Favorite Kid-Friendly Meals

Some families may be blessed with children who are adventurous eaters, but mine is not. I did all the things you're supposed to when they're little: offering lots of choices, encouraging them to try new foods more than once, not making them separate meals. But I was a picky child myself, so what goes around has indeed come around, and I've just learned to live with it. 

Over time, I have managed to expand their palates enough that I have a pretty good list of meals that they really enjoy. Here are a few of my family's favorites.

Costan Rican Dinner
I've blogged about this recipe before, but I think it's worth posting again because it's a delicious - and easy - meal that the kids like but it's definitely worthy of an adult palate. You can use any kind of flaky white fish, and adjust the herbs to your own taste preferences. It also has the added bonus of being a "one pot" meal, with protein, starch, and vegetables all built in. 

1-1/2 cups water
1 Tblsp butter or margarine
¾ cup long grain rice (uncooked)
Juice of 2 fresh limes (~3 Tblsp)
3 Tblsp olive oil, divided
4 Tblsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
4 tsp minced garlic, divided
kosher salt
¼ tsp sugar
2 to 6 haddock (or cod or tilapia) fillets
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Add ½ tsp salt and the butter to the water and bring to a boil. Add rice; reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, until water is fully absorbed. Keep warm until ready to use.

In a shallow dish large enough for all the fillets, combine lime juice, 1 Tblsp olive oil, 2 Tblsp parsely or cilantro, and 1 tsp minced garlic. Marinade fillets for 15-30 minutes, flipping over halfway through.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Saute onion, pepper, and remaining garlic for 5 minutes, until tender. Add black beans, oregano, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Place rice in baking dish large enough for fillets. Add bean mixture and blend together. Lay fillets on top and pour over excess marinade. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 16-20 minutes, until fish is fully cooked (thicker fillets may take a few extra minutes). 

Note: I used two half-pound fillets, which made two adult servings and two small children's servings, and there was enough rice left over for two additional servings. 

No Peek Beef Tips

My kids love steak but that's a bit pricy for everyday meals. This recipe takes a cheaper cut of beef and makes it as delicious and fork-tender as filet mignon (well, almost). You can leave out the mushrooms if the kids aren't fans (or make them pick them out themselves). Serve over a bed of mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles, and add a side of green salad, carrots, or whatever vegetable isn't on the "hate" list this week. 

2 lbs stew meat, cubed

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 10.5 oz can cream of golden mushroom soup (you can use regular mushroom soup, but it's really not nearly as good)

1/2 cup beef stock

1/2 cup sherry or other red wine

4 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pint cremini mushrooms, halved (optional)

1 large shallot, chopped

2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped

Add cubed meat to a dutch oven. In a large bowl mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over the meat. Add mushrooms, shallot, garlic and thyme and stir to coat. Cover and bake at 300 degrees for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Do not open the lid until done.

Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

Mexican Lasagna

I was somewhat dubious the first time I made this - it just sounds like such a bizarre combination! But it was actually quite delicious, and a surprising hit with the whole family. And it's not only another one-pot meal, but it's in the crock pot so easy to make ahead and forget until dinner time. Leftovers heat up surprisingly well - and it's a pretty big recipe, so there will be leftovers, or you may want to halve the recipe, at least the first time you make it. Feel free to play around with the amounts and types of vegetables included. 

• 2 16 oz jars salsa
• 2 envelopes taco seasoning (8 tablespoons), divided
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened (I found this to be a little too rich, so you may want to use less)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 14 oz can refried beans
• 16 oz uncooked lasagna noodles
• 2 lb ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 cup water
• 14 oz can mexicorn (or regular corn - can also use a generous cup of frozen corn)
• 2 small cans olive slices, drained
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• 
  
• Mix 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning mix with cream cheese, sour cream and beans. Set aside. Brown ground beef in a skillet and prepare with remaining taco seasoning and water. Set aside. Spoon just enough salsa on the bottom of the crock pot to keep the noodles from sticking. Cover the bottom of the crock with lasagna noodles. Break to fit if needed. Spread ⅓ of the bean mixture over the noodles and top with ⅓ of beef, ⅓ of corn and ¼ of olives. Mix cheeses together in a bowl and top lasagna layer with 1 cup of cheese. Top with ¼ of salsa and place noodles on top. Repeat layers two more times (beans, beef, corn, olive, cheese, salsa, noodles x 2), ending with noodles and then pour remaining salsa on top of noodles. Reserve remaining cheese, olives and green onions until the end. Place the lid on the crock and cook for 3½ to 4 hours on high. 15 minutes before serving, cover with remaining cheese, olives and green onions.

Orange Chicken

This is probably the easiest recipe in my whole collection, and it's also one that my kids request the most often. It's on the sweet side, so I like to pair it with sticky rice and stir-fried vegetables (bell peppers, onions, carrots, corn, water chestnuts, etc.). You can even use frozen chicken breasts without thawing first. 

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (can be frozen)

3/4 cup orange marmalade

3/4 cup Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Cook chicken in crockpot on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours. Drain juices from crockpot and cut chicken into chunks. Return to crock. Mix together remaining ingredients, pour over chicken, and stir until coated. Cook for an additional 30 minutes on high. Serve over rice. 

Salmon with Lemon-Dill Butter

It took some convincing to get my kids to try fish for the first time, but for some reason salmon appealed to them more than white fish. And once they tried it, they were hooked. This recipe cooks the salmon with only olive oil and salt, so kids can add the lemon-dill butter or not. The butter is also great on corn on the cob or any other vegetables you choose to serve with it. Rice is always a good side with salmon, whether sticky rice, wild rice, rice pilaf, or herb and butter rice. The salmon can be either grilled or baked. 

1/2 cup butter, softened slightly

1 lemon

2-3 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1-1/2 pounds salmon, skin on

kosher salt

olive oil

Zest the lemon and in a small bowl, combine zest with softened butter, dill, and pepper. Slice lemon in half and set aside. Mix the butter well and scoop into the center of a piece of plastic wrap. Use the wrap to form butter into a log shape, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Bring the salmon to room temperature for 20-30 minutes and divide into portions. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. If grilling, rub grates with olive oil and preheat to medium-high. Reduce heat to medium and grill salmon, skin side down, for 6 minutes, then flip and cook for 5-6 additional minutes. If baking, bake on a nonstick-foil-lined pan at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes, skin side down. 

Top each serving with a slice of herbed butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. 

Fiesta Chicken

Another easy crockpot recipe with ingredients you can adjust to your own personal preferences. It's great served as a taco salad over romaine lettuce and topped with crumbled tortilla chips, wrapped in a soft tortilla like a burrito, or even stuffed in a baked potato. (It also makes fabulous nachos.)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

2 (10 oz) cans corn, drained

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 package taco seasoning mix

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours. Shred chicken with a fork and stir to combine. Top with sour cream, guacamole, extra cheese, black olives, or whatever other toppings you like. 

Shepherd's Pie

Yeah, I know, it's really cottage pie, but it's been called "shepherd's pie" in my family for enough decades that the name has stuck. If you like ground lamb, make it with lamb and use garlic salt instead of regular salt. We always use corn, but feel free to substitute peas or mixed vegetables. All amounts are very forgiving so feel free to adjust based on what you have on hand and how many people you're feeding. I never measure, I just eyeball it. 

1 pound ground beef

salt and pepper to taste

6 servings instant mashed potatoes, prepared according to package directions

2 cups frozen corn

Shredded cheddar

Brown the ground beef, seasoning with salt and pepper. Drain fat and place beef in the bottom of a deep casserole dish. Top with corn (no need to thaw). Cover with mashed potatoes and then a generous layer of cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is browned and crispy at the edges. 

Chicken Pot Pie

There are literally hundreds of chicken pot pie recipes out there, but this is one that my family really loves. It's easily adjustable to whatever you have on hand and whatever you prefer. 

2-3 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
2-3 small potatoes
1 cup chicken broth
¾ light cream, half and half, or milk
1 medium onion, chopped (or ~1/4 cup frozen onion)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
dash poultry seasoning
1 package single-sheet crescent roll (or puff pastry) dough

Place chicken breasts in a pot with just enough water to cover and add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and cover. Let cool in the pot. Cut potatoes into bite size pieces and boil in salted water until almost fork tender. Drain and set aside. 

In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, saute onion with butter for 5 to 8 minutes. Add the frozen vegetables and cook another 5 minutes. Add flour and cook about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and cream/milk and bring to a boil. Add potatoes when thickened. Remove chicken from pot and cut into bite-size pieces and add to vegetable mixture. Add salt and pepper and poultry seasoning to taste. 

Pour mixture into a 9 inch deep dish pie plate (or individual ramekins) and cover with crescent roll dough, crimping to seal the dough to the edge of the plate. bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. 

Lamb Sliders

For some reason, my son determined early that he did NOT like hamburgers, yet he was willing to give sliders a shot. Regular hamburger sliders are good, but these lamb sliders are AMAZING. Be sure to use the Hawaiian rolls - the sweetness is just perfect with the spicy lamb. It's fun to make a dinner of appetizers by serving these alongside a caprese salad, spinach and artichoke dip, and/or Granny Smith apples slices topped with chicken salad and candied walnuts. 

5 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground lamb
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 ounces Swiss or gruyere cheese, cut into eight 1/2-inch cubes (I used Havarti)
8 small hamburger or slider buns, such as King's Hawaiian, halved

Place a grill pan over medium-low heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the shallots are soft, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and cool slightly.

Combine the shallot mixture, lamb, cumin, ketchup, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Form the mixture into 8 patties each 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/2-inch thick. Press a cube of cheese into the middle of each patty and form the meat around the cheese to cover. Brush the patties with the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and grill until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Let the patties rest for 2 minutes. Place the patties in the buns and serve. 

Cooking with Kids

My kids love to help in the kitchen. Hardly a day goes by that my daughter doesn’t pull her little stepstool over to the counter next to me and ask, “What do we do now, Mama Chef?” At ages 3-1/2 and 5, my kids aren’t quite ready to do much real cooking on their own, but they love to help as much as they can. Here are a few of my favorite kid-friendly dishes that even the little ones can help with!

Scrambled Eggs

The first thing my son learned to do in the kitchen was to crack an egg. So, naturally, scrambled eggs is a dish that he loves to help prepare. I bring the egg carton over to the counter and tell him how many eggs we need, then he carefully counts them out and cracks them into the bowl. I help him add milk, salt, and pepper, then he whisks them up with a fork (I use a big bowl to help avoid spills). He butters the toast while I cook the eggs, and when they’re done he gets to make faces on his pile of eggs using Cheerios, sliced black olives, pepperoni, pieces of fruit, pretzel sticks, cheese, red hot candies, whipped cream, ketchup, and whatever else we have on hand.

Brownies (from a mix)

We provide a snack for coffee hour after church once a month or so, and my son loves to tell everyone that he made the brownies that we bring. As well as cracking the eggs (of course), his job is to read the directions and tell me how much of everything we need. I use a marker to draw a line on the glass measuring cup if he needs a little help with the water or oil, and if the recipe calls for butter, we count the tablespoon marks and use a butter knife to cut off the right-sized piece. He does the initial stirring (I taught him “clockwise” and “counterclockwise” while making brownies!) and count how many strokes we use, I help him scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and give it a few more good mixes, then he finishes it up. He sprays the baking pan with non-stick spray, then I hold up the heavy glass bowl while he scrapes the batter into the pan. We practice “greater than” and “less than” as we set the oven temperature (“Which is hotter, 325 degrees or 350 degrees?”), then he sets the timer. When the brownies are all done and cooled, we cut them together and count how many brownies we made.

Meatloaf and Meatballs

A lot of people are grossed out by the feeling of raw ground meat in their hands, but I find that squishing very satisfying, and so do my kids. My son helps read the recipe and measure out the various ingredients, then we dig in with both hands to mix everything together. We taste the various spices and the breadcrumbs as we put them in, and talk about the flavors each one adds to the final product. We even talk about what we could use instead of certain ingredients: What if we were out of bread crumbs? What else do we have that’s in the grain group that’s kind of dry that we could substitute? (We came up with cereal, potato flakes, and crushed tortilla chips.) What could we use instead of ketchup? What else do we have that’s made from the same thing as ketchup? (Our answer was fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, and salsa.)

Sandwiches

Spreading filling on a sandwich is a slightly trickier skill than I first realized. It takes a bit of practice to get the knife at just the right angle so it pushes the filling onto the bread instead of scraping it off. Although peanut butter is a favorite, its stickiness makes it harder to spread, so try starting your kids spreading the jelly side while you do the peanut butter, or spreading mustard or mayo or butter on a cold cut sandwich, or spreading tuna or chicken salad. They can also practice cutting the sandwich in half or carefully lining up a cookie cutter to cut the sandwich into a shape. When they learn their shapes, you can challenge them to figure out how to try to cut the sandwich into rectangles or triangles. If you want to get really creative, let them choose their own sandwich fillings. My son has requested things as varied as chicken with lettuce and apples and a touch of mayo (surprisingly delicious) to bacon and cheese and grapes (not surprisingly, somewhat less successful). We practice nutrition by choosing a meat, a fruit or vegetable, and a dairy product to balance the grain of the bread.

Edible Playdough

Cooking doesn’t necessarily have to be food, although this playdough is perfectly edible. There are plenty of variations on the recipe, but I like to use one cup of creamy peanut butter, two cups of non-fat dry milk powder, and half a cup of honey. Kids learn different techniques for measuring different types of ingredients: peanut butter has to be smooshed into a measuring cup, milk powder needs to be shaken down until it’s level, and honey is a liquid that drizzles into the cup. You can talk about how there’s twice as much milk powder as there is peanut butter, and half as much honey. We discuss how adding a bit more or less of each ingredient would change the texture of the dough. Sometimes we make a hypothesis about it and then do an experiment to find out if our hypthesis was right! And of course, there’s plenty of fine motor skills and creativity involving the final product. You can also give the kids chocolate chips, jimmies, cereal, M&Ms, and other small edibles to decorate their artwork.

And besides all the skills mentioned above, cooking with kids helps teach them basic hygiene and food safety (my kids now run right to the bathroom to wash their hands whenever I call them into the kitchen to help me cook), healthy menu planning, reading, following directions, and math skills like fractions and units of measure. They’re more likely to try new foods if they helped to make them. You can use food to talk about geography (where do grapes come from?), anatomy (what part of the chicken did this come from?), and nutrition (why do I let you eat lots of fruit but candy is only a sometimes food?). Plus, it’s just plain fun to play around in the kitchen with your kids.

So…what do we do now, Mama Chef?