The Whole Family Cookbook

by Michelle Stern

2. Go to the grocery store and get your ingredients and supplies. To keep costs down, buy dried beans and cook them yourself.

  3. Prepare your ingredients. If you are cooking dried beans, you will need to soak them overnight.

  4. Make your burritos, wrap them in foil, and keep them warm in the oven.

  5. Pack them in backpacks and ride your bikes around town, delivering them to people who seem hungry. If it isn't safe to ride bicycles in your town, perhaps you and your kids can drive to a park or soup kitchen where hungry people might gather.

  6. Hand them out with a smile — your kids will feel proud that they helped someone today!

  Grilled Cheese with Nutella

  Makes 4

  You have heard the expression a million times. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Since many families struggle to wake kids up on time, navigate piles of laundry, and locate misplaced shoes, it can be hard to find the time for breakfast. Using this recipe as an occasional lure, your kids are sure to get ready for school in a jiffy. Even though this breakfast is sweeter than we usually eat, the rich and delicious flavor will motivate them to hurry up and see what is on the breakfast table the next time.

  3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  8 slices rustic white bread (¼″-thick slices)

  ¼ cup chocolate hazelnut spread, such as Nutella, at room temperature

  1 cup ricotta cheese, at room temperature

  Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place the buttered side down on a clean work surface.

  Spread Nutella and ricotta on 4 slices of bread, and top with the remaining slices, buttered side up.

  Place a large skillet over low heat. (By cooking the sandwiches on low, you won't burn the bread but the sandwiches will get warm enough for the cheese to melt.)continued on next page

  Place 2 sandwiches at a time in the skillet. Press down on the sandwiches with the back of a spatula, so that they sizzle.

  Cook for at least 5 minutes, or until the undersides begin to turn golden brown.

  Flip the sandwiches and cook for 5 minutes more, until the bottoms are browned to your liking. Cool slightly and gobble up!

  Crunchy Granola

  Makes 5 cups*

  Each time I shop, I gaze at the shelves and consider the prices of packages in front of me. How much of that fee goes toward the bag? The box? The actual food inside? You couldn't ask for an easier recipe to prepare yourself than granola. And the cost can't be beat. Plus, there is no unnecessary packaging — simply store it in an airtight container. The only hazard is that it might disappear quickly!

  4 cups oats (not quick-cooking)

  1/3 cup brown sugar

  3 tablespoons sesame seeds

  ½ teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon cinnamon

  ¼ cup honey

  ¼ cup canola oil

  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  *Optional Ingredients (will increase the yield):

  ¼ cup dried, shredded coconut

  ¼ cup sunflower seeds (without shells)

  ¼ cup pumpkin seeds

  3 tablespoons flaxseed

  ½ cup nuts, chopped (almonds, walnuts, pecans, or cashews are all great!)

  1/3 cup dried fruit, such as cranberries, raisins, currants, blueberries, or cherries

  Preheat the oven to 300°F.

  Measure oats, brown sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon, and combine them in a large bowl. If using, add shredded coconut, sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, and nuts.

  Measure honey, oil, and vanilla, and combine them in a separate bowl. Pour honey mixture over the oat mixture and stir to combine.

  Pour the granola onto a greased rimmed baking sheet and spread into an even layer.

  Bake for 25–30 minutes, stirring gently every 10 minutes, so that the granola doesn't burn.

  After the granola comes out of the oven and cools, add any dried fruit of your choice.

  Once cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

  GOING GREEN

  The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

  Most of the time, when we hear about a new island, we picture palm trees, sandy beaches, and sunny blue skies. Sadly, the same can't be said for our natural reaction of disgust when scientists discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is a floating island in the Pacific Ocean made from bits of plastics and garbage. Brought together by winds and ocean currents, the mass has grown to be the size of Texas. Why on earth would I mention this in a cookbook, or all places? There are two good reasons.

  First, the trash, degraded by the sun and waves, is broken into tiny pieces that may resemble food and be consumed by marine life. Not only can this harm the animals that ingest these items, but it also disrupts the whole marine food chain, upon which we rely.

  Second, as the people who are producing the trash, we are responsible. By taking simple steps, such as having a garden and making our own food from scratch, we can reduce the packaging we use and the garbage that we produce. The sea turtles and their friends will thank you.

  Chapter 3

  Lunchtime Favorites

  A-B-C Frittata

  Serves 4–6

  The A-B-C in this recipe stands for Apple-Bacon-Cheddar! When I was a child, I was obsessed with animals. I never dreamed that when I became an adult, my family would have a flock of chickens in the backyard! This is the perfect recipe to make use of our plethora of fresh eggs. Not only is it delicious warm, but it also packs well in an insulated bag for school lunches.

  10 eggs

  1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

  Salt and ground pepper, to taste

  3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

  2 apples, Fuji or Gala

  1 tablespoon butter

  Put the oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°F.

  Crack 8 eggs, one at a time, and pour each egg into a medium bowl. Check for shells.

  You need only the whites from the remaining 2 eggs. To separate the egg whites, crack the egg over an egg separator or someone's clean hands. Carefully let the egg white slip through the fingers into the bowl, with the yolk remaining.

  Using a whisk, beat the eggs until the yolks and whites are thoroughly combined.

  Grate the cheese with a box grater. (Younger children can help you if they use a rotary cheese grater, which protects their knuckles.)

  Add half of the grated cheese to the egg mixture and stir to combine.

  Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

  Cook the strips of bacon. You can fry them in a skillet (watch out — they can splatter!) or you can bake them in a 425°F oven on a cooling rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet. This is a great method because you don't have to flip the bacon, and the kids stay safe.

  Once the bacon cools, crumble the strips with clean hands.

  Use an apple peeler/corer/slicer on the apple. If you don't have one, use a vegetable peeler to peel the apple.

  If you have an apple corer, you may use it. Or, simply cut up the apple, leaving the core behind.

  Slice the apple pieces very thinly. As you are cutting, make sure the apple pieces are flat-side down, so the chunks don't wobble on the cutting board.

  In a medium cast-iron or nonstick ovenproof skillet, heat the butter over medium heat.

  Add egg mixture to the skillet and sprinkle the bacon crumbles evenly over the eggs.

  Gently arrange the apple slices on top of the egg mixture, in a circular pattern, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

  Move the skillet from the stovetop to the upper rack of your oven.

  Bake until frittata is firm in the center and cheese is browned, about 20 minutes.

  Put on an oven mitt and remove the skillet from the oven. Use a flexible spatula to loosen the frittata from the pan and carefully slide it onto a cutting board.

  Allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing into wedges and eating.

  Note: Egg yolks can be frozen for later recipes. Simply pour each
yolk into the well of an ice cube tray. Sprinkle each yolk with a pinch of sugar or salt, depending on whether you plan to use them for sweet or savory dishes. Cover the tray and freeze.

  GOING GREEN

  Don't Be Chicken …

  There is something to be said for being old-fashioned. When I think of the stories that our grandparents told us about growing up, there are many similarities, no matter where they came from. They gardened, “put up” summer produce in jars for the lean winters, and mended clothes, rather than replacing them. Maybe instead of thinking of these characteristics as old-fashioned, we should consider them ahead of their time. They were eco-conscious!

  While having backyard chickens may seem like a new trend, all it takes is one look back into your family tree to see that it's not new at all. Chickens eat food scraps, bugs, and weeds and give you rich fertilizer at the same time. It seems they fit beautifully into the recycling mindset that has been around for generations. Before building a coop, check with your local government to see if your area allows residents to keep chickens!

  Wrap It Up: BBQ Style

  Serves many!*

  Some kids enjoy finding the same items in their school lunch every day. But other kids want you to mix things up a bit. Here is a formula for making a delicious winter-warming wrap. You can use the same method for making a variety of other wraps as well. Be sure to talk to your kids about their favorite ingredients, so they are excited to see what you created. Or better yet, let them customize the wraps themselves.

  *Makes as many wraps as you have ingredients for!

  Cream cheese

  BBQ sauce

  Whole wheat flour tortillas

  Lettuce

  Carrots

  Cheddar cheese

  Roasted turkey or braised tofu (found in the refrigerated produce section of the grocery store, with the regular tofu)

  Crumbled bacon, optional

  Combine cream cheese and BBQ sauce, to taste.

  Spread the cream cheese mixture on each tortilla.

  Slice or tear the lettuce into strips.

  Grate the carrots and Cheddar cheese.

  Slice the roasted turkey. Or,

  Crumble the braised tofu.

  Layer the lettuce, carrots, Cheddar, and roasted turkey or braised tofu onto the tortilla.

  Top with a bit of crumbled bacon, if desired.

  Fold up the side farthest from you. Roll the tortilla from left to right and place it with the seam side down on your serving plate or in your reusable school lunch container.

  Squashed Sweet Potato Soup

  Serves 6

  Send your kids to school with a thermos of this soup for lunch, and when they eat it, they will feel like you just gave them a big warm hug. Smooth and hearty, this soup will give your children the energy they need to stay focused for the rest of the school day.

  1 large butternut squash (or about 4 cups, puréed)

  2 medium-sized sweet potatoes

  2 tablespoons butter

  2 or 3 fresh sage leaves

  2 shallots

  1 clove garlic

  4 cups vegetable broth

  Salt and pepper to taste

  Apple cider vinegar, optional before serving

  Adults only for this step! Using a chef's knife or cleaver, cut the butternut squash in half.

  Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and set them aside for your compost or backyard chickens.

  Cook the squash until it is tender, at 375°F for about 45 minutes, cut side down with a little water poured onto a rimmed baking sheet. (Roasting the squash concentrates the flavor, making for a richer soup.)

  Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to peel the sweet potatoes.

  Cut the sweet potatoes into cubes and steam them over 1 cup water, until tender, about 10–15 minutes. Alternatively, you can halve the sweet potatoes and roast them with the squash.

  In a stockpot, melt the butter over low heat. Add the sage leaves to pot so that their flavor gets infused into the melted butter.

  Mince the shallots and add them to the melted butter. Cook until they have softened, 3–5 minutes, stirring often. After the shallots have finished cooking, remove the sage leaves from the pot and discard. Turn off the heat under the pot.

  Peel the clove of garlic, press with a garlic press, and put it into the pot.

  Once cooked and cool enough to handle, scrape the softened butternut squash from the skin and add it to the stockpot. Also add the steamed or roasted sweet potatoes and turn the heat back on to medium.

  Measure the vegetable broth and add it to the pot.

  When all of the ingredients have heated through, stir to combine and reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes.

  Blend the soup with an immersion blender (being careful it does not splash out of the pot) or by blending it in several small batches in a blender. (If you are using the blender, leave the cover slightly askew to allow the steam to escape.)

  Heat the soup for an additional 10 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

  Ladle the soup into individual bowls and add a small splash of apple cider vinegar to each, before serving, if desired. This soup also freezes very well, making it a great make-ahead staple when squash is in season!

  GOING GREEN

  Pay Dirt: Make Your Own Compost

  Healthy gardens only grow from healthy soil. If your soil is old and anemic like ours was, you can amend it by making your own compost, which adds fertility and improves soil structure. Composting is recycling at its finest. Simply mix together a combination of the “ingredients” in the following list, make sure they stay moist, and turn the pile every so often. Nature will do its business and the ingredients will come together to create the cocktail of your garden's dreams.

  Do include: plant materials, including a mixture of “browns” and “greens.” Browns include dried leaves, wood chips or shavings, and seedless hay and straw (do you have a horse stable nearby?). Greens include weeds (without seed heads!), vegetable peels, fruit scraps, and grass clippings. You can also add coffee grounds as well as poop from rabbits, horses, goats, and chickens.

  Don't include: any animal products (such as meat, bones, and dairy), diseased plants, or poop from carnivorous animals such as dogs or cats.

  Wrap It Up: L'egg-o Style

  Serves many!*

  I surely can't be the only parent who occasionally has to scrape through the dregs of the refrigerator to make lunch for my children. Even though I am not always as well stocked as I would like to be, I always have tortillas and eggs on hand, which are the main ingredients in this simple recipe. And by keeping a small pot of lettuces on the deck, I have easy access to fresh greens any time my refrigerator runs dry. For their small size, they pack a significant nutritional punch, filled with protein, folate, iron, and zinc.

  *Makes as many wraps as you have ingredients for!

  Mayonnaise

  Whole wheat flour tortillas

  Romaine or butter lettuce

  Black olives

  Hard-boiled eggs

  Curry powder, optional

  Salt, to taste

  Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on a tortilla.

  Slice or tear the lettuce into strips. Set aside.

  Use an egg slicer to slice the black olives. (If you prefer a finer consistency, you or an older child can chop them.)

  Mash the hard-boiled eggs with the back of a fork or with a potato masher.

  Mix in the black olives.

  Add a small dollop of mayonnaise and a touch of curry powder and salt, if desired.

  Stir to combine the flavors.

  Place some lettuce on the tortilla and top it with some egg salad.

  Fold up the side farthest from you. Roll the tortilla from left to right and place it with the seam side down on your serving plate or in your reusable school lunch container.

  Thai Spring Rolls

  Serves 4

  Light, delicious, and filling are just three words that come to mind wh
en I think of this recipe. There are plenty of steps to keep all of the kids busy as they assemble these little beauties — and they are quick to gobble them up.

  1–2 cups bean thread noodles

  2 cloves garlic

  1 teaspoon lime juice

  1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

  2 teaspoons miso paste

  Smoked or braised tofu (available in the produce section of most grocery stores)

  1 carrot

  1 cup fresh bean sprouts

  1 handful fresh basil or mint leaves

  8 sheets of rice paper (spring roll wrappers)

  Sweet chili dipping sauce, optional

  Prepare the noodles:

  Soak bean thread noodles in boiling water until soft. Drain in a colander in the sink.

  Using clean scissors, snip the noodles into pieces about 1″ long and put them into a large bowl.

  Peel the paper skin from the garlic.

  Mash the garlic and put it into a bowl.

  Cut the lime in half.

  Squeeze the lime and measure 1 tea-spoon of juice into the bowl with the garlic. Measure the rice vinegar and miso paste, and add them to the lime juice and garlic mixture and stir so all of the ingredients blend together. Pour the sauce over the noodles and combine well.