A RealFamilies RealFun Blog

Oct 23 2008

Put that on my tab

Category: Come and Get It

On Tuesdays, Nathan has golf league for about three hours, depending on when the coach decides when the little kids need to get out of the heat. Since league is followed immediately by a trip to the speech therapist, I make sure that Nathan has something to eat at the club house.

Knowing that the pros and staff look out for the little kids, I let Nathan have a soda and hot dog by himself or with his friend Michael after they finish their round. (He'll call me to pick him up after he eats.) It's nice to give him that sense of freedom while knowing he's in a very safe environment.

Sometimes I give him cash or I'll prepay and give him the receipt. One morning, when I had no cash, I was paying by credit card. The lady at the counter offered to start a tab for Nathan so I didn't have to pay each week. I told her that since I had to come to pay greens fees each time, it wasn't a big deal to prepay for his food, too.

A six-year-old with a tab? I could see Nathan now. "Hey guys, the root beers are on me!"

 

Oct 20 2008

My search for eggless meatloaf

Category: Come and Get It

I've had a hankering for meatloaf lately. So one evening, I took the kids to our favorite '50s diner, part of the Gunther Toodies chain. A Colorado institution, the restaurant is one of those kitschy '50s joints specializing in yummy ice cream shakes and sarcastic, bouffanted waitresses. Lucie started calling it Mash Patooties after seeing my order mash potatoes and meatloaf, and the name has stuck with the rest of us since then.

After a disappointing meatloaf that was too dry and dense, I began to search for meatloaf recipe that Lucie could eat. This was a challenge since most call for eggs, a big no-no for her. Luckily I came across this terrific version at Recipe&Recipies online, which I've modified somewhat.

I'm always nervous about serving a new dish to my family, especially since I've had more misses than hits lately. However, this was a huge success. Lucie ate a big portion along with a side of peas. Nathan skipped the peas and had three servings. Paul had two servings and all of Nathan's peas. And since I've joined Weight Watchers to lose the 15 pounds I gained over the summer (sigh) I had a measly but delicious 4 ounces of it, and a side of sauteed pepper strips.

Eggless Meatloaf*

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground deer (you can use ground beef or 1 pound beef and 1 pound turkey)
fresh bread cubes from 3 slices of white bread
1 small chopped onion
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup milk
1 can vegetarian vegetable soup with alphabet noodles
Swiss cheese in cube or bar form

Topping Sauce:
2 tablespoon golden mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preparation:
1. Use your hands to mix together all the meatloaf ingredients except the cheese. Don't be concerned if you see solid pieces of the soup or bread in the mix. Just try to combine the ingredients as best as you can.

2. Shape into 8 to 10 meatballs or a loaf. I used a loaf pan on my first try. Next time, I will make a freestanding loaf, since the pan retained so much moisture and grease. In fact, I had to use a turkey baster to get rid of all the liquid. Placing the loaf on a small rack inside a pan, so the fat and grease can drip off during baking, would be a good idea, too.

3. Cut a cube of Swiss cheese (about 3/4 inch square) for the meatballs, and press into the center of each one. If you're making a loaf, cut a long 1 inch square "bar" of cheese approximately the length of the loaf to press into the center. (You can use several pieces of cheese to do this.) The idea is that when you cut into the meatball or loaf, there is melted Swiss cheese in the middle.
4. Bake loaves at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

5. Then mix together the topping ingredients and brush/pour over the top of loaves or meatballs.

6. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer.

7. Let loaf sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Goes great with mash patooties, I mean mash potatoes, green beans, peas, or sauteed pepper strips.

(Note: unbaked loaves and meatballs freeze well.)

*Adapted from Recipe&Recipies Website

 

Oct 13 2008

Easy like Sunday morning

Category: Come and Get It

Nathan woke us up this morning with a request for waffles. "Nathan, it isn't even the weekend!" I said. "There's no way I'm going to make you an elaborate breakfast."

Nathan continued to beg for waffles, and wasn't going to settle for the toaster waffles in the freezer. (I couldn't blame him. They'd been in there a very long time.)

Having had a good night's sleep for a change, I thought I'd try to do something special for Nathan, even if it was only scrambling up a couple of eggs. Then I remembered a fun breakfast dish I saw in a children's cookbook I had just received. This is a version of a dish that is sometimes called toad in a hole, frog in a pond, chicken in a basket, or a picture frame egg. No matter what you call it, the dish is easy to make and fun to eat.

Sunshine Toast

Note: this recipe involves use of a microwave and oven. Please do not let children cook without adult supervision.

Ingredients:
1 slice of bread
melted butter
1 medium egg
large cookie cutter
cookie sheet
aluminum foil or a non-stick silicone baking mat

Preparation:
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. If you are using aluminum foil on your cookie sheet, spray the surface with a nonstick cooking spray or grease well with butter. If you are using a silicone baking mat there is no need to grease the surface.

3. Use your microwave to melt some butter. Make sure to use a microwave safe bowl.

4. Brush the melted butter on one side of the bread with a pastry brush. Then take the cookie cutter and press it hard into the middle of the slice of bread. Wiggle it back and forth slightly while pressing to make sure you're cutting through the bread.

5. Carefully lift out the shape you have cut out. Lay both pieces of bread on the tray with the butter side up.

6. Break the egg into a saucer and remove any pieces of shell. Carefully slide the egg into the hole you have cut.

7. Bake for seven minutes on the top rack of the oven, or for a little longer (about 10 minutes) if you don't like a runny yolk.

8. Lift the pieces of bread carefully off the tray. Season with salt and pepper. Eat it while it's still warm. Use the toast shape to dip in the egg yolk.

Variation: If you like cheese with your egg, sprinkle grated cheese on your egg before placing in the oven.

While Nathan was impressed with how it looked, he balked when he tasted it. Then we realized we forgot to add the salt and pepper. Paul and I really enjoyed our eggs and toast. Being allergic, Lucie had a blueberry bagel and cream cheese.

This recipe took very little time to cook and clean up. Plus it provided a shared moment at the breakfast table -- a nice alternative to a harried weekday morning.

*Adapted from the Usborne Activities cookbook, What Shall I Cook?