To the food:

Here's that red pot with all kinds of yummy love inside.

A peek into the other pot!

The "Pot of Love" being stirred by Miss Brittany.

Fresh buttery garlic & pepper bread straight out of the oven.

And the final dish.

I know...you weren't expecting Tabasco right? Yeah...me neither until I tried it. I cannot help but have it this way. Homemade chili sauce made with a mortar & pestle is way better, but Tabasco does a pretty good job of kicking it up some. I even use the little red juice to spice up my chicken flavored ramen noodles at times! So what if I like it HOT?! :-)

And...wondering how to make your own homemade sauce? Here's a simple recipe by the loveliest fast chef around Rachel Ray (with a little help from Elsa). I tweek mine quite a bit, but I always try to use the wonderful San Marzano tomatoes for best flavor. They are sold at your local market...so just look for this can. Go make some chow!

Sarah has just recently been able to have chocolate soy. I kept it from her until now because I wanted it to be a special treat not replace her taste for soy. She is great with sweets and cake too because we have always had pretty strict boundaries with them. I am an emotional food eater and I did not want to pass that on to my children so I never made them eat everything on their plate or offer food when they are sad, happy etc. I just make sweets a part of life in moderation. Prayerfully my girls will continue how they are now and never have issues with food the way I do. I eat when I am stressed and excited even if I am not hungry. I have 50 lbs to lose so this has been my struggle. Some of my friends are in this same place. I want my girls to grow up with a healthy relationship to food and so far Sarah makes really wise choices at school and home. I am proud of her.

Enjoy your family time whether you eat together or not. I love eating as a family. I hope we can do it more often.

No, no…not sexually or financially or professionally (well actually…). I mean, I’m in a dinner rut. I need new inspiration for cooking for the family. Currently, our dinner planning revolves around

• - ground turkey (as I type this, I’m eating Hamburger Helper leftovers using turkey instead)
• - steak
• - chicken breasteses
• - breakfast food (the old fallback)
• - seafood (typically either Salmon or scrimps) 

And that’s about it. As you scan see, we’re carnivores, although we’re not averse to a good salad. I don’t cook much with pork really and I occasionally will do a roast, but the crockery in our Crock Pot cracked a while back and I haven’t gotten a new one, so slow cooking is out for the time being. This means no good soups or chili, or slow cooked roasts either.

Other exacerbating situations include a picky 4 year old who will sometimes eat, but usually not, and a 1 year old with front teeth but no molars, which requires soft foods and generally means that if we’re having a meat product for dinner, we have to come up something wonderful and different for him.

So I’m looking to you all for some mealtime inspiration. Here’s the requirements:

• - Use of “in season” ingredients. I’m not paying through the nose for pineapple in the middle of winter
• - Prep time under 30 minutes
• - Though we love spicy food, we should keep it on the down-low spice-wise for the kiddies
• - Relatively low fat and healthy

Gimme your best recipes, kid tested if possible and I’ll give them a try.

A while back, I wrote about the need for some dishes that are a bit season and location independent. The kind of dish you can make with what's around, without scurrying out to the store in search of, oh, fresh mustard greens or a nice piece of flank steak or some obscure liquor of which one will use a tablespoon or two a year. Just to name a few things I find myself wandering around town looking for when really, you know, I should be doing some work. Or, even better, getting some exercise.

In that spirit, I urge you to consider the cheese souffle. Its ingredients are mostly staples, it's warming and delicious and makes you feel a little fancy on a weeknight, and (this is where you should really start paying attention) it's really easy but will make you appear oh so accomplished. Just imagine the admiring glances you'll draw at work when you casually mention "I think I'll go whip up some souffle for dinner."

You probably don't believe me and won't until you try it yourself. I have to admit it was not always a casual act for me to toss off souffle. There was an experiment in my early cooking days that came out something like a cheese pancake. And then there was an attempt about five years ago which was more like a cheese tire. A flat cheese tire. My family dutifully ate it and then John sent me to his mother's first edition of Craig Clairborne's New York Times Cookbook. That and the Kitchenaid stand mixer changed everything. Trust me and trust Craig. Try it.

A few caveats though. This is one recipe where it is particularly helpful to prep everything before you start. I'm a little sloppy about this usually, but you can get a bit harried trying to move smoothly from one step to another if you have to break away to separate eggs or grate cheese. Also, this recipe does generate more than a few dirty dishes. But those you cook for will be so grateful that they'll be delighted to wash up.

Cheese Souffle

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

Salt

Worcestershire sauce

Cayenne pepper

1/2 lb. Cheddar cheese, finely grated

4 eggs, separated (you may want to consider John's method of separating with bare hands; I was sort of grossed out at first, but it's so darn efficient I've been won over. Hardly ever a speck of yolk in those whites)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat and add the flour; stir with a wire whisk until blended. Meanwhile, bring the milk to a boil and add all at once to the butter-flour mixture, stirring vigorously with the whisk. Season to taste with the salt, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper.

Turn off the heat and let the mixture a cool a little. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Beat in the egg yolks one at time. This all takes just a minute or two.

Beat the egg whites until the stand in soft peaks. I know that you can do this with a hand mixer or even a whisk. I've done that. But with all due respect to slow cooking, there's nothing quite like tossing the whites in the stand mixer, turning it on and walking away for three or four minutes. You come back, you've got nice soft peaks. Voila.

Cut and fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture. If you make the cheese sauce in a reasonably deep straight-sided skillet, you can do this right in the pan and eliminate one dish at least. Turn into an eight cup souffle dish (I spray mine with some cooking spray) and bake thirty to forty-five minutes.

Recipe says that it serves four to six. Not around here.

Coincidentally and without conferring, Shana produced her first souffle ever the very same day I made this one. I think hers beats mine for looks. I'm very impressed.

Despite my current cheese souffle hubris, I've yet to master the chocolate souffle, even after repeated attempts. I've produced a series of fairly tasty chocolate bricks. It keeps me humble. And gives me goals.

I asked the Aged, "Well, what do you think?"

"I'll have to get back to you on that," he muttered, and trotted off to his litter box.

I asked him today. "Did you forget about Rusty's thinking game?"

"Oh, that" he muttered. He looked a little sheepish. He doesn't always remember things nowadays. Sometimes he even forgets there's food in his bowl, and I have to show him.

"What's he wanna know for? Dogs don't care what cats think."

"He's just being friendly. He's a very friendly dog. But if you want, I can just tell him you don't have any thoughts worth sharing - - "

The Aged prides himself on being a gentlemen and a deep thinker on many worthy subjects, and with apologies to Rusty for being remiss, he says he thinks the following:

• The Aged Cat thinks there's no such thing as too much sour cream, chicken or ice cream. Or ham. Or cheese. Or yogurt. Or turkey.
• The Aged thinks families should always eat together, preferably out of the same bowl.
• The Aged thinks morning is the best smelling time of day.
• The Aged thinks at least one resident of the house should be awake and "on watch" at all times.
• The South African lady who lives next door calls The Aged "Little Lion." The Aged adores this nickname and thinks "Little Lion" is the most flattering compliment he has ever been paid.
• The Aged knows the nose knows.
• The Aged Cat thinks knitting is rude; crocheting is rude; phone conversations are rude; sorting photos is rude; eating without sharing, rude, rude, rude.
• The Aged thinks the computer ought to be defenestrated.
• The Aged Cat thinks his old friend, The Tortie, is still here sometimes.

Do you want to share what you think? I think Rusty and his mom might like it. We would too.

(PS: I don't know if there are any rules in Rusty's thinking game. Rusty, what do you think? Are there rules to your thinking game?)

It's always crazy at our house. With three kids, two fish, two parrots and one dog....well it's like being in a noisy jungle sometimes. Ask anyone who calls....:-)

When the birds are "talking" it can be quite noisy. You have Maxi looking for Colleen and Loki wanting someone to "Come here" because "Loki is a good boy." He talks unless he is pretending to be the microwave or telephone....or the faucet. That is why most of the time I will get up and head out of doors to talk....that or the bathroom.

Mealtimes can be very interesting. Unless we have company...the birds will join us at the table. They love to eat with us since that is what they do in the wild. They don't eat alone. Loki has to be kept in his cage when I am cooking though. He is much more curious than Maxi. She likes to roam the floor...so you have to watch your feet when she is down. She just adores shoe strings. Loki likes to climb down on the sink and drink from the faucet. He has even been known to hang upside down on the faucet to drink the water. Just be weary if you are standing next to him. He also likes to get you wet. He has me trained quite well.

You can imagine the fun we have during dinner. Loki gets his own plate. Maxi (female) is more dainty. She likes to sit on your shoulder and eat her snacks. She loves peas!! Loki likes anything. His favorite is sweet potatoes...mashed of course. He just about buries his beak up to his nostrils when eating the orange mash. He is also a little funny in that he likes his own spoon. If not his then mine.

It's not just my head he likes to perch on thankfully...I think I am just the only to get pooped on though. I am Momma to Loki but he is an equal opportunist. He will go to just about anyone....in the family that is...not too many guests does he venture over to visit with.

Maxi is well Maxi. She is beautiful but is really only a one person bird. She tolerates everyone but me. It has something to do with the chicken dance I think. She will go to the boys but she loves Colleen. It is amazing to watch these two together.

What do these two have to do with dinner? Well....it is never dull. We had biscuits tonight along with stew. Maxi likes the green beans. Loki discovered biscuits. No ones biscuit was safe tonight. They were lovely biscuits. Homemade...... See....

I roll my dough into a rectangular shape then just cut with a knife. This way I don't have the extra dough left that can be over kneaded and make a tough biscuit. We sort of like square biscuits. They don't look like much here.....but oh when they bake up.....They are so yummy and the smell....mmmmm

My children did think it was a little strange that I would stand there with the oven door open just to take pictures of my biscuits. Maxi had to come over and check it out also.....so I thought. She just didn't like the flash from the camera and had every intention of biting me I think. How would I know this? It might have had something to do with her lunging at me......

We also had this nice thick chunky stew to go along with those yummy biscuits but the steam got in the way. See how thick that is? I thickened the stew with instant mashed potato flakes. All the veggies and beef were cut into nice bite size pieces. Those of us who live here with a mouth full of metal...need small chunks. Too much of the big stuff gets hung up in the braces. I am so ready to have mine taken off please and thank you.

It didn't take long for everything to be placed on the table before Hubby was reaching for the biscuits. That was before we had even had a chance to say Grace. He felt he should taste one to make sure they would be okay for the birds and the kids. Yeah Right...Once Daddy's hand was in the pot....the others followed with the excuse of buttering their biscuit while still hot from the oven. Okay....I will give you that one.....:-)

I am glad I tripled that batch of biscuits! I was planning on having left over biscuits for the next morning. Well...I have just enough....LOL.

We missed the pictures of the birds....everyone was laughing.  You've seen one bird nosedive a biscuit you've seen them all.  Dinner isn't always that hectic.  But as my husband would tell you...."Homemade biscuits! Every man for himself!"  Fortunately he is a big man....height wise that is.

To think...we could have had Jerry's Pizza for $4/pizza.  That is the Monday night special.  We might be having pizza next Monday.....we'll see.  

That's why I love this time of the year.  It is just the right time for thick stews and piping hot biscuits or bread right from the oven.  I just can't get into a thick hardy stew in the summer time. What do you like for the winter months?  Our comfort foods are foods we can do in the oven which I don't use in the summer time.

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained

2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes

Cook rice according to package directions. In a large skillet, saute garlic, onion and peppers in oil until tender. Stir in browned beef, tomatoes and rice; cook until heated through. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

From: Best of Country 30-Minute Recipes

To bring attention to the importance of the family eating together, Sept. 16-22 has been designated 12th Annual National Eat Dinner Together Week.

The National Pork Board is helping America’s families ditch the drive-through and fix family-friendly dinners without stressing-out or spending hours in the kitchen.

According to a recent “Together For Dinner” survey conducted by the Pork Board, 88 percent of families believe it is very or extremely important to eat together, (up 10 percent since 2005), while the top three barriers to making it happen remain the same including conflicting schedules, work schedule and kids’ activities. That’s why during this hectic season, more than half of Americans (58 percent) said they spend 30 minutes or less preparing dinner.

The Pork Board asked “Too Hot Tamales” Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, celebrity chefs and owners of Border Grill Santa Monica, Border Grill Las Vegas, and Ciudad in Los Angeles, to create pork recipes that are simple and require few ingredients. Milliken and Feniger created plum pepper pork that makes enough for two meals and the leftovers can be used in a curried pork and apple salad.

Beginning Sept. 16 through Oct. 13, home cooks can visit www.TogetherForDinner.com to enter or mail in their family’s favorite, yet demanding pork recipe, along with a short description of why they should be chosen for a “recipe makeover.”

One grand prize winner will have their time-consuming dish simplified by the “Too Hot Tamales,” and also receive a $1,500 gift certificate for Dream Dinners and a $1,000 gift certificate for family cooking classes.

Here are recipes from Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, the “Too Hot Tamales.”

Plum pepper pork
2 whole pork tenderloins, about 12 ounces each
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped shallot or red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 cups chopped ripe purple plums or pluots
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 cup pinot noir or other dry red wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper to taste. Add olive oil to pan. Sauté pork in oil until browned all over, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer pork to an ovenproof dish and roast in oven for 12 to 13 minutes, until meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin reads 150 degrees.

Meanwhile, return sauté pan to stovetop over medium heat and add shallot, salt and cracked black pepper. Sauté until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add plums and sauté until they start to soften and brown. Add brown sugar and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted and bubbling. Add wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the browned bits. Continue cooking, for about 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced by half and mixture becomes a chunky sauce. Stir in butter and remove from heat.

Remove roasted pork from oven and transfer to a cutting board. Allow to rest for 5 minutes under a foil tent until a final internal temperature of 160 degrees is reached. Cut pork into 1/2-inch thick diagonal slices and arrange on serving plates. Add any remaining pork juices to the sauce. Spoon sauce over the pork and serve immediately. Save remaining pork and 1/4 cup leftover sauce for curried pork and apple salad recipe. Makes 4 servings.
Each serving: 330 calories, 13 g. fat, 90 mg. cholesterol, 300 mg. sodium, 19 g. carbohydrate, 28 g. protein, 1 g. fiber.

Note: If you prefer, substitute 1 cup chicken broth in place of the red wine. After reducing, finish the sauce by adding the juice of 1/2 lemon before stirring in the butter.

Curried pork and apple salad
1 1/4 cups leftover roasted pork, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 small Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 stalk celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon curry powder or garam masala, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 leaves green leaf lettuce
1/4 cup of the leftover plum pepper pork sauce, for serving

Combine diced pork, apple, celery and scallions in bowl. Set aside. Combine mayonnaise and vinegar and curry powder or garam masala. Add to pork mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Line two serving plates with lettuce leaves. Divide pork salad in half and place a mound in center of each plate. Serve with leftover plum pepper pork sauce. Makes 2 servings.

Each serving: 340 calories, 18 g. fat, 75 mg. cholesterol, 270 mg. sodium, 16 g. carbohydrate, 25 g. protein, 2 g. fiber.

We got a new puppy this week (who is absolutely adorable), so after getting up a few times each night with him and spending a lot of time carrying him into the backyard, I wanted to make a quick dinner. This evening I decided to make a fresh tomato and herb pasta with a simple side salad. After spending less than 15 minutes to make the entire dinner, I realized that in addition to the meal being quick, it was had also cost me less than $11 to feed my family of four (really!).

The tomato and herb pasta uses fresh grape tomatoes, basil and parsley, along with some olive oil, garlic and nonfat milk. The combination of the tomatoes and herbs gave the sauce a clean sweet flavor, while the milk added some creaminess.

The salad was straightforward to make, with a light and lemony flavor. I also used homemade croûtons, which were essentially just toasted pieces of day-old baguette with olive oil and salt, to add some crunch.

The pasta was tasty and filling, while the salad's lemony flavor and crisp croûtons accompanied it nicely. Here are the prices of the ingredients along with the recipes. I hope you enjoy this quick, healthy, and inexpensive dinner soon.

Fresh Tomato and Herb Pasta

Ingredients
1/2 pound Capellini pasta (~$1.00)
1 large package grape tomatoes ($2.69 at Trader Joe's)
3 garlic cloves smashed with a knife (~$.50)
1 small handful of fresh Italian parsley chopped ($1.00 for a bouquet at the farmer's market)
1 small handful of fresh basil chopped ($1.00 for a bouquet at the farmer's market)
2 Tbsp olive oil (not sure about the price for only 2 Tbsp)
1/2 cup milk (less than $.50)
Salt and pepper to taste
Top each plate with a little Parmesan cheese (~$1.00)

Preparation
1. Boil a large pot of salted water and cook pasta until it's al dente.
2. In a large frying pan, cook tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and herbs until the tomatoes soften (about 3 - 5 minutes).
3. Blend the tomato mixture with the half cup of milk in a blender and then add everything back in the pan. Simmer covered until pasta is ready.

4. Add pasta to the pan, covering all the noodles with the sauce.
5. Serve with some grated Parmesan cheese.

Simple Green Salad with Lemon Dressing

Ingredients
1/2 head of green lettuce cleaned and dried (~$1.50)
1/2 cup of fresh croûtons (~$.50)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (~$.50)
1/4 cup fresh olive oil (~$.50)
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
1. Cut about a 1/4 of a fresh or day-old baguette into 1/4-inch slices. Cover with a sprinkling of olive oil and bake at 350 degrees for about 3-5 minutes (or until toasted).
2. Place cut up lettuce in a bowl along with the croûtons.
3. In a separate small bowl, mix the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Top the lettuce and croûtons with the dressing and serve.

For starters- I must share with you all the most delightful Easter menu. My mother-in-law is an extraordinary cook and particularly excels at Italian cooking (it helps that her family's Italian!). Anyway- this year's Easter menu ...

Starters

Duck Purses (mini pastry "bags" filled with duck and onion confit)

Tomato Tart - tomato and goat cheese in a pastry crust

Nonna's famous olive tapenade- a perfectly balanced mix of black olives, parmesan, fresh garlic, and a magic touch (it's served at every one of her party's- thank goodness.)

Bruschetta Margherita

First Course

Cannelli Bean Soup "Shooters" (a recipe that I believe was borrowed from Giada? So much flavor in a tiny little shot- excellent way to kick off a great meal.)

Second Course

Lasagna Bolognese (homemade lasagna noodles made this classic dish something extra-special)

Third Course

Veal Rollatini (with Prosciutto and Provolone) and Roasted Vegetable Tart

This meal, surrounded by close family and my (luckily!) well-behaved and very patient toddler (this was a long meal to sit through quietly- I must give the kid his props! =) - was one of the best Easter dinners I've ever enjoyed!

Thank you, Nonna!

I hope the Spring has gotten off to a great start for all of you, too.

Happy Eating,

Connie

Naturally, I am skipping the church service, but will be there for the meal with a lovely side dish in hand. When I first began thinking of Easter, my mind jumped immediately to Spring despite the fact that it remains 35-45 degrees outside. As I thought of Spring, I thought of asparagus.

Few things remind me of Spring more than the lovely snap and tender flavor of those verdant stalks. From there the ideas just flowed. I wanted to make an asparagus salad, but the problem I have with asparagus salads sometimes is that they are too singularly noted, too "green" tasting and insufficiently complex.

So I sought advice from my book, Culinary Artistry by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page. Through interviews with some of the most prominent chefs such as Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Alice Waters, the book speaks at length about dish composition and flavor pairings. I came up with a salad of boiled asparagus with roasted wild mushrooms sprinkled with thyme and a tarragon, roasted garlic vinaigrette.

All afternoon I've been debating whether I should add anchovies to the dressing or if I should add hard boiled eggs. Both of these are flavors that combine clasically with some central element of the dish (hard boiled eggs and asparagus, anchovies and asparagus and anchovies and garlic). I don't want to fall victim to overwhelming the already strong flavors of the asparagus, thyme, and tarragon.

Well, we'll see. I'm sure the Easter bunny will inspire me at the eleventh hour.

1. Kick diet soda. While the sugar-free stuff may have fewer calories, apparently it's associated with metabolic syndrome, a collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes that include abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and blood glucose levels, and elevated blood pressure. Water, anyone?

2. Two words: Family dinners. This is one area where our family falls down. We plummet, frankly. By the time Blair gets home most nights, the girls are too exhausted to eat, or they have snacked themselves silly and are no longer hungry. When we do sit down together, Merrie gets in and out of her chair so many times that my blood pressure shoots as high Woody Woodpecker's alligator friend after he gets stuffed in a pressure cooker (don't remember that episode? Watch it here, though not in English). Meanwhile, Charlotte can sit in her high chair for precisely 8 seconds before escaping, Houdini-style, from her straps to stand on her tray. Plus, she throws food at us.

So I typically feed the kids first, while reading to Merrie and ignoring the pieces of fish being pelted in my hair. Then, Blair and I eat, comatose relaxed, after putting them to bed.

But I'm starting to really be convinced that we need to do better. There was a great report on NPR's Morning Edition yesterday, Family Dinner Deconstructed, that reviewed some of the current research about the family dinner.

The headlines are that kids who eat with families are not only less likely to drink, smoke, or use drugs, they also do better in school, develop better verbal skills, are at less risk of eating disorders and depression, and — if they're asthmatic — are less likely to wind up in the emergency room. But here's the question posed by the story: does the dinner itself protect kids? Or is it simply that the better functioning families are the ones most likely to sit down to dinner in the first place? Like, would our family — with our wiggly kids and skyrocketing bloodpressures and flying food — benefit from a little more togetherness at mealtime?

Well, maybe. In the case of eating disorders, the research seems to point to the routine itself being important. In the case of the asthma study, the family dinners offer protective benefit if the dinners meet three conditions: roles are assigned (setting table, etc.), family members demonstrate genuine concern about each other at the meal, and family members show empathy toward the child.

In other words, it'll benefit any family, as long as they can act like a functional family.

But...is that something we can do? Is it too much to expect my 1-year old and my 6-year old to sit still long enough that we can put on our functional family act? Ours are not inherently placid wee ones, mind you. I'm not sure why, but universe handed us two (blessedly) spirited little monkeys — the kind of children that make other parents' eyes widen and remark weakly "you must be so exhausted by the end of the day."

(and, yes, we are).

I'm not trying to make excuses here. Well, sure I am, a little bit. But I do wonder at this point in our family life, can we actually behave like a functional family at the end of a long day?

I don't know, truthfully. But I do realize (sigh) that it will never happen if we don't practice. Maybe — just maybe — it will get a little easier the more we do it. And perhaps in a few years, when the girls are older — and have a little more skills at waiting for dinner, sitting still, and not hurling tomato sauce across the room — I will be posting about how our family has morphed into the Cleavers.

Yes, that would be nice. I'm telling you, though: we'd better start practicing. Like, maybe tonight. If I'm brave enough.

Here are the winners and recipes:

Family Favorite beef recipe: Karen Turner, first place for Tex-Mex lasagna; Mary Heiniger, second place, honey-ginger beef shish-ka-bobs, and Lynn Rupley, third place, slow-cooked brisket, all of Louisville.

Kids in the Kitchen: Carter and Kristi Cox, first place for Philly cheese steak supper pancakes; Kelsi and Dale White, second place, fall-off-the-bone Mexican beef ribs; and Claire and Ken Cox, third place, southwestern stuffed flank steak, all of Louisville.

Tex-Mex lasagna
2 pounds ground chuck
2 packages taco seasoning
1/4 cup water
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
1 can (15.25 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 jar (16 ounces) medium salsa
3 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese
6 burrito-size flour tortillas
Cooking spray
Sour cream, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground chuck in a nonstick skillet. Drain beef in a colander and pour two cups warm water over beef to remove excess fat. Do not place under running water. Pat beef with paper towel.

Place beef back into skillet and add taco seasoning and water. Cook on medium temperature until most liquid is gone. Spray a 9- by 15-inch baking dish with cooking spray and line bottom of dish with 2 tortillas.

Layer the following ingredients in the baking dish: Spread 1/2 can refried beans over tortilla. Spread 1/2 can of corn, 1/2 cup taco meat, 1 1/4 cups cheese, 3/4 cup salsa. Repeat next layer beginning with tortillas, then refried beans, taco meat, cheese, and salsa. Top with remaining 2 tortillas, salsa and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve topped with sour cream.

Honey-ginger beef shish-ka-bobs
1 1/2 pounds ribeye steak, trimmed and cut into 2 inch cubes
1 zucchini, washed and cut in large thick slices (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup onion, cut into large chunks
1 red pepper, washed, cleaned from seeds and cut in 1 inch cubes
Marinade:
3/4 cup honey
3 teaspoons ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup canola oil
Wooden skewers for kabobs
2 cups cooked rice

Place steak in a two-quart bowl. Place zucchini, onion and pepper in a larger four-quart bowl. Mix honey, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, and canola oil in a third bowl.

Pour half of the marinade over the meat and the remainder over the vegetables. Cover bowls with plastic wrap and marinate for 4 hours in the refrigerator. Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before assembling kabobs.

Preheat grill to medium-high temperature. Place beef and vegetables on wooden skewers by alternating vegetables and beef. Grill for 15 minutes on medium high. Serve over cooked rice. Makes 3 servings.

Slow-cooked brisket
2 ounces liquid smoke
2 ounces Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 pounds beef brisket
1 large onion, sliced

Combine first seven ingredients stirring until it becomes a paste. Rub over all sides of brisket covering thoroughly. Place brisket and any remaining paste in a plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.

Next day remove beef from bag and cover with onion slices. Wrap in foil. 6. Bake at 300 degrees for six hours. Serve with garnish as desired. Makes 8 servings.

Philly cheese steak supper pancakes
4 1/2 cups thinly sliced sweet onion
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 1/4 pounds top round steak, sliced thin
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons white cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt
3 cups buttermilk
2 extra large eggs
9 ounces Provolone cheese, coarsely grated

In a skillet, cook onion in 4 tablespoons butter until caramelized and set aside. In same skillet, stir-fry steak until no longer pink. Remove and drain on paper towels. Allow beef to cool and then coarsely chop. Set aside.

Combine flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl whisking until blended. In blender, puree 11/2 cups caramelized onions with buttermilk and eggs. Pour into dry ingredients and stir until blended. Melt 2 1/2 tablespoons butter and gently mix into batter.

Heat griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spread thin coating of butter over griddle. In a large custard cup, place 1 ounce-cooked beef and 2 tablespoons grated cheese. Pour 1/3 cup batter into custard cup and stir to blend. Pour from custard cup onto griddle. Cook until edge of pancake is dry, about 2 to 5 minutes or until well brown. Turn once cooking other side an additional 2 to 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Transfer to a heatproof plate and keep warm covered in oven.

To serve: place three pancakes on plate, top with a dollop of caramelized onions and sprinkle with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Fall-off-the-bone Mexican beef ribs
28 ounces diced tomatoes
3 cans (13 ounces) tomato sauce
2 cans (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chiles
1/4 cup sweet peppers in vinegar
1/4 cup vinegar from sweet pepper jar
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cumin
2 pounds beef ribs, cut in half
Oil for searing meat

Mix tomatoes, sauce, sweet peppers, vinegar and spices together and bring to a simmer in a very large pot. Cut ribs to individual pieces with only one bone in each piece. Heat oil in skillet and sear each piece of meat. Drop ribs in sauce and cook for 11/2 to 2 hours over low heat stirring occasionally.

Southwestern stuffed flank steak
1 beef flank steak, 11/2 to 2 pounds
1/4 cup fresh lime juice, about 3 limes
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced and caramelized
2 roasted red bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 4.5-ounce can chopped mild green chiles
3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

Butterfly flank steak, pound thin and place in one-gallon plastic bag. In a bowl, combine lime juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and oil. Pour over flank steak. Marinate in refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Remove steak and discard marinade. Sprinkle seasoning over steak and rub in. Spread remaining ingredients over steak in layers leaving at least 1/2 inch border.

Roll steak and tie with kitchen string or secure with toothpicks. Bake in 9- by 13-inch casserole dish at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Allow to stand five minutes, then cut into 3/4-inch thick slices and serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Sept. 24-28 has been designated Pack Assorted Colors for Kids (PACK) week and here’s a fun way to encourage children to eat better. Pack your child’s lunchbox with a different colored fruit or vegetable each day.

Here’s the line-up:

Sept. 24 is purple day
The week begins with a focus on getting more purple/blue fruits and vegetables in the diet, since this color category represents just three percent of Americans’ fruit and vegetable intake. Yet, purple/blue fruits and vegetables provide a variety of natural plant nutrients not found in other colors. A kid-friendly way to “pack purple” is with 100 percent grape juice made from Concord grapes, fresh grapes, or plums.

Sept. 25 is white day
White, tan and brown fruits and vegetables make up this color category, which accounts for 23 percent of Americans’ fruit and vegetable consumption. There are a host of options for “packing white” including brown pears, white peaches, dates, and cauliflower.

Sept. 26 is red day
Red fruits and vegetables account for 24 percent of Americans’ fruit and vegetable intake. Send the kids to school with slices of red pepper, tomato wedges, or red apples.

Sept. 27 is yellow/orange day
Yellow/orange fruits and vegetables account for 24 percent of American’s fruit and vegetable intake. Why not pack baby carrots or pineapple chunks? Other options include oranges, nectarines, peaches, yellow pears, or dried apricots.

Sept. 28 is green day
Green fruits and vegetables are the most commonly eaten, accounting for 26 percent of Americans’ fruit and vegetable consumption, but there’s always room for more. Add celery sticks, snow peas, sugar snap peas, or broccoli florets.

Let your children help add even more colors to their lunch boxes by taking them to the produce section with you. The bins are filled with plenty of delightful colors and tastes.

Source: Welch’s