Ketchup Makeover: Apple Ketchup for Meatless Monday

03 May 2010 Filed In: cooking class, Dairy-free, Fall, Gluten-free, Meatless Monday, Side Dish, Snacks, Soy-free, Spring, Summer, tomato, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter




Happy May, Yummies!

Is ketchup a major part of your life? The mini-chefs, my own definitely included, love getting to dip. Most of all, they love to dip in ketchup. That heavenly, slightly sweet stuff has allowed kids who, at first, would not try what we were making that day take an eensy taste and then to dig in and enjoy the dish.
All of this dipping led me to the conclusion that we needed to figure out a healthful version of our beloved ketchup.
Now, I know parents who do not like their children to have ketchup. American children really do have a love affair with the stuff. But, we’re keeping it real over here and offering options. If they will try Lemony Potatoes with Fresh Herbs or Quinoa Croquettes if only it involves placing a little dollop of the red stuff on the side, I’m in.
Here we tried it on top of A’s Special Meatloaf Loaded with Veggies Galore, but as you might already know around your place, there’s not much that you could make that would not taste better dipped into some apple ketchup.
Apple Ketchup

*1 cup apple sauce***
*3 cups strained tomatoes
*1 t. local honey, optional
*small pinch of salt

Have your mini-chef, measure out all the ingredients and help place them in a small saucepan. Then let them mix everything together before Big Person takes it to the stovetop.

Big Person: Heat the ketchup mixture over medium heat till it starts to simmer, turn the heat down and let it cooked, uncovered till the amount reduces by 1/2. Stir occasionally.

When the ketchup is ready, let it cool to room temperature or refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 weeks.

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Animal House

28 April 2010 Filed In: corner view




In the City, having a dog is like having another child. In our house, we get both at once.

Have you ever seen “My Life as a Dog“? Yep, that’s us.
Animal lover? Check out these other creatures all over the world:

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Meatless Monday Side Dish: Lemony Potatoes with Fresh Herbs

26 April 2010 Filed In: cooking class, Dairy-free, Fall, Gluten-free, herbs, Meatless Monday, potato, Side Dish, Soy-free, Spring, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter





During the springtime our classes begin to venture into planting and container gardening so that the Yummies understand firsthand that our food comes directly from the earth to our ingredient trays, with little fuss in between. After planting a large rosemary plant in this class last week, we immediately picked a hefty sprig of it and cooked up a dish in its honor.

With all the carb-hating that goes on these days, I honestly feel sorry that so many people will not eat potatoes at all. They are really not bad for you; in fact, they have some very charming nutritional qualities. Red potatoes, for example, contain iron and vitamin C and even a bit of protein.
Furthermore, this particular dish is simple but divine. One of the moms who had to miss class last week and sent her Yummies with a sitter got to take home a large container of our potatoes to taste. She called later to ask what on earth was in them. She had to know because she wanted to make them immediately. Luckily, they are simple to make, perfect for a mini-chef OR a beginning big chef. The fresh herbs really make these special, but in the middle of winter, or if you do not have access to a kitchen garden, use half the amount of dried herbs instead.
Lemony Potatoes with Fresh Herbs

*2 lbs small potatoes (such as red, creamer, Peruvian blue, etc.), cut into 1/2-inch chunks
*1 heaping tablespoon chopped rosemary
*2 t. chopped oregano
*2 t. chopped thyme
*1 T. olive oil
*1/2 t. salt
*1/2 t. black pepper
*the juice of one lemon

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. When you cut the potatoes, place them in a large bowl filled with cold water till you are ready to add them to the rest of the ingredients.

Together: Combine the herbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Let your mini-chef squeeze the lemon juice into the bowl. Whisk everything together.

Add the potatoes, and mix it all together with your hands. Then, pour it all into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Pour in enough water so that the water level around the potatoes is about an inch high.

Big Person: Put the baking dish into the oven and bake for a half hour, or until all of the water evaporates and the tops of the potatoes begin to turn golden.

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oliver + s Ice Cream Dress

25 April 2010 Filed In: Crafts, new york, sewing



Look who stepped out in her Ice Cream Dress.

If you’re downtown and need a little treat, even without the proper dress, you can stop by this truck and find a scoop of heaven. Ahhh!
Happy Weekend, Sweets!

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Meatless Monday: Tri-Color Panini

19 April 2010 Filed In: basil, cheese, Fall, Main Dish, Meatless Monday, Soy-free, Spring, Summer, tomato, Vegetarian






When you have a few picky eaters, as in my 4-5 year olds’ class, you have to find sneakier ways to pump up the nutritional volume. And, since we were planting basil in class last week, we made one of my favorite dishes for picky eaters: the tri-color sandwich or, as you might want to call it for the very picky eater, also in our class, “the pizza sandwich”.

You have three rich colors and flavors inside the ciabatta bread. First, there’s the white: fresh local mozzarella that oozes when you bite in. The red and the green are melded together: tomatoes roasted with olive oil and basil and just enough salt and pepper. Use basil fresh from your kitchen windowsill garden, like we did for an extra touch of home-grown goodness. Feel free, too, to experiment with the bread and use a whole-grain version.
While it sounds simple, and is simple to make, the small attention to the tomatoes makes this something warm and special to serve when guests come over for lunch.
Click on over to Meatless Monday for more delicious suggestions on vegetarian delights, and then click to their sister site, Kids Cook Monday to check out great family recipes, including some special Tribeca Yummy Mummy recipes.
Tri-Color Panini of Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil
makes 2 large ciabatta sandwiches, enough for 4 children


*one ball of local mozzarella (or smoked mozzarella, which is also so delish)
*1 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes
*2 T. extra virgin olive oil
*1 heaping T. fresh basil, finely chopped (plus extra leaves, to taste)
*1/2 t. salt
*2 small cloves garlic
*black pepper, to taste
*two 6-inch ciabatta rolls

Big Person: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the ciabatta rolls in half with a serrated knife

Together: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the tomatoes and garlic onto the baking sheet and drizzle them with the olive oil. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, and basil. Using your hands, toss everything together so that the tomatoes are completely coated.

Big Person: Roast the tomatoes in the oven for 20-30 minutes, shaking the pan a couple of times along the way. When the tomatoes are beginning to brown, pull them out to cool in the pan.

Together again: Assemble the sandwiches. First, using a pastry brush, dip into the extra olive oil on the parchment paper, around the tomatoes. Use this olive oil to paint the inside of the ciabatta bread, tops and bottoms.

On the flat, bottom layers of ciabatta, have your mini-chef place a single layer of mozzarella slices. Now place a layer of the tomatoes on top of that. Extra basil leaves can go on top of that, or just leave them off for a picky non-leaf eater.

Big Person: Heat a grill pan over medium-low heat. Oil the pan with a little olive oil or other veggie oil to prevent sticking.

Place the sandwiches down on the grill, and then put a heavy pan on top of the sandwiches (we use our largest cast iron skillet for this with great results). Cook 3-5 minutes on each side, till the mozzarella oozes, and the panino has grill marks on both sides.

Wait a couple of minutes before serving the sandwiches.

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