Busy parents have busy children who have busy lives, but the one constant in most families’ daily schedules is dinnertime. So, says chef Emeril Lagasse, make the most of it.
"There is an anchor to food. It’s finally the end of the day, and the reward is the meal. Even when pets — horses, dogs — are at the end of the chore they get a treat," he says with a laugh.
After working all day either in one of his nine restaurants or on the set of his Food Network TV show, Lagasse says it’s a real treat to come home and prepare dinner for his wife and 1-year-old son.
It’s their time to connect.
"My whole big push this year — on my TV show, too — is I’m trying to get families together at the table. It’s a great place to open up, to get to know each other, and it also stops kids from eating crap," he says.
Lagasse says he’s already encouraging his son to expand his palate beyond strained peas and mashed bananas.
"He loves hanging out in the kitchen. He’s got his little pot and pretends to cook," Lagasse says, which is the beginning of important life lessons.
"It so great to see that kids are cooking, sometimes they even inspire mom and dad. Kids say, ‘We can have fun, get an education — you read and use math when you cook — and at the end you get to eat something good.’ "
He realizes it’s not practical to think every family will sit down together every night, but it’s a worthy goal. Of course, once there are several people at the table — all of whom have their own tastes and opinions — finding a crowd-pleasing meal might be a challenge, he says.
"When I was growing up, my brother didn’t eat onions or bell peppers. Everything my mom cooked had bell peppers and onion. I remember her making a pot of food for the family and a smaller pot for my brother," Lagasse recalls.
"But I think if you involve the family in deciding what we’re all going to eat together, it will be easier. Have a family conversation about ‘What does everyone want?’ Learn to compromise and how to make a family decision."
Or pick up Lagasse’s new cookbook "Emeril’s There’s a Chef in My Family: Recipes to Get Everybody Cooking," where you’ll find instructions for Scoop-It-Up Spinach Dip and Fettuccine Alfredo My Way, which means with peas.
There was a very conscious effort to choose recipes that have jobs for all family members, don’t take too long to prepare and can often be made in advance, Lagasse says. Many dishes, though, feature less common ingredients, such as the plantains in the Mambo Rice Lasagna and whole artichokes.
"We all get into this comfort zone where we have five dishes that we cook well and we never diverge. Sooner or later, these dishes become ‘same old, same old’ and people get bored," he says. "I say explore the world: Take a hamburger, add salsa and guacamole, and have a Mexican night, or serve it with mozzarella on focaccia and you have a little bit of Italy."
It’s usually not the kids who are hesitant to new flavors, he adds. "You’d be surprised what kids like to eat — like hummus. The recipes in book came from kids’ ideas. I’m amazed at what kids know about food."
The idea of serving cream sauces and burgers to children might initially throw up some red flags to parents worried about weight, but Lagasse says fast foods and snacks with chemical flavorings and preservatives are a much bigger problem when it comes to child obesity.
Children are going to snack; that’s a fact, he says, so offer them a waffle, or an oatmeal cookie with raisins and walnuts, or even a few corn chips with a fresh tomato salsa. "Think about snacks, make them nutritional. … Snacks should be satisfying so kids don’t want another one in a half-hour."
Lagasse observes an irony in this over-scheduled society: "We think and plan everything but we often leave out the food plan, one of the most important things of daily life."
Recipes
Finding a crowd-pleasing recipe for a family of finicky eaters might be as easy as trying a new dish. And wouldn’t it be great if it included a serving of veggies?
Here are some options from new child-friendly cookbooks:
In “Emeril’s There’s a Chef in My Family! Recipes to Get Everybody Cooking,” Emeril Lagasse says this creamy dip is his favorite way to eat spinach. He’s generally not bothered by the use of rich ingredients, such as cream and cheese, when making meals of fresh foods; empty calories from sugary and processed foods are a much bigger concern when it comes to childhood obesity, he says.
1 1/2pounds fresh spinach, washed and stems removed, or 1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
2tablespoons butter
1tablespoon finely chopped yellow onion
1 1/2teaspoons minced garlic
2tablespoons all-purpose flour
1cup heavy cream
1/4cup milk
1/2cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1teaspoon Baby Bam (recipe follows)
1/4teaspoon salt
3tablespoons sour cream
1/4cup grated Monterey Jack or pecorino Romano cheese
Tortilla chips, or other chips of choice, for dipping
If using fresh spinach, bring a large saucepan filled 2/3 full with water to a rolling boil. Add the spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or just until spinach wilts and water returns to a boil. Using over mitts or pot holders, remove from the heat and strain the spinach in a colander set in the sink. Rinse under cold running water until cool.
If using frozen spinach, let the spinach thaw and drain in a colander set in the sink. Using your hands, squeeze the spinach to remove as much liquid as possible. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of spinach.
Place spinach on a cutting board and chop finely. Set aside.
In a heavy medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not allow garlic to brown.
Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture is a light-blond color, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Whisk in the heavy cream and milk, little by little, until the mixture is smooth. Continue to cook until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, Baby Bam and salt, and stir to combine well.
Remove from the heat. Add the sour cream, chopped spinach and cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted.
Serve immediately, with tortilla chips or other dipping chips of choice.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups, enough to serve 4 to 6 people.
3tablespoons paprika
2tablespoons salt
2tablespoons dried parsley
2tablespoons onion powder
2teaspoons garlic powder
1teaspoon ground black pepper
1teaspoon dried oregano
1teaspoon dried basil
1teaspoon dried thyme
1/2teaspoon celery salt
Place all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir well to combine, using a wooden spoon.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
At the Imus Ranch in New Mexico, children get a taste of a toxin-free life and of vegetarian fare. The idea behind the 4,000-acre working ranch is to share an environmentally friendly and healthy lifestyle with children who have cancer and those who have lost a sibling to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
All of the recipes in the new book “The Imus Ranch: Cooking for Kids and Cowboys” by Deirdre Imus have plenty of flavor, but contain no meat, fish or poultry.
1/4cup olive oil
1/2cup red bell peppers, seeded and diced
1/2cup plum tomatoes, cored and diced
1/2cup fresh cilantro
1clove garlic, minced
1/2teaspoon medium chili powder
1/8teaspoon cumin
1/8teaspoon oregano
1 1/2cups cooked pinto beans (either soaked and cooked dried beans or one 15-ounce can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained)
1 1/2cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, regular or soy
1/2teaspoons salt
810-inch spelt, whole-wheat or other tortillas
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano; saute until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the beans, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and the salt, and stir to combine. Heat tortillas, one at a time, in a dry skillet over medium heat, turning them frequently until softened, about 3 minutes total.
Place a tortilla on a flat work surface and spread 1/4 cup of the bean mixture down the center, leaving a 1-inch border at the top and bottom. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the remaining cheese. Fold the top and bottom edges over the mixture and roll up from one side. Carefully transfer the burrito to a baking sheet, seam side down; repeat this process with the remaining tortillas and filling. Transfer the burritos to the oven to warm through, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Makes 8 servings.
Eager to get little children interested in creative cooking? “Cool Kids Cook” by Donna Hay might make a good introduction.
The simple recipes feature mostly familiar foods but with fun twists, such as adding pineapple to a ham and cheese sandwich or making fried eggs in the shape of a gingerbread man.
1tablespoon oil
1onion, chopped
2teaspoons red curry paste
1 1/2cups coconut milk
4chicken breast fillets, sliced
1red pepper, chopped
1cup chopped greens, such as string beans or broccoli
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring for 3 minutes, or until the onion is soft.
Add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk to the pan and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the chicken, pepper and greens and let the curry simmer for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. Serve with rice or noodles.
Makes 4 servings.
Scoop-it-up spinach dip
Baby Bam seasoning
Southwestern vegetable and bean burritos
Jungle curry
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