Passing It On

If you had asked my ten, fifteen, or even 20-year-old selves if I would grow up to enjoy cooking and write about my experiences in the kitchen, they all would have laughed at you. Even when I married my husband at age 26, the priest tried to squeeze "and cook for you" into the vows as a joke. Our guests erupted into giggles, and even then in the House of God, I could not make any culinary commitments. Growing up, I always viewed cooking as a tedious chore. It's amazing how much can change in 10 years.

And so, less than a week away from my 37th birthday, I found myself at Williams-Sonoma on a Saturday morning, watching my 6-year-old son roll out pie dough to make decorations for Thanksgiving pies. What the heck happened??

Saturday morning at Williams-Sonoma, working on pie crust.

A photo posted by @kmiracane on Nov 11, 2014 at 5:40pm PST

My own culinary adventures didn't really begin until my husband and I moved to the Poconos in 2005. Before then, my repertoire consisted of Rice-a-Roni, Lipton noodles, and recipes from a 4-ingredient cookbook. I eventually worked my way up to a 6-ingredient cookbooks. Not exactly the stuff gourmet meals are made of. But when we moved my full-time job because a part-time contract position because I wasn't commuting from PA to Jersey City on a daily basis, and I found myself with extra time on my hands. So I decided it was time to learn to cook, and Rachael Ray was my first teacher. I became a student of Giada DeLaurentiis. The next thing I knew, colleagues at my new job were jealous of my leftovers, calling them a gourmet lunch. Somewhere along the line, I became a good cook.

And then I became a mom. Suddenly it wasn't just about eating a meal. It was about nourishing a growing boy. I became more selective in what I cooked, making sure I used as many fresh ingredients as possible. And he became my first audience, sitting in his high chair, eyes on me, as I explained what I was making for dinner and why I did it the way I did. I credit those early days for his current culinary interest. Well, that at the Food Network. (He wants to compete on MasterChef Junior and Chopped. He wants to be a judge on Cutthroat Kitchen.)

Stirring the vinegar mixture for homemade pickles.

A photo posted by @kmiracane on Aug 8, 2014 at 7:49am PDT

So last week I let him cook dinner. He has helped me in the kitchen plenty of times before. We've made ice pops, lemonade, pickles, and had Kid Cook Saturdays last winter. But this time he did the bulk of the work under my supervision.

He made an easy chicken marsala recipe, the kind you find on a can of cream of mushroom soup. He pounded the chicken and browned it in butter. He measured out the marsala wine and deglazed the pan. He added the soup and whisked until it heated through. When he added the cutlets back to the pan he said to me, "Mommy, we should add those juices, too, for flavor." I taught him how to bend the asparagus so the fibrous ends snap off. I let him drizzle on the olive oil and sprinkle the grill seasoning over the stalks. No measuring spoon! Just knowing by eye how much is the right amount. The pride beaming from him over his meal could have lit the night sky.

I don't know if he will compete of MasterChef Junior or Chopped, or be a judge on Cutthroat Kitchen. But I do know he will eventually leave the nest and be able to cook for himself. He won't fall into the unhealthy habit of processed and fast foods. And he will continue to experiment with his palate way beyond the fare we are conditioning children to eat today -- hot dogs, chicken nuggets, pizza, burgers, grilled cheese, and macaroni and cheese.

And maybe, just maybe, he'll sit his son or daughter in a high chair and narrate the making of a meal. Maybe he'll roast asparagus and explain why Grandma like grill seasoning best. Maybe he'll insist on as many fresh ingredients as possible, having learned cooking is not just a chore, it's how we nourish our body and soul, and pass it on.

Tickled Pink

When I first started learning to cook, I would write out recipes on index or fancy recipe cards and keep them in cute boxes or in binders. Over time, this became a bit labor intensive, so I started just printing the recipes, putting them in sleeve protectors, and storing them all in your average binder from an office supply store.

So, given how much time my sons spends in the kitchen with me, it was no surprise when his aunt gave him a Yankees binder the first words from his mouth were, "I can keep all my recipes in here!"

And keep his recipes he did. We have bought kid-centric and parent magazines over the years, torn out recipes we could make together, and stored them in his binder in protective sleeves. So when summer rolled around, he flipped through and said, "Mommy, we need to make lemonade."

And so we did.

He essentially made this himself with my supervision, which gave him a great sense of accomplishment and pride. And it warmed my heart to see that smile beaming from his face.

So as summer comes to a close, tickle yourself pink with this delightful drink.

Pink Lemonade

Recipe from Yum for Kids
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4-6 lemons
• 4 cups cold water
• 1 cup cranberry juice

Directions

1. Add sugar and water into a small saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Squeeze the juice out of the lemons using a juicer, or squeeze by hand, to produce approximately 1 cup of lemon juice.
3. Add the cold water, lemon juice, cranberry juice and sugar water to a large pitcher. Refrigerate for approximately 1 hour before serving.

The Next Big Thing

As a kid, there are so many great things about summertime: no school, later bedtime, swimming, bike riding, and the treats.

Oh, the treats!

Roasting marshmallows after dinner was cooked on the charcoal grill, going out for ice cream, chasing down the ice cream man, watermelon, Jell-o pudding pops, and ice pops.

When I scroll through my Facebook newsfeed now, I see ads for or someone I know is having a Pampered Chef party. But when I was a kid, it was all about Tupperware. And one summer, my mom bought ice pop molds. These mold were particularly cool because the base was a shallow cup with a straw, so you could drink what melted. We weren't particularly creative with our pops. We made either iced tea or lemonade pops. But my sister and I had fun making them, and they couldn't freeze fast enough for us.

I now have my own ice pop molds, allowing me to carry on the ice pop making tradition with my son. The first pops we made were these mandarin orange cream ones. The classic flavors of summer. But wanting to expand the ice pop possibilities, I bought a book of recipes. This summer my son and I were flipping through it when we came across a recipe for chai tea pops. My son lives chai tea, and demanded we make them.

These are no ordinary pops for those with an ordinary palate. These are serious, sophisticated ice pops .... made right in your kitchen.

Which got me thinking ... With the closing of Crumbs, I think gourmet ice pops could be the next big thing.

Chai Tea Pops

Recipe from Ice Pops: Recipes for Fresh and Flavorful Frozen Treats
Makes 8 - 10 ice pops

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water.
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 bags black tea
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 whole cloves
• 8 green cardamom pods, cracked with the side of a knife
• 6 peppercorns
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup whole milk

Directions:

1. Using a cheesecloth, bundle the cloves, cardamom pods, ginger, and peppercorns.
2. Place the sugar, cinnamon stick, and cheesecloth bundle in a saucepan. Pour in water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
3. Remove the tea bags, cinnamon stick, and cheesecloth bundle. Stir in the milk until blended.
4. If using conventional ice pop molds, divide the mixture among the molds. Cover and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days. If using sticks, insert them into the molds when the pops are partially frozen, after about 1 hour. Then freeze until solid, at least 3 more hours.
5. If using an instant ice pop maker, follow the manufacturer's instructions to fill the molds and freeze the pops.

Kid Cooks Saturdays: Week #6

I'm really not sure this qualifies as a Kid Cooks Saturday. There was no actual cooking involved, and I made this for myself the day before. But I enjoyed it so much and knew my son would as well, so I helped my son make it for breakfast for himself the day before.

It was a huge it! It was easy to make -- my son loved that he could make it all by himself. It's versatile -- any of the ingredients can easily be swapped out for something else. And it's fun! It brought out the kid in me -- so much so that I drank a glass of chocolate milk with it.

So here is my recipe for a fruit wrap. We we definitely be adding this to our breakfast rotation. Left to his own devices, my son would switch between pancakes and waffles every morning for breakfast. He does eat cereal and I love that he eats yogurt, since it's a great way to incorporate more fruit into the most important meal of the day. This fruit wrap follows in yogurt's foot steps.

And for those that frequently need to eat breakfast on the go, this wrap is portable without being messy. Score!

Fruit Wrap
A Country Cooking Original Recipe

Ingredients:

• tortilla or your favorite wrap
• peanut butter, or your favorite butter (I like sunflower seed butter)
• slided bananas
• sliced strawberries
• blueberries

Directions:

1. Spread peanut butter over tortilla in a thin layer, leaving a 1-inch border.
2. Arrange sliced bananas and strawberries over the peanut butter.
3. Sprinkle blueberries over the bananas and strawberries.
4. Roll up tortilla burrito-style and slice in half on the bias. Enjoy! Chocolate milk is optional.

Kid Cooks Saturdays: Week #5

Deciding what to make for this week's Kid Cooks Saturday was easy. My son saw a commercial for Pillsbury crescent rolls, and they made pizza pockets from them. "Mommy, can we make those?" he asked. "Sure thing!" I told him. And Saturday's meail was decided.

One of the great things about these Saturdays has been discovering how much fun meals can be. I'm not talking about the "fun" associated with finding and making a new recipe. I'm talking about childlike fun. Eating with your fingers and childhood favorites. Good, old-fashioned fun. And sharing it with my son has made it that much sweeter.

And if you're tired of the usual meatless options during Lent, give this twist on pizza a try.

Pizza Pockets

A Country Cooking Original Recipe
Makes 8 pizza pockets

Ingredients:

• 1 can of Pillsbury Grands Buttermilk Biscuits
• pizza sauce
• shredded mozzarella
• grated parmesan cheese
• favorite pizza toppings, such as pepperoni and black olives
• ricotta cheese, for a calzone option
• 1 egg, beaten
• Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2. Flour your board and roll out each biscuit to 6 inches in diameter.
3. Spread sauce on biscuit, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Top with cheese and your favorite toppings, if desired.
4. Fold in half and crimp edges with the tines of a fork. Cut a slit in the top for steam to escape and lightly brush with egg wash.
5. To make a mini calzone, swap out the pizza sauce for ricotta cheese. Add mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and any of your favorite toppings.
6. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with remaining, heated pizza sauce.

The pizza pockets were a hit with my son!

Kid Cooks Saturdays: Week #4

We've hit a snag with Kid Cooks Saturdays: The remaining recipes in my son's cookbook don't entice him. What's a mom to do?

So I started looking over my own cookbook collection, to see if there were any books with recipes simple enough for my son to make. I hit pay dirt when I came across The Four Ingredient Cookbook.

With only four ingredients per recipe, all are simple enough for young hands. It was just a matter of finding the right one.

Breaded pork chops was just the ticket. He was able to do the prep, and the oven took care of the rest. Served with wild rice and roasted green beans, and we had a satisfying meal.

All in all, this is a meal I would recommend making with young chefs, and for older ones, too.

Onion-Baked Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• 4 pork chops, 1 inch thick
• 1 egg, well beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine soup mix and bread crumbs. Dip chops in egg, then bread crumb mixture, until evenly coated.
2. In a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking or roasting pan, arrange chops.
3. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes or until done, turning once.

Kid Cook Saturdays: Week #3

We had a couple of things come up the past 3 Saturdays, so there were no new recipes for Kid Cook Saturdays. And technically, this is Kid Cook Sundays. We had every intention of making this meal on Saturday, but we went out to lunch with my parents and were so full, we ended up skipping dinner altogether.

But we're back on track now!

February 13 - 18th my son was off from school between the weather, the weekend, President's day, and the weather once again. And during that time my son saw a Pillsbury commercial to make "unsloppy joes." I knew we had this week's selection for Kid Cook Saturdays.

We followed the recipe exactly. It calls for a can of sloppy joe sauce, which is not how I usually make sloppy joes. I typically follow The Pioneer Woman's recipe. Using the can of sauce certainly made the preparation easier, especially for my son. But it left a lot to be desired in the flavor department.

As for making the pockets themselves, my son did this with a little help from me. He had so much fun, and was so proud of his work! It was easy enough for him to do that he could feel accomplishment instead of frustration.

We had a little mixture left over, maybe 2/3 cup. I was serving fries with this, so I went ahead and served the leftover sloppy joe over the fries with shredded cheddar and spicy brown mustard. Yum!

The Verdict: We will definitely making this again, and they are worth trying. If you have kids, they are fun to eat and I'm sure they'll be devoured. If you have a budding chef like I do, you have a few options. The rolling out, filling, and folding of the biscuits is the perfect job for younger chefs. For older chefs, they can make the sloppy joes as well. How you make them is all up to you, based on time available and taste preferences. If a young chef is making them, you might want to stick with the can of sauce. Or if that's how you normally make sloppy joes and what your family enjoys, well, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

But as for my family table, I'll be sticking with The Pioneer Woman's recipe. If you want to go this route as well, you have two options: Make the full recipe. You can make the pockets one day with one half, and the sandwiches one day with the other half. You can make the pockets with one half, and freeze the other half for a later date. You could have the recipe altogether. Or you could make the full recipe and just double the amount of pockets if you're feeding a crowd, or ravenous teenagers.

Unsloppy Joe Pockets

Recipe from Pillsbury
Makes 8 pockets

Ingredients:

• Your favorite sloppy joe recipe, made with 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 (16.3 oz) can Pillsbury Grands biscuits
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
• Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Make your favorite sloppy joe recipe with 1 lb. ground beef
2. Preheat oven to 375.
3. Lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray.
4. Roll each biscuit into 6-inch round. Spoon 1/3 cup meat mixture and about 1 tablespoon cheese onto center of each round. Fold dough in half over filling; press to seal.
5. Bake for 9 - 14 minutes, until golden brown.

Kid Cook Saturdays: Week #2

Last week, my son picked spaghetti and meatballs as the meal to make from his cookbook. The meatball recipe was for turkey meatballs. I tried to steer my son towards the meatballs I had growing up: pork, veal and beef. But my son wasn't having it, so turkey meatballs we made.

turkey meatballs, rolled by my son

My son liked the meatballs, and was very proud of himself. My husband and I were proud of him, too, but turkey meatballs aren't our thing. I found them to be a bit on the bland side, so I'm not going to bother sharing the recipe for them with you.

However, if you do have a young one in the kitchen with you, I highly suggest making meatballs together. It's one of the few things where your hands are the best tools for the job. Just roll up your sleeves and dig in. Perfect for little and big hands alike. And then there's the quality family time, making a meal together.

Priceless.

Quick Tomato Sauce

A Country Cooking Original Recipe
Enough for 1 lb. of spaghetti

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 15-oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 6-oz. can tomato paste

Directions:

1. If serving pasta with meatballs, brown meatballs in a 6-qt. Dutch oven. Once browned remove to a plate lined with paper towels.
2. Add onion and garlic to drippings from meatballs. Saut&eaute; until translucent. Add red wine to deglaze pot. Reduce liquid.
3. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Bring to a low simmer. Return meatballs to pan, if you have them
4. Simmer sauce for 20 minutes.
5. Serve with your favorite cut of pasta.

Kid Cooks Saturdays

My son loves to be in the kitchen.

Maybe it's because when he was a toddler I would sit him in his high chair and explain what I was doing as I cooked dinner. Maybe it's because we watch a lot of Food Network, Top Chef, and MasterChef. Maybe he was just born with an interest in food.

Whatever the reason, the older he's gotten the more his interest has grown, and the more he's demanded a role in making our meals. This came to a head over the summer when he saw an episode of Master Chef Junior. He took one look at all those kids on step stools cooking elegant dishes and gave my husband and I a look as if to say You've been holding out on me! I can do more in the kitchen!

And while he's only five, I decided if he wants a more active role in the kitchen he should have one. He may not be the world's next great chef, but odds are he will live on his own at some point and will need to feed himself. And I thought the extra responsibility would help him build confidence, positive self-esteem, and a healthy relationship with food. So for Christmas we gave him a cookbook and declared Saturdays "Kid Cooks Days." He gets to pick the meal we cook on Saturdays, and takes a more active role in its preparation.

Saturday was the first day we did this, to much success. Our son took a few days to flip through his cookbook before deciding chicken chow mein should be our first meal. He helped me with the shopping list, and while he typically goes food shopping with me, the trip had a new level of excitement since we were buying ingredients for his meal.

As for the preparation itself, he made the sauce and sauteed the chicken and vegetables. He was so excited! And he really enjoyed the meal, too, going for seconds. Overall, our first "Kid Cooks Saturdays" was a huge success!

Chicken Chow Mein

Recipe modified from Little Cookies
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 1 15-ounce can baby corn spears
• 12 ounces snap peas
• 2 cups frozen Asian-style sliced peppers, thawed

Directions:

• To make the sauce, in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, peanut oil, and cornstarch. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain.
• In a lrage saute pan or wok over high heat, warm the canola oil. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add the baby corn, snap peas, and peppers to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 5 minutes. Drizzle the soy sauce mixture over the vegetables and cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Return the cooked chicken to the pan, add the noodles, and toss to mix.

Note: The original recipe called for the following ingredients, which we omitted due to personal tastes. Mix and match ingredients to your preference.

• 1/2 pound small shiitake mushrooms, halved
• 3 heads baby bok choy, chopped
• 1 cup bean sprouts