I’ll be biting my fingers until the 3rd week in June!  The winners from each state and territory get a r/t flight to DC, night’s hotel and a state dinner (really a lunch) with the other winners and Michelle Obama!  My son is excited but not going to say anything until we know for sure.  He’s a better person than I am.  

My son picked a recipe that I’ve made in various ways but built upon the same foundation.  It’s based off this. He said that lentils were optional but he didn’t put them in the recipe. And if they have milk it’s a complete My Plate (USDA guideline) meal.   He had to say why he and I should be picked and I can’t find it anywhere– so I guess he just filled in the spaces on the entry form online and I didn’t save it (nincompoop!) 

So wish us luck!  We could use some positive vibes.  I will let you know if we get picked!

And the Food Service Director I was sort of complaining about was the one who recommended we enter!  Karma be on my side, please!

For Food Revolution Day, I’m going in to my sons’ Elementary School to tell the kids about it and help them make healthy food choices.  I’ve gone in several times before and last year got the PTA to create a position called the Food Services Liaison.  The FSL is the point person between the parents and the School Food Services Provider/Director.  As the FSL I also coordinate other parent volunteers to go in at various days in the year to help educate the students as to what choices they have each lunch especially when it comes to the fruits and vegetables.

Today I’ll be going in with another mom to help persuade the kids to get a fruit or vegetable (or several) if they are just skipping past them.  We make sure they know that all those “offered” foods are available to them and they can take as many as they’d like as part of their paid/free lunch.   I may also try to dissuade them from buying the optional (and extra costing) snacks they offer them at the end of the line.  They’re usually empty calories and too many times they have ingredients that many parents would rather steer clear of.  If the children get plenty of the fruits and vegetables as well as the protein and carbs that are already on their plate, they should have enough food to keep them satisfied. 

Since we (almost always) cook at home, this is my way of helping others eat well and form a good foundation to a healthy life. 

Have you ever considered going into your child(ren)’s school cafeteria?  Have you discussed what foods they serve and how they serve them at school?  Does your school allow parents to volunteer in the cafeteria?  

Food Revolution Day

My son is so thrilled to have won his own prize-winning cake!

Many moms of boys I know get a bit sick of Minecrack Minecraft.  My boys play and play and play.  They stay in on the computer too long and I find it hard to get them off willingly.  I have to resort to turning it off or taking away another privilege.  But last weekend I actually turned their obsession into something else fun. (We’ve done Minecraft themed Halloween costumes and decorating before too!)

Our town has a library that Mark Twain started and each year the library puts on a country children’s fair called the Frog Frolic. My kids run around safely unattended for hours and hours (while I volunteer at one or two stations) in the sun and fresh air, bouncing on one of several bounce houses/obstacle courses, and do cute games.  For the past couple of years the fair has had a Cake Walk– kids and adults bake/decorate cakes that are then auctioned off in a contest.  The contestants walk around on top of numbered lily pads and when the music stops whomever is on top of the drawn number is the winner of a cake– of their choosing.  The cakes are also judged (Town First Selectman and Library Director were two of the judges this year) and awarded prizes.  There are different ribbons awarded for children and adults.  So this year my sons turned their obsessed over game into a Minecraft Zombie cake (with a little help from me).  We used a TJ’s boxed cake mix since its awarded on the decoration not the taste (so it need not be original).

My sons mixed and poured.  I helped them make the fondant.  I did also make a butter cream frosting (which I was making anyway for the 2 dozen cupcakes that I had to throw out instead of donating them to the cupcake tent- butter was off. Ick!) as a crumb layer so that the fondant had something to stick to.   I use marshmallow fondant (recipe I found online years ago, so I don’t remember original source) and make it by sight.  It’s easy and I like the taste better than more traditional fondants.

Super Easy Fondant
½ package marshmallows (mini are easier to work with)
1 tbsp water
3-4 cups powdered sugar (more or less as needed)

Add the marshmallows and water to a microwaveable bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds so marshmallows puff and melt.  Stir together and heat longer if all the marshmallows aren’t melted all the way.  Add powdered sugar slowly mixing thoroughly .  It’s done when it’s stiff enough and not too sticky.  I then divide it to add different colors– you can add it earlier if you are just making one color.  Form into a ball then roll into desired thickness to cover cake.

Boys made this Minecraft Zombie Cake for our town’s Frog Frolic Children’s Fair!

My youngest sons mixed and rolled the fondant whereas my eldest one actually decorated the cake to look like a Minecraft Zombie.   The fondant was cut into little squares square-ish pieces. 

The boys made a Minecraft Creeper last year.  This year their Zombie won a prize and my middle son picked it when he won one of the Cake Walk contests.   They had fun making it, winning and eating it!

My son making his Minecraft Creeper Cake last year.

Almost finished!

This is one of those areas where I break from my only healthful foods. So I let go of one obsession while they let go of another.  

Funny thing is that I didn’t expect them to win their cake, but it was okay that they did.  I was really hoping for my friend’s cake because she’s a fabulous baker.   But I got to taste her margarita cake the following day on my Cinco de Mayo birthday!

I found that in its old form I couldn’t automatically have my recipes sorted or placed in one spot.  This was so frustrating.  So, this platform will allow it and it (so far) seems to be fairly easy (for some).  Hopefully it works.  

Please hang in while I do this in my spare (ha ha) time!

Thanks!

Vanessa

Ramps!  

The other day while driving I noticed the ramps*.  Why I hadn’t noticed them before, I can’t tell you, but the last two days I’ve noticed them everywhere.  Best is that when I pulled up by my house they were there in our yard too!  So, I foraged some and we’re having them for dinner chopped and sautéed with butter.  I love them grilled, but the rest of the dinner tonight is being cooked in the oven or on the stove.  Tomorrow maybe we’ll have them grilled. 

So look around.  You might have some delicious foods within reach and free!

 *Ramps are wild leeks/onions.  

Forgot to mention: My eldest and middle sons liked them.  The youngest, pickiest one tried them but said he didn’t like them. 

How to De-bone a Chicken part 2.  Complete with constant photo-bombing by my youngest son.  

Ok, we made a video instead of trying to write it all step-by-step with photos.  I still might do it and gif the photos.  Just limited in time lately (well, really almost always!).

My youngest son, 6 years old, decided to get into the video (part 2) and I’m  going to just leave him in… too time consuming to edit it all out and it shows the normal situation in our house (kids running around and interrupting conversations, etc). 

The bones were all saved for a stock.

And reasons for de-boning:
*mostly because it’s faster and the thighs and breast take same time to cook, keeping breast moist when thighs are done all the way through.
* also great for marinating: flavors will penetrate more of the meat this way (in a shorter period of time). 

My husband showing me how to de-bone a chicken so it cooks faster yet remains succulent. 

Shall I write it up and share it with you?  I have heaps of photos.

Updating the website and having some issues.  In the meantime here’s a photo of our delicious breakfast.  Gluten-free pancakes with maple syrup.

I added cinnamon and bananas to mine.  (Boys weren’t interested.)

I made them with buckwheat, sorghum, and brown rice flours.  

So, I figured out a way to make a turkey dinner without roasting a turkey for 4 hours.  It happened when I found thick sliced turkey breast at Trader Joe’s.  I thought, I can stuff these!  I don’t need no stinking whole turkey.

So, I made some stuffing with my favorite recipe except this time around I made with store bought stock.  Then my husband (we worked on this together) wrapped the breast pieces around the stuffing, placed them in an oven and roasted them for about 30 minutes.  I also made cranberry sauce with whole cranberries; it only takes a few minutes to make.  Last we made some green beans and Brussels sprouts (see recent post) and boiled some baby new potatoes. 

Now who doesn’t love a meal that takes less than 45 minutes and incorporates all of your favorite flavors from Thanksgiving?  Next time I’ll make a pie— or maybe a steamed pumpkin pudding cake that I can do in the microwave (just gave myself a new challenge).

Stuffed Turkey Breast Rolls

Stuffing:
Make croutons out of day old crusty bread, sea salt, pepper and olive oil (can add herbs, paprika, garlic powder if you wish) and bake at 325 until toasted.  (Or use a pack of ready made croutons.) 

While croutons are baking sauté 5 Italian style sausage links without casings (cut casing lengthwise and squeeze out sausage) until done.  Put in a large bowl and set aside.  Then sauté ½ yellow onion, 1-2 celery stalk(s), small handful of chopped fresh sage in a Tbsp of olive oil and pat of butter.  When onions are nearly clear add sausage back to pan to mix.  When croutons are out, toss with sausage mixture, salt and pepper and slowly add 1 cup of turkey or chicken stock.

Stop when damp but not soggy.  Add 1 egg (scrambled) if needed to bind.  Mixture should hold together but not be too wet.

Turkey Roll:
If you cannot get sliced turkey, take one breast and slice about ¼ – ⅓ inch thick. Take turkey, place approximately 2 Tbsp stuffing in center lengthwise and roll around it. 

Place in buttered pan and bake at 350◦F for about 30 minutes or until turkey and stuffing are at least 145◦.

Gravy:
Scrape any drippings into a small sauce pan.  Add 1 cup of stock (turkey or chicken).  Boil for 5 minutes and whisk in roux (Tbsp flour or corn starch mixed with a little water so it’s a paste). 

Salt and pepper to taste.  Need to boil to reduce and add the roux to thicken unless you have an hour to reduce it further.

Plate with vegetables, potatoes, cranberry sauce. 

Let me know if you want the cranberry sauce recipe.  It’s super easy and quick!

It was so good.  While I type this my son reminisced, saying how delicious it was and asked for us to make it again— soon!   All of my kids liked it although my youngest wouldn’t have any gravy or cranberry sauce.

©2013 My Kids Really Eat This