Bassackwards

I think I've had my menu planning for the kids all backwards.  I had  thought they didn't like different or new and so we were becoming stuck in a rut of meatloaf and pasta.  But this weekend--for three meals--they had vegetables with miso sauce and then Chinese noodles (Mama can't tell me which ones) with a Yaki Soba (Japanese) sauce.  Then, Bud and Sis even tried my Middle Eastern-inspired Chickpea Stew, with cumin, cinnamon, and other spices.  

Now, none of that is for the faint-of-heart, macaroni-and-cheese or chicken tender devotees that I thought my kids were.  Sure, Bud hasn't met a fruit he won't eat and inhales steamed dumplings.  And Sis loves mangoes, fish balls, and Chinese barbecued pork buns.   I knew she liked crunchy and he likes chewy, both like salty.  But since they turn up their noses at most sauces, all casseroles, anything with beans, or anything stew-like, or anything I cook with more than a few ingredients, I thought they didn't like spiced or interesting, non-bland food.  

Au contraire.  Yesterday and today, they dove into the new foods and even asked to try what i was eating.  This is a first for us; usually only grandparents' foods excite this much interest.  But apparently, they love spices and new flavors.  I'm going to have to re-engineer my entire approach to their eating.

Especially because the sauce and also the bean bans are still in place . . . .

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I can't give you recipes for anything Mama cooked for dinner today.  But I will post here the Skillet Apples we made, as well as the recipe for the Chickpea Stew.

Skillet Apples at the Ivy House (adapted)

Ingredients:
4 medium cooking apples, Peel, core and slice
1/3-cup real butter (we used less)
½ cup sugar (we used less, and brown)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (didn't have this)
1 ½ cups water (skipped this too)

[Mama added some nutmeg]

Instructions:
Make a sauce be melting the butter in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat; stir in sugar. And cornstarch. Mix well and add the remaining ingredients.

Add apples to the sauce cover and cook over medium heat. Occasionally spoon the sauce over the apples as they cook.

Serve warm with and top with fresh ground nutmeg.

This is a highly requested recipe at the Ivy House.

[Basically, since our recipe was adapted, the instructions are:  melt butter and sugar together in skillet.  Add peeled, cored, and sliced apples.  Sautee until reach desired consistency.  I like them soft.  Best served warm).

Moroccan-Inspired Vegetable and Chickpea Stew

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 shallots, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 small yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 easpoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

8 oz. green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1" pieces 

1 1/2 cups chickpeas (15.5 oz can), drained and rinsed

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, and drained and chopped

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/2 cup mixed dried fruit (apricots, apple slices, prunes, raisins,etc.), chopped

1/4 cup imported green olies, drained, halved, and pitted

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the shallots, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic.  Cover, and cook until softened, about 5 mintues.  Add the ginger, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, and turmeric and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to bring out the flavors.

Transfer the mixture to a 4-6 quart slow cooker.  Add the green beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, stock, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.  

About 20 minutes before serving, add the peas and dried fruit.

When ready to serve, stir in the olives and sprinkle with the parsley.  Taste to adjust the seasonings and serve hot.  

Robin Robertson, Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker