BAKED PARMESAN ZUCCHINI STICKS (The Supernatural Kids Cookbook)

 

Cinnamon Head

Zucchini puts versatility to the test. It’s far too inexpensive a vegetable (perhaps better known as an “immature fruit”) for all its wonderment. Sliced, diced, chopped, shredded … served raw or cooked … taking the stage single-squashishly or mixed in, zucchini takes the cake for flexibility. Everyone should take note and make zucchini a regular member of the weekly grocery list.

Since all the other ingredients for Nancy’s Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks are already likely to be staples, this appetizer is an easy quickie for sudden sticky situations like when unplanned guests are on the way for a visit. A few spices, eggs, grated parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and whole wheat flour and you’re ready to go … to the assembly line.

I sliced each zucchini into french fry sized sticks, while CeCe lined up the other ingredients and poured and mixed them into the three suggested bowls. Since we had panko whole wheat bread crumbs on hand, we used them. They served their role perfectly.

CeCe dipped and rolled, dipped and rolled, and then dipped and rolled some more. All the while, she put on a show. Move over Rachel!

Once all the sticks were resting on the cookie sheet and placed in the oven, I stayed within close range to help with the turnover process.

These tasty sticks were wonderful. Our family devoured many a stick, and our guests raved over them, too. The garlic powder lent a very slight kick that was appreciated. We served them with some ranch dressing, but they were so delightfully good (crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside) that they really need not be dipped.

 

Cinnamon Head Apprentice

 

And now, welcoming, Chef Master Celia creating her famous Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks!!!! Ahhh, doesn’t that sound wonderful … though probably not as wonderful as these sticks taste. Everyone loved them. They even won first place in my Wow, I Thought These Would Taste Disgusting, But They Didn’t! book. I mean, seriously, how much better can you get than that?

These sticks really aren’t that difficult to make. You just cut the zucchini up, dip the strips into three different ingredient mixtures, bake, and voilà – you have Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks.

My mom cut up the zucchini while I prepared the egg, parmesan, bread crumbs, whole wheat flour, and spices. She showed me how to dip them, then left me to do my work. Sure, you get messy but after a while, it gets kind of fun. I’m even guilty of pretending to be on a cooking show, but … hey … at least I got the job done while having fun at the same time.

Once all the zucchini sticks were ready and out on a cookie sheet, we put them in the oven and waited. Finally, they finished baking and we poured a little ranch dressing in a bowl and dug right in. Personally, I don’t think these zucchini sticks need any dip. They’re perfect just the way they are.

If you try these, one taste and everyone will be wanting more. These sticks are real party starters. Trust me, they’ll be a hit at your home just like they were at mine.

 

TIPS:

• Use wide bowls for the bread crumb mixture that you will drip the zucchini sticks into, because they drip and it gets messy. The wide bowls allow for more messiness.
• Use 2 forks to roll them around while dipping into the mixtures. It makes it easier to control and your hands don’t get quite as messy.

Assembly Line

AND

Finished Product

Sauteed Brussel Sprouts (The Supernatural Kids Cookbook)

Cinnamon Head

Until this discovery, I knew of only one way (steaming) to prepare Brussels sprouts. In fact, I’ve never even been sure how to spell them – whether to add the “s” in Brussels or not. You’ll see it both ways here, just to be politically correct in the kitchen.

S or no s, let me start this review by saying that I love, love, love Sauteed Brussel Sprouts.  And, steaming will never again suffice. It does little justice to these fine vegetables. Nancy’s preferred method would make the sprouts a welcome side dish to any meal. Think holiday weekend on the near horizon. We first tried them as a side to meatloaf. Magic Baked Apples (Nancy’s recipe) served nicely, too. Notice I say “first” – yes, we’ve prepared these on more than one occasion.

My apprentice and I divided up the preparation of this recipe. I shredded – once cut these sprouts begin falling apart on their own. CeCe added the other ingredients to the pan as needed and helped sautéing (we took turns as one of us needed to tend to other chores). The whole idea of shredding the Brussels sprouts – like we often do with larger cabbages for various recipes – is brilliant. I no longer have to wonder whether to delicately cut the mini cabbages in half before consumption or to go for the one-at-a-time stab and cram method. The green leaves look so nice on a plate, all spread out, too. They serve better this way.

Moving on to flavor … these little babies all shredded and sautéed in olive oil, butter, Tamari sauce, with a few sprinkles of salt and pepper … well, they burst with rich and delicious flavor! When Nancy says “the slightly burned bits of the brussel sprouts are so good” she’s on to something. Stirring the leaves until they appear wilted and scorched is what takes the vegetable from good to great taste. The aroma is wonderfully inviting.

All in all, this recipe takes Brussels sprouts to a whole new level … up and up and into fine restaurant quality. I might get adventurous and try adding some chopped onions and/or a few mushrooms. Also, when a craving for Sauteed Brussel Sprouts hits and I’m without fresh, I think frozen would work fine (though, I’m sure, would not pack as many nutrients).

There’s no turning back … Sauteed Brussel Sprouts it is.

 

 

Cinnamon Head Apprentice

“Not bad, not bad.” Surprisingly, that is what I said when I first tasted the Brussels sprouts. I probably will never like Brussels sprouts, but these are a step up from the plain, old, disgusting Brussels sprouts. I’m glad that my mom really liked the Sautéed Brussels Sprouts because that way I know that she’ll always make these instead of the other ones.

These are pretty easy to make. From start to finish, it only took about 30 minutes. In the making of this recipe, my mom chopped up all the Brussels sprouts while I added all the other (there aren’t many) ingredients to the pan(some before adding the sprouts and some after). We both took turns at the pan. While the sprouts were sautéing, I tossed them around every once in a while. Voil̀a – they were done!

You do have to watch them very carefully because they cook quickly this way and can easily get burnt (a little burnt for this recipe is okay, but not too much). I’m kind of thankful (and I think I say this on behalf of my mom) that I didn’t have to gag this time. I mean, gagging can sometimes hurt your throat. J  The Sautéed Brussels Sprouts are way less bitter and this recipe kind of makes them taste a bit sweet, so they’re just easier to tolerate than boring, steamed ones. Even so, Brussels sprouts will never be first class – for me.

TIPS:

1. When sautéing and mixing the Brussels sprouts, make sure you hold onto the pan (the handle) so you can stabilize it. This is a good tip no matter what you’re cooking in a pan – if you’re mixing with one hand, you need to be holding on to the pan with the other.
2. Make sure you stir quickly so that the bottom sprout leaves come to the top and the top ones go to the bottom. This way, they both get flavored from the sauce (other ingredients) and nothing burns on the bottom.
3. Sometimes, it’s okay to measure ingredients (like the spices) by just “eyeballing” (that’s what my mom calls it) them in your hand.

Sauteed Brussel Sprouts ... a little bit brown around the edges, with a whole lot of flavor.

Vegetarian Chili & Blue Corn Bread (The Supernatural Kids Cookbook)

CINNAMON HEAD

This hearty, vegetarian chili ranks top shelf, and I don’t  believe for a moment that I could go without it for months to come. It will definitely be finding its way to my table in the warmer months, despite its winter cover. I see it slipping in, with some fresh avocado slices on the side and a tall glass of iced tea (or a  margarita) seated nearby.

But, for those who cannot fathom such a site, there’s time yet this winter to enjoy a bowl of chili and piece of corn bread. It’s the perfect meal to stay in for (or come home to), take to guests, fix for a crowd, freeze for later …

I wouldn’t think of changing a thing to either the Vegetarian Chili or Blue Corn Bread recipe of Nancy’s. The chili requires a long list of ingredients, but they’re easy to come by (many are staples here) and the pot is quickly filled and the ingredients soon mixed to perfection. If you’re good with a can opener and a can-do chopper, you’re in the business of whipping up the best-ever vegetarian chili.

It doesn’t take hours to make, yet it tastes like it’s been a cookin’ all day long. Mine did set an hour while I was in transit picking up my apprentice and that time indeed provided all the wonderful ingredients more opportunity to get acquainted. I thought 1 T of chili powder wouldn’t do the trick, but it turned out to be just right. Our pot of chili was thick and chunky (thanks to the carrots, celery, and corn). I helped myself to 3 bowls!  The pot didn’t notice – it remained full.

If I enter some chili cook-offs with this winner, would I have to give Nancy credit? Just asking.

Though I cannot give my apprentice any kudos on the chili,  I can confidently offer her the chili stage next time around. What I can credit CeCe for is the Blue Corn Bread that went so perfectly well with the chili. We divvied up wet and dry ingredient duties, to save time. The idea of heating the buttered baking dish is genius. The crusty bottom was appreciated by all.

Local honey, milk, blue cornmeal … it all makes this corn bread – which could be mistaken as cake (that fluffy) – so delicious I found no need to butter it. Sweet …

CINNAMON HEAD APPRENTICE

I came home the other day to the smell the chili on the stove. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to help make the chili. So, of course, I was happy to help make the Blue Corn Bread. And let me tell you, I have never tasted a better piece of corn bread.

When my mom and I were making the Blue Corn Bread, I did all the measuring and mixing of the wet ingredients (milk, eggs, oil, honey) and she helped me with the dry ingredients. I could have done it all by myself – it’s that easy, but it was a busy night so my mom and I decided to do it together. Next time, I’m on my own.

As for the chili: Well, if you don’t like spicy stuff, don’t worry. Even though I’m a Texan, I don’t go for spicy food. This chili isn’t that spicy, and when I added a spoonful of sour cream to my bowlful, I could taste all the goodness in that bowl of chili minus the spice.  Plus, I’m not a big meat fan so I really like the idea of Nancy’s Vegetarian Chili.

No pot of homemade chili should be kept for just one family. It’s meant to be shared! But we didn’t have guests that night, so we shared it amongst ourselves again the next night – leftovers! This meal is healthy and everyone will enjoy it. I couldn’t stop eating the Blue Corn Bread (and I read, btw, just like many colorful foods, blue corn meal is healthier than the white and yellow). I loved that it was so crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I added some butter to one piece (I had more than one!) and it tasted soooooooooo good.

Tips:

• My mom taught me long ago to always unplug the mixer before taking the mixing blade thingies off. That makes good sense.
• Be sure to adjust temperatures and time based on the kind of oven you have. We have a gas oven, and 23 minutes for the corn bread was just fine.
• Always have toothpicks on hand to test the doneness of baked breads.
• Things like honey and oil containers happen to get sticky and/or gooey on the outside so always remember to wipe them off before putting them away after using them.

MMMMMMMMMMMMM GOOD ... Vegetarian Chili and Blue Corn Bread

Baked Ziti (with Tomato Sauce) – The Supernatural Kids Cookbook

“How did you like the ziti?”

“It was gooood.” I expected my husband to express nothing less. Still, I wanted more.

Competing with the previews of a movie we were soon to view (I let the no TV with dinner rule slide now and then, especially on weekends), I pressed on. Ever so proudly, I threw in, “We made our own, homemade sauce.”

He looked up this time and clearly stated, “It was excellent.” And he meant it.

The Tomato Sauce in the SKC rates easy to make and tasty enough to want to bottle and market for gourmet bucks. The fresh flavor wins me over, and it’s just as easy to keep cans of peeled tomatoes on hand as it is jars of someone else’s sauce. This sauce would serve, too, as a great base sauce if one felt inclined to add mushrooms or meat.

Nancy’s Baked Ziti recipe makes a big dish of pasta. It’s perfect for any special occasion (we made it for New Year’s, too) get-together. Its zesty flavors are so very appreciated in January, after numerous holiday meals of the traditional turkey, stuffing, and vegetable casseroles of November and December. So, right now, think Super Bowl …

I suggest breaking the meal prep into two parts. We did. My apprentice busied herself with some chores while I did most of the sauce preparation earlier in the day. After a busy day, we returned to simply have to prepare the ziti and cheese mixture.

CeCe handled the m ‘n m (measuring and mixing), while I boiled the noodles, started the oven, got the sauce and baking dish out, and prepared a salad. Soon after, it was just a matter of arranging the ingredients in the baking dish and letting it cook to perfection. Delicioso.

I didn’t get to help with the Tomato Sauce, but I will next time. I was too busy doing chores. Still, even without me (ha ha), I think the Tomato Sauce turned out great thanks to my mom’s good work and Nancy’s fantastic recipe. I think I’ll more than help next time, actually. Maybe I’ll even make it by myself. It was homemade and fresh, and instead of putting it on spaghetti, we put it on another one of the SKC’s recipes – Baked Ziti.

I did help with the Baked Ziti, though. I was the one who mixed all three of the cheeses together. We had bought shredded Mozzarella and grated Parmesan, so I didn’t have to shred and grate them. We also bought fresh Ricotta. While I was measuring and mixing the ingredients, my mom boiled the noodles and prepared everything else to go along with our dinner. Then, she put all the ingredients in the baking dish and took care of the cooking. I had more chores to do. Lucky for me, my job was easy. Actually, the whole recipe was super easy.

The neat thing is that this dish doesn’t taste like it would be easy to make. My mom says that she thinks this recipe tastes like it came from a good Italian restaurant, but I think it tastes homemade and delicious. And … guess what? It is!

TIPS:

• When it’s possible, buy shredded and grated cheese, because it saves time.
• If you can make your own sauce this easily, then do it instead of buying jarred sauce.  The sauce was what made this recipe so excellent!

SKC's TOMATO SAUCE on the stove

BAKED ZITI

Whole Wheat Cheddar Biscuits (The Supernatural Kids Cookbook)

If you don’t have the correct utensils, research your options well and follow instructions carefully. Failing to do so could result in a kitchen catastrophe such as the one my apprentice (poor girl, considering who she is learning from!) and I recently created.  By publishing this faux pas, blunder, snafu, gaffe (in no particular order) … they all are so spot on I cannot choose (this is the only pleasure I’m getting out of this cooking episode) … we figure others can also learn from our mistakes.  Okay – my mistakes.   And, believe me, we certainly have learned a good lesson here, too.  That being said, all is not lost.

It all began with with the realization that I do not own a pastry blender. No problem, according to what I read online – just use a fork or a knife and mash the butter well into the flour mixture.  The keyword is “well” … but I rushed and am absolutely certain (intended redundancy) we did not do a thorough job of cutting the butter into the flour mixture.  I kind of thought not, but I kept on moving to the holiday hustle.  Heck, we were busy bakers this past month.  The Whole Wheat Cheddar Biscuits were nearly an addition to the Christmas meal, but clearly they were not meant to be.

Later on down the recipe road, when it came to doing as Nancy said and using an ice cream scoop to “drop” the scoops of biscuit dough onto the cookie sheet, we were more or less dealing with flavored sawdust.  Had we not hand-packed snowballs of the sawdust-like dough, we would have been unable to make it take form on the cookie sheet.  I had a sinking feeling here, too, that our hands working with the dough to that degree was not a good thing.

Our biscuits looked uncooked – no matter how much longer I baked them.  They were never that brown on top, but the bottoms cooperated.  Each biscuit had bits of uncooked whole wheat flour peeking out here and there.  I actually ate a couple (parts of each one were okay).  CeCe tried one.  My husband did, too.  They weren’t terrible tasting, but the after taste was undeniably odd.

We have no fear in the kitchen – a second attempt at Whole Wheat Cheddar Biscuits is not far into the future of the Cinnamonheads.

Well, this recipe didn’t turn out the way we expected it to. My mom was really the one who messed it up. I’m innocent. Instead of being bread-like, they were more like flour blobs with melted cheese. That’s not what I would call a biscuit.

Let me tell you all about what happened in our catastrophic event:

Once upon a time, the Cinnamon Head and the Cinnamon Head Apprentice were in the kitchen cooking. Little did they know that they were about to make 3 very BIG mistakes that would ruin their recipe. The 1st mistake they made was instead of finely grating the cheese, they shredded it. The 2^nd mistake they made was that since they didn’t have a pastry blender (which I now think all cooks should have), they tried (but not well enough) to cut the butter into the flour mixture using a fork. Well, that didn’t turn out too well. The 3^rd mistake they made was that when they were trying to get it to form into “golf-ball-sized balls of dough” they had to use their hands and probably worked with the dough too much.

So, after all that time and effort, they had only made flour blobs with melted cheese that tasted very odd. Not good. The moral of the story is: don’t make Whole Wheat Cheddar Biscuits without a pastry blender.

Our storytime has come to a tragic end, but I hope you enjoyed today’s story. Even though the biscuits tasted off, they were not totally disgusting. But still, we were the only ones who ate them. See ya’ll later – I’m going out to buy a pastry blender for my family!

Whole Wheat Cheddar Biscuits, JUST FOR SHOW - not for consumption.

 

 

 

 

 

The hand-packed snowball ones didn’t come out this well.  Not pictured here, they promptly got tossed … into the trash.

Zany Zucchini Bread (The Supernatural Kids Cookbook)

The only zany factor about this zucchini bread is that one taste leaves you crazily craving for more. My apprentice and I made a loaf a few days prior to Thanksgiving. Well, she actually breezed through much of the production on her own. Then, without even sneaking a bite, we wrapped it and froze it for later. Looking back (now, after several – thin – slices), it was definitely a wise decision not to snatch a sample, as I surely would have – in my crazed state – devoured a considerable dent.

Temptation and detour avoided, this bread sliced up nicely straight out of the freezer and made for a nice addition to our Thanksgiving table. And, there was still some left (it makes a large loaf and I maintained self-control simply because of holiday hosting and a generous spread of desserts!) for friends throughout the holiday weekend.

I put the brakes on making cranberry nut bread a few years back, because one of my sweet neighbors makes it every year and gifts us with a loaf each holiday season. It just may be that Zany Zucchini Bread becomes my standard, holiday gift. Not a bad thing to be known for! And, since this recipe churns out a nice-sized loaf, the batter could easily be divided into three smaller loaf pans, baking up into the perfect size for gifting. Unlike the cranberry variety that shouts out the winter season, zucchini bread really represents well any time of year, for any occasion. Plus, it freezes so nicely that it’s probably a good treat to keep frozen for emergency scenarios – like the pop-in guest or sudden invitation.

Every ingredient worked so well together in this recipe that not one little pinch or drop of this or that overpowered another to steal the show. Just the right amount of all the right ingredients brought out a splendid taste and texture. When it comes to the main ingredients – zucchini, flour, and sugar – I love that this recipe calls for a whole cup of fresh zucchini, whole wheat flour,  and raw sugar (turbinado).

Healthy, easy, tasty, and zany.

This Zany Zucchini Bread is so easy to make, but so yummy! It surprised me, because I thought that it wouldn’t turn out to be sweet at all, but it turned out to be just the right amount of sweet. I guess I thought it wouldn’t be sweet, because of the zucchini. I loved it, though, and took a slice in my lunch everyday after Thanksgiving – well, until we ran out.

You see, we made the bread for Thanksgiving. The loaf was so big, that there was plenty – because we also had a couple of pies. So, we had leftovers of everything.

Like I said, preparing this recipe was so easy that I practically made it myself! The only thing my mom did was chop the walnuts. Oh, on that note, we used walnuts instead of pecans (I have to be careful with all nuts, due to my braces). I’m really not into nuts (alone I mean), as I’ve mentioned in another blog. Well, the only nuts I really like are pistachios.  I didn’t grate the zucchini – instead, I shredded it. It was a lot easier that way, and once you bake it you can’t tell how it was prepared.

I personally think that this is the best way to use zucchini. I don’t like zucchini alone (I know, I’m picky!), but when you stick it in some bread, add some sugar (even natural sugar), then I’ll eat it anytime.

Tips:

• Sometimes it’s fine to shred instead of grate, because grating can produce a lot of juice/liquid.
• To make sure the zucchini bread lasts, you might want to try freezing it.

Shredded zucchini worked fine for us.

Zany Zucchini Bread ... ready to share!

Old Standards for Thanksgiving

Curried Sweet Carrots AND Yankee Noodle Casserole have both made it onto the Thanksgiving menu here. They’re can’t misses. See our reviews within our blog.

If you need a couple of sides to take to a feast or some easy, homemade dishes to prepare for your guests, think about these two scrumptious recipes from Nancy’s collection. Happy Thanksgiving to all the Supernatural Chefs from the Cinnamonheads.  :-)

Chinese Chews (The Supernatural Kids Cookbook)

I love recipes with very few ingredients – especially fewer than five, and fewer than ten still serves up kitchen ease and happiness.  So, Chinese Chews make the cut with only eight ingredients.

This sweet treat qualifies are so easy to make that my apprentice was the top chef on this one.  CeCe did all the work, and I’m doing just about all the eating.  My kind of teamwork.

I wish my child liked them more, but she’s never been that into dates.  I have told her she can’t date until she’s 30 years old, but I was talking about another kind of date.  Drum roll … okay … I won’t trade my day job for stand-up.

For sweet treats, these chewy, gooey bars (kind of) are surprisingly healthy.  I think if you choose to refrigerate them, they’ll retain bar form far better than our batch.  They don’t actually fall apart, because of the glue (the dates). And, when they somewhat lose shape, they’re easy to reform.  I may have cut them while they were still a tad on the warm side.

To avoid eating the entire plate of  Chinese Chews in two days, I’ve been eating plain yogurt with a portion of one crumbled on top.  I may be able to make them last three days this way!

We made a half-portion, by the way, considering CeCe’s dislike for dates. In time, she may develop a taste for them, and – at least for now – she managed to get one down without any real problems. They’re very good, despite what she says, and I’ve also happily shared (and they happily partook of) some with our neighbors – as there were plenty even with half a recipe.

A Chinese Chew looks like a cross between an oatmeal cookie and a brownie.  They’re healthier than either of those, and I can’t think of any other sweet treat that’s easier to make.  I don’t know from experience, mind you, but from what I observed my apprentice go through … I feel confident in this statement.

This recipe was a success. I made it all by myself. My mom was going to help a little, but I told her I could handle it. Unfortunately (for me), it didn’t taste too good, but that’s not because it’s a bad recipe – it’s just because of my preferences (and dates are not my preference). At least my parents liked it.

I used half a recipe, at my mom’s suggestion. So, instead of using a 14 by 9 by 3-inch baking dish, I used a pan about half of that size.

During the mixing phase, I accidentally cracked four eggs because I forgot I was only preparing half a recipe. Fortunately, before I added the eggs, my mom caught me. I never realized how careful you have to be when making only half a recipe. It takes a lot of thinking, remembering, and even some math.

I used a hand, vegetable chopper to chop the walnut halves. I cut the dates, though, with a big knife. My mom taught me how to kind of rock a knife while cutting. The hardest part of this recipe preparation was actually cutting the dates, because it took a long time and they were very sticky to work with (they stuck to my knife). I didn’t know that you could buy already chopped dates, but that’s okay. My mom does the shopping.

It’s no secret around here that I don’t like dates – at all. I’m kind of picky. But, I did try a Chinese Chew. I didn’t like it, but I ate the whole thing.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my parents did.

TIPS

• I learned from my mom to put a towel on the table where you are working so that clean-up is easy. You just wrap the towel up and dump the crumbs.
• Put your other hand on top of the knife and rock it from front to back, when cutting. It’s a safer way to cut that my mom learned by watching food shows on TV.
• Always make sure you are focused when cutting a recipe in half so you don’t mess up.  :-)

In the midst of preparing Chinese Chews …

Chinese Chews would also be nice a la mode.

APPLES UNDER (The Supernatural Kids Cookbook)

No matter what way you slice them, apples can make for the perfect dessert – whether it’s apple pie, applesauce, … or Apples Under. Any season is the season for apples, but they are especially crisp and undeniably tasty during the autumn months.

The most time-consuming part of this recipe preparation is the peeling, coring, and slicing. But, if that’s the most time-consuming, and it only takes a few minutes, then it’s all good. We do own an apple slicer, but haven’t invested in one of those contraptions that also does the peeling and coring – and we probably never will (as I see it, we’d spend just as much time cleaning the metal device as we do peeling and coring). Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but sometimes a little bit more effort in the kitchen helps us appreciate the end product so much more.

CeCe and I had fun making this recipe. She likes to work with her hands, so mixing the apple slices along with the sugar and spices promoted the fun-factor (and gave me an out, as I much prefer utensils qualified to do the job). She also rates as our resident citrus juicer. Unfortunately, I accidentally dumped her freshly squeezed work down the drain. So, I quickly replaced it with bottled lemon juice.

Recipes like this are so easy when made by two in the kitchen. One can mix the topping while the other can work with the “under” part of Apples Under. The baking dish makes its way to the oven very soon after the preparation begins.

We cooked this dish longer than the suggested time, until some of the apples were so soft they later melted in our mouths. Oh my. The Granny Smith variety worked splendidly for this dessert.

While I’m known all too well for going lean on the butter and sugar in most recipes, I went for it with this one and we used full amounts. No regrets.

We have made this recipe before, but let me tell you … this is reeeally good. It’s sweet and crunchy. And surprisingly (well, to me), it’s even better than baked apples.

I watched one of my favorite movies on TV while my mom and I were making this dish, but that didn’t really change anything. My mom was worried I would mess up, but actually she was the one who forgot to add the lemon juice (that I squeezed!). Ha, Ha, Ha! I almost messed something up when my eyes thought they saw the word eggs instead of butter, but my mom caught me.

This recipe is pretty easy to make. I did the topping preparation (measuring, mixing, etc.). While I was mixing the ingredients, I used my hands like the recipe said to. But, the whole time I kept saying “Ew, Ew, Ew”………. It felt so gooey and gross, but it was still kind of fun mixing it all up.

My mom did the coring, peeling and slicing of the apples. I think I could probably do this recipe by myself, but my mom is still not sure about me using the oven or stove by myself. I think I’m ready. I’d say that this recipe ties in tastiness with apple pie. But, fresh apples beat them both. I love fresh apples, and so I also really love anything that has apples in it.

So, if your looking for anything that has apples in it, I’d say make this. With just the perfect amount of apples and sugar, this dish makes just the right ending to any meal.

PHOTOS: 1)  Homemade and Handmade. 2) Tart, sweet, and just right – right out of the oven.

VEGETABLE PUDDING (The Supernatural Kids Cookbook)

CINNAMON HEAD 

Let me fess up:  We keep a stack of conversation starter questions by the table.  The family edition provides us with interesting topics from which fun stories unfold.  Our daughter loves them.  I guess you could say the little cards help take the edge off (in a safer way than wine would) and move our tired minds beyond the mundane “Tell me about your day” conversation so common at the dinner table.

But, sometimes, the meal provides all the conversation there is time for:  When my daughter and served Vegetable Pudding (alongside meatloaf, beans, and bread), it was all the talk of the table.  The cards sat untouched, listening in on dialogue centered around the delectable taste of the vegetable dish as well as the naming of the dish.

It all began with my husband’s delight.  “Wow –this is really good.”   The apprentice chef seconded that emotion.  And,  I have to say it tasted better than it smelled.  Way better.  The veggies we used were carrots, broccolini, and zucchini.  Cooked broccoli (I may have overcooked just a bit) never smells great.

The delight just kept echoing.  It was THAT good.  I singled out the jack cheese as the main force and was thankful I bought it (rather than just using what cheese I had on hand).  The bread crumbs played an important role, too.  Once we were able to calm ourselves down over the tastiness of the Vegetable Pudding, that’s when the name game began.  CeCe started with “veggie casserole,” and from there the name suggestions veered even more down humdrum alley.  ”Dinner omelet.”  And then that only led to horrible combinations of the two words.  All the while, we were happily serving ourselves seconds of what should only be called “VEGETABLE PUDDING.”

When CeCe and I set out to make this appropriately named dish, it was just a matter of some measuring, slicing, grating, mixing, and then baking.  I had prepared (cleaned, chopped and steamed) the veggies earlier in the day. CeCe was a great help (and this is wonderful for me here and now and will clearly have a positive impact on her future comfort level in the kitchen).

I’m looking forward to the various veggie combos we can use in the next Vegetable Pudding creation.   The first one will be hard to beat, though.  It was true perfection – everything was just right.  So right that this may turn out to be the standard meal (or side dish) I make to take to potlucks and sick friends (it’s so good that friends may start faking their illnesses).   Vegetable Pudding to the rescue!

CINNAMON HEAD APPRENTICE  

Vegetables and eggs go well together.  It’s like the perfect combo.  But, I don’t think the name goes well with this recipe. People might get fooled and think it’s actually a dessert.  I would probably just call it a vegetable “omelet” or “casserole,” but my mom says that not all puddings are sweet desserts and so the name is just fine.

Before we started to mix and cook everything in this dish, Mom had already cut and steamed the vegetables.  All I really had to do was some measuring and mixing.  I like cracking eggs.   She says I’m a pro at that now, so she is trying to teach me other things, too – reminding me of measurements, teaching me how to “eyeball” amounts of certain ingredients that aren’t as critical, and so on.

Well, before I knew it, the veggie pudding was ready to bake.  I wasn’t even thinking at the time about the preparation work my mom had done with the veggies.  But, still, it seems like a pretty easy recipe to make.

It kind of surprised me how good it all tasted together.  I asked for seconds and I usually don’t do that.  I usually am just too excited for dessert (if we’re having one, or if I can convince my mom to let me find something for dessert).

When we make this again, I’d be fine using the same vegetables (maybe not quite so much of them, though).  I have to admit that this is probably a good recipe for kids who don’t like vegetables much.  I mean, it’s not like just eating plain vegetables.  Mixed with everything else, they just blend in.  So, Nancy’s Vegetable Pudding is a good way for kids to eat healthy foods.

TIP FOR THE DAY:  From the Apprentice:  Opening vegetable spray cans is not easy!  But, keep trying. The trick is to squeeze and pinch the top part (the removable cap) while at the same time you are pulling it off.

PHOTOS:

It’s nice to be able to do some of the prep work earlier in the day on this one.

Don’t leave a thing out – it all works so nicely together for the good of the Vegetable Pudding.