Frozen Yogurt Drops

You need to make these. Seriously, make them right now. I'm betting you already have everything you need in the fridge. If you take 5 minutes now, they'll be ready by the time your kids get home from school, and you, my friend, will be sitting pretty on that pedestal reserved for Superstar Parent of the Week. You can thank me later.

On that day you're feeling guilty because you don't have time for paper mache butterfly crafts and building marble runs, you will make these. When you can't steal 15 minutes to read the next installment of the Boxcar Children to your twins because they don't want their sister to read it out loud to them they want you to read it out loud, you will make these. When the kids are asking, what are we going to do today while you need an oil change, have 15 emails to answer, grocery shopping to do, a school fundraising meeting, and a workout to fit in? That's the day you're going to make these. And everyone's going to wind up happy.

Here's the drill:

Pull some yogurt out of the fridge. See, I told you you already have everything you need! Any flavored yogurt will do, full fat, no fat, some fat, Greek, vanilla, strawberry, pineapple, goji berry papaya coconut swirl, pretty much anything but plain.

Now, and this part is purely optional, stir a drop of food coloring into the yogurt. I used orange for mango, yellow for pineapple, purple for blueberry, you get the idea. It's totally unnecessary but if you want to jazz things up and have some food coloring on hand, I say go for it. Who can't use a little extra color in mid-January?

Scoop each flavor of yogurt into a plastic baggie. Snip a corner off each bag with scissors and pipe bite size rounds onto a sheet pan.

Don't like using plastic bags? Fear not. Just use a teaspoon and drop dollops onto a tray like you would cookie dough instead.

Now put them in the freezer for a couple of hours. When they're frozen solid, pop them off the pan with a spatula (if like me, you require said pan for dinner) and toss them into a clean plastic freezer bag or other container and keep them frozen until you're ready to serve. That's it!

Super cute, healthful, crazy delicious to snack on while blogging doing homework and preposterously easy!

Kids seem to like them.

But make some extra for the grown ups!

Easy Peppermint Bark

In keeping with our new tradition of holiday treats that don't include nuts or eggs from the get go, here's a super simple but sublime addition to our cookie tray this year.

Peppermint Bark
adapted from Food Network Magazine, December 2012

1 10-ounce bag good quality bittersweet chocolate chips
12 ounces good quality white chocolate
2 tsp peppermint extract
3-4 candy canes, crushed

1. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with foil, shiny side facing up. Place the bittersweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 20 second intervals, stirring between each cycle until about 2/3 of the chips have melted. Stir the chocolate gently until completely melted. Stir in 1 tsp peppermint extract. Pour the bittersweet chocolate mixture into the prepared pan and spread to an even thickness. Allow the bittersweet chocolate to cool until it's almost set, about 10-12 minutes.
2. Chop the white chocolate into small pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl. Heat as you did the bittersweet chocolate, taking extra care not to scald the white chocolate. (All chocolate can be temperamental but I find white chocolate to be particularly so. Take your time and don't rush the melting process!) Stir the white chocolate until completely melted. Stir in remaining 1 tsp peppermint extract. Pour the white chocolate on top of the almost set bittersweet chocolate and smooth to an even thickness. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes, gently pressing the larger pieces into the chocolate. Allow to cool to room temperature for an hour or more.
3. Once completely set, use the foil to lift the peppermint bark from the pan. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks - or better yet, wrap some up to give as a festive holiday gift.

Asiago Thyme Popcorn

It was 70 degrees here the week. December 3rd. Chicago. 70 degrees.

We could not let a day like that pass us by so after school the kids and I spent the final hours of daylight doing gymnastics, swinging from monkey bars, and playing "triathlon" which, as far as I can tell, entails jumping off a moving bike and running as fast as you can for about 30 yards wearing a helmet. Good times. But all that outdoor activity also means we needed a quick and easy, tasty snack.

Asiago Thyme Popcorn

6 cups popped popcorn (give or take)
4 ounces Asiago cheese*, finely grated (about 3/4 cup grated)
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Cooking spray or 1 tbsp melted butter

While the popcorn is still hot, spray lightly with a little cooking spray or drizzle with melted butter and toss to coat. Throw the cheese, salt, and thyme over the top of the popcorn and toss again. Distribute in individual snack bags and hand out to hungry kids. Don't forget a bag for yourself!

*Parmesan would work nicely too. We just happened to have a hunk of Asiago hanging around looking for a home.

It doesn't get much easier. Cheese-loving Looly dubbed this "the best popcorn ever" and claimed the leftovers for her snack at school today. Not a bad review for 10 minutes of my time.

French Apple Tart

Because I have an unhealthy obsession with Ina Garten and because I can't stop thinking about dessert, French Apple Tart.

All this rustic charm is even easier than pie, thanks to frozen puff pastry, so you can impress your friends very little effort.

First, peel, core, and slice your apples.

Don't skimp on the butter.

And voila!

French Apple Tart
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

1 rectangular sheet frozen puff pastry
4 Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup orange marmalade*
1 tbsp dark rum, Calvados, or apple cider**

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Unfold and arrange the puff pastry on the parchment and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.
2. Peel the apples and slice them in half right through the stem. Use a paring knife and a melon baller, remove the cores and stems. Slice the apples cross-wise into even slices about 1/4-inch thick.
3. Pull the pastry out of the fridge and arrange the apple slices in diagonal rows starting at one corner of the pastry and overlapping the slices just slightly all the way to the opposite corner. Continue additional diagonal rows on either side of center until the pastry is covered and you are happy with your design.
4. Sprinkle with the sugar and dot with the diced butter.
5. Bake 45-55 minutes until the pastry is crusty and delicious and the apples are nicely browned. If you see or smell smoke, fear not. The pan juices will start to burn long before the tart itself is in any danger. When the tart is finished baking, use a spatula to loosen the it from the parchment.
6. Heat the marmalade and liquor (or apple cider) in a small sauce pan. Brush the mixture all over the apples and pastry and allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6

*Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics calls for apricot jelly or jam, put through a sieve. Given Roo's peach allergy, apricots are just a little too close for comfort so I prefer orange marmalade. I leave in all the gooey rind pieces because I like the chewiness they add in the tart but if you prefer a smoother glaze, feel free to strain your jam.

**I reduced the liquor by half to make the glaze more palatable for kids but be forewarned, a faint boozy aroma remains. I suggest keeping it a grown-up dessert or sub in the apple cider if you'll be serving to kids. Mine didn't appreciate the booze.

Easy Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips

My chip fixation continues.

I know what a process it can be to make exciting, tasty, remotely nutritious party food for one kid with food allergies, but with an entire classroom of allergies to contend with, it can be next to impossible. Just try to come up with a safe, healthful "treat" that a bunch of 6-year-olds with candy and costumes on the brain will actually want to eat. I don't want to pull a muscle patting myself on the back but I contend these baked apple chips do the trick.

I made these for Looly's first grade class Halloween party a couple of weeks ago. The kids took them down and came back for more, which considering we were less than 3 hours away from official trick-or-treating time, was freaking amazing.

Better yet these are so easy to make they're really more of a non-recipe. In fact, it didn't even occur to me to post them here until a few adults at Looly's party were stunned that I had made them, automatically assuming that I must have used a food dehydrator or some other obscure gadget. No, friends. Assuming you have an apple, a mandoline, and an oven at your disposal, the process is embarrassingly simple. 

Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips

4 apples, sliced thin on a mandoline, or if your knife skills are that good, have at it that way.*
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the apple slices in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and sugar.
2. Bake for about 2 hours, turning apples over after the first hour. After 2 hours, turn the oven off but leave the apples to continue to crisp up until the oven is cool.

*Leave the skin and core intact. It's just prettier that way. Choose any apple variety you like just keep in mind that the juicier the apple the longer it will take to dry out. For reference, I used Granny Smiths and Honey Crisps.

There you have it - allergy-friendly, kid-approved, healthful, seasonally appropriate baked cinnamon apple chips. They'll keep for several days in an airtight container, but my advice is make them on the day of your shindig. Your house will smell amazing and everyone will assume you're a domestic goddess. Save your leftovers for lunchboxes!

Curried Pasta Salad

Ahh fall. 

A couple of weeks ago we made the trek to Wisconsin to kick back, soak in the scenery and most importantly, to celebrate my father-in-law's 70th birthday. Rest assured there was plenty of swimming, drinking, celebrating, and oh yes, eating to be done.

Now, three households, consisting of 6 adults and 5 kids sharing a single kitchen for a few days can pose some unique challenges, especially when everyone has their own agenda - food allergies, vegetarians, carnivores, diabetics, picky kids, you get the idea.

My solution? Make as much as possible ahead of time so you can sit back, relax, and sip a Mai Tai by the (yes, indoor) pool. In addition to a batch of egg-free chocolate chip cookies and a few loaves of banana bread I had stashed in the freezer, this easy salad also made the trip and was a tasty accompaniment to sandwiches and salad greens all weekend long.

Curried Pasta Salad
adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

4 cups small pasta (such as stellina, ditalini, or similar), prepared according to package instructions, rinsed in cold water and drained.
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup fruity, good quality olive oil
2 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp tumeric
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper (cut it back to 1 tsp if you're serving kids)
1 cup carrots, grated
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried cherries
4-5 scallions, sliced
1/2 cup red onion, diced (you might want to omit this if you're making it for kids. Mine balked at the "spicy" onion bits)

1. In a small bowl whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper).
2. In a separate large bowl, combine the cooked, cooled, and drained pasta with the carrots, parsley, raisins, cherries, scallions, and red onion, if using. Toss to combine. Pour yogurt mixture over pasta mixture and stir to combine.

Serves 12.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts Chips

Building. We're always building on past success. Of course I use the term very loosely as it pertains to feeding my kiddos.

Kale chips are a hit. Even Looly is coming around, albeit slowly. Beet chips are hugely popular with most of the family and I suspect Looly will come around on those eventually too. So then, Brussels sprouts chips?

Along with beans, beets, kale, and most things colorful, vegetarian, and healthful, Bean has always loved Brussels sprouts. Two Thanksgivings ago, as a two-year-old, she sat on the counter eating raw "baby lettuce" while I prepped to roast them for the rest of us - the "rest of us" being the adults of course. Looly was not convinced and at that point I wouldn't have even entertained the notion of putting a leaf of any variety in Roo's mouth for fear of gagging. But this is a new realm. And in this realm, we make chips out of Brussels sprouts.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts Chips

1&1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
2 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Chop the ends off the Brussels sprouts and discard any wilted or yellow leaves. Separate each sprout into individual leaves. This is the perfect job for eager little fingers that want to help! When you get to the dense core and can't remove any more leaves, you can toss it, save it for another recipe, or feed it to Bean.
2. Spread the leaves in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Toss with oil to coat. Bake 10-15 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, until leaves are crisp and brown on the edges. If some leaves brown faster than others, remove the crisp leaves and continue baking others until they are all nice and crisp. Season with salt to taste.

No surprise, Bean went barmy for these. And once again Looly and Roo were not impressed, but they each managed a few nibbles. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was Mufasa, who was nearly as enthusiastic as Bean. That's success in my book. These little munchies are staying in rotation and might just make it to the Thanksgiving table this year.

Chicken and Rice with Ginger Salt Sauce

This one's quick and uncomplicated.

You know those nights when you're about to chew your way through the cupboard because you worked out hard and never got around to eating lunch besides the nub of a banana your kid left in his booster seat cup holder and gymnastics starts in 45 minutes and someone just bit someone else and now two people are sobbing and someone else is calling for bathroom assistance and everyone, including you, is way too grumpy to try anything even remotely unfamiliar but dinner has to be awesome and ready ten minutes ago? You know those nights? This is dinner for those nights.

Chicken and Rice with Ginger Salt Sauce
adapted slightly from Cooking Light, January 2005

1 fresh, hot, rotisserie chicken, shredded
2 cups brown rice (Make extra and keep some in the freezer. Trust me.)
3 tbsp canola oil (or other flavorless oil)
2 tbsp minced ginger (Fresh is preferable but you can use the stuff in a jar in a pinch, especially if it's one of those nights.)
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
2 tsp kosher salt

1. Make the rice, or if you have some ready to go in the freezer, heat it up. Throw a handful of shredded chicken on top of the rice.
2. In a small bowl, combine the oil, ginger, salt, and green onions. Mix well. Dot the sauce sparingly on top of the chicken and rice and dig in. It's delicious but really really salty. A little goes a long way.

For extra picky, grumpy kids who sometimes bite each other, leave the sauce off completely and you've got simple chicken and rice at the ready. If you feel a sudden wave of ambition (aka guilt), add a little edamame on the side.

The First Tomato

We celebrated a momentous occasion this week. Our first tomato has finally blushed to perfection! 

I might have mentioned before that I excel at killing plants. Thank goodness children require slightly different care and feeding from vegetables or I'd be in a penitentiary somewhere. Fortunately Mufasa has spent the past few years honing his gardening skills and after several disappointments (ravenous rabbits and squirrels mainly) we have a real thriving, albeit small, garden.

Picking time!

Much to our delight we feasted on tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil all grown within a 10 foot radius of our house. Now that's local. I love summer.

Tomatoes and Cucumbers with Basil Salt

1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup kosher salt
3-4 cucumbers, the fresher the better, extra points for growing them yourself
3-4 tomatoes still warm from the sun

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Combine the 3/4 cup of the basil leaves and salt in a food processor. Process until well combined. Spread basil-salt mixture on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 45-50 minutes shaking pan occasionally until dry. Allow to cool to room temperature.
2. Slice the cucumbers and tomatoes. Arrange on a platter and top with remaining 1/4 cup basil leaves. Sprinkle a bit of the basil salt on top to taste, reserving the rest in an airtight container for the bounty of vegetables yet to ripen (or perhaps to rim a margarita, the choice is yours).

So simple, lovely, and summery