop.  Reserve the liquid for use in the risotto.
3) Put the chicken broth in a pan and heat. Keep on the stone for use with the risotto.  DO NOT BOIL just simmer it.
4) Heat the oil in large pot.  Add the onion and shallots and cook the onion until it is transclucent and soft.  This should take about 2-3 minutes.
5).  Stir in the Arborio rice.  You want to coat all the rice grains with the onion mixture and oil.  Be careful that you don't brown the rice.  If it does start to brown, lower the heat. Cook for 1 minute or so.
5).  Pour in the wine.  The stirring begins.  You want to continue to stir and fold until the liquid is absorbed by the rice.  Make sure to stir the bottom of the pan so the rice doesn't stick.
6) After the wine absorbs you will add about 1 cup of heated broth and stir contantly until absorbed.  Keep adding broth about a cup at a time until absorbed. 
7). Add the porcini, porcini liquid and assorted mushrooms and stir until the porcini liquid is absorbed.
8) Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and 1/2 tsp lemon zest.
9).  Mae sure the risotto is tender, if not, you may need to add some more broth.  Otherwise remove from hat.  Stir in approx 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
10) Sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately.

We served the risotto with a grilled pork tendorloin that was seasoned with salt and pepper and roasted asparagus.
Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil over asparagus.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Put in the oven for 5 minutes at 375.  Then turn the oven to broil for about 3-4 more minutes.

The meal turned out wondeful!  The kids did most of the cooking with my husband and I taking over the stirring from time to time. The kids didn't leave a morsel on their plates.  My daughter, who isn't an asparagus fan, said this was her favorite way to eat it.... see they will eat what they think they don't like.. if they are hungry enough.

Why Blog?

As is so often the case, I refer to times in my life thus far as "Life before kids" and "Life with kids".  I found myself in a quandry on a recent trip to NYC, looking across the table at Jean Georges, my favorite restaurant, at my children and wondering how I was so lucky to be able to be a "Foodie with kids"... kids that love it.  Kids that allow me to be passionate about cooking and eating!  Kids that help me in the kitchen and who I can count on to make dinner, on their own. Kids that make healthy choices about what they eat.  And so my Foodie life with kids began.  As is common in our house when it comes to food...everyone participates and helps.  So our blogging will be a family event. 

Life before kids was wonderful. My husband and I were sponatenous and avid foodies.  We lived on the upper east side of Manhattan.  We went out to some of the best restaurants in NYC.  We had access to the finest, high quality ingredients and we took full advantange.  We took wine courses, didn't miss a wine auction at zagats, lived by our zagats, and wrote reviews regularly.  We cooked with passion... or actually I did and my husband ate with passion. He loved the menus I prepared and was always willing to try new things...

Then came our son in July of 2000 and "Life with Kids" began.  Yes, Life with diapers, babyfood, less spontaneity....or so we thought. The moment I laid eyes on the perfect little angel...I was hooked.   Fast forward 6 days and our son's life as a foodie began.   We put our sweet newborn into his carriage and walked 1 block down to a neighborhood restaurant, Zucchero e Pomodoro.  We sat outside, we ordered a bottle of chianti, a caprese salad, parpadella bolognese and chatted for 2 hours about how we could be so lucky.We watched our child in his baby carrier, his eyes wide open as if he was listening and understanding and we discussed life and what the future would hold.   I couldn't help but wonder if he would ever enjoy meals like we did... what would I do if he was one of those picky eaters who wouldn't eat anything new an exciting.  I am absolutely sure that the only thing that I could cook that was kid friendly was pasta...but didn't they eat it with butter and cheese, sans sauce???  Oh know.. mypassion... where would it go?

Well, 10 years laters, career changes, a baby sister, opening and closing a restaurant and our little family   are deep into the foodie life... and so we begin.  We begin our journey into our foodie life.  Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating...together as a family...slowing down, talking more and we hope to share our stories with you.