by Gail Greenblatt
Okay, here’s the deal. It’s summertime and there are kids around. They need activities to keep them busy. Have you thought about teaching them to cook? You should.
We’re not talking frozen pizza, refrigerated cookie dough, and fat and sugar laden snacks that they ingest all year long, with or without supervision. We’re talking real meals, main dishes that are family friendly and easy to prepare.
The kitchen is an equal opportunity place now, sometimes the grandest room in the house. The Food Network on cable television has millions of viewers daily, and has inspired folks to be both creative and competitive. Cooking is definitely the in thing.
Having fun in the kitchen with young folks is rewarding. Grandparents can pass on family heirloom recipes and healthy eating habits can be taught with ease…well, maybe not totally with ease, but it can be done. It’s also a good time to teach some fractions to younger children when measuring ingredients.
Tossing pre-packaged salad in a large bowl with a minimum of dressing can be an easy task for a youngster when helping older siblings.
Taking children along to buy groceries can be more pleasant if they have some input on purchases. A trip to local farmers’ markets or a berry-picking event will be more rewarding when children help prepare the produce.
With a little planning and patience, parents and kids can cook up some summer fun!
Gazpacho is a good soup to make up and it keeps in the fridge for several days. There’s plenty of room for being creative, so don’t be timid about adding jalapenos, cumin, hot sauce, red or yellow peppers, red or green onions, or flavored vinegars.
Make it taste the way you like it. If you can’t find fresh ripe tomatoes, there are good canned ones available. Look for whole plum tomatoes to dice.
GAZPACHO
6 cups fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled
and chopped
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup green pepper chunks
1/2 cup cucumber chunks
2 cups tomato juice
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup wine vinegar
Finely chopped veggies, croutons, and light sour cream
for garnishing, optional
In a blender or food processor, puree tomatoes, onion, green pepper and cucumber. Add tomato juice, garlic, salt and pepper to taste.
Put in a bowl, cover and chill.
Stir in olive oil and vinegar right before serving.
Makes 6 servings.
Little hands love to make meatballs. These are good and easily baked in the oven. The recipe is adapted from one of Rachel Ray’s cookbooks.
SPAGHETTI and MEATBALLS
1-pound spaghetti Salt, for pasta water
Meatballs
1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic chopped
salt and pepper
Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup canned beef stock 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
A handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley
10 fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced
Grated cheese for passing at table
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it boils, add salt and pasta and cook al dente.
Mix beef and Worcestershire, egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper.
Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch medium-sized meatballs and place on non-stick cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until no longer pink.
Heat a deep skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, crushed pepper, garlic and finely chopped onion. Saute 5 to 7 minutes, until onion is soft. Add beef stock, crushed tomatoes and herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
Toss hot, drained pasta with a few ladles of the sauce. Turn meatballs into remaining sauce. Place pasta on dinner plates and top with meatballs and sauce. Pass extra grated cheese.
Makes 4-6 servings
FOUR-VEGGIE ROAST
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
2 large carrots
1 1/2 cups fresh green beans
6 small new potatoes
1 small onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
(combined minced garlic and ginger can be found at
grocery store)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Young children can be taught to use a swivel vegetable peeler, kitchen scissors and a small paring knife. A cutting board and close supervision are essential, and caution is always necessary when using the oven.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Thoroughly wash vegetables. Peel and slice carrots on the bias, about 1/2 inch thick. Snip or cut the ends of the green beans. Using hands, snap into 2 inch pieces. Cut new potatoes in half, and peel and cut onion into wedges.
In a large bowl combine olive oil, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Add vegetables, coating well. Spread vegetables evenly in a 9” X 13” baking pan. Sprinkle with pepper.
Roast vegetables, uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until just tender, stirring once or twice with long-handled wooden spoon.
Makes 4 servings
I’ll bet you know someone who has rosemary growing in their yard. It thrives in Columbus. This is an easy recipe, full of flavor and low in fat.
GARLIC ROAST CHICKEN with ROSEMARY and LEMON
Adapted from Rachel Ray.
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves stripped from stems
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
coarse salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Arrange chicken in a 9” X 13” baking dish. Add garlic, rosemary, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, salt and pepper to the dish. Toss and coat the chicken with all ingredients and place in oven. Roast 20 minutes. Add wine or broth and lemon juice and combine with pan juices. Return to oven and turn oven off. Let stand 5 minutes longer and remove chicken from oven. Place baking dish on trivet and serve, spooning pan juices over chicken pieces.
Makes 4 servings
This is a light summer dessert, easy to put together and low enough in calories for seconds.
BERRY-LEMON TRIFLE
From Better Homes and Gardens
2 cups cubed angel food cake
8-ounce carton lemon low-fat yogurt
1/4 of an 8-ounce container
frozen light whipped dessert
topping, thawed
1 cup mixed berries, such as
raspberries, blueberries or
sliced strawberries
Fresh mint (optional)
Divide the angel food cake cubes among 4 dessert dishes. In a small mixing bowl fold together the yogurt and whipped topping. Dollop yogurt mixture atop cake and sprinkle with berries. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired.
Makes 4 servings
