dishing-it-out-related stories

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).

Source

Welcome to Dishing it Out, ParentDish's weekly food column. Rob Barrett is a dad who knows his way around the kitchen; his web site, Cooking For Dads, provides simple video recipes for dads (and moms!). You can read all the Dishing it Out posts here.

Apparently President-Elect Obama likes his pizza. Of course, who doesn't? It's one of the great American ... Italian... well, it's a really great food. If you're going to let your kids stay home and watch the inauguration on Tuesday there's no better way to celebrate this historic, and uniquely American, event than to have a Make Your Own Pizza party. It's so easy and much better than ordering out and it's my family's favorite meal.

All you do is make up a bunch of dough (really easy), lay out different toppings, and have each person go through and put on their pizza just what they want. You can have fresh, homemade pizza out of the oven in under an hour. We like to use traditional toppings like sausage and pepperoni but also enjoy different options like shrimp, carrots, or bacon and using pesto instead of a traditional sauce. Experiment, try something new.

Watch the video or follow the recipe below and celebrate the amazing transition of power of the most powerful country in the world, from one man to another, without a shot being fired. A very rare occurrence in the history of the human race. God bless America.



You can find part two here; shopping list and full recipe are after the jump.

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. Rob Barrett is a dad who knows his way around the kitchen; his web site, Cooking For Dads, provides simple video recipes for dads (and moms!). You can read all the Dishing it Out posts here.

It's that time of year again when otherwise normal men and women lose all their inhibitions and paint their faces the colors of a local football franchise. (Remember Seinfeld's David Putty?) Apparently, in January and early February there are two sets of cultural norms, one for everyday life and one for football games.

I love football (although the Vikings are already out of the playoffs). But I don't paint my face. I also don't get a group of my friends together, each paint a letter of the team's name on our bellies and lift up our shirts when the TV camera falls on us. Call me old fashioned. But if you want me on a Sunday afternoon, I'll be in the big chair downstairs half watching the game and half unconscious. There's a subliminal sign over my head -- Please Don't Disturb.

As much as I love watching football, I enjoy getting a group of friends together to watch big games, especially the Super Bowl. (Of course, we don't watch the game as much as the commercials.) Here are some easy ideas for snacks and appetizers to make for those big testosterone laced events.

(During the making of this video we had some problems, but just like in real life, you have to press on. See if you can find the mistake.)


You can find part two -- the onion rings -- here.

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. Rob Barrett is a dad who knows his way around the kitchen; his web site, Cooking For Dads, provides simple video recipes for dads (and moms!). You can read all the Dishing it Out posts here.

It was a simple cheese plate and some french bread, oh, and some red wine, but it brought me such joy. I was flying Air France out of Paris and they brought around this plate with 3 different kinds of cheese, some crackers and a small loaf of french bread. It was just a blast and the French table wine was a perfect companion. I sliced my cheese, poured my wine and settled in for a relaxing flight, a big smile on my face.

On the return flight 3 weeks later a curious thing happened. Both Rich (a friend flying with me) and myself were held up at the gate as the crew jockeyed around the seating. We joked, "Maybe they're bumping us up to first class." When the time for boarding came, sure enough, Rich was bumped up to first class but I was sent back to coach. Rats. I sure could have used some good food and a big seat for the next six hours. When they came around with the cheese plate I was bummed. I stewed about what Rich was getting up in first class and how close I had been to getting it as well. This time the cheese plate brought me no joy, no blast and for sure no smile.

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. Rob Barrett is a dad who knows his way around the kitchen; his web site, Cooking For Dads, provides simple video recipes for dads (and moms!). You can read all the Dishing it Out posts here.

This was not a meal for picky eaters. There were no forks, no napkins, and no plates. Just one communal serving dish with rice mush, some kind of carpy fish (heads included) and some oily sauce. And it wasn't just this meal, it was almost every meal I ate in Chad over the last 3 weeks while doing some music recording in the middle of Africa. While the tribal music I recorded and the people groups I worked with were amazing, the meal traditions were a little different.

For Chadians, meal time is important. It has very little to do with getting food into the system and everything to do with community, bonding, respect and spending time together. To refuse to eat a meal with someone is a big insult. We would gather for a meal and someone would take around a bowl with a bar of soap and a pitcher of water. The whole table would wash their hands before any food was served. We ate with our hands, balling up some rice in our right hand before dipping it in the shared bowl of sauce. (You would only eat with your right hand - very, very important as the left hand is reserved for more unsanitary practices.) The guest would always be given the best cut of meat, in most cases the gizzard. I had enough gizzards the last 3 weeks to last me a lifetime. I'll tell you the truth, I've done a lot of work in Africa and even I had quite a time getting used to eating with double dipped fingers.

While the food was different and the eating style wasn't one that I would recommend, the placing importance on meal time as a family event is one I wish we all could do more. Most of us do it on the big days like Christmas and Thanksgiving but let the vicissitudes of life (my mother-in-law's favorite saying) get in the way of eating together most normal days. The thought of someone running off to hockey practice or dance during the middle of the Chadian meal was beyond comprehension. This was meal time and the family came together.

There was another upside. There was only one dish to wash.

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. Rob Barrett is a dad who knows his way around the kitchen; his web site, Cooking For Dads, provides simple video recipes for dads (and moms!). You can read all the Dishing it Out posts here.

When I was a kid I loved reading the Guinness World Book of Records. Maybe you were the same way. Remember the world's tallest man and the biggest twins riding those mini bikes. Good times! I always hoped there would be something I could do to get a world record myself. I don't think Guinness accepts cooking videos but if they did this would be my entry.

The Worlds Fastest Christmas Cookie Recipe.



If you haven't made any cookies yet try this one and do it with your kids. (Or maybe, if you're family's like mine, you child will announce late at night as she goes to bed that she needs to bring snacks for the whole class tomorrow and can you make something!) You can try different types of Hershey's Kisses and substitute pecans or even fruit like raspberries or strawberries instead of the M&M's. Be sure to use a rather dense pretzel like the wafer kind, otherwise the chocolate will just melt through.

The written recipe is a pretzel, a Hershey's kiss, 2 minutes at 350 degrees, add an M&M to the middle, let cool. When you're melting the chocolate pull them out as soon as they get shiny. Different types of kisses melt at different times. Be sure to use parchment paper over your cookie sheet for easy clean up.

So have a merry Christmas, a joyous Festivus, or whatever you celebrate this time of year.

Update - I was just emailed these pics of Reagan (11) from Georgia making a version with Rolos and pecans. Yum. If you make some, send me a pic.

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. Rob Barrett is a dad who knows his way around the kitchen; his web site, Cooking For Dads, provides simple video recipes for dads (and moms!). You can read all the Dishing it Out posts here.

It always brings a little tear to my eye. After his heart enlarging experience, the Grinch, Himself, carves the Roast Beast. How can that not get you, right here! Nothing quite paints Christmas Dinner to me more than a family gathered around a Rockwellian hunk of prime rib. (Well, maybe the Christmas tree, presents, carols, the manger, being with family, mistletoe, 12 drummers drumming .... ) So having that once a year slab of beef has become one of our favorite traditions.



The best part about prime rib is how easy it is to make. Start with a boneless rib roast (essentially a big, long ribeye steak), 1 lb. or so per person, wash it, pat it dry, brush it with butter on all sides, sprinkle coarse kosher salt bipartisan style (liberally on all sides), and place on a roasting pan or one deep enough to keep in the juices. Preheat your oven to 450 and cook for 10 minutes, then lower the temp to 325 and cook for around 20 minutes per pound, or until the internal temp is 120. (You have to get a meat or candy thermometer for this.) Remove from the oven, cover with foil, and let it sit 10 minutes before letting the Grinch carve it.

I like to make a side sauce of a spoonful of prepared horseradish, a spoonful of sour cream, 2 spoonfuls of mayo, a little Worcestershire sauce, and a little fresh squeezed lemon juice. You can add more horseradish if you want it hotter, and if you want to scare off your in-laws add a whole lot more.

While the economic times may not immediately make us think about buying big pieces of meat, you can buy it pretty cheaply at places like Costco (around $6 a pound) and you can make a prime rib roast as small as four or five pounds.

So if you've never tried it, go ahead, start a tradition. You'll make every Who in Whoville very happy.

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. Rob Barrett is a dad who knows his way around the kitchen; his web site, Cooking For Dads, provides simple video recipes for dads (and moms!). You can read all the Dishing it Out posts here.

In an attempt to do the right thing and serve healthy food, our daughters' school served barley soup every Thursday for the entire year. Barley soup! After week one it was clear that we'd be packing lunch that day.

Packing a lunch, brown bagging it, or brandishing your Brady Bunch lunch box at school is fraught with dangers. We've had some hits and some misses. We, I say we, but in an attempt at full disclosure, mainly my wife packs lunch for the girls. I help with almost everything around the house, but I rarely pack lunch. So any ideas herewith are less mine and more gleaned from others.

First of all, I'm going to make a couple assumptions:

1. Your school has peanut issues so I'm going to leave out peanut butter. (Do you really need me to tell you about PBJ?)

2. Your child does not have access to a microwave.

3. Your child won't eat sushi, cow tongue, or other strange substances at school. Way uncool.