When Katie Workman isn't dishing it out at ParentDish, she's the editor-in-chief of Cookstr, a site filled with great recipes from the chefs and cookbook authors you love and trust.

Yes, yes, the economy is in fact in the toilet. The options seem to be:

a) place remaining cash under mattress, draw blinds, crawl into bed, and wait for things to improve.
b) get on with it, and find different ways to make lemons into lemonade, literally.

You know those ads, where an entire family is sitting around the dining table, smiling and sharing their day's highlights, the mommy carving a perfectly cooked roast? Sometimes my house looks like that at dinnertime ... but more often than that it doesn't. Kids dragging to the table, poking at their food, having sword fights with their forks. And then it's time to find ways to shake up dinner.

A few years ago, we came up with the idea of restaurant night. We pretend our house is a restaurant, and take turns playing out different roles guest, waiter, cook ... well, I'm always the cook, but my husband and the boys get to mix it up. The little guys love it -- it's always one of the best meals of the month. And it's extra exciting when real guests are coming over. We started it just for fun, but there are also some cool life lessons that I think are being absorbed (hospitality, manners, patience, kindness, and sometimes math).

Here are some ideas for setting up restaurant night in your own house. If you give it a try, I'd love to hear how your family did it.

Welcome to Dishing it Out, ParentDish's weekly food column. Katie Workman lives in New York City with her husband and two boys, Jack and Charlie. By day she is the Editor-in Chief of the recipe website Cookstr.com. You can read all of the Dishing it Out posts here.

Today when I left for work, Charlie (age 6) asked me if I was making a special dessert tonight, for the inauguration. I said, um, sure. He said, "Great. Make a cake, frost Obama's face onto it, and then have light come out from all over behind his head."

Still basking in the glow of the wonderful historic moment that has just unfolded, my thoughts naturally turn to...food. What does one EAT with one's family, as the first inaugural lunch? That's a lot of weight to put on a sandwich. No, clearly a foot-long sandwich isn't going to cut it, especially when one is inviting 200 close friends and family to share in the landmark meal.

Well, here's what the Obamas and guests are eating: seafood stew in puff pastry, duck breast with cherry chutney, herb roasted pheasant with wild rice stuffing, molasses whipped sweet potatoes, a medley of vegetables, and cinnamon apple sponge cake. Many of the foods are those that Obama's hero President Lincoln enjoyed. Now, I don't want to be a wet blanket, and think the menu sounds lovely in a post-Pilgrim-ish sort of way, but it doesn't strike me as the most kid-friendly meal (not that it should!). And tastes evolving over the years as they have, perhaps duck breast with cherry chutney isn't on Malia and Sasha's top five favorite food list (though I would be happy to be proved wrong).

Welcome to Dishing it Out, ParentDish's weekly food column. Katie Workman lives in New York City with her husband and two boys, Jack and Charlie. By day she is the Editor-in Chief of the recipe website Cookstr.com. You can read all of the Dishing it Out posts here.

I don't know about you but I am kind of beside myself with excitement about the inauguration next week, amazed and delighted that we are about to welcome the Obamas to the White House; I have the feeling of being part of history in a hugely positive way for (maybe) the first time ever. So, naturally that makes me think of food and what to cook (because that's the tweaky way my mind works).

What would I make for the Obamas if they came for lunch, after Barack was sworn in? I can't possibly ask them over until I have a menu in mind. So, I did a little research, and this is the little I know. Barack prides himself on his tuna, and the girls love cheese. SO, naturally a tuna melt would be the thing to try. And I was thrilled (THRILLED) to see that Barack uses some of the same extra ingredients I do when I'm not making my basic lazy tuna (eg, tuna + mayo), but getting a little jiggy.

Barack, Michelle, Malia, Sasha: welcome to the White House! If you ever want a weekly supply of tuna, your style, call me. In the meantime, here's my recipe, so ParentDish readers can make tuna sandwiches with style.

Welcome to Dishing it Out, ParentDish's weekly food column. Katie Workman lives in New York City with her husband and two boys, Jack and Charlie. By day she is the Editor-in Chief of the recipe website Cookstr.com. You can read all of the Dishing it Out posts here.

The white food black hole. I feel your pain. This usually translates into "my kid will only eat starch and carbs: pasta (maybe with butter, but no sauce), rice, french fries, some Kraft mac and cheese, and assorted and sundry chips and snack-y items. And the occasional bite of pizza and a chicken nugget."

Dear readers, I may ruin our blossoming relationship here. I know well the dinnertime struggles ("One more bite of broccoli! Two more bites of chicken!") but I have to say to you -- to all of us -- suck it up, and serve real food. Here's the thing: Fritos and fried chicken taste great. They taste great to kids, and they taste great to us. But if we wean our children on a diet of starch and fried things, we don't really have much right to expect them to suddenly discover asparagus on their own.

"Well, good for you, Ms. Healthy Food Blogger from New York. You come stand over my kid and force him to shove down a brussel sprout." No, you're right; easy to say, not so easy to do. I'd love to hear your best tips for kid-pleasing healthy meals. Here are some eclectic tips from my arsenal.

Welcome to Dishing it Out, ParentDish's weekly food column. Katie Workman lives in New York City with her husband and two boys, Jack and Charlie. By day she is the Editor-in Chief of the recipe website Cookstr.com. You can read all of the Dishing it Out posts here.

Here's one of those observations that isn't world changing, really only worth a huh: no matter what you serve at a party, no matter how fancy-schmancy the array of hors d'oeuvre, the two things that will cause the most people to hover near the serving platter and behave with slightly less dignity than usual are ...

Shrimp cocktail and pigs in a blanket.

Men, in particular, get glazed and extra happy when pigs in a blanket make an appearance. I'll leave it to the social anthropologists to determine why this is. But (bonus!) in the never ending quest for foods that appeal to kids and adults alike, these are home runs, and so perfect for New Year's Eve. ( don't know about you, but my New Year's Eves have morphed from sequins and clubs to letting the kids stay up until midnight and attempting to do the same myself.)

And -- best of all -- both pigs in a blanket and classic shrimp cocktail are simple to prepare.

Welcome to Dishing it Out, ParentDish's weekly food column. Katie Workman lives in New York City with her husband and two boys, Jack and Charlie. By day she is the Editor-in Chief of the recipe website Cookstr.com. You can read all of the Dishing it Out posts here.

It's very difficult to write about the holidays and being thankful without sounding sanctimonious. I started writing this 10 different times, and each time it sounded awfully Tiny Tim-ish (as in, "God Bless us, every one!"). Even my husband told me this sounded preachy -- but I sprayed him with the sink hose, so he's quieter now.

The world ain't so pretty right now. Not a page in the newspaper brings any comfort or joy. One thing, however, is becoming clearer and clearer: whether you are focused on the global or the local, we are all going to have to help each other, and that's a fact.

Ok, we're all in agreement.

Now what?

Start by making soup. A huge pot. Then, grab those plastic containers, fill them with soup, and bring some to someone you love, or someone you like, or someone who could use a bowl of soup. Bring soup to your mom, your neighbor, the old guy who lives down the street, your local soup kitchen, your friend who just lost her job, the teacher who stayed late to help your son with math, the postman who walks mail to your door, the pharmacist who filled your sick kid's prescription while you waited, your doorman, the nice lady at the dry cleaners.

Here's a highly forgiving, non-recipe recipe, so you can make soup...well, maybe now.

Welcome to Dishing it Out, ParentDish's weekly food column. Katie Workman lives in New York City with her husband and two boys, Jack and Charlie. By day she is the Editor-in Chief of the recipe website Cookstr.com. You can read all of the Dishing it Out posts here.

Does this sound familiar: It's 4:00. You haven't thought about dinner yet. The mere whisper of the idea gives you a clenchy feeling in the pit of your stomach, so you push it away, and focus on something else. Now it's 4:23. Still no inspiration. Clenchy feeling starts to turn into dread. Finish an email, finish the laundry, finish something else. Now it's 4:49. Take out menus or frozen dinners make an appearance, yet again.

Oh, yeah, we've all been there. And been there again. Those pesky kids always seem to want a meal at the end of the day, EVERY day. Go figure.

So here's a little gift to all of us. Five dishes that you can not only make in advance, but -- in the case of the Hungarian Goulash and the Chilli -- that actually get even better with a day or two in the fridge. They are all simple, inexpensive, and kid-friendly. Pick out one or two meals, tackle them on Sunday, and tuck them in the fridge. Isn't it nice to have a head start on the week, especially at this time of year?

These recipes are from Cookstr.com, created by some of the best cookbook authors and chefs out there.

A crowd-pleasing beef stew -- Hungarian Goulash
A warming chili -- Cornbread-Topped Chilli Con Carne
Indoor barbecue for the winter -- Chicken with Barbecue Sauce
Everyone's favorite -- Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese
Only called Ritzy because of the Ritz crackers! -- Ritzy Chicken Nuggets

Let me know which ones you try! And let me know what recipes you are looking for -- we've got thousands!

Welcome to Dishing it Out, ParentDish's weekly food column. Katie Workman lives in New York City with her husband and two boys, Jack and Charlie. By day she is the Editor-in Chief of the recipe website Cookstr.com. You can read all of the Dishing it Out posts here.

The season of crazy is officially upon us. I happen to love it, but I tend to have a propensity for too much-ness, and this is certainly the time of year for too much. Too many gifts to buy, too much going out, too much stimulation, too much money flying out of our wallets.

Remember when we learned what do do in case of a fire? Stop, Drop and Roll? Well, I sometimes feel like I need the culinary equivalent of that. Something simple and light, cost-conscious but comforting, and of course something that the kids will eat.

I usually turn to chicken noodle soup at this point. My whole family loves it; a big pot is totally one of those "liquid gold in the fridge" kinds of things, and a steaming bowl is then just minutes away, all week long.

So, to make the stock...KIDDING, KIDDING! If you are a homemade stock maker, God bless; go to town and make some. I have been known to make a stock or two in my day, but today is not my day. Today is the day of the canned low-sodium chicken broth, and if you're looking for something to be thankful for the week after Thanksgiving, canned broth is a great candidate. And now there are those cool handy-dandy cartons of chicken broth, that you can reseal and keep for another recipe.

If you're feeling frisky, and have an extra 1/2 hour, chop up a bunch of carrots, onions, celery and simmer them for 30 minutes in the store-bought broth, then strain and proceed with the recipe. You will have a more full-flavored stock.

Welcome to Dishing it Out, ParentDish's weekly food column. Katie Workman lives in New York City with her husband and two boys, Jack and Charlie. By day she is the Editor-in Chief of the recipe website Cookstr.com. You can read all of the Dishing it Out posts here.

Taco night is a big deal in our house. There's even a song to herald taco night, that goes something like this: "Taco Night! Taco Night! Everybody ready for taco night?"

Catchy, no?

Everyone in the family loves tacos, and there is something very nice about a hand-on, interactive meal. And tacos are festive. We go with ground turkey or chicken, instead of beef (I'm the "almost vegetarian" in the family), but you choose. I have certainly been known to reach for a package taco seasoning blend at times, but with an extra few minutes I can make a homemade seasoning blend that tastes even better, and the sodium isn't through the roof. Just add a big salad, or some steamed broccoli or cauliflower, or a bowl of baby carrots, and you've got dinner.

Welcome to Dishing it Out, ParentDish's weekly food column. Katie Workman lives in New York City with her husband and two boys, Jack and Charlie. By day she is the Editor-in Chief of the recipe website Cookstr.com. You can read all of the Dishing it Out posts here.

My sister, Lizzie, is a full-fledged vegetarian. Not vegan, but a card-carrying veggie, wearing vinyl shoes and shunning chicken broth, the whole bit. She walks the talk, which I admire, and is raising her two little girls vegetarian as well. It's fully admirable (though serve her husband Mark a steak and keep your fingers clear of the serving platter). It does, however, make family meals, especially Thanksgiving, somewhat of an obstacle course.

First, there's just the general food persnikety-ness of kids. Then a bunch of not-so-kid-friendly side dishes (see Thanksgiving Side Dishes Kids Will Like from last week for some simple new ideas). Now add in vegetarianism. Yikes.

So how do you make the vegetarians at the table feel fully welcome, and not like second class citizens? I refuse to mold a turkey out of tofu, and it would make them all gag anyway. There's the veggie lasagna option, but it does say kind of loud and clear "HI VEGETARIANS! YOU ARE WELCOME AT THE THANKSGIVING MEAL, BUT YOU WILL BE EATING SOMETHING THAT IS DIFFERENT!"

The answer in our family is substantial side dishes, and plenty of them. We have a big group, so there are cooks to share the load.

A savory bread pudding can be kid- and vegetarian-friendly, especially when it's served with a nice assortment of veggies. Here's a cheesy one, which is a great side dish for the non-vegetarians, and a substantial (albeit indulgent) middle-of-the-plate offering for those who want to skip the turkey.

CHEESY BUTTERNUT SQUASH BREAD PUDDING

Serves 12

Use a substantial bread, either a firm white bread, or a challah or a brioche. You'll want to cut off the crusts, but don't get too fussy about it. And you have a choice: either let it get a little bit stale, or very lightly toast it before you begin so it holds its texture.

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 1 1/2 inches)
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
2 shallots or 1 onion, finely chopped
4 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 large eggs, plus 6 egg yolks
2 cups shredded cheese, such as greuyere, cheddar, fontina, swiss or jarlsberg
1 whole challah or loaf good white bread, crusts removed, sliced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

On a baking sheet with sides, toss the cubes of squash with two teaspoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 20 minutes, until the squash is tender. Remove, set aside to cool, and lower the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a small skillet and saute the shallots or onions for 5 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside and let cool.

In a large saucepan, heat the milk, cream, broth thyme to a near boil over medium high heat (bubbles should just begin to form around the edges). Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Beat the whole eggs and yolks in a large bowl with the shallots or onions. Add the hot milk and cream mixture, a few tablespoons at a time, to the egg mixture, beating so it doesn't curdle. After about 1/4 of it is incorporated, ppur the milk and egg mixture back into the saucepan, beating the whole time. Season with salt and pepper, and beat in the cheese.

Roughly chop the butternut squash.

Layer half the bread into a buttered large (about 15 x 10-inch) baking pan, tearing it to make it fit in a slightly overlapping layer. Sprinkle over half of the squash, and pour in half of the cheesy milk mixture, pressing down to soak the bread. Layer in the rest of the bread, then the squash, and pour over the rest of the milk mixture.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover the pan, and bake for another 1/2 hour until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let sit for 20 minutes and serve warm.