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If you’ve ever tried to get reservations for Mother’s Day brunch or dinner, you probably realize it’s next to impossible unless you book months in advance. This year treat Mom to a dinner the children can make with just a bit of adult supervision. The menu is impressive and easy for little cooks to manage. Start with a raspberry vinaigrette salad with grapefruit slices, lettuce and walnuts. The main course are chicken breasts stuffed with ham and cheese accompanied by rice pilaf and carrots glazed with orange juice. Purchase Mom’s favorite dessert to finish the meal.

What you’ll need:
Package of pre-washed ready-to-serve salad
Raspberries
Apple cider vinegar
Mild cooking oil
Walnuts
Fresh grapefruit slices
Rotisserie or Baked chicken breasts
Provolone cheese
Honey baked ham
Rice
Cream of chicken soup
Frozen peas
Frozen chopped onions
Frozen carrots
Orange juice concentrate
Butter
Cooking utensils

Salad
The tang of the grapefruit slices is complimented by the crunch of the walnuts and sweetness of the raspberries in this easy to pull together salad. For four servings you’ll need two packages of ready-to-serve lettuce, 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup of cooking oil, and 4 to 6 ounces of fresh raspberries. If you can’t find fresh, use frozen unsweetened berries. Mix the vinegar, oil and raspberries together and set aside. When you’re ready to serve, toss the dressing with the lettuce and divide onto four plates. Arrange four to five grapefruit slices on the lettuce and sprinkle with walnuts. Now that was easy.

Chicken
Moms will be impressed when you bring out this chicken dish. The creamy cheese and salty ham bring out the best in the chicken. It looks like it took lots of time and talent to make. Surprise, since it starts with purchased cooked chicken breasts, you don’t need much time or talent. When you purchase the chicken breasts ask the server to cut a pocket in each breast. About 30 minutes before dinner is ready, stuff a slice of ham and a slice of cheese into each pocket. Wrap the breast in foil and warm in a 350 F oven for 20 to 30 minutes until hot and the cheese has melted. Remove the foil to serve.

Rice Pilaf
All right so this isn’t the traditional rice pilaf but it’s easy for kids to put together. For four servings put one cup of rice, one 15 ounce can of cream of chicken soup and one cup of low sodium chicken broth in a baking dish. Add 1 cup of frozen peas and 1 cup of frozen chopped onions. Stir. Bake in a 350 F oven for 40 minutes until the rice is cooked. You can bake this at the same time the chicken is warming, just give it a head start. Triple the recipe for leftovers so Mom doesn’t have to cook dinner the next day. Chop two slices of ham for each serving. Mix with the left over rice pilaf. Put in a fresh baking dish and cover with slices of provolone cheese. Heat until the cheese is gooey.

Carrots
Kids love carrots and adults will love these carrots bathed in a glaze of orange juice and butter. If you start with packaged frozen carrots there’s no peeling or chopping required. Since the carrots have been blanched before they’ve been frozen, they don’t need much cooking time. You’ll need three cups of carrots for four servings. Place in a microwave safe bowl. Nuke on high for one minute at a time until the carrots still have some crunch to them, probably no more than three minutes total. Before the last minute of cooking time, add 1/4 cup of orange juice concentrate and 1/4 cup of butter. It’s Mother’s day so splurge on real butter not the fake stuff.

Mother’s Day is just about a month away. Of course you could always take your little ones to the mall to buy a present but wouldn’t it be more fun if they made their mother a present? Or what about a Mother’s Day tea, picnic in the park or breakfast in bed. Here’s are a few easy ideas for mothers day breakfast children can make.

Fabulous French Toast
Use frozen French toast. Cut into heart shapes with a cookie cutter. Cover the top of the heart with sliced fresh strawberries. Outline the heart shape with canned whipped cream topping. If you don’t like strawberries use whole raspberries. Or make a two toned heart with blueberries and raspberries.

I Love Mom Breakfast Rollups
Spread a burrito size flour tortilla with cream cheese, whipped cream cheese is easy for little hands to spread. Sprinkle the cream cheese with brown sugar and dried cranberries. Roll up, put in a zip lock bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Have an adult cut the rolled burrito into three slices. Arrange the slices around a bowl of fresh strawberries sprinkled with brown sugar and a dollop of whipped cream or whipped topping.

Mother’s Day Breakfast Parfait for Special Mothers
Use a large ice cream sundae glass. Put cornflakes (or your Mom’s favorite breakfast cereal) in the bottom of the glass to about 1/3 full. Place a scoop of ice cream next and press down a bit so the ice cream is smooshed down in the glass. Put another layer of cornflakes and then another scoop of ice cream. Finish it off with chocolate syrup. caramel sauce, butter scotch sauce or fresh fruit.

Mothers Day Breakfast Easy Eggs Benedict
These aren’t the real deal because hollandaise sauce is a little tricky for kids to make. Toast an English muffin. Spread with butter. Add fresh spinach leaves, topped with a slice of deli ham or bacon if you prefer on top of each muffin half. Slice a hard boiled egg on top of the muffin. Mix together one tablespoon of mayonnaise with 1/2 teaspoon of mustard. Place a dollop of the mixture on top of the eggs.

Elegant Scrambled Eggs
Mix together two well-beaten eggs with one tablespoon of cream or half and half. Scramble over low heat. When the eggs are set but still creamy add 1 tablespoon of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of tiny cooked shrimp and 1/2 teaspoon of snipped dill. Stir through to heat and melt the cream cheese. Serve on toast points. This recipe is more appropriate for older children since there is cooking involved.

There you have four easy and quick Mother’s Day Breakfast Ideas.

May 1, 2012

Everybody has a St. Patrick’s Day dinner with corned beef and potatoes, not exactly a healthy dinner recipe,  but not too many people celebrate with a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast.  Start your family off with a hearty breakfast so they can get started searching for that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Green Eggs and Ham: Heat up diced ham in pan then prepare the eggs to scramble.  Right before you cook the eggs add liquid green food color to the eggs then cook. Serve with green grapes, honey dew melon, kiwi or green apple. Cut toast in shamrock shapes using a cookie cutter. Mix green food coloring into butter and spread on toast.

Lucky Breakfast: Layer lucky charms breakfast cereal and vanilla or key lime pie yogurt. Serve with the green fruit above. Add a few drops of green food coloring to make the yogurt a darker green.

St. Patty’s Pancakes: Make your pancakes recipe adding green liquid food coloring. If you have special pancake shapers use them to make a clover or top hat shape. You can use cookie cutters made out of metal but they get very hot and have to pulled off the pan with tongs.  Make small silver dollar size pancakes.  Put three of them together in a shamrock shape on the plate.  Outline the shape with whipped cream and then drizzle with mint jelly or pancake syrup.

Serve toasted bagels with cream cheese tinted green and orange marmalade.  Or toast with mint jelly.  Cut an orange in half and that’s your pot of gold.  Cut a large orange in half, scrape out the orange and save for another use.  Fill the orange with pineapple chunks for the gold. Chopped peaches or apricots work as well. Drizzle with lemon yogurt.

Toad in the Hole:  A classic English breakfast gone Irish.  Spray large muffin tin with cooking spray.  Butter a slice of white bread.  Gently push the bread into the muffin cup to form a cup shape. Break a raw egg into each toast cup. Salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, spinach or a mixture of your favorite herbs.  Bake at 350 degrees until eggs are set, about 15 minutes.  Lift the toast cups out of the muffin tin and serve.  Add sausage links to the plate for a heartier breakfast.

Green Quiche:  add spinach to your favorite quiche recipe.

All breakfasts can be served with green fruit. You can also mix and match. Have green eggs and ham, toast topped with mint jelly and green grapes.

The New Year is fast approaching and you may be thinking about a gourmet dinner for a group of close friends or just with your special someone. Since you want to concentrate on celebrating, rather than always keeping an eye on the kitchen, choose a menu that’s luxurious but not time consuming to prepare. Truffle oil imparts an unmistakable rich earthy aroma and flavor that’s delicate at the same time. Like truffle mushrooms add truffle oil to a dish at the last minute. Cooking dissipates the truffle’s flavor and aroma. End this year and bring in the New Year with a memorable midnight breakfast focused on truffles.

Start with a salad of tangy pink grapefruit sections, smooth avocado slices and crisp butter lettuce dressed with walnut oil. Peel the grapefruit over a bowl and use the juice instead of vinegar with the walnut oil. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and walnut halves for crunch.

Scrambled eggs may seem mundane but not when served with a petite filet mignon steak and garnished with shaved white truffles. The creaminess of the eggs plays off the richness of the beef and lets the flavor of the truffles come through. Beat two eggs per person ahead of time. Add 1/4 cup of heavy cream — it is a holiday so now’s not the time to worry about that diet. Keep in the fridge until the steaks are done. Sear the steaks in a heavy skillet for a minute each side. Finish in the oven until medium rare — between five to seven minutes depending on how thick the steaks are. Scramble the eggs while the steaks rest. Shave the white truffles over the hot scrambled eggs right before you take them out of the pan. Stir through. The ambient heat will cook the truffles just enough. Heaven on a plate. If you’re feeling really decadent drizzle of few drops of truffle oil over the steak.

Finish the meal with chocolate truffles, the candy made from heavy cream and dark chocolate. Of course champagne is your drink. If you feel you must obey custom and drink a red with the beef try a lighter merlot rather than a heavy burgundy.

Truffles are a fungi, just like other mushrooms such as button, As hard as people have tried it’s not possible to grow truffles on a commercial basis. Truffles grow where and when they want. They’re found by dogs trained to uncover them by their scent. Pigs have a very sensitive sense of smell and used to be used to hunt truffles. Unfortunately pigs love to eat truffles as much as sophisticated chefs and gourmands. Ever try to take food away from a 300 pound sow? Not easy.

December 28, 2011

Dinner Menus for St. Patrick’s Day

St Patrick’ Day is a holiday for both adults and children. It doesn’t matter if you’re Irish or Italian, you still get to wear the green and look for that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  Putting together a St. Paddy’s day dinner menu is a snap. Use low fat ingredients to keep them healthy dinner recipes.

Traditional Irish St. Patrick’s Menu

Corned beef and cabbage: add carrots and potatoes.  Believe it or not, ids like corned beef and will most likely eat two out of the three side dishes, especially if displayed in separate dishes. You can buy prepared corned beef at the grocery store deli. The potatoes can be ready to heat and serve.  Carrots can be carrot sticks or baby carrots.   Serve with bread or rolls. This is an easy dinner if you don’t want to cook.

All American St. Patrick’s Menu

Hot dogs served with pickle relish, “green” ketchup and “green” mustard.  Add liquid green food coloring to change both to green colors. Ketchup takes more color to change and is sort of a brownish green.  Be sure to label them, they end up looking the same.

Cole slaw can be store bought or homemade. Homemade is one package of shredded cabbage or bagged coleslaw mix.  Add ½ cup of mayonnaise, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and a tablespoon of sugar. Mix well. Salt to taste.

Crackers with green cream cheese spread or cheese wiz/spray sprinkled with dried or fresh parsley.

Green apple salad:  Here is a fast easy recipe: 3 chopped green apples with skin on, 1 cup of chopped celery, ½ cup chopped walnuts, 1 cup of green grapes, 1/4 – 1/2 cup of mayo.  Salt and pepper if desired. Mix everything together in a bowl with a fair amount of mayo coating all ingredients. Use enough mayo so that the ingredients can absorb the mayo. Refrigerate at least two hours.

Italian St. Patrick’s Menu

Spinach pasta with Alfredo sauce.  Sprinkle minced parsley or basil over top for more “green” effect or your choice of plain pasta with pesto sauce. Serve pesto on the side if you want to have plain pasta for the children available, although kids like pesto sauce.

Baked French bread: Take loaf of French bread and cut lengthwise.  Spread butter or margarine on both halves. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese, parsley, and basil. Bake in a 350 degree oven watching carefully. Bake until toasted.

Cooked asparagus or broccoli with melted Velveeta cheese. Caesar salad or simple garden salad with Italian dressing.

Mexican Food St. Patrick’s Menu

Tostadas: Top corn tostadas with warm refried beans, cheddar cheese and shredded lettuce.  Top with green salsa or verde sauce.  You can add taco seasoned hamburger if you like, just end up with the green lettuce and salsa on the top.

Cheese Quesadillas topped with sprinkled parsley or cilantro.

Nacho cheese dip: Melted pasteurized process cheese spread with green color added.

Guacamole: Homemade or store bought.  Guacamole is easy to make, simply mash an avocado.  Add finely chopped onions and tomatoes and hot sauce.

Serve with tortilla chips

Corn muffins- Use favorite corn muffin mix add diced green bell pepper or chopped cilantro, jalapeno and/or cheese. Any combination works well. You can add some green food coloring if you like. Bake Following the muffin mix directions.

Valentine’s Day is probably one of the most difficult days to make dinner reservations at a restaurant. You’ll be lucky to find a spot at your local fast food joint.  Don’t let that stop you from giving your special someone a scrumptious Valentine’s dinner. The trick is to make it yourself. No cooking skills? No problem. If you can shop and chop you can put this dinner together.  If you want to stick with a healthy dinner recipe, omit the cream in the avocado soup and use olive oil instead of butter with the vegetables.

Spicy Shrimp Cocktail

Fat, sweet, juicy shrimp served in a martini glass and dolloped with a savory spicy sauce starts off your dinner with class.  Purchase eight, big, peeled, deveined and cooked shrimp with their tails intact. Fill the bottom of the martini glass with chopped lettuce.  You’ll find lettuce ready to serve in the produce section.  Chop the lettuce into fine shreds.  Mix purchased seafood cocktail sauce with a squeeze of lemon juice and a few drops of hot sauce.  Place two tablespoons of the sauce right on top of the lettuce. Hook the tops of the shrimp around the rim of the glass so their tails are inside the glass.

Smooth and Creamy Cold Avocado Soup

The light green color of this sauce complements the pink of the shrimp. Purchase a package of guacamole.  Put it in a blender with one cup of cream, once cup of cold canned chicken broth and the juice of half a lime.  Blend till smooth.  Keep icy cold until served. Second soup course of your Valentine’s dinner is complete so on to the entrée.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Don’t panic.  You won’t be actually cooking the chicken. The deli section has roasted chicken breasts — as well as other parts but you won’t be needing them. Purchase three breasts, that gives you an extra.  While you’re at the deli counter purchase 1/4 pound of prosciutto and 1/4 pound of parmesan cheese, both sliced thinly.   If you can’t find prosciutto which is a highly flavored air-dried Italian ham, substitute another good quality ham.  Make a slit in the chicken breast to form a pocket.  Stuff in two slices of prosciutto and two slices of parmesan cheese.  Wrap each breast in aluminum foil so it doesn’t dry out.  Reheat in a 350 F. degree oven for about 20 minutes until the chicken is heated through and the cheese has melted. Unwrap before serving.

Side Dishes

You don’t need much for side dishes, a vegetable and potato or two vegetables.  Go to the produce section and find the bags of baby vegetables that are pre-cleaned and ready to cook in the bag.  Sometimes they’re called steamers.  Steam in the microwave per package directions.  Melt a tablespoon of butter — yes real butter — and drizzle over the veggies right before serving.

Dessert

No Valentine’s Day dinner would be complete without chocolate and strawberries.  Chocolate covered strawberries are available this time of year all ready for you.  But it’s more fun to dip your own.  Clean large berries under running water.  Pat dry.  Arrange the berries on a plate with a mound of whipped cream, a small bowl of brown sugar, small bowl of powdered sugar and small bowl of chocolate syrup, the kind you use to make chocolate milk. Dip to your and your sweetheart’s content.