Big Boy in the House

24 May 2010 Filed In: Birthday





We have an official big boy in our midst. Happy Birthday, Liev!

Meatless Monday: Multigrain Empanadas with Herbed Potatoes, Broccoli, Peas and Cheddar Cheese

17 May 2010 Filed In: Appetizers, broccoli, cheese, cooking class, empanadas, Fall, lunchbox, Main Dish, Meatless Monday, peas, potato, Soy-free, Spring, Summer, Vegetarian, Winter





We are constantly on the prowl for good things to put in our lunch boxes, and it seems that other parents (and for that matter, people without children) are requesting new lunch choices as well. Make sure and check out the “lunchbox” category in my sidebar for other ideas to fill your lunch bag.

These empanadas, or calzone if you are Italian, are comforting and full of flavor. If your mini-chef will eat straight up greens, add in some sauteed greens here, too. I left the recipe really pleasing for most kids’ palates, since the green things they love typically include sweet petit pois and broccoli.
In fact, as you might have guessed from the pictures, we had a little bit of trouble actually getting the empanadas filled. The mini-chefs kept doing a big handful for themselves, a little handful for their empanada. So, maybe I should advise you to make even more filling than strictly necessary so that at least some of it makes it into the final dish.
Make these in bulk and freeze them. They are delicious heated up for a few minutes in a 300 degree oven, wrapped first in parchment paper and then in foil, or sent along in a lunchbox at room temperature.
Multigrain Empanadas with Herbed Potatoes, Broccoli, Peas, and Cheddar

*one recipe of Ari’s Honey Wheat Pizza Dough with the following added before the rise:
-three mini-chef handfuls of raw millet
-two or three mini-chef handfuls of raw quinoa
*1 1/2 cups peas, steamed just till slightly tender
*2 cups of broccoli, steamed till just tender and chopped
*2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (sharp is delicious, but even mild is tasty)
*extra flour for rolling out the empanadas

Big Person: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

After the final punchdown of the dough, flour your counter or a large cutting board and separate the dough into 2-inch balls.

Together: Give each mini-chef a dessert plate to sprinkle a little flour upon and have them dip their hands in the flour as well. If they put a mountain of flour on their plate, help them put most of it back in the communal flour bowl and explain that too much flour will make a big rock instead of an empanada.

Hand a dough ball to each mini-chef involved. Roll it around in your hands, sculpting in a “perfect” sphere. Then, slap it down into a pancake with the palms of your hands. Next, you will stretch that pancake out to the size of your dessert plate by starting moving around the circumference of the circle. No worries if there is a hole or two, just press the dough back together to patch up the hole.

Once you have your dough base, begin to add the filling. Add a tablespoon or two of the potatoes, a teaspoon of the peas, a tablespoon of the broccoli, and a big pinch of the cheddar cheese.

Fold the circle into a half-moon shape. Press the empanada dough together at the edges with your finger. For smaller Yummies, you can help them crimp the outer edges of the empanada with a fork, or for older Yummies, have them make a scalloped edge with their fingers.

Place each empanada on the baking sheet so that they are not touching another empanada. Top each with a little bit of the shredded cheddar cheese.

Big Person: Put in the oven and bake for 18-25 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Take out of the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Roast Lamb with Citrus and Rosemary

14 May 2010 Filed In: cooking class, Dairy-free, Fall, Gluten-free, lamb, Main Dish, meat, Soy-free, Spring, Summer, Winter





Our family finds itself searching for recipes that will be pleasing to everyone when we have dinner guests who are struggling with many allergies. Unfortunately, it seems to be quite common these days to have friends who cannot eat dairy, gluten, soy, etc., so we have to think about our options. This lamb roast is our go-to for non-vegetarians who also have a bunch of allergies. Served alongside beautiful heaping helpings of favorite vegetables, it is something that is met with smiles by most Yummies.

A leg of lamb roast is not as earthy as some cuts of lamb; it’s flavor is substantial but fairly mild at the same time. I know that some people, who will eat almost any other meat, refuse lamb. Give this cut a chance. It may be different from that heavier flavor you remember from, say, a lamb shank.
There is an additional benefit of making this roast with your Yummies. You get to put all of the ingredients in a big plastic bag and shake it all up and squish it around. Who doesn’t like to do that?
Roast Lamb with Citrus and Rosemary

*5-6 lb leg of lamb (boneless)
*1/4 c. olive oil
*2 T. fresh rosemary, chopped
*1 t. fresh thyme, chopped
*2 t. fresh mint, chopped
*juice of one small lemon
*juice of half an orange (or the juice of a whole mandarin as we used here)
*2 cloves of garlic, minced
*2 T. Yummies’ Dry Rub for Meat and Veggies or, in a pinch 2 t. paprika, 1 t. salt, and black pepper to taste

Together: in a large plastic zipper bag, combine all of the ingredients, placing the lamb in very last. Seal the bag very well, and let your mini-chef squish it around so that the ingredients completely cover and coat the lamb. Place the bag into a bowl and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.

Big Person: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Set out a roasting pan with a wire rack on top. Take the lamb out of the bag and place it on top of the rack. Put the pan into the oven and cook at 400 degrees for the first 25 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 325 degrees F for the remaining cooking time, about 45 minutes. A meat thermometer should register 130 degrees when placed in the middle of the roast when the meat has been properly cooked.

Take the roast out of the oven and place on a cutting board. Wrap the the roast in foil and let it rest for 7-15 minutes so that the juices will not be lost. Slice and serve.

Our Mermaid

12 May 2010 Filed In: corner view, tribeca

In rain, shine, or even a blizzard, we love to visit our beautiful Mermaid. She is always there, ready with a hug or an armful of snow.

To see other favorite statues and fountains around the world, check out these Corner Views:

Happy Belated Mother’s Day and Sample Sewing for Oliver + S

10 May 2010 Filed In: Crafts, sewing





Hello, Yummies! How was your weekend? Did you spoil your mommy properly and get spoiled yourself?

One of my presents yesterday came from my daughter who had asked Daddio to take her to Purl’s new store on Broome Street to shop. Apparently, she had big plans for this Mother’s Day. Mira informed my husband and the shop clerk that she wanted to pick out a dress pattern and lots of fabric so that I could sew the two of us matching dresses to wear to her birthday party, a few weeks from now.
Oh, and did I mention that she also wanted to include some fabric for me to make her brother a little short suit?
She’s an original.
Sean managed to convince her that maybe a shirt pattern would suffice for the mother-daughter matchy matchy look. She still requires a dress, of course, but she compromised and choose the Amy Butler’s Cabo Halter for me and enough yardage of Anna Maria Horner’s Berry Coloring Garden to make both my halter and the dress for her that she intends to design.
The truth is that she had been watching me work on the 2+2 Blouse and Pleated Skirt by Oliver + S all last week and had fallen in love with the yellow and green leaf fabric from Liesl’s upcoming fabric line, City Weekend. Mira was incensed when she asked me to make her birthday dress out of that fabric, and I informed her that it would not be available for a few months.
“But, Mama! Then why do you have it RIGHT there?”
Good question. Well, I told her, Liesl, the woman who designed the fabric asked me to make these clothes for her with a little tiny bit of the fabric that she sent to me.
“Oh. But, Mama. (Pause. Trying to figure out an angle on all this.) Could I have that outfit then?”
No, Mirita. It’s for Mama Liesl, and besides, it’s a size 3T.
She giggled. “Could we puuuuh-lease just try it on?”
This girl! But, she is right. The fabric, all of it, is gorgeous, and since it will be on its way soon first to Mama Liesl in Brooklyn and then to represent in Minnesota at a quilting show, I figured that one little sneak peek couldn’t hurt.
Happy Belated Mother’s Day! Now, get to work!