Travel Tuesdays: Shurit Ads (Egyptian Lentil Soup)

In order to simplify my life during this busy holiday season, once a week I'll be re-posting some things that newer Polliwog readers probably haven't seen. This recipe will take your taste buds on a little vacation.

This post originally ran on 11 February 2011.

On Monday, I posted a book you can read with your children or students to teach them a bit about modern Egypt. Today... a recipe! Once upon a time this was practically a staple in our house, but for some reason I stopped making it. With Egypt in the news, I was inspired to make it again. It's perfect for the cold winter nights we've been having here. Both of my kids devoured it.

Shurit Ads (from Global Feast Cookbook edited by Annice Estes)
Yield: 4 servings
2 Tbsp minced onion
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup dried red lentils (Usually available in Natural or International food sections of the grocery store. In a pinch, I've used green lentils).
4 cups chicken stock (vegetarians, substitute veggie stock)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped *
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt*
4 lemon wedges

*In the dead of winter when good, fresh tomatoes are unavailable, I double the recipe and use one 15 1/2 oz can of chopped tomatoes. Leave out the salt if you use canned tomatoes.

1. Rinse and sort lentils. (This is a great job for kids).
2. Bring chicken stock to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add lentils, 1 chopped onion, tomato and garlic. Reduce heat.
3. Simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes or until lentils are tender.
4. Meanwhile, saute 2 tablespoons minced onion in one tablespoon butter. Set aside.
5. Puree soup in a blender or food processor and return to the pot. (This may take several batches, or use a stick blender right in the pot).
6. Stir in cumin and salt. Simmer for a few minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter.
7. Ladle into bowls. Top with reserved sauteed onion. Serve with lemon wedges. (The lemon brightens the flavors).

Will you try this recipe? Let us know if you like it. Do you have an Egyptian recipe to suggest?

Timman Jazar: Rice With Carrots

 by Lamees Ibrahim

I love cooking and eating dishes from other places. Eating foods from other cultures doesn't mean you suddenly have insight to that culture or understand it in some deep way. But food is central to culture. People express themselves through the foods they cook and bond during meals all over the world.

I remember when we returned from India people asked, "What did your kids eat?" My answer was always, "The food." That's not to say they loved everything they ate or never wanted a break from the spiciness, but the flavors were not foreign to them because they had eaten Indian dishes at home and in restaurants.

I know many kids have very real food aversions. I feel for parents who need to work with difficult food needs. This post probably isn't for you. But most children don't have special or medical needs that prevent them from trying new foods. Why not have them try this super easy one pot dish? Even non- cooks will find this easy. If you can chop carrots and onions and brown some ground meat you've got this one covered!

Timman Jazar from The Iraqi Cookbook
serves 8 to 10
Total time to prepare: 40 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups rice (traditionally white but we use brown basmati)
1 pound ground meat (lamb, beef, or turkey can be used)
2 pounds carrots
One large onion
1 tablespoon mixed spices (Use garam masala- found in the international/Asian aisle or the "Natural Food" aisle)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for cooking

Procedure

1. Wash the rice in cold water. Drain.
2. Chop the onion and carrots into small cubes and set aside.
3. Cook the ground meat with the mixed spices until slightly brown.
4. Add the chopped onion, salt, and black pepper. Continue cooking for 5 to 10 min.
5. Add the chopped carrots and cinnamon. Cook for about 2 min. to soften the carrots slightly. Add about 1/2 cup of water to keep it soft.
6. Put the rice in the pot and add enough water to cook the rice (about three and half cups). Cover and simmer until rice is ready.

Enjoy it with a little plain yogurt and a salad on the side.

Variation: For a vegetarian version, leave out the meat and use vegetable broth to cook the rice instead of water.

What's your family's favorite food from another culture? If you try this recipe, please come back and let us know what you thought.

Looking for other recipes? Try these:

Timman Queemah: Ground Meat with Chickpeas and Rice (Another Iraqi dish- a staple in our house).

Curried Pumpkin Soup (A "must have" at out Thanksgiving table).

Delicata Squash (Delicata are in season now!)

Shurit Ads: Egyptian Lentil Soup (A bit more involved than some soups- stick blender makes it easy!)

Timman Queemah: Ground Meat With Chickpeas and Rice

My son came home with a writing assignment this week that also required cooking. He was to plan and cook a meal for his family and use that experience to write an expository text. We started at the beginning: What did he want to cook? We ran though some of our family favorites and old stand-byes until we came to Timman Queemah- Ground meat with chickpeas and rice. He didn't even hesitate before choosing it.

I've written about food often here on Polliwog, so long-time readers will not be surprised that my American kid chose an Iraqi dish. We tend to cook and eat a variety of foods from a variety of cultures as a matter of course in our house. We found this one several years ago in The Iraqi Cookbook by Lamees Ibrahim.  It became an instant favorite  that's eaten often, especially in the winter months.

Our family has taken to calling this dish “Iraqi Chop Suey,” because, like American Chop Suey, it is a one pot family meal that seems to be bottomless. It's also made with ground meat and tomatoes, just like American Chop Suey. The main difference is the inclusion of chick peas and the use of different seasonings. To us, it also feels like comfort food, just like American Chop Suey. We hope no Iraqi's will be insulted by our term of endearment for this well-loved meal.

My son brought the recipe to school, as directed, and we gathered the needed ingredients. He cooked the meal on Wednesday night with my assistance. While he cooked, he paused occasionally to record his observations and sensory details.

Taken from The Iraqi Cookbook:

"This is a popular dish in Iraq, cooked for religious Islamic celebrations and shared by the whole neighborhood. A few families (usually Shi’ite) will cook very large quantities and distribute individual dishes to every house on the street.

Sometimes, two large cauldrons are set up in the front garden of a wealthy house, one for sauce and one for rice. Men from the family, their friends, and neighbors will cook. The meal is then shared. Any person who brings an empty plate or two will be served. Sharing the cooking and eating is of great enjoyment to everyone."

Serves 6-8

Preparation:  10 minutes          Cooking time: about 2 hours (45 min. if you used canned chick peas)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground lamb (or other ground meat such as beef or turkey)

1 lb dry chickpeas/garbanzo beans  (or one 29 oz can chick peas)

1-2 onions, chopped (I use 2)

1 small can tomato paste

1 lb chopped tomatoes (in the winter we use one 15 1/2 oz can chopped tomotoes)

2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp mixed spices (garam masala- find it in the international/Asian aisle of your grocery store)

Salt and black pepper to taste

(Cooked rice. We use 1 1/2 cups brown basmati cooked in 3 cups water)

Directions:

• Soak the chick peas overnight in plenty of cold water.  (If using canned chickpeas, skip to step 3).
• Change the water and boil in a saucepan for about one hour. 
• Brown the ground lamb in a large skillet over medium heat.*
• Add salt, spices, and black pepper, stirring frequently. (Don’t skip the salt- it really intensifies the flavors.)
• Add chopped onion and cook until onion is soft.
• Add tomato paste and chopped tomatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes.
• Season with salt and black pepper. Add meat mixture to boiling chick peas, cover the pan, turn the heat down, and simmer for about 1 hour, until chickpeas are soft. (If using canned chickpeas, drain them and add them directly to the meat mixture).
• Add more water if needed. The sauce should be thick enough to eat with rice. Cook with the lid off to reduce water if needed.

 *Prepare the rice to be done around the same time.

As we all sat down to eat, we helped brainstorm sensory details about the food. Now he'll use his notes to compose a piece while at school. I never gave an assignment like this to my students, so I'm looking forward to seeing the results.

Have you combined cooking and writing with your kids or students? How did it go?

We hope you'll try the recipe and let us know your thoughts. The Iraqi Cookbook also has lots of other great recipes, so check it out!

Related Posts:

Shurit Ads: Egyptian Lentil Soup

Fall Meals

Saag Paneer (Cheese in Spinach Sauce)

Fall Meals

By now, you know how much I love and appreciate locally grown produce. My kids like it, too. They're far more willing to eat food they grew themselves or purchased from a local farmer. I've posted many recipes that use seasonal produce grown in our garden. Here's one that made use of some beautiful delicata scquash from a local farm- Lucky Field Organics.

My sister originally cooked a variation of this recipe. It has now become a staple in our house during the fall and winter months.

Ingredients
delicata squash (I used two)
olive oil
tamari (Find it in the Asian section of your supermarket)
maple syrup (Get the real stuff)

Procedure:

1. Delicata are oblong shaped, kind of like a fat cucumber. Slice them crosswise to make rounds about 1/3 inch thick.
2. Scoop the seeds out of the rounds leaving all of the flesh and skins behind. (A teaspoon or small knife works well). My son likes to do this job. Unlike other winter squashes, the skins are tender and delicious.

3. Spread the squash rounds out in a single layer on a cookie sheet. You may want to line the tray with foil as clean-up can be messy.
4. Drizzle them with olive oil, tamari, and maple syrup. I used about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon each of tamari and maple syrup for the two squashes. Start with a little. You can add more as needed during cooking. Too much tamari, however will be too strong and make the squash salty.
5. Bake them in the oven at 375 degrees until the squash is golden brown, tender, and carmelized.

Vegetarians: You can use this same recipe with tempeh. Slice the tempeh about 1/4 inch thick and proceed as with the squash. Add some steamed kale and you've got a meal!

My kids happen to love sweet potato fries with this. Peel and slice the potatoes into fries. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bake as with the squash.

Do you have a favorite fall/winter meal?

Related Posts:

A Passion for Pesto

Mant, Many Butternuts...

From the Archives: A Passion for Pesto

This post, which orginally appeared last September, will be my final re-post while on vacation. From now until mid-September is the perfect time to make pesto because basil is readily available this time of year.

As summer winds down, my family typically harvests the bulk of the basil from our garden and makes pesto. What does this have to do with "mucking about" you might ask. Well, it starts with my kids and I cutting nearly all of the basil in our garden. They get right into the beds and use their own scissors to cut the stems. Then we work together to make the pesto, a delicious green sauce that tastes great on pasta and pizza, among other uses.

Even if you think your kids won't like pesto, give it a try. It may take a few attempts, but many kids come around. Exposing your kids to a variety of flavors while they are young will open their palates to a variety of foods and may even help them be healthier eaters. Exposing them to different flavors also fits into my other passion- and one of the goals of this blog- learning about other cultures. Food is central to culture and to people's daily lives.

We started this tradition when my son was just 3 years old and have continued every year since.

Making pesto from scratch serves several wonderful purposes for my kids.

1. They help grow the basil, so they learn about life cycles of plants.
2. They harvest the basil, so they see the fruits of their labors. And, as with all gardening, they know where their food came from.
3. They work in the kitchen with me, so they learn about cooking. They also they learn some math as we work with fractions and measurement.
4. They eat healthy, homemade meals that are not too difficult to prepare.

Even if you do not have basil in your own garden, you can buy it at a farmers' market or grocery store and still accomplish numbers 3 and 4.

Here's what to do:

1. Pick or purchase a bunch of basil. For my recipe, you'll need two generous handfuls of leaves.
2. Remove the leaves from the stems. Discard any damaged or brown leaves. My kids always do this job. They each learned how at about the age of three.
3. Wash the leaves in plenty of cold water. Spin them dry in a salad spinner or pat them dry with a tea towel or paper towels. This is another job for the kids!
4. Follow the recipe below.

Ingredients:
2 generous handfuls of basil leaves
2-3 plump cloves of fresh garlic
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts *
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
about 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Start with 1/3 and add more as needed).
About 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
Generous pinch of salt (I prefer coarse sea salt).

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process/blend until smooth.
2. Mix with cooked whole wheat pasta and sprinkle with grated cheese for a delicious meal.

* To toast the pine nuts, heat them in a dry skillet over low to medium heat until they turn a golden brown. Keep the nuts moving around by shaking the pan or stirring with a spoon. You must watch them carefully because they go from raw to burned very quickly if the heat is too high or they are in the pan for too long. In the case of allergies, simply omit the pine nuts.

Tip:
If you make a big/double batch, you can freeze it for use in the winter. Pour the pesto into ice cube trays, cover the trays with plastic wrap and place them in the freezer. Once they're frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. I tend to leave the pine nuts and cheese out if I plan to freeze the pesto because it takes less space. When you use the pesto you can add those ingredients.

During the winter, you can drop a cube or two into soup, make pesto pizza, or pesto pasta. I've found 7 cubes is about right for one pound of pasta.

Do you have any end of summer traditions with your family? What are they? Do they involve "mucking about" or "meeting the locals?" Tell us about them.

Saag Paneer (Cheese in Spinach Sauce)

When we took our family to India for a wedding in 2008, many people asked me, "What did your kids eat?" My response was always, "The food."

The follow-up was often similar- something like, "My kids would never eat the food." Or, "It's too spicy for my kids."

But, consider this...children raised in India have no problem eating "Indian food." To them it's just "food." It's really all about exposure. You eat what you are used to.

While I always intended to feed my children a wide variety of foods, my son ,"D," taught me that I could do it much earlier than I had thought. When D was about 16 months old, my husband and I took him to an Indian restaurant. We were still bringing food for him at this point, so we fed him first and then ate when our food arrived. We had taught D a few signs to make communication easier. He kept pointing to his dad's plate and making the sign for "eat." We were hesitant to give him any because it was pretty spicy. We finally gave in and dipped  a piece of nan (bread) into the sauce for him to taste. His eyes opened wide and a smile spread across his face. Then he began to forcefully sign the word "more." He was hooked!

Why were we bringing food for our toddler to a restaurant?  From then on, we ordered off the menu, most of the time sharing whatever we ordered with D.  (A note I can't go without saying...Why are children's menus so terrible? Chicken fingers and french fries are not healthy foods for children. We almost always order adult meals and share them).

I know there are children who have particular dietary needs, allergies,  or food aversions related to special needs. I know how hard it is to work within those needs and restrictions. I feel for you. I feel fortunate that our children do not have any dietary restrictions. Obviously, I'm not talking about children with special dietary needs in this post.

Consider for a moment, though... could your child(ren) stand to branch out? Could you?

If you're feeling brave, try this recipe from The Essential Asian Cookbook. Now is the perfect time because spinach and garlic are in season. Make it an event by involving your children in the cooking.



(Lentil) Dhal on left. Saag Paneer on right

Saag Paneer (Panir)
Prep time: 20 min (plus 3 hours standing if you make the cheese)
Total cooking time: 30 minutes

Note: This recipe calls for making cheese. It's actually quite simple, but you could choose to skip the cheese. You could saute some boneless chicken breast pieces and add them to the sauce instead of the cheese. That's how I started because I was a bit afraid of making cheese. Now I don't know what I was worried about!

Ingredients
For the cheese:
2 quarts (1/2 gallon) of milk. (NOT Ultra High Temperature Pasteurized. Many organic milks are UHT, so check the label. It won't work if UHT)
Juice of 1 lemon (4 Tablespoons juice)
2 Tablespoons yogurt
cheesecloth (Find it in the grocery store near utensils/gadgets)

For the Saag (sauce):
1 lb spinach, washed and tough stems removed.
2 cloves garlic
3/4 inch fresh ginger, grated
2 green chillies, chopped (Wear gloves. If you don't like spicy food, try one chili)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons ghee or oil (ghee is clarified butter- found in international food aisle of most groceries)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 Tablespoons yogurt
1/2 to 1 cup water (use as much as needed to get the right thickness of sauce for your liking)
1/2 cup cream (I cut this to 1/4)

To make the cheese:

1. Heat the milk in a large pan until just boiling. Reduce heat, add lemon juice and yogurt, and stir until it starts to curdle. This usually happens almost immediately.
2. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes or so.
3. Line a colander with cheesecloth. Pour curd mixture into the colander and allow to sit until most of the liquid has drained.
4. Gather the corners of the cheese cloth and squeeze as much moisture as possible from the curd. Return it to the colander. Rest the colander on a pan or bowl to catch moisture and let it sit in a cool place (a cool basement or fridge if it's very warm) for 3 hours.
5. Cut  the cheese into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes.

To make the Saag (sauce):

1. Steam the spinach over simmering water until tender. (This takes just a few minutes.  The spinach should still be bright green but tender).
2. Squeeze out excess moisture and chop coarsely.
3. Place the garlic, ginger, chili and onion in a food processor and process to make a paste.
4. Heat ghee or oil in a wok (or large saute pan). Add the paste and cook about 5 minutes. Add salt, cumin, nutmeg, and water. Simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the mixture to a food processor. Add the spinach and process until smooth.
6. Return it to the wok, add the chopped cheese and cream, and simmer about 10 minutes until heated through.
7. Serve with rice.

As the adult in your home, what foods do you expose your children to? Are you intimidated by food from other cultures? Could you start to branch out and try some new things? If you don't like to cook, are there any interesting restaurants nearby you that you could try? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Related posts:
Cora Cooks Pancit
A Passion for Pesto
Shurit Ads (Egyptian Lentil Soup)

Adventurous Eating and Cooking

Look at the beautiful color in the scales.

For the past two weeks, a vendor at our farmer's market has been selling whole Black Sea Bass and Scup. When I lived in the Philippines, nearly every piece of fish I ate arrived at the table with the head and tail still attached and its eyes still in its head. I've also ordered fish cooked this way in Thai restaurants here in the states. Despite these experiences, however, I had never cooked a whole fish before. Making a purchase took a leap of faith on my part.

My kids looked to me for my reaction when the vendor opened the cooler and revealed the whole fish. I confess, I feigned being totally comfortable in my ability to cook a delicious whole fish, knowing that if I seemed hesitant, they would be, too. Don't get me wrong- I told them this was new territory for me, but I didn't let on that I was not completely comfortable.


I asked the vendor for cooking advice (a real benefit of shopping at a farmer's market or local fish market- they all have tips for you!), purchased a black sea bass, and brought it home.
 
Here's the basic recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil.
3. Stuff the cavity with fresh herbs (it was already gutted). Any herbs will do. I used thyme and sage since that's what was growing in my garden.
4. Bake for 35 minutes (check at 30 minutes) until the skin gets a bit crusty and peels right off in one piece. That's it!
5. Serve it on a platter. Gently remove the flesh from the bones. Of course, be extra careful of the bones.

And the verdict was... everyone loved it! My kids were so excited to go back this week and purchase a scup. (My husband cooked it on on the grill using the same basic method). My husband was less excited about the scup but the kids liked it.

So, what's my point? I am NOT suggesting that all of you need to go out and buy a whole fish to cook. I realize everyone has their own level of comfort with food. What I AM suggesting is that you push through a bit of discomfort and try something new. I know my way around a kitchen and have a wide variety of spices and herbs and my fingertips. Cooking across cultural or ethnic styles is comfortable for me. Cooking a whole fish was not (though it is now!) For you, cooking brussels sprouts, or kale or (Moroccan) tagine may be outside of your comfort zone. Figure out where your comfort is and then decide to stretch.

You'll model safe risk taking for your kids and expose them to new flavors in the process. In some small way, you may open their pallets to new flavors so that they will be willing to eat more widely. Or perhaps they'll be more willing to try the foods of a friend from another country or region of the US. Or perhaps, like me, they'll be willing to travel far and wide and try the foods each country has to offer. Childhood lays the foundation for future life choices.

Growing up, my family did not eat particularly unique foods like the ones I cook in my house, but my mom was definitely concerned with cooking homemade foods and baking "from scratch."  She modeled many of the cooking techniques that made their way into my cooking. One particularly adventurous night, however, my mom made this new-fangled recipe for something called "pesto." I had never seen pesto nor had any of my friends. I admit, I was skeptical. I'm not even sure I enjoyed it all that much the first time I had it. BUT... I sure do love it  now and my kids have loved it from the time they were really young. My mom taught us to try new foods. Both my sisters are adventurous eaters like me.

So, take a little risk with your kids. Go to the farmer's market and buy a veggie you've never had before. Open a cookbook and try a new recipe. Ask your Cape Verdean neighbor to make you some Jag or go to an Ethiopian restaurant and try Injera and Doro Wot. Take your taste buds on a little adventure!

Have you tried a new food lately? Did your kids try it , too? Tell us about it. Or, perhaps, try something new today and report back.

Shurit Ads (Egyptian Lentil Soup)

On Monday, I posted a book you can read with your children or students to teach them a bit about modern Egypt. Today... a recipe! Once upon a time this was practically a staple in our house, but for some reason I stopped making it. With Egypt in the news, I was inspired to make it again. It's perfect for the cold winter nights we've been having here. Both of my kids devoured it.

Shurit Ads (from Global Feast Cookbook edited by Annice Estes)
Yield: 4 servings
2 Tbsp minced onion
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup dried red lentils (Usually available in Natural or International food sections of the grocery store. In a pinch, I've used green lentils).
4 cups chicken stock (vegetarians, substitute veggie stock)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped *
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt*
4 lemon wedges

*In the dead of winter when good, fresh tomatoes are unavailable, I double the recipe and use one 15 1/2 oz can of chopped tomatoes. Leave out the salt if you use canned tomatoes.

1. Rinse and sort lentils. (This is a great job for kids).
2. Bring chicken stock to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add lentils, 1 chopped onion, tomato and garlic. Reduce heat.
3. Simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes or until lentils are tender.
4. Meanwhile, saute 2 tablespoons minced onion in one tablespoon butter. Set aside.
5. Puree soup in a blender or food processor and return to the pot. (This may take several batches, or use a stick blender right in the pot).
6. Stir in cumin and salt. Simmer for a few minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter.
7. Ladle into bowls. Top with reserved sauteed onion. Serve with lemon wedges. (The lemon brightens the flavors).

Will you try this recipe? Let us know if you like it. Do you have an Egyptian recipe to suggest?

Many, Many Butternuts...

In October I blogged about the 35 butternut squashes we harvested from our scrappy squash and melon patch. Then, Mrs. CM posted an artful photo of one of our butternuts.

Today, I decided I should share one of our favorite squash recipes: Curried Pumpkin Soup. The recipe calls for pumpkin, but most winter squashes can be substituted. I made a delicious triple batch for Thanksgiving using one of our squashes and froze the extra.

Curried Pumpkin Soup
Yield: 6 servings

1 Large onion, chopped or sliced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups pureed pumpkin* or 1- 16 oz. can pumpkin
3 cups chicken stock (I use veggie stock)
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup half and half (I use 1/4 cup light cream and 1/2 cup skim milk)
Worcestershire or Tabasco sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute onion in olive oil in 2 qt. sauce pan until tender. Add pumpkin, chicken stock, potato, curry powder and nutmeg. Mix well. Cook over low heat until potato is tender.
2. Process several times in a blender. (Or use a stick blender like I do). Add cream, Worcestershire sauce , salt and pepper. Simmer until heated through.
3. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with a sprinkle of ground nutmeg.

This recipe comes from Global Feast Cookbook published by Mystic Seaport Museum Stores.

*Here's the easiest way to get fresh pumpkin or squash puree:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the squash in an ovenproof dish and cover it tightly with a lid or aluminum foil.
3. Bake until tender, about 1 hour for a 1 pound squash. To test for done-ness, slide a sharp knife into the skin. If it slides in easily, it's done.  If the squash feel firm at all, keep cooking. Tip: On a butternut, the wide end cooks faster than the skinny end.
4. Let it cool. Then slice the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and any stringy pulp and discard (or put it in the compost). Scoop the lovely orange flesh from the skins and fork mash, if needed before using in the recipe.

There are some natural places for kids to help with this recipe. Most kids can scoop the pulp and place it in a bowl as long as the squash is sufficiently cooled. Now that my daughter is 5, she has graduated to sauteing like her big brother. With close supervision, many kids aged 5 and up can handle this. Prop them up on a stool or chair and give them some safety directions before starting. My 8 year old son is good at measuring ingredients, though my daughter still needs someone to pre-measure for her and then she adds the ingredients. My daughter is also learning how to chop vegetables using a small sharp knife. Start cooking with your kids when they are young and gradually introduce new skills as they are mature enough to handle them.

Cooking with your kids has many benefits such as building math skills (fractions, measuring) and life skills. More importantly, they get to spend time in the kitchen with you and will probably want to eat what they cooked.

In the coming weeks, I'll share more squash recipes with you. (We still have lots of squash to eat!) My sister recently got us making butternut squash oven fries. Stay tuned!

Do you have a favorite squash or pumpkin recipe you'd like to share? How about a recipe involving another fall/winter crop?

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Ok, I may have overstated a bit, but harvesting the first bit of asparagus each year is exciting for us. After a winter of dark, gray days, plucking those first green stalks from the earth feels good. Eating them feels even better!

I know, I know, you don't have an asparagus patch down the street, at your parent's house, like I do. So what's a person to do? Mosey on down to your local farmer's market and look for some! Believe it or not, those of you who live in the city may have a better chance of finding a great farmer's market nearby then those of us in the country because farmers like to go where they'll get the most business. Be sure to take your kids with you and encourage them to interact with the farmers. Most farmers love to talk to their customers (especially kids) about what they do. Many will offer tips for growing your own veggies or suggest recipes using the ones they grow. A few years ago, I learned my favorite kale recipe from our local farmer. She had recipes printed up to encourage us to buy Russian Kale- a variety of kale new to me at the time.


By now, you know I encourage families to grow at least a few veggies and herbs, but I also know most families cannot plant more than a small plot or a few pots. Supporting your local farmer is the next best thing to growing your own. By buying local, seasonal vegetables, you help support your local economy and get the freshest, most nutrient-rich produce around. You'll also help prevent global warming by limiting fossil fuels used to ship produce across the country and beyond. In addition, even those farmers who have not been certified as "organic" tend to use less (if any) pesticides and herbicides on their crops. By asking a few questions you can learn how your food was grown.


To find farmer's market near you, a quick google search with the words "farmer's markets" and your city (or state) will likely reveal what you need. For my Massachusetts readers, go here
http://www.massfarmersmarkets.org/


Here's my favorite asparagus recipe, taken from Global Feast Cookbook: Recipes from Around the World Edited by Annice Estes

Asparagus Chung Tung
1 1/2 pounds asparagus
1 1/2 quarts water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil (look in Asian/ International food aisle)

1. Cut asparagus diagonally into 1/4 inch pieces.
2. Bring water to a boil in large sauce pan. Add asparagus. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes (NO LONGER). Drain and immerse in ice cold water to cool quickly and stop the cooking. Drain well.
3. Meanwhile, mix the salt, sugar, and oil in a small bowl.
4. Place asparagus in a bowl. Pour salt, sugar, and oil mixture over asparagus. Toss to coat.
5. Enjoy!

What's your favorite asparagus recipe?