Kids Cooking Workshop!

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Charles Wright Museum of African American History Family Activity Series Healthy Recipes for Kids Workshop Saturday, April 18 at 12 pm Join in the celebration of The Wright's 50th anniversary with this regular Saturday activity series for the whole family! Sweet potato pie made the healthy way is fun to prepare - come and discover this recipe and so many more in this healthy recipe workshop for kids. Free.

Onions!

I love onions and I feel like in my heart I have always known that there is a right  and a wrong way to love an onion. ️Thanks  to www.diy.blogspot.ca, we can use the right onion at the right time. 

Using Yogurt as a Cooking Substitute

Healthy living may start with a bunch of substitutions so that you don't have to give up everything you love. Kick up the health value of your recipes with a little help from this secret (sometimes not-so-secret) ingredient: GREEK YOGURT. The chart below is from Chobani, but you may use any kind of greek yogurt in your recipes as a substitute. 

BEST Sugar Cookie Recipe - Amazing!

Our fellow blog, Fit and Free With Emily says...

"These cookies are addictive, especially on a cold day with some cocoa or tea. The Chobani adds an extra fluff that can NOT be beat! Crispy and sugary on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth fluffy on the inside."

Ingredients

• 5 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt (Chobani)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 cup canola oil
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda.
2. In a separate bowl, cream butter, yogurt and sugars with your mixer. Add eggs. Beat until fluffly. Add canola oil and vanilla.
3. Slowly add the flour mixture to your wet ingredients.
4. Best to chill overnight, but can be baked right away. Roll into balls, flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.
5. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. DO NOT overcook.
6. Makes approximately 6-8 dozen, depending on the size of your cookies

Mediterranean Chicken

Ingredients: (4-6 servings)

• 1 pound chicken breast tenderloins
• Greek seasoning (I used the no-salt version)
• optional - Feiny's veggie rub seasoning 
• 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 4 tsp chopped garlic (about 4 large cloves)
• 2 Tbsp shallots, chopped
• 6 Tablespoons jarred sun dried tomato bruschetta (or sun dried tomatoes in oil)
• 1 cup dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp corn starch
• 4 oz package of crumbled feta cheese
• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed
• 1 lb cooked penne noodles, al dente, drained and rinsed
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• additional sun dried tomatoes 
• sliced black olives to garnish

Make ahead time savers: 

You can make the garlic wine sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator.  You can make, drain, and rinse the pasta ahead of time.  Then when you want to cook dinner, all you need to do is cook the chicken and throw it all together.

Also, get all of your veggies chopped before beginning.  I have a great helper for this type of thing!  Remember, there's always some aspect of a recipe that the kids can help with!  My spinach didn't necessarily NEED to be chopped, but it gave Lily a sense of being needed and involved.  And this is just as important as any of the rest of the things you do! 

Step-by-Step:

Garlic wine sauce - 

To a sauce pan, add olive oil,  half the garlic and half the shallots.  Saute them until golden brown, then add the white wine.  Allow it to come up to a boil, then reduce by half, stirring frequently.   The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator until you need it if you are making it ahead of time.

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1 Tablespoon chopped shallots

Allow them to saute until they start to become golden and soft.

Once the garlic and shallots are golden, add in the wine.  I keep some of these small individual bottles of wine just for cooking.  They are usually just the right amount for a recipe, and I don't have to worry about saving the leftovers.  They usually come in a 4-pack. 

1 cup of dry white wine (I'm using Pinot Grigio today)

In a measuring cup or bowl, stir together the cold chicken stock and corn starch to make a slurry.   The slurry will keep the corn starch from lumping up on you when you add it to the hot wine sauce.

2 cups chicken stock

1 Tbsp corn starch

Add the slurry to the reduced wine sauce.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium simmer for about 10 minutes until it has thickened up a bit.  Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.  

chicken stock + corn starch slurry

kosher salt

black pepper

Strain the sauce and discard the garlic and shallots to complete the sauce.

I ended up with a little over 1 1/2 cups of sauce after the reduction, etc.  If you are making the sauce ahead of time, you can cover and refrigerate it now.

Special Holiday Feature- Trenice's Tasty Tips!!

I am so pleased to introduce my very special sister Trenice, who will be a feature over the next few days to share some priceless tips to make your holiday meal extra special. 

First stop...

Mac and Cheese

TIP 1#: When boiling your Pasta for your Mac and Cheese, do NOT follow the instruction on the back of the Pasta Box. If you do, you WILL have mushy PASTA in your Mac and Cheese. If the BOX says cook for 8 - 10 Minutes, only cook for 4 - 5 Minutes. REMEMBER your Pasta will continue to cook once you add ALL your ingredients together and bake in the oven.

TIP 2#: Velveeta Cheese sodium is OUT the DOOR, and it changes the texture of your Mac and Cheese, puts you in mind of Stove Top Mac and Cheese. STAY AWAY from the Velveeta, especially if you or your guest have Blood Pressure issues. Colby, Jack, Cheddar (sharp and mild), American (NOT the SLICES!!!)

TIP 3#: If you USE evaporated milk, use either half and half, heavy cream, or milk along with the evaporated milk. Just using evaporated milk alone will leave your Mac and Cheese somewhat dry and dense.

Tommorrow come back for Turkey Tips! (hygiene, preparation, thawing)