How to cook for small children: a case study

The first meal I made for the kids was smothered pork chops. I coated lean pork chops in flour, seasoned with Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, and sage. Then I browned them in butter on both sides, moved them to a plate, made gravy in the pan I took them from, and then slid the pork into the gravy once it thickened. They loved it–I remember the six year old saying: “Jenn, I love your chicken!” I started to say: “That’s por–” Then Henry cut me off. “Say it’s chicken,” he said under his breath. From that day forward, I learned that feeding these kids involves a lot of fibbing.

Once I got confident in feeding them meals they’d actually eat, I’d start hearing: Well, Mommy cooks it this way…or Grandma does this…and then all of my new found confidence would disappear, leaving me like a deflated balloon. But I kept trying. For six months, I made them a different kind of muffin each week for breakfast. Cherry walnut, peach pie chia muffins–you name it, I tried it. And when I got home from work each day, I’d walk into the kitchen, where they ate, and step on the dried fruit and nuts they picked out of their muffins.

I learned that these kids will put away a dozen scrambled eggs like it’s no one’s business. I also learned that they would rather have plain pancakes, which they will eat by the stuffed mouthful, instead of whole wheat with blueberries.

I have learned that something they loved last month will be rejected this month. I learned that I can mature their palates by slowing introducing strange ingredients into their normal favorites. I learned that I can say: Eat it anyway.

I learned that half of their meal will inevitably end up on the floor or smeared into the seat cushions of their chairs. I have learned that if Daddy eats it, so will the three year old. i have learned that I have to give Daddy “the look” so that he takes some salad and eats it with forced cheerfulness. I have seen these kids inhale cornbread dripping with butter and honey–and feign interest in the chili just so that they get another piece of cornbread.

Pizza at Northfork Brewery

As I have learned to feed them, I have grown into this stepmommy role–and my confidence no longer hinges on whether or not they eat my dinner. Although some nights, when they turn up their noses at something EVERY OTHER PERSON IN THE WORLD WOULD EAT, I am tempted to open them up a can of dog food and go cry in my room. But that’s completely normal, right?

 

Okonomiyaki

I have been pining over this recipe for years. Years. But I never wanted to attempt it until I tried it in a restaurant, so that I knew what I was aiming for. I could not wait any longer. And I’m so glad that this recipe is now in my repertoire. Here’s the recipe that I adapted from Serious Eats.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup dashi (I used instant)
• 2 eggs
• pinch of salt (will use a larger pinch next time)
• 1 cup shrimp, raw
• 4 slices raw bacon, halved
• 4 cups cabbage, shredded. I used coleslaw mix
• sesame seeds
• kewpie mayo
• sriracha
• okonomi sauce
• pickled ginger
• green onions

Method:

Combine flour, dashi, eggs, cabbage, shrimp, scallions, and salt. This recipe makes two LARGE pancakes, so take half of the batter and fry it up. When it’s getting brown on the first side, add the raw bacon to the wet side. Flip, carefully, and brown bacon on second side. Cook longer than you think you need to and be careful not to burn it.

Add the rest of the condiments to your taste when it’s done cooking.

Notes: Next time I will make small pancakes to ensure even cooking. I am also excited to try different variations. The husband is allergic to shrimp–and he ate two today.  He’s not feeling it. So I have to think of a replacement. Imitation crab? We’ll see.

International Mash-ups: Fusion or Imperialism?

On my stove bubbling away are a pot of spaghetti sauce and some pork simmering in a chile sauce. A little Italian, a little Mexican–all filtered through my white American palate and understanding of food. You see it all of the time–fusion food can either be amazing, like Korean tacos, or abysmal.  As I was scrolling through some food blogs this evening, I came across this: Aussie Burger: Portuguese Style. The beets and pineapple make it Australian (kinda weird, Aussies…), but Portuguese?  Sambal oelek is definitely not Portuguese. It’s Indonesian, according to the all knowing Wikipedia. It gets more interesting:

 

“Oelek is a Dutch spelling which in modern Indonesian spelling has become simply ulek; both have the same pronunciation. Ulek is Indonesian special stoneware derived from common village basalt stone kitchenware still ubiquitous in kitchens, particularly in Java. The Ulekan is a mortar shaped like a hybrid of a dinner and soup-plate with an old, cured bambooroot or stone pestle (ulek-ulek) employed in an ulek manner: a crushing and twisting motion (like using a screwdriver) for crushing lime leaves, chilies, peppers, shallots, peanuts, and other kinds of ingredients.”

So somehow the Dutch are involved?

I read Coconut and Lime’s explanation of how their burger is Portuguese, and it’s because the Portuguese don’t serve their burgers with buns.  The fried egg makes an appearance because that was a common adornment to Portuguese burgers.

A simple dish–ground beef and some condiments–made by an American, takes a trip to Australia via Portugal,  and then Denmark and Indonesia show up to the party.  (I haven’t even brought up the fact that a hamburger is from…where? Germany? I know its origins are contested…)

Is this common around the world? I mean, obviously, colonialism has shaped food around the world, which is why Vietnam’s cuisine is heavily French influenced.

I’d love some feedback. What are your experiences with fusion food? Culinary colonialism? Just throwing stuff together because it tastes good?

***Disclaimer: This is in no way a critique of Coconut and Lime’s food or blog. Their recipe just got me thinking. I love their blog and recipes–so please spend time on their site and enjoy!

Obligatory apology for long absence

Half of the reason it’s so hard to get back into blogging after a long hiatus is the explanation I have to give as to why I was absent, and how I vow to turn over a new leaf and boy you guys, get ready for this new chapter in my life. I cringe to think how many times I have done that little song and dance since starting this blog.

So, I am not doing that. Instead, I am going to tell you that I have been ruminating about blogging and I think I am finally ready to stick my toe back into the vast ocean of information we call blogging. 

Well, since I am foregoing the apology, I’ll just jump right in.  I got married last month. Here are the highlights.

 

 

You can see we had wedding pie, an ominous, stormy backdrop to the ceremony, and lots of dancing. It was a whirlwind, kind of soggy, very emotional, fun, and perfect. After the wedding, we spent a few days at Yosemite.  That consisted of lots of driving, terrible California drivers, triple digit temperatures, hiking, arguing, having conversations with the GPS, and long train rides.  Highlights: Yosemite Rose Bed and Breakfast, sushi with family and friends, swimming, and listening to A Song of Ice and Fire on the train and in the jacuzzi tub. And the whole being married part was pretty cool, too. 🙂

We came back to a messy apartment, family drama, and an intimidating “to do” list. Then Henry sliced his toe off (well, not off, but nearly off). So now we are sitting around, waiting for it to heal. He’s not even supposed to be walking around. The long and short of this rambling exposition is that summer has been an adventure so far and we have quite a bit of summer left.

The sitting around the apartment has had its benefits. One of them being I stumbled upon two recipes that I am scheming to make.  The first is okonomiyaki. I have never had this dish before–and I have never spoken with anyone who has eaten it or made it. I’m just intrigued. I went to the Asian grocery store yesterday and got kewpie mayo, pickled ginger, and okonomi sauce. The rest of the ingredients are fresh and I’ll be able to get them from Winco.

The next recipe is for gingersnaps made with…bacon grease instead of butter. I plan on using bacon in the okonomiyaki and reserving the fat for the cookies. Ridiculous? But of course! Stay tuned…

 

Roasted Butternut Squash and 10(?) Bean Soup

Last night, as a side dish to our roast, I made butternut squash. I roasted it in the oven with sage, oil, salt, pepper, and then finished it with cheese. For some reason, I wasn’t feeling it last night. Something didn’t quite taste right. Maybe I didn’t salt enough or maybe I was just feeling stressed about the evening and decided to take it out on the poor, unsuspecting squash. Disappointed, I just put it aside, and decided to make soup out of it later.

After the dishes were done and kitchen cleaned, I sauteed onion and garlic, and then added the squash cubes and simmered everything in stock for an hour or so, smashing the orange flesh against the sides of the pot until they were broken up. I seasoned it to taste, simmered it a bit longer, then put it in the fridge to be dealt with today. Today, when I thought about what I was going to do with it, I decided that I wanted to add some protein and substance to it instead of pureeing it and calling it good. I plan to take it for lunch this week to work and I need something more substantial to get me through the day. I hunted through my cabinet, peeked through various mason jars I have on my counter filled with broken pieces of pasta, lentils of all colors, beans, and barley–eventually, I stumbled upon a jar of assorted legumes. It has two types of lentils in it, white beans, garbanzo beans, split peas–so many different types of dried legume.  Definitely too many to count. So I settled on 10(?).

The first thing I did with these legumes was soak them in water for awhile.  Then I added them to my mashed butternut squash mixture with more  stock.  Now it’s simmering on my stove until the beans are tender.

It’s not much to look at, but it’s the perfect soup to take to work this week!

 

 

Sunday Morning Procrastination

I think our ice storm has ended–I can hear the drips and cracks outside of the trees warming up. If things keep melting and clearing up, there will likely be school tomorrow (sorry, kids and teachers [and me! sad face]). I am still my pajamas–and I am thinking that I mention that in every blog post, which leads me to believe that you all must believe I never get dressed. On the contrary, my friends–on long snowed in weekends, I shower and change into clean pajamas. No shame in that. Not even a little bit.

The two year old is playing with the computer his grandma bought him–and it’s loud and obnoxious. I have spent the morning snatching the obnoxious toys out of his hands–but at this point, I surrender. I cannot win. So I will drink my 4th cup of coffee, contemplate getting dressed, and post some interesting recipe links I found this morning.

(Turtles are good swimmers…turt…tur..t..tur..turtles are goo…ttt…tt…turt…Ok. I am taking that toy away.)

Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken Pasta  I am always looking for family friendly casserole or slow cooker recipes. This looks like a slightly different twist on a few recipes I already make.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup  Henry and I talk about opening a soup and sandwich shop sometime in our future. I love making soups and this is one I haven’t tried yet.

Orange Chicken  Closet Cooking is an amazing blog. I need to cook more of his recipes.

Eggs Fried in Onion Rings  What?!

Slow Cooker BBQ Mac and Cheese

Chili Colorado from the Homesick Texan. This is, by far, Henry’s favorite food. I am always trying to find the best recipe. From what I know about this blog and the recipes, this very well be our new household favorite.

Ok. Enough wasting time. I need to get dressed. We’ve got to go pick up the five year old soon. I miss her little face. Here’s a photo taken the day after we moved to our new apartment. These kids love their arts and crafts.

What a(n) (ice) day

Snow and snow and snow and ice and sleet and ice and ice.

But I am wearing clean pajamas and I did do a lot of organizing and cleaning around the apartment today. I have a roast beef in the crockpot that needs about another hour or so. Roasted butternut squash and mashed potatoes. And the best part: sweet potato biscuits. I may never make regular biscuits again. Granted, I did grate an entire stick of frozen butter into these puppies, but I’d like to think that including an entire baked sweet potato into the biscuits counterbalances the butter. Right? Right. (right?)

Over 5300 people in Eugene are without power at the moment and out local electricity company said to expect outages even if we haven’t had any issues so far. So, yeah. Henry went to the store to get beer, candles, and hot cheetos. That’s all we need to be snowed and iced in–and without power.

Please make these biscuits. I didn’t change a thing about the recipe. Some reviewers said that grating frozen butter was difficult, but it was so easy and weird that it was almost a novelty.  Ooh! Grated butter!  Even Henry smiled at it.

Recipes that have rustled my jimmies (in a positive way) lately

Iced and snowed in. Eating pie for breakfast. Listening to the two year old say: I am so happy today!  The only thing we are missing is the five year old, and we’d have a perfect morning.

I’m sitting on the couch, looking through some recipes, doing some menu planning, and drinking coffee.  Here are some of the best and weirdest ones I’ve come across.

Bacon Onion Rings  Can you even imagine wrapping a giant onion ring with a slice of bacon and then frying it? Is this even allowed?

Sweet Potato Biscuits I plan to make these tonight to go with the pot roast I’ve got cooking in the crockpot.

Chinese Chili Hoisin and five spice in chili? I’d try it…

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs  I am kind of obsessed with all foods buffalo’d these days. I might have to make these soon…

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Coffee Chocolate Chia Overnight Breakfast Pudding  Whew. That’s a mouthful.

Dandelion Violet Lemonade

Shakshuka  Eggs simmered in a spicy tomato sauce? Has anyone had this before?

Roasted Parmesan Creamed Onions  These look heavenly.

What a great morning. My biggest issues at the moment are talking myself out of another piece of pie and trying to keep the two year old from spilling my coffee with the ball he is tossing around.

On Apple Pies and Boiling Broth

Snow Day Eugene 2014. More snow than this area has seen in decades (Don’t fact check me; I heard that on facebook).  I had a productive day in my pajamas. It felt good to clean, cook, and organize before the kids get here on Sunday.

I made Mongolian Beef for dinner with this recipe. Then I took the chicken carcass I had been saving and made a stock.  Then I even got the inspiration to make an apple pie adapted from this recipe. It was my first apple pie ever. I was on a roll.

Then I got cocky. I may have even gloated a bit when I saw how beautiful and rich my stock had gotten.  I asked Henry to help me strain it so that I could cool it and freeze it. Then, Stupid Jenn decided to process the stock into her large, antique glass bowl. Before I knew it, boiling stock had spilled in a torrent down my feet and the bowl had cracked into several huge pieces. I cried and Henry ushered me to the bathroom to soak my feet in cold water. He then proceeded to clean up the entire kitchen, cutting himself in the process.

Thankfully, the apple pie turned out. I think I need to go to bed now before I hurt myself or anyone else.

Lasagna Soup OR It’s Superb Owl day and neither of us are giving a single care.

Over the past 5 weeks, our household has experienced H1N1, sinus infections, bronchitis, and strep throat. Fevers, chills, cough syrup, too many antibiotics. Here we are, beginning February–and Henry woke up with a fever. My cough is returning. I am bone deep tired of being sick. With that said, it’s been a great winter. Wonderful holiday trips to Alderdale and Bellingham. Work at my high school has been going exceptionally well, considering the change in our grading system. Things are plugging along. I am feeling rather optimistic…so much so that I just got done painting my fingernails. And now I am actually doing a blog post. Henry is on hour four or five of homework and I am considering starting dinner.

I chose this recipe based solely on the pictures. Drool.  I mostly followed it. I can’t wait to eat it!

It’s simple. I tweaked it a bit–I thought the addition of spinach at the end would lighten it up a bit and make it more healthy. Now I only wish I had bought some french bread to go with it!