EVERYDAY OVEN FRIES A Cooking with Kids Original Recipe

French fries will always be near and dear to my heartit's almost impossible to resist such hot and crispy treats. But these oven-fries are a strong rival to the deep-fried kind, and health-wise, they beat fatladen French fries hands down. Hot out of the oven, these crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside fries are good enough to enjoy every day of the weekwithout guilt. Youngsters old enough to control a sharp knife can make them with a parent's supervision, while little hands can smoosh the potato wedges around in the oil to coat. Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 40 to 45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the "fries" Yield: 4 small servings

Ingredients and Steps

2 pounds Idaho potatoes 2 to 3 tablespoons corn oil or other vegetable oil Salt and freshly ground pepper

1.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan with foil for easy clean up. 2. Wash the potatoes well, but don't peel them. Pat dry.

3.

Slice the potatoes into halves, then into quarters lengthwise. Placing your knife at 19-1. (The thinner the slice, the crispier the fry will be.) Even if this seems like a lot of potatoes, they shrink considerably during cooking.

the pointed edge of each quarter, carefully slice down into thin wedges, as shown in Figure

4.

Pour the oil into the center of the baking sheet. Using clean hands, push the potato wedges around in the oil, flipping as needed to coat on all sides.

5.

Line the wedges up on their sides, as shown in Figure 19-1. Sprinkle the tops with salt to taste and plenty of fresh cracked pepper.

6.

Bake about 45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the potatoes. Check the oven as a side dish or snack.

potatoes after 35 minutes to make sure they're not browning too much. Serve hot out of the

Corn oil imparts a particular sweetness to the potatoes in this dish, although any vegetable oil will work.

Be sure to use a sharp knife to cut through the potatoes effortlessly. Dull knives can slip, risking an accidental cut. If children can't control a knife safely, parents should cut the potatoes and let the kids rub them in the oil and add salt and pepper. TORTELLONI TOSS A Cooking with Kids Original Recipe

This 20-minute, one-pot recipe calls for tortelloni (tohr-tl-OH-nee), which means "big hats" in Italian, because that's what these stuffed pastas resemble. Pick up two 8-ounce packages of fresh tortelloni (found in the refrigerator case) or a 1-pound package of frozen tortelloni. If you can't find the plump tortelloni, substitute it's little brother, tortellini (tohr-tl-EE-nee)smaller versions of the same pasta. Or, use stuffed ravioli, and even nonstuffed pasta, such as linguine or bow ties. Select any flavor of stuffing (cheese, meat, or mix) you prefer for this recipe.

Chard, sometimes referred to as Swiss chard, looks a bit like overgrown spinach, another green that's often substituted for chard. Rich in beta-carotene, chard has large, crinkly, green leaves with thick stalks and comes in two main varieties: one type has silvery white stalks, while the other has ruby red stalks. I prefer the more distinctive flavor of red chard for this recipe, but white-stalked chard, spinach, and other greens all taste great, too. (Be sure to rinse the chard well in a sinkful of cold water.) The key to cooking chard is stripping the leaves from the stalksyou'll want to use both the leaves and the stalks, but the stalks take longer to cook, so you need to start them first. Equipped with safety scissors, a young child can easily cut the leafy parts from the stalks and even cut the stalks into small pieces, performing the most time-consuming tasks of this recipe. Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings as a main course, 6 to 8 as a side dish

Ingredients and Steps

1 bunch Swiss chard, preferably red chard (about 12 to 16 ounces), washed 3 cloves garlic 1 pound fresh or frozen tortelloni 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup red wine vinegar. 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/4 cup fresh basil (optional) Grated Parmesan cheese

1. 2.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

While the water comes to a boil, prepare the chard. Using a knife or safety scissors,

trim the leafy parts away from the stalks. Tear the leafy sections into pieces about 2 inches in size. Place the leafy sections in a colander in the sink and rinse with water. (Note: You need a colander to drain the cooked pasta. So if you have only one colander, remove the leafy sections to a bowl, allowing the water to cling to them.) 3. Cut the stalks across into 1/2-inch wide pieces. Set aside. 4. 5. Peel and chop the garlic.

When the water comes to a boil, gently cook the tortelloni according to may vary, especially if substituting a differently-shaped pasta).

manufacturer's instructions or until just cooked (about 9 minutes for most brands, but time

6.

Reserve one cup of the cooking water (carefully scoop it out with a ladle or a heatproof measuring cup). 7. Drain the tortelloni in the colander.

8.

In the same pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until starting to soften but without browning, about 30 seconds.

9.

Stir in the chard stalks and cook about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of reserved pasta water, cover and simmer until tender, about 2 minutes.

10.

Stir in the chard leaves, salt, and another 1/3 cup pasta water and simmer until the leaves have just wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. 11. Stir in the red wine vinegar. Turn off the heat.

12.

Toss the tortelloni with the chard sauce. If the mixture seems dry, drizzle on another spoonful of olive oil and a spoonful or more of pasta water.

13.

If using fresh basil, chop it up. Serve pasta topped with basil and grated Parmesan.

Vary It! Substitute fresh spinach or other greens for the chard. Top with toasted pine nuts. Instead of extra virgin olive oil, use basil-flavored olive oil, available in most markets.

2-BUCKET BATCH OF OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN p>A Cooking with Kids Original Recipe

This recipe uses two baking sheets to cook over five pounds of chicken pieces in about an hourenough for a family of quintupletsor an average family's meal plus handy leftovers. For three pounds of chicken, use half of the ingredients and bake at the same temperature. Kids can be a huge help by dipping the chicken in the coating and arranging the pieces on the baking sheets for parents to put into the oven.

Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes for boneless breasts; 45 to 60 minutes for bone-in Yield: 12 to 16 pieces of chicken

Ingredients and Steps

1-1/2 cups Corn Flake Crumbs 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs (thyme, oregano, basil, or a combination) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup buttermilk 5 to 6 pounds mixed chicken pieces, with or without skin

1.

Position two oven racks evenly spaced so that air can circulate. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil and coat with nonstick spray.

2.

Add crumbs, garlic, paprika, dried herbs (crushed), and salt to a small paper bag (you can use a plastic bag, but I find paper easier to control). Shake well.

3.

Gently shake out a single layer (about 1/4-inch thick) of crumbs from the bag into the baking dish. Shake the dish to distribute the crumbs evenly.

4.

Pour buttermilk into large mixing bowl. Add 4 or 5 pieces of chicken and stir with a mixing spoon to coat the chicken completely with buttermilk. 5. Using tongs, place as many pieces as will fit without crowding on the layer of add the chicken to the crumbs.

crumbs (4 to 6 pieces). Be sure to let any excess buttermilk drip back into the bowl before you

6.

Gently shake enough crumbs out of the bag to coat the tops of the pieces. Use a dry

spoon to scoop up crumbs that are already in the pan, so as to coat the sides of the pieces. 7. Using another dry set of tongs or a fork, pick the crumb-coated pieces up and

arrange them top side up on a baking sheet, with at least 1 inch in between each piece. 8. Shake the bottom of the crumb dish gently to redistribute the crumbs into a single layer. If necessary, add more crumbs. 9. Repeat Steps 4 through 8 until all of the chicken is coated and arranged on the

baking sheets. If the bag runs out of crumbs, pour excess crumbs from the dish back into the bag. When all of the pieces are coated, discard excess crumbs (don't re-use for food safety reasons.) 10. Bake 20 minutes for boneless, skinless breasts; bake 45 to 60 minutes for pieces

with bone, or until juices run clear. (Larger pieces and dark meat take the most time to cook.)

For more even cooking, swap the positions of the baking sheets half-way through cooking. For better browning, lightly spray the tops of the chicken with nonstick cooking spray. Vary It! Vary this recipe in the following ways:

Instead of buttermilk, dip the chicken in yogurt, milk, evaporated skimmed milk, or 2 egg whites beaten with 2 teaspoons waterwhatever you have on hand.

Instead of Corn Flake Crumbs (available in the flour aisle), try seasoned plastic bag and finely crush them with a rolling pina favorite kid-task!

breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs. To make your own Corn Flake Crumbs, seal Corn Flakes in a

Oven-fry pork chops the same way, cooking about 30 minutes or until just pale pink inside (155 degrees).

Experiment with different seasonings. Try Cajun spices, Italian-herb blend, chili powder and cumin, herbes de Provence.

Score 'n' Pour

Lightly score (cut shallow slashes in) steaks and poultry breasts before pouring on a marinade. Scoring increases flavor, adds tasty browned edges, and helps uneven cuts cook more evenly.

As shown in the following figure, use a sharp, straight-edged knife to make parallel slices about 1/8-inch deep and about 1-inch apart in one direction. Rotate the pieces 45 degrees and do the same thing. You end up with angled criss-crosses in the meat or poultry. Do this on both sides of boneless steaks and breasts or on the meaty side of bone-in breasts. The slashes help marinades penetrate deeper into the meat. In addition, boneless chicken and turkey breasts, which are usually thicker in the middle than on the sides, often dry out on the thin, outer areas before the centers are adequately cookedscoring the thicker sections a little deeper than the rest of the breast allows the heat to penetrate the centers more rapidly, so they stay moister without over-cooking the thin areas. As an added benefit, the scored edges become nicely browned and crisp at the corners when broiled, grilled, or pan-fried on high heat. LAZY, CRAZY LASAGNA A Cooking with Kids Original Recipe

You can make this lasagna without cooking the noodles firsta major time and energy saverand you don't need to buy special no-cook lasagna noodles to make it either. Use any brand or regular lasagna noodles without cooking them first. This sounds crazy, but it really works! The trick is to add plenty of sauce and to bake the dish tightly covered. This recipe uses the Twice-as-Red Tomato Sauce or you can substitute 1 quart of your favorite tomato sauce. Kids can help prepare the filling and assemble the layers. Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Do this first:

Plan ahead by making 1 recipe of Twice-as-Red Tomato Sauce. If desired, make it at any time and freeze until ready to use; thaw overnight or in the microwave.

Chop enough fresh basil to make 2 tablespoons, or use 2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed.

Shred enough mozzarella cheese to make 1/2 cup.

To make the Twice-as-Red Tomato Sauce at the same time as the lasagna, start

cooking the sauce first. While the sauce cooks, prepare the ricotta mixture and mozzarella for this recipe, and heat the oven. After the sauce and ricotta mixture are ready, assembling the dish goes quickly. Allow about 1 hour to prepare the sauce (mostly unattended) and another 5 minutes to assemble the lasagna before baking.

Ingredients and Steps

1 large zucchini 1 15-ounce container lowfat or nonfat ricotta cheese 2 large eggs 1/4 cup grated Parmesan 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 2 teaspoons dried basil 1 recipe Twice-as-Red Tomato Sauce 1/2 pound lasagna noodles, uncooked

1.

Using a grater, shred the zucchini, discarding the knobby stem. (Be careful not to grate your fingers.)

2.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the zucchini, ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan, and basil until blended.

3. 4.

To assemble the lasagna, spread 1-1/2 cups of sauce into a 13x9x2 inch pan. Arrange 1/3 of the uncooked lasagna noodles on top of the sauce, breaking the

noodles to fit if necessary. (Don't worry about gaps: the noodles will expand during cooking.) 5. 6. Layer half the ricotta mixture on the noodles.

Layer the remaining ingredients in the following order: half of the remaining noodles, half of the remaining sauce, all of the remaining ricotta mixture. 7. Complete the dish with a layer of noodles topped with the rest of sauce. 8. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly on top of the sauce.

9.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before removing the foil. Dust with Parmesan as desired before serving.

EASY CHICKEN DIVAN

1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen broccoli, salted and cooked 2 to 3 chicken breasts, cooked and boned 1 can cream of chicken or mushroom soup 1/2 c. Hellmann's mayonnaise 1/2 tsp. lemon juice 1/4 tsp. curry powder Place broccoli in glass casserole, chicken on top and combine remainder, mix and spread over chicken. Sprinkle cheese on top and bread crumbs. Cook 30 minutes at 350 degrees. SUPER EASY MICROWAVE FUDGE

1 (16 oz.) pkg. confectioners sugar 1/2 c. cocoa 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 c. milk 1 tbsp. vanilla 1/2 c. butter, softened 1 c. chopped nuts Combine first 5 ingredients in 1 1/2-quart glass casserole; mix until partially blended. Dot with butter. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes. Mix until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spoon into 4x8 inch dish lined with waxed paper. Chill covered for 1 hour. Cut into squares. Yield: 1 1/2 pounds. SUPER EASY STROGANOFF

1/2 lb. round steak (cut in strips) 1 can Campbell's French Onion Soup 1 can Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup

6 to 8 lg. mushrooms (fresh) 8 oz. non-fat plain yogurt 1 (16 oz.) pkg. noodles Brown beef in a tiny bit of oil in large skillet. Stir in soups and mix well. Add sliced mushrooms, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. About 5 minutes before serving, stir in yogurt and heat thoroughly, but do not boil. While this is cooking, prepare noodles according to package directions, drain, but do not rinse. Stir into meat mixture and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately.

Alfredo Sauce Ingredients 1/4 cup butter 1 cup heavy cream 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley Directions Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and serve. White Nacho Cheese Sauce 2 tablespoons margarine 2 tablespoons self-rising flour 2 cups milk 2 cups shredded pepperjack cheese Melt the margarine in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until it forms a paste. Gradually stir in the milk so that no lumps form. Cook and stir until thickened, then remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until smooth.