Kids in the kitchen: Oreo Truffles

Cooking with kids has its pros and cons. Let's start with the cons: something will get spilled; it will be messy; it will take longer. And now the pros: you'll make memories that'll last a lifetime. The pros have it. (Sappy mommy moment.)

Meet my sous chefs. Chef Eclair is 6 and Chef Nutmeg is 4. Chef Nutmeg actually made her debut here last year, helping me make aioli for Grilled Chicken Banh Mi. They love to cook with me, eagerly pulling out step stools and donning aprons to mix, measure and taste. Inevitably, something ends up on the floor, I have twice the dishes to wash and it takes longer. But the pride on their faces when they taste what they've made is worth all of it.



Yesterday was a snow day for both of them, so early on we opted to keep PJs on all day. In between meetings, I carved out an hour to have lunch with them and make Oreo truffles. This recipe is perfect to make with kids. The steps are easy and the ingredients are kid-friendly. It doesn't take long, so they don't lose interest. And as soon as these are set, they can pop a couple in their mouths!

The kids help me with a lot of different recipes. I'll carve out pieces that are easy for them. Chef Eclair got a set of silicone knives for Christmas so she helps make salads and such. They like to help make Daddy's lunches too, happily piling fillings on his sandwiches. Regardless of what we're making, it's nice to have them by my side, instead of watching TV or playing on their tablets while I work in the kitchen. So go for it, get your kids in the kitchen with you!

3-ingredient Oreo Truffles

Easy 3-ingredient Oreo Truffles are a great recipe to make with kids.

Ingredients

• 18 Oreo cookies
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz. chocolate chips, bittersweet, milk or a combination of the two
• Colored chocolate or sprinkles, to decorate (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Put the Oreos in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until completely crushed.
2. In a bowl, combine the Oreo crumbs and cream cheese until completely blended.
3. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 15 minutes.
4. While the balls are in the freezer, melt the chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler.
5. Dip the balls in the chocolate to cover completely then place back on the parchment paper. If you want to decorate them, melt some colored chocolate in a dish and use a small spoon to drizzle it over the top. IF it's too thick, stir in a teaspoon of shortening to thin it out. Alternatively, let the chocolate harden slightly, then roll them in colored sprinkles.
6. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store in the refrigerator.

Weeknight shrimp risotto with arugula and lemon cream

Yup, I said weeknight risotto. If I can do it, so can you! Think about it: one pot, 30 minutes, a handful of ingredients. Easy peasy! Add cut up shrimp to a basic risotto, then stir in some arugula and top with a little lemon cream.

This would also make a good Friday dinner in Lent which is just around the corner.

Shrimp risotto with arugula and lemon cream
Adapted from Good Food, Good Life by Curtis Stone

An upscale one-pot dinner, this shrimp risotto

Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 medium onion, minced
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp (16 to 20 per pound) cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup loosely packed baby arugula
• 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
• Freshly grated black pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Warm your chicken stock in a small pan or in the microwave.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion and garlic and saute for about 2-3 minutes of until soft, but not browned. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir for 1 minute, or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
3. Add 1 cup of the stock to the rice and allow to simmer, stirring frequently. Continue to add the liquid, 1 cup at a time, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is creamy but still al dente, about 18 minutes.
4. Stir in the shrimp and allow to cook for about 3 minutes or until the shrimp is opaque throughout. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan. Stir in the arugula and lemon juice and season to taste to with salt.
5. Whisk the heavy cream in a small bowl with the lemon zest until thickened. Divide the risotto among 2 large bowls and top with a dollop of the cream. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper over the top and serve.

Pad kee mao (drunken noodles)

Happy Friday people! It's been a long week over here, but my injured little one got a new cast on her leg and can now move her knee - and more importantly, itch the spot behind her knee. Even better, it's date night. Dinner at a new restaurant with my husband!

Tomorrow night I'm tackling Jamie Oliver's duck confit and lentils, but mid-week meals require speed and simplicity which is why I LOVE this Thai recipe. The ingredients can be a little tricky. Fresh rice noodles require a trip to the Asian market. In summer, I grow my own Thai basil, but in February, that too comes from the market. The hardest thing to find in this one is the sweet soy sauce, also known as kecap manis, a sweet and salty thick sauce. I found it at my Asian market, but there's a recipe over at Fuss Free Cooking if you need to DIY. (Local friends, just leave a comment and I'll bring you some from my gigantic bottle).

I've adapted this one to make it kid friendly. In other words, I leave out the delicious chilies in the original. Instead, hubby and I douse it with some sriracha. It's worth the alteration - the kiddoes like the noodles and pork which means 1 pan, 1 dinner and 4 full bellies. Happy mommy!

Pad kee mao (drunken noodles)
Adapted from New York Times Cooking

Typical drunken noodles are spicy, but I leave out the chilies so my kids can enjoy this too. This pad kee mao recipe takes minutes to make and taste like authentic Thai - you can make it in less time than it takes you to order take-out!

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp. dark sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 medium red or orange bell pepper, sliced
• 12 ounces fresh rice noodles
• 2 handfuls Thai or holy basil leaves

Cooking Directions

1. Whisk together the fish sauce, soy sauce and vinegar, and set aside.
2. Put a wok (or a large frying pan) over medium-high heat; when it’s hot, add the oil, the garlic, and the onion. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the pork and a splash of the sauce. Cook, stirring to break up the meat, until the pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the peppers and noodles. Turn the heat to high, and add almost all of the sauce (save a spoonful or two to add later if needed). Cook, tossing everything together and separating the noodles if necessary, until the noodles are coated in sauce and take on a slightly charred flavor from the wok. Taste, and add more sauce if needed. Toss in the basil, and serve immediately.

Lobster, pea, and pea leaf salad

It's hot. Stinky-sweaty kid hot, thank God I run at 5:30 a.m. hot. Maybe not Texas in summer hot, but I'm a bona fide Jersey girl who has had enough of this humidity. And who wants to cook when it's like this (OK, me), let alone eat a big heavy meal.

And so for the first time in all our years of marriage and dating, I served my better half a salad for dinner. I kept it a secret til just before serving (fear of mutiny perhaps). And guess what? He loved it. Even went so far as to say it's better than my lobster BLTs. Whaaaa????

My inspiration? My CSA of course. They gave me fresh peas and beautiful lettuce. So I wanted a dish that highlighted the peas. The lobster is lightly dressed and piled on top of a bed of pea leaves and Romaine. Add red onion, bacon, peas and tomatoes and dinner is done. I find pea leaves at my Asian market. But you could swap another tender green lettuce. And if you cannot get fresh peas, just thaw some frozen ones. Easy-peasy.

Lobster, pea, and pea leaf salad

This light lobster and pea salad is perfect for a light supper on a hot summer night.

Ingredients

Dressing

• 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. sour cream
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tbp. coarse Dijon mustard

Dressing

• Meat from 2 cooked lobsters, each about 1 1/4 pounds
• 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
• 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup grape of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 Tbsp. chopped red onion
• 2 cups pea leaves
• 6 medium Romaine leaves
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Cooking Directions

1. Whisk the dressing ingresients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling salted water until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Toss the pea leaves and Romaine with a little lemon juice and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on 2 plates.
4. Toss the lobster meat with a little of the dressing to coat. Add more as needed, but don't overdress!
5. Pile the lobster in the center of the plate then sprinkle the peas, bacon, onion and tomatoes over the top.

Zucchini noodles with basil and Parmesan

I swear my life has a soundtrack. Songs that play in my head at random moments. Tonight I hear, "cause sometimes you're shown the light in the strangest of places, if you look at it right." The Dead.

I can't actually recall the name of the song. And I for sure know it has nothing to do with, well, zucchini.

Yes, I said zucchini.

To me the lyric is about taking a different approach, looking at things a different way to get a new result. Like the scene from Dead Poets where Robin Williams has the students stand on their desks to get a different perspective.

Translate that to the world of a 3-year old and 5-year old and it means making the zucchini look like something different so that they will try it. And guess what? It worked! More than worked. It was a hit. "I love the noodles.", "These noodles are delicious". And CLEAN plates!!!!

What's the secret? I spiralized. I've rolled my eyes at the thought in the past. But needing creative ways to use my CSA haul, I've ventured to uncharted territory. I got the Kitchenaid attachment and spiralized 3 zucchini. Add a little butter, garlic, parm and fresh basil, and VOILA! A miracle.

Now, one question. How in the heck do I spiralize broccoli??????

PS I served it with a Griggstown chicken that I grilled on a rotisserie and an arugula and beet salad with local goat cheese (all CSA fare). Thank you Dreyer Farms!

Zucchini noodles with basil and Parmesan

When you need a little hope that your kids will one day love their veggies.

Ingredients

• 3 medium zucchini, spiralized (you can buy them already cut at Whole Foods)
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, plus more for garnish
• 8 leaves fresh basil, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt, to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Don't let the butter or garlic brown.
2. Add the zucchini and spinkle with a bit of salt. Saute, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Add the cheese and toss for another minute.
3. Remove from heat and toss in the basil. Adjust seasoning if needed.
4. Garnish with additional cheese to serve.

Avocado salad

"The salad is delicious." Words rarely (ok never) uttered by my husband. We're talking a bunch of raw veggies with some acid and a little oil. Not what he typically gets excited about. I get more compliments on dead creatures, things with bacon, etc. Not salad.

But this salad made history by earning his praise!

It came about because I needed a side to go with Indian grilled chicken legs and some Basmati rice. So I turned to my good friend eatyourbooks.com (shameless plug for the site coming). In seconds, I can search my entire collection of cookbooks for a specific course and ethnicity. I entered Indian and salad and voila! I was presented with a list of about a dozen recipes from my cookbooks. I scanned them and this one won out because I had all the ingredients on hand and it sounded fabulous.

Although the book labels it Indian, the flavors could also go with Mexican or any Latin dish - it uses lime, cumin, and cilantro, all common flavors in those cuisines. Can't wait to make it again when tomatoes are in season and fresh from the farm.

Avocado salad
Adapted from One Spice, Two Spice by Floyd Cardoz

Fresh, bright flavors come together in this amazing salad. Make it a couple hours ahead then toss in the avocado at the end.

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 pint grape and/or cherry tomatoes (preferably a mix of different colors), halved
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, torn
• juice of 1/2 a lime, or more to taste
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 whole Hass avocados, ripe, but not too soft

Cooking Directions

1. Toast the cumin seeds in a small pan until fragrant. Cool slightly then grind with a mortar and pestle.
2. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion and cilantro. Sprinkle the lime juice over and then fold in the cumin and cayenne. Season to taste with salt. NOTE: Recipe can be made up to this point a couple hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Just before serving, halve the avocados, then carefully scoop out each half and cut into chunks. Gently fold it into the tomato mixture. Add more lime juice or salt if needed.