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Bow ties with spring veggies and bacon

April 29, 2013 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 15 Comments

Happy Spring!

Aren’t you glad it’s springtime?

Though we’ve had a mild winter…

And it’s a bit chillier here than it’s been all winter…

So I’m pretending it’s spring.

And this will make you feel like spring…

A delicious and quick pasta that the kids will adore!

Mom and Dad too!

Feel free to add grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a heartier dish.

Bow ties with spring veggies & pancetta

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 box bow tie pasta

4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped

1 1/4 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces

1 scallions, thinly sliced

8 ounces crimini mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup heavy cream

3 T extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 T lemon zest

1/4 cup italian parsley, chopped

1/4 cup basil, torn

WHAT TO DO:

Heat a large pasta pot over high heat. When boiling add salt and cook pasta until al dente. Drain, but reserve 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Set aside.

Pour off all but 1 teaspoon drippings from skillet. Add mushrooms to the drippings. Cook for 3 minutes. Add asparagus, scallions, and garlic to the mushrooms in skillet and cook for 3 more minutes minutes. Remove from heat.

Add veggies, 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid, 1/2 cup Parmesan, cream, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, basil, and S&P to pasta.

Mix well. Add more pasta water if necessary. Sprinkle with bacon and more cheese if desired.

Tasty Tidbit – Kids not asparagus fans? Try this dish with frozen peas!

Bacon, Potato, and Onion Torte

September 27, 2010 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 8 Comments

Melissa d’Arabian makes a version of this a feel good fill your belly dinner…I added a few things to her recipe, you all know about my recipe OCD and it turned out pretty lip smacking! Give it a try. The kids will love it!

By Melissa d’Arabian with some Fitz tweaks by me

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes

6 strips bacon

1 medium onion, chopped

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup heavy cream

2 Pie Crusts, recipe follows

3 medium baking potatoes, peeled

S&P

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

1 egg yolk, whisked with a splash of water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until just crispy. Drain on paper towel lined plate and set aside. Crumble the bacon when cool to the touch. Saute chopped onion in reserved bacon drippings over medium low heat until soft, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the thyme and cream over low heat to a bare simmer. Turn off the heat and let steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.

Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then finely slice the potatoes. Arrange the potato slices in the pie crust, stopping to season each layer with salt, pepper, and some of your cheese and crumbled bacon. Continue layering until the pie pan is nearly full. Top with a layer of the cheese and gently pour cream around and over the entire pie, allowing it to seep down between the potato slices.

Roll out the remaining disk of refrigerated dough. Cover the pie with the dough and crimp the edges closed. Brush the top and edges of the crust with egg wash. Make a few slits in the center of the top crust, for the steam to escape, and put the pie pan on a baking sheet. Bake the torte until the crust is browned and crispy and the potatoes are cooked through, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. If the crust edges get too brown, cover them with some strips of aluminum foil. Remove the pie from the oven and let rest at least 15 minutes. Serve with a side salad.

Pie Crust:

1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

8 to 10 tablespoons ice water

Put the butter, flour, and salt in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Transfer equal amounts of the dough into 2 resealable plastic bags and pat each into a disk. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Remove 1 of the disks from the bag to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the torte ingredients.

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Healthy Side Dish Recipes For Kids, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: bacon, cream, egg, onion, pie crust, potato, thyme

Keegan’s Mashed Potatoes

August 23, 2010 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 25 Comments

You know that I’m a huge fan of mashed potatoes, well who isn’t, but I was shocked to hear from so many of your about how your kids wouldn’t try them.

WHAT????

What kid in their right mind would not want mashed potatoes and all that yummy creamy goodness?

Then I stopped to think for a second and I realized that for quite some time my boys wouldn’t try mashed potatoes?

WHAT????

How dare you scoff at a potato! A mashed potato!

You are Fitzpatricks for the love of all that is holy.

Your people have survived against all odds with the help of the magical pratties!

WHAT????

So I tried to remember how I got them to eat them for the first time, and I realized it’s the magical practice that I have leaned on time and time again…

I called the boys into the kitchen when those little beauties came out of the water and asked them to make them with me and decide what goes in them.

Now they are “their” mashed potatoes.

Now they take ownership and pride in their potatoes.

Now they will actually try them and realize that mashed potatoes are nothing but GOOD.

Here is Keegan’s recipe. Keep in mind that these measurements are an estimate. He got a little crazy with the parmesan cheese.

1 lb baby red potatoes, mashed (You could use any kind of potato, I just don’t like to peel them.)
2 T chicken stock
2 T cream
2 T sour cream
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (though something tells me Keegan threw in closer to a 1/2 cup, he kept saying, I think it needs more cheese, mommy.)
S&P

Toss all ingredients into a large bowl. Let the kids have fun mashing those potatoes! Mix well, let the kids get creative about what they’d like to add. Dish it out and let them enjoy trying their delicious masterpiece!

Filed Under: Healthy Side Dish Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes, Recipes For Kids, Vegetable Recipes For Kids, Vegetarian Recipes For Kids Tagged With: butter, chicken stock, cream, family time, kid friendly, kids, mashed potatoes, parmesan cheese, potato, S&P, sour cream, toddlers

MMMashed Potatoes

July 15, 2010 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 26 Comments

We love love love our potatoes in this house. We like ‘em baked, roasted, grilled and especially mashed! I threw a bunch of stuff from the fridge together for these babies and all anyone could say was MMMMMMM. So here they are, MMMMMMahsed Potatoes!

vegetarian veggies recipes for kids side dishes MMMashed Potatoes

Serves 6 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

1 1/2 lbs baby red potatoes

3 cloves garlic, peeled

S&P

splash of cream

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

2 T butter

Cut your potatoes into quarters and toss them in a medium sized pot with the garlic cloves. Fill with cold water. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling season the water with salt. Cook until fork tender about 8-10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a bowl. Toss in remaining ingredients and mix with hand mixer or smash with a potato smasher. Serve with a bit of sauce from chicken marsala.

Oh oh oh, guess what? I’m guest posting today over at my girl Katie’s at Sassy Silly Spunky Momma She is just awesome and you should go on over and check her out.

Filed Under: Healthy Side Dish Recipes For Kids, Recipes For Kids, Vegetable Recipes For Kids, Vegetarian Recipes For Kids Tagged With: butter, children recipes, cooking recipes with kids, cream, garlic, kid recipes, mashed potatoes, parmesan cheese, pepper, potato, salt, side dish, toddler recipes

Farmers Market Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

June 29, 2010 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 53 Comments

So you all know that I went berry picking with the kiddos. They had a blast and can’t wait for the berry seasons, apple seasons, corn seasons, etc that are upcoming. But to go with my farm fresh strawberries we went on down to the old town farmer’s market. I was so excited. Our town’s first farmer’s market of the season…

Well to say that I was disappointed is an understatement. I know it’s not a huge town but it apparantly boasts quite a number of farms here and to see three tiny little stalls was, well, heartbreaking. So I picked up some rhubarb to couple with my berries and some dandelion leaves that you’ll be seeing in a yummy recipe or two upcoming and went home dejected.

Welcome to the small town I guess. Not like back in LA. Apparantly there are a boat load of bigger ones around. We’ll have to check those out…soon! I did make a yummy pie though. Check it out.

For the pie crust:

1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled + 2 T cut into small pieces

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting

1 t salt

3 T sugar

8 to 12 tablespoons ice water

2 T cream

1 T sugar in the raw

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put 2 sticks of butter, flour, salt and sugar in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Transfer dough onto counter and split into two equal portions. Wrap each of them separately in plastic wrap and allow to chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes. You can do this the day before if you want.

Remove 1 portion from the fridge to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the pie ingredients.

For the filling:

3 1/2 cups rhubarb sliced

1 16 oz container strawberries hulled & halved

1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 t ground cinnamon

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 t nutmeg

1/4 t salt

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to coat well. Set aside.

Pull the first crust in the pie plate out of the fridge and fill with berry mixture. Top with remaining cut up butter. Top with rolled out second pie crust and crimp edges decoratively. Cut a few slits into the top of your pie to allow the steam to escape. Brush top dough with cream and sprinkle with sugar in the raw. Place pie on a baking sheet and slide into your 400 degree oven. Cook for 15 minutes then turn oven down to 350. Cook for an additional 45-55 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve warm with whip cream or ice cream. So so good!!

Hey there Tuesday pals. If you’re here from FMBT and TTA please leave me a note and let me know where I can find you and return the love!

Filed Under: Fruit Recipes For Kids, Kids Desserts, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: berries, brown sugar, cream, dessert, farm to table, farmers market, pie, pie crust, rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, summer, summer time

My Kid Likes Fruit? Cobbler

June 17, 2010 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 25 Comments

We’re on our way to go berry picking today. After moving to such a rural area we’re embracing our farmer neighbors and going out to get our berry on. Ok, for the record, it’s hardly rural…but when you’ve lived in nothing but big cities, LA, NYC, and Boston, then move to a place where there’s only 4 or 5 streets in town you’re allowed to drive over 25 mph it’s a huge adjustment. And my house is on an entire acre! An ACRE!!! You have any idea what this would cost in LA County???? I don’t even want to think about it. Anyway, we’re off to pick strawberries today. I think a strawberry rhubarb pie might be in order shortly but in the meantime you’ll have to check out my blueberry/peach cobbler. It’s insane. Yeah, I said it, INSANE!!! I dare you to make it and not eat the whole thing in one sitting…

4 c blueberries

4 peaches, peeled and sliced

2 sticks unsalted butter, divided

1 c sugar, divided

2 T corn starch

1 T lemon juice

1 t ground cinnamon

¾ t salt, divided

1 ½ c all purpose flour

2 T baking powder

¾ c heavy cream

1 whole egg

1 T water

2 T sugar in the raw

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot melt 4 T butter. Cut remaining butter into cubes and place in freezer. Add blueberries, peaches, and ½ cup sugar to the melted butter. Stir in corn starch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and ¼ t salt. Mix well, and turn off heat.

In your food processor sift in flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, and remaining salt. Pulse quickly to combine. Add in butter from the freezer and pulse until the flour mixture looks like sand. Pour in cream and pulse again quickly just until the dough comes together and is slightly sticky.

Beat your egg in a small bowl and add water. Set aside.

Pour your fruit mixture into a 9×13 baking dish. Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto the fruit mixture, spread it out as it will all cook together in the oven. Brush the top of the batter with egg wash then sprinkle on sugar.

Place the pan on a baking sheet to catch “bubble over” and bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with ice cream or whip cream. You kids are sure to love this fruit!

Meaty Morsel: Switch up your fillings with this cobbler. Try raspberry/nectarine or peach/apple, or mixed berry! It’s always delicious and a big crowd pleaser.

I’m linking up today to meet some new Thursday friends. If you’re new here, welcome. Pull up a chair. Can I get you a cup of coffee with your cobbler?

Filed Under: Fruit Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes, Kids Desserts, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: berry, blueberries, cobbler, cream, dessert, egg, flour, peach, sugar

Bow ties with spring veggies and bacon

Bacon, Potato, and Onion Torte

Keegan’s Mashed Potatoes

MMMashed Potatoes

Farmers Market Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

My Kid Likes Fruit? Cobbler

Featured Cooking With Kids Videos

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Find A Local Farmer’s Market

Bow ties with spring veggies and bacon

Bacon, Potato, and Onion Torte

Keegan’s Mashed Potatoes

MMMashed Potatoes

Farmers Market Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

My Kid Likes Fruit? Cobbler

Featured Cooking With Kids Videos

Join Our Mailing List

Find us on Facebook

Connect With Ma

Find A Local Farmer’s Market

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