Cooking For Different Tastes

I don't think our family is that unusual in that all of us have different preferences and levels of pickiness. My husband, for example, will eat anything I put in front of him. My older son, at 16, is pretty much the same way, because he's a teenager who eats everything in sight, really. My younger son, at almost 14, has always had a more sensitive palate (part of which, I think, stemmed from issues of lactose intolerance and reflux as a baby/toddler), and although he's getting better and is willing to try things (it's a rule at our dinner table), he is much more picky about what he eats. And it's hard to know, exactly, what he will eat, since sometimes he doesn't like something because of the flavor, other times it's because of the texture. Sigh.

For someone who is an adventurous cook and who rarely makes the same thing twice (really!), it can be a challenge to make things that are interesting yet will appeal to everyone. I never did get into the habit of being a short-order cook (making one meal for the kids and another for the adults), but I do like to make things that everyone will eat, so one of my tricks is to plate things in layers. Also, if someone doesn't like what I make, he is free to make something else of their own choosing, but I won't make it for them. My youngest son learned early on to make his own PB&J (not the healthiest thing, but I always had at least one vegetable he would eat, too).

One way I did this, especially when the kids were littler, is to make pasta, but before I put on a sauce, I would put some of the plain noodles in a bowl for my youngest, then a bowl of pasta with sauce for my oldest son, then pasta, sauce and extras (sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, olives, etc) for my husband and me. This is relatively easy to do for pasta, but one can only eat so much pasta. Another trick is with sauces. Grill up some chicken, keep it plain for the kids, do veggies (raw carrot sticks for one, roasted or grilled for the rest of us -- no biggie, since they have to be prepped anyway), then add a sauce (pesto or romesco, for example) that people can put on their plate as they wish. Same with salads and noodle bowls (two of our favorite types of meals), along with a "snack plate" which I have blogged about before. Tacos, of course, are also popular in our house, because I just put every part out, and they make them how they want. But sometimes, you want something a little more sophisticated.

A recipe I found on Epicurious encapsulates this idea very well, and it's relatively easy to do. It's a spice-rubbed pork tenderloin with grains (you can choose farro, rice, quinoa -- whatever the majority of your family can tolerate) and a salad with a sauce, building flavor from one level to the next.

The recipe gives three options for seasoning the pork loin. I chose the middle option, which included salt, pepper, cumin and brown sugar, because I knew my pickiest would still eat it if it had cumin on it, plus, you can add a little (not as much as in the recipe) to get a hint of the spice, without being very forward with it.

I then chose to make the grain salad with farro, which I have made before. Everyone in my family is pretty adventurous when it comes to grains, so I don't have to worry about that, but this would work just as well with rice. You can see for the simplest plate I made, I separated out all the grain salad elements, which is easy to do, since you just need to set aside unseasoned tomatoes and cucumbers as you prep them (in this case, I left the cucumbers off all together, since he won't eat them). I usually just have plates out and make my son's plate as I go along. For the next level of flavor, I knew my older son didn't like olives, so I made the salad up to the point of adding the olives and feta, serving some up on his plate before I tossed everything together. To get him to try the feta, I served a small bit on his plate, separate from the grain salad.

Then, for my husband and me, I added the olives and feta to the salad, and served with the pan sauce. Because my youngest likes broccoli, I added some steamed broccoli to everyone's plates as well. It complemented the rest of the dish, and we can always use an extra helping of veggies, right?

Do you have simple ways to serve meals that appeal to different tastes? Please share your ideas!

A Simple Salad -- When It's Too Hot To Cook

I know I've posted about it before, but here in Virginia it can get too hot to even think about turning on the stove or oven.  On those nights, I like to do a salad, but it has to be filling enough for my husband and pre-teen (I can't believe I have one of those already!) so they don't feel like they need to eat again an hour later, so making sure there is protein is key. Also, the kale and beans serve to really fill you up!

Here is a salad that hits all the right notes:

Trendy superfood (kale) -- check
Protein (tuna) -- check
Fiber (veggies and beans) -- check
Flavor (Dijon dressing and roasted red pepper) -- check

It's chewy, crunchy, creamy, and tangy, hitting even more of the tastes and textures that make eating enjoyable.  Also, to take a little of the chew and (sometimes) bitterness out of the kale, I have a little trick that you might find useful.  After ripping it into bite-sized pieces, I massage a little olive oil into the leaves and let it sit on the counter at room temperature for a few minutes.  It changes the texture just enough to make the leaves a little more tender -- no heat involved!

The tuna and the Dijon dressing reminds me of my student days when I studies in the South of France, so I will call it:

Provencal Tuna Salad

1 bunch kale
1/4 cup olive oil plus 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp white wine or cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

1 can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 jar (6.7 oz) good quality tuna packed in olive oil (I got mine at the Fresh Market)
1 stalk celery, chopped into a small dice
1 roasted red pepper, chopped into a small dice

First, clean and pull the leafy part of the kale off the the stalk, discard the stalks (or save them -- I keep a bag in the freezer and put kale stalks, carrot peels, celery ends and such to make vegetable stock once the bag is full). Tear the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces, put in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil.  Using your hands (cooking can get messy, my friends), rub the olive oil on to the leaves, kind of like giving the kale a massage. I'm not kidding.  After the oil has been (more or less) evenly distributed on the kale leaves, set the bowl aside while you put together the rest of the salad.

In a separate, medium-sized bowl, put the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, Dijon mustard and vinegar. Using a fork, whisk the dressing ingredients together until completely combined.  Taste, then add salt and/or pepper to your liking.

[TIP: for a general vinaigrette, the oil to acid ratio is about 3:1, but you can also adjust that ratio to your liking as well -- start with three parts oil to one part vinegar, combine and taste. If it's too acid or sharp tasting, add more oil.  If it's too oily, add a little more acid, which can be vinegar, lemon juice, etc.]

Then, just dump the rest of the ingredients (beans, tuna, chopped celery, chopped bell pepper) into the dressing and carefully combine.

To serve, put some kale in a bowl, then top with some of the tuna-bean mixture:

 

This makes 4-6 servings, depending on how hungry your family is.  I had enough kale left over to make kale chips and have some of the tuna-bean mixture for lunch the next day.  :-) Let me tell you, that even my picky eater liked some of this (he ate the tuna-bean mixture, but didn't like the red bell pepper). He probably would have eaten it if I had used raw bell pepper...and my oldest, who eats almost anything, ate all of his kale first.  I almost cried, I was so proud!

Which brings me to my next point -- this is a really flexible dish.  If you don't have roasted red bell pepper, then don't use it. Sub in an extra stalk of celery, or a raw bell pepper, red onion, whatever.  If you can't find tuna fillets packed in oil (I used Tonnino brand), then use regular tuna, but add a little bit more seasoning (herbes de provence would be good, or oregano). It's your salad; these are just guidelines.  Have fun with it!

5-minute Lunch - No Kidding!

I love being home for the summer with the kids, but lunchtime can be a chore, ammiright? My kids could eat peanut butter and jelly every day, but I get bored with sandwiches and salads seem to take so long with washing and chopping, so I was trying to think about something quick and filling but didn't take tons of prep work.  Plus, it's hot, so avoiding turning on the stove or oven is a plus, so I came up with this:

Marna's 5 minute Lunch

1/2 avocado
2 radishes
one mini-cucumber (or half of an English cucumber)
lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

You want it to be a little chunky, so don't worry about getting small pieces making them exactly the same size. Just chop up the avocado, radishes and cucumber like this:

Then drizzle with a little olive oil (you shouldn't need more than 2 tsp, if you prefer to measure) and a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt and a little pepper. Toss it together and there you have it!  Simple, refreshing, filling -- just what I need for lunch in the summer.  You can switch things up, too. No radish? Use tomato.  Leftover green beans from last night's dinner? Throw those in, too.  Fresh herbs to use up? Use 'em!  Just don't get too carried away, though, since the main point of this is simple and easy.  :-)

What do you like to make for lunch when it's hot out?

A Delicious, Healthy Start to the New Year

Hi Everyone!  Happy New Year!  I've kind of been slacking on my blog the past couple of weeks, but we traveled to Minnesota, and I took a little break to enjoy quality time with family and friends back in my hometown.

For whatever reason, I was constantly eating while I was home (I'll blame my mother).  So many yummy treats (fudge, cookies, cake...) and my self control was completely AWOL.  But now that I'm back on my home turf, I'm ready to get back to healthier eating.

The first post of the New Year, I have to admit, isn't even a personal recipe, but one I got from Martha Stewart.  It's a chicken salad with apple, beets and pomegranate.  Look at that picture!  It was gorgeous, and I just had to make it.


It did not disappoint.  Even my youngest, pickiest son ate it (well, the chicken and the greens and the apples -- I separated them out for him), but he did like the dressing.  I love this because it's bright (from the orange vinaigrette), crunchy (from the pomegranate seeds and apples), and satisfying (from the roasted beets and chicken).  I also felt pretty healthy eating it, so even bigger bonus!

Hope you enjoy this salad as much as I did.  I promise I'll be back soon with something a little more original (or at least the entry I intended to post while I was in Minnesota -- dated but still tasty).  :-)

Simplicity

Often, the best dishes are those that are so simple, but using the best ingredients at their peak flavor.  Summer is especially good for this kind of cooking, because there are so many fresh, ripe, flavorful foods available.  There's just something about excellent ingredients, prepared in a way that honors the flavors, that I really admire and strive for.

A case in point is my favorite corn salad.  It's amazingly simple, yet everything blends so perfectly that it's the best tasting little salad you've ever had.  Honestly. It positively reeks of summer.  This recipe calls for fresh corn, and it's best if you make it with corn straight from the cob, but I've made it with frozen corn with good results as well.  Just don't leave out the basil, because it really makes the dish.

I have to confess that I didn't make up this recipe.  It comes from Ina Garten, who is masterful with bringing the full flavor out of a few simple ingredients.  I love her, even though I find her voice and manner on Food Network really irritating.  Maybe that's just the way they talk up in the Hamptons.  I've never been there. If you don't own any of her cookbooks, I highly recommend them. I have the first one, "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook," but I've looked at many, and they are all fabulous.

Ina Garten's Fresh Corn Salad:

5 ears corn, shucked
1/2 cup small-diced red onion (about one small onion)
3 Tbsp good olive oil (extra virgin)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chiffonade fresh basil leaves (that's just a fancy way of saying "cut the basil leaves cross-wise into thin strips" - I stack the leaves on top of each other, then slice cross-ways)

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes, until the starchiness is just gone (How will you know the starchiness is gone? I have no idea, I just do what Ina says, so boil those ears for 3 minutes). Drain and immerse cobs in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color (Congratulations!  You've just blanched your corn! When you see that term in other recipes, that's what it means: cooking briefly in boiling water.  "Shocking" is what you're doing when you immerse it in the ice water to stop the cooking process. It also helps veggies keep their color).  When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.

Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onion, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for the seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

Serves 4-6

You Say Tabbouleh, I Say Tabouli

As I was making tabbouleh, I remembered why I never make it.  Lots of chopping.  Lots and lots of chopping.  But I wanted to make something with some cracked wheat that's been sitting in the cupboard for a while, and we were getting together with friends for a Father's Day barbeque.  Tabbouleh is a nice side dish for the summer, because you can serve it cold or have it sit out to room temperature and it's still going to taste good.  Also, if your culinary skills aren't where you want them to be, this is an easy recipe to make, and people will think you know what you're doing.  The only "cooking" you do is boiling water, which you then just pour over the cracked wheat (also known as bulgar -- it took me a while, plus asking someone at the grocery store, to find it).

Side note: I still don't know how it's supposed to be spelled.  When I was looking for recipes, I found it spelled at least 3 different ways.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not a big fan of tabbouleh.  I think the parsley taste is often too overwhelming for me, or maybe I've had one too many instances of the cracked wheat being too crunchy. I don't know, but I did find a recipe on Epicurious that had lots of mixed herbs that served to mellow out the parsley taste, so I thought I would share it with you.  It was really tasty -- especially on a hot day when you don't want to do a lot of cooking. As I was chopping the final bunch of parsley, I realized I could probably toss everything in the food processor and pulse it to the right consistency.  I will try that next time, for sure!

LEMON AND FRESH HERB TABBOULEH

(click on the title to go straight to the original recipe on Epicurious.com)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup medium- or fine-grain bulgur

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (about 3 bunches) - I used regular, curly parsley this time

3/4 cup diced red onion

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Stir together the bulgur and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heatproof bowl. Add boiling water to cover. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain in a sieve, pressing on the bulgur to remove any excess liquid.

 2. Transfer the bulgur to a large bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the rest of the ingredients until everything is well mixed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Serve cold. Serves 8 (more if it's served as an appetizer)

It takes a few ingredients, but the only thing you have to cook is the cracked wheat (bulgar).  You can see it in the bowl on the left with the plastic wrap on top.

The Best Salad Dressing Ever!

With the weather starting to warm up, I wanted to share my favorite salad dressing. I found it in one of my favorite new cookbooks, Savoring The Seasons of the Northern Heartland, which has tons of great recipes, some traditional and some offered up by some of the best restaurants and chefs in the northern Midwest.

I first made the dressing as part of the recipe for a chicken salad with apples and pecans, but I was blown away by the sweet-savory combination of the Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette.  I love it so much, I would eat it with a spoon.  It's really that good.  The cookbook also suggests using the vinaigrette as a basting sauce for chicken, pork, or steak. I haven't used it for basting, but I'll bet that would taste super, too.

The salad that I put together had fresh greens (of course), deli ham, dried cranberries, diced apples, walnuts and some cut up dried apricots.

My sister-in-law once said that the best salads are ones that others make, maybe because of the prep time involved with all the slicing and dicing.  I do think, though, that simpler is better in terms of number of ingredients.  I don't usually add more than 4-5 to the greens, although there are other schools of thought, exemplified by my step-dad, who puts any leftover bits and bites that happen to be in the fridge.  I call it the "Anything tastes fine with enough ranch dressing" method of salad composition.  He seems to like it, so who am I to judge?  ;-)





Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette

from Savoring The Seasons of the Northern Heartland
makes 2 cups

1/3 cup cider vinegar
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 shallots, peeled and diced
1 tsp freshly ground paper
1 Tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon coarse mustard
2/3 cup maple syrup (I highly recommend using pure maple syrup)
1 cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil and it turned out just as tasty)

Put the first 7 ingredients (everything except the oil) into a blender. Blend on high, then pour in the oil in a slow stream (with the blender still running) and process until thick.