Family Bites

Have a Little Fun With It

I've shared my wisdom (ha!) for putting together school lunches over the past two weeks, but I failed to touch on one of the most important aspects of lunch making in general.  It's two simple words and ones we often forget.  Have fun!  I know, right?  We spend so much time being consumed with what we're putting into the lunchbox that we often forget how to put it in. 

As an event planner, I'm always on the lookout for ways to make food fun. And interesting.  And new.  Here are a few ways you can do that with your school lunches.  In my experience, the more fun a food is, the more likely it is to be eaten. 

Have a "shapes" lunch day:

Round: Roll fillings inside a slice of bread or a wrap, and cut into pinwheels.  Use a small round cookie cutter to cut bits of ham and cheese into circles. Include round crackers, cherry tomatoes, grapes and oranges cut into circles.

Star: Use a star shaped cookie cutter to make little star-shaped biscuits and sandwiches.  Have sliced starfruit or kiwi sliced on the round (they have a star-burst pattern inside).

Have a "colour" lunch day:

Red/Pink Lunch: Pizza, shrimp, strawberry yogurt, red grapes, fruit tea

Green/Blue Lunch:Green beans, green omelette made with peas and chopped parsley, celery, blueberry yogurt, mini cubes of blue cheese, water

Have an "International" lunch day:

Italian:Mortadella, salami and provolone sandwiches, cherry tomato and bocconcini skewers, mini pots of tiramisu, grapes, cooled red fruit tea (red wine for kids)

French: Brie, baguette, walnuts, Dijon potato salad, strawberry cake, French mineral water

Books for Cooks: Baby Gifts

 

My favourite gift to give a new mother is a starter library for her little one.  This consists of four or five books, usually classics, packaged together.  I have ten or twelve different stories that are my go-to books of choice, but if the mama has a hobby or something she is passionate about (like food, nature, art) I try to do themed books for her gift.

A friend, and fellow foodie, recently had her first baby and I put together these four books with her specifically in mind.  I try not to only buy board books, but also picture books so they will be enjoyed for many years to come.  

The book that always makes the cut for this type of gift - foodie mama or not - is The Seven Silly Eaters. We still read this book several times a year and love it more and more each time.  The illustrations are fabulous and most kids can truly identify with the Peters children and their persnickety ways.

Do you like to give books for gifts?  What are some of your foodie-favourites for kids?

Back-To-School Lunch Ideas: A Printable PDF

 

For the first time in years, I'm not dreading the task of making back-to-school lunches.  I usually start the year with good intentions and a mental stash of all the fabulous things I'll make for the boys to eat.  And then.  Real life sets in, work gets busy, I forget to make lunches before I go to bed and before I know it, all of my plans have unraveled and I'm stuck with six months of a task I just can't get excited about it.

But now I'm ready.  I've made a 30-day lunch plan, stocked up on some super cute bento-style lunch bins and have some ideas for how to keep lunch fun and nutritious.  Oh, and I've also saved my list of foods that went into our lunch plan in a PDF format so if you're interested you can print it off as well.  I've made this with my kids' taste and likes in mind but if it can offer you any form of inspiration for your lunches, please feel free to use it.

Download Lunch Ideas

Simple Summer Soup : Corn and Cheddar Chowder

 

If, like us, you're still buying corn at the market because it's in season, inexpensive and delectable, and if, like us, you're feeling a little fatigued of corn-on-the-cob making an appearance each night at the dinner table, this soup is for you.

Made with a handful of basic foods you're likely to have on hand, at home, this is an easy-to-make late-summer soup infused with a just enough spice to remind us that fall really is right around the corner.  The simple simmer of a few ingredients makes this a dinner that can be pulled together quickly using the best of the season in a fresh way.

Place 1 lb. of new potatoes (cut into a large dice and left unpeeled) in a large pot.  Cover with three cups of water, a handful of fresh thyme and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes. 

While the soup simmers, chop 1 large spanish onion.  Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium-high.  Saute the onion until translucent and slightly browned (about 12 minutes).

While the onion is cooking and the soup is simmering remove the kernels from six ears of corn. Place the the corn in a bowl or baking dish and scrape the kernels off by running your knife down the side of each ear. Using a bowl will make it easy to collect the kernels and far less mess will be made. Set aside.

 

Chop three green onions, green and white parts and discard ends.  Set aside.

When the onions are cooked, add them to the pot of simmering soup. Also add the corn, green onions, 1 cup of milk, 1/3 cup half & half and 1 cup of chicken or veggie stock.  Stir well, increase the heat to high, and bring the soup back to a boil and bubble it for 7-8 minutes.

Add 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and 10 grinds of fresh ground pepper to the soup.  Stir well.  Reduce heat to low and add 1 cup grated extra-old sharp cheddar.  Once the cheese has melted stir soup and ladle into bowls (be sure to remove the stems of thyme from the pot before serving).

Enjoy!

Corn and Cheddar Chowder, adapted from Love Soup

• 1 lb new potatoes, diced and unpeeled
• 3 cups water
• 6-7 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 large spanish/yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 cups of corn, scraped from 6-7 ears of corn
• 3 green onions
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup cream
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 10 grinds fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup grated extra-old sharp cheddar cheese

Clean the potatoes and cut into a large dice.  Place them in a soup pot and cover with the water, fresh thyme and salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Chop the onion and saute in the butter and oil until translucent and slightly browned.  While the onion cooks, remove the corn from the ears and set aside.  Slice the green onions, ends removed, and set aside.

Once the onions have cooked add them to the potatoes.  Also add the corn, green onions, milk, cream and stock.  Bring to a boil and allow to bubble for 7-8 minutes.  Add the cumin, paprika and pepper and stir well.  Lower the heat and add the cheese, allowing it to melt completely.  Serve and enjoy.

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Congrats to Emma for winning the Goodbyn Lunchbox!  And thank you to everyone for entering and for your fabulous comments.

Back to School Goodbyn Giveaway

 

This year part of my back to school shopping has included finding a GOOD lunchbox.  I've been wanting to buy Goodbyn lunch containers for the kids for quite some time, but was slightly deterred by the $30 price tag. Then last week I came across them for less than half price in the most unsuspecting of places* and scooped up a few for this year.  I love them so much I want you to enjoy the goodness as well.  So I'm giving one away today! 

The Goodbyn lunchbox is a one-piece plastic container with a fitted lid.  With a built-in handle and water container, this is all you need to get your kids and their lunch off to school.  The whole thing is eco-friendly, made only of recyclable materials and safe plastics.  Oh, and it's dishwasher safe as well.  Are you sold? I think the best selling feature for the boys was the 275 stickers that came included in the box.  These allow for total customization of the lunch bin and who doesn't love that?

    

How do you enter?  It's easy.  Leave a comment below.  Additional entries can also be made by subscribing to Family Bites (via email or RSS feed on the left-side of the page).  I will announce a winner on Monday.  Good luck and Happy Weekend!

 *If you're local, I found my Goodbyns at HomeSense for $12.99

We All Need a Little More Help with Dinner

   
       (image found here)  

It would be remiss for me to post a weeks worth of ideas for quick and easy dinners without directing you to the places the most inspire me.  The sources I turn to, when I need an answer to the question "what's for dinner?". 

My very favourite place to go (for the past seven or eight years anyways) has been Everyday Food. Yes, it's a Martha magazine, which already tells you it's visually nice to look at, but there's also a very good chance every recipe in the publication can be made in the 30-45 minute time frame. Perfect for weeknight family meals.  The recipes tend to be seasonally influenced, fresh and tasty. There is a website, which is a virtual version of the magazine allowing you to search back issues for previously published recipes, as well as a blog!  If you want to subscribe to the magazine it's uber cheap (like $20 for a one year subscription) and certainly worth the price.

With a mission statement like "life made easier, every day", Real Simple is another invaluable resource for getting a yummy dinner on the table in no time at all. With features like "Dinner in 15 Minutes Flat", "6 Ingenious Shortcut Meals", and "40 Simple Shortcut Recipes", quick and easy food really is the mandate here.

                 
 

The now defunct Cookie Magazine  was once my lifeline to like-minded parents.  I was so disappointed when they shut down production, but am incredibly grateful that their online recipe collection is still available for us cooking mamas to delve into.  As an event planner, I have been continuously inspired by the party food recipe features and am waiting for the chance to make the super fun robot cake (with two boys you wouldn't think this would be that difficult).

How about you?  Where do you go to for meal and cooking inspiration?

Paninis Please

 

I'm quite smitten with my panini press and feel it really offers my family a plethora of dinner options, all of which can be ready in less than fifteen minutes.  Gifted to me several Christmases ago, it has become a beloved kitchen gadget despite it's limited use.  I go through phases with my small appliances, and think I'm more seasonally dependent on them that I like to admit.  The ice cream maker is in continuous use from May to October, and the panini press comes out of hibernation those months as well.  Both items seem to find their place back in our cupboard sometime in the early winter, and the slow-cooker then takes centre stage on my counter top.

All of this to say that, while I wish my solution for quick and easy meals including turning out a twenty-minute beef bourguignon, I'll settle for other forms of yumminess via a stuffed sandwich.  And let me tell you, there's something about those grill marks that my boys positively giddy with excitement, making this a win/win meal for all. 

Similar to making a pizza, a tortilla shell or piece of thick-sliced bread can be lightly buttered or oiled and topped with an assortment of favourite ingredients, then grilled to warmed perfection.  Don't worry, if you don't have a panini press you can create a similar sandwich by using a regular pan and a foil-covered brick (heat a small amount of oil in a pan, add the sandwich and cover with the brick to "press" the sandwich flat), or alternatively you can make them in a toaster oven.  

These sandwiches really make for a simple dinner, which makes for a simpler evening and it's hard to argue with any form of simplicity these days, isn't it? 

Panini Sandwiches

Here is a list of some possible filling combinations, or at least the ones that our family enjoys:

• Leftover roasted butternut squash, grated Granny Smith apple, walnuts and parmesan cheese
• Black beans, mashed sweet potato, roasted garlic and cheddar cheese
• Turkey, cranberries, spinach and brie
• Pesto, prosciutto, arugula and roasted red peppers
• Roast beef, red onions, basil mayo and provolone cheese
• Chicken, pears, mozzarella and arugula
• Peanut butter, honey, banana and pecans
• Tuna, cheddar and tomato
• Chicken, dried apricots, apple and  brie
• Roasted squash, red pepper and Monterrey Jack cheese
• Scambled eggs, pepperoni, pizza sauce and cheddar cheese

Can you think of something I may have missed? What do you love to eat in your grilled sandwiches?

Ten Reasons to Let Your Kids Choose What's For Dinner

              
               (Ben, 2006)

1. Whatever they choose to eat is likely less complicated (read easy) to make than anything you may have been considering.
2. It's fun to see things through the eyes of a child.  Eating like them once in a while is no exception.
3. Because we all deserve a night off every now and then.
4. If they choose dinner, they just might want to cook dinner, and everyone in the family benefits from that.
5. It's a healthier alternative to eating out.
6. Kids have an innate ability to keep things simple.  Meaning your dinner, if selected by them, will likely be simple too.
7. It will keep them occupied for a good hour or so, while they debate what to eat when it's their turn to choose.
8. The feeling you get when a vegetable makes the menu cut, is worth it's weight in gold alone.
9. It will be the easiest and and quickest meal you'll eat all week (see # 1 & 6)
10. Because kids rock (or so, Jackson, my awesome eight year old, tells me).

Lazy Lasagna

 
  
With the exception of the tri-colour vegetable variety found in the aisles of my local grocery store, I have yet to meet a pasta my boys didn't love. For them it's the ultimate comfort food, and for me it's a dinner I can be sure the whole family, canine child included, will enjoy. It also serves as a vehicle for plenty of other good for you foods (read veggies) which go down with nary a problem when covered in meat sauce and some gooey cheese.

The kids' preferred pasta dish is Lasagna and I can hardly blame them. What's not to love about layers of noodles, meat sauce and mozzarella? From a cooks perspective it is a delectable dish, but not necessarily one for the weeknight dinner table. Or it wasn't, until I came across this recipe way back in 2004.   Since then, I've been making this a few times a year and each time I do I give my hand a little slap for forgetting just how easy it is to put together. In the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta, the meat sauce is cooked and cheese topping assembled.  It browns and bubbles in the oven, allowing me to take care of other things that need to be done.  Lazy?  Yes.  Delicious?  Without a doubt. 

Do you have a "lazy" version of a favourite recipe?

Lazy Lasagna

• 1 box penne
• 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
• 1 pound ground turkey (or beef)
• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 24 oz tomato sauce (homemade or jarred)
• 1 container ricotta
• 1 egg
• 2 cups mozzarella, grated
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano

Put on a pot of salted water to boil.  Cook pasta until tender and cooked through.  Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the turkey and cook for 4 - 5 minutes or until browned.  Add the carrots, zucchini and onion and cook for a few more minutes or until the veggies are soft.  Pour in the tomato sauce and 1 tablespoon of the oregano and mix well.  Set aside.

Combine the ricotta, egg and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese in a bowl.  Set aside.

For assembly: Spread half the meat sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.  Cover with all of the pasta.  Spread the cheese mixture over the pasta.  Top with the remaining meat sauce.  Sprinkle with the other cup of mozzarella and leftover oregano.  Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbling.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Bits and Bites: The Goods from this Week

 

Happy, Happy Weekend!

Are you as happy as I am that's it's finally Friday.  This week passed me by without a single food photo being taken.  We were either too hurried, too hungry or too lazy to spend any time with the camera.  Which resulted in me sharing nothing with you other than my thoughts on the one-bite rule and plan for back-to-school lunches

So, today I will share with you the wonderful recipes I saw while I was out and about perusing the web this week.  Really yummy stuff, friends.  And next week I'll be back with FIVE new recipes.  It's a weeks worth of 20-30 minute meals as I prepare for life in September - when school, hockey and work are simultaneously in full swing.

• I love this idea of root beer float cupcakes.

• SimpleBites offers some wonderful suggestions for "non-supper" meals (oh, and I'm quoted in this one)

• Pizza cups would be great in the lunch-box.

• Peaches are still available in abundance and Martha has 40 sweet recipes for these summer gems.

• I want to make this for dinner