Toddler Cafe - Jennifer Carden [24]
recipe notes
If you use granulated onion, your children will get used to the flavor of onion without having to maneuver around chunks of onion.
Hoisin sauce is a Chinese cooking sauce that is thick, dark, and slightly sweet. It usually comes in a jar, and you can find it in the ethnic aisle of your grocery store.
eggs are a great way to get protein into your kids. start the day with a low-sugar, high-protein breakfast. this one will surprise them because it has corn chips in it. you can add guacamole or mild salsa on top. try adding blue corn chips for something different. this is a great way to use up the few chips in the bottom of the bag that no one is finishing. talk about what ingredients are called in different languages: in spanish, corn = maiz and eggs = huevos.
a-maize-ing scramble
makes 1 to 2 servings
ingredients
2 eggs
½ teaspoon butter or olive oil
4 to 5 tortilla chips, crushed
¼ cup shredded Cheddar, Jack, or añejo cheese (see note on page 77)
preparation * Crack the eggs into a bowl and scramble them with a fork. Heat a small nonstick pan on medium heat, and add the butter. Put the eggs into the pan, add the chips, and stir until the eggs are cooked through. Add the cheese and serve.
variation
Experiment with different cheeses and get your child to sprinkle them on and taste as they go.
this is a quick way to use frozen shrimp straight from the freezer. you’ll make a thick sauce perfect by thawing the frozen shrimp right in the sauce on the stove. this dish is inspired by lobster newberg, a creamy lobster dish. it’s cute and has a crispy, flaky dough to soak up the pink sauce. bay shrimp are sometimes sold as “salad” shrimp; keep some on hand to add to eggs, or eat plain.
sea biscuits
makes 4 servings
ingredients
One 10-inch sheet frozen puff pastry dough, thawed for 15 minutes at room temperature (see note)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1½ cups (about 7 ounces) frozen bay shrimp
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon dry mustard
Kosher salt
Paprika, for garnish
preparation * Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil sprayed with nonstick spray.
Unfold the puff dough, and use a 3-inch cookie cutter or sippy cup to cut out 8 circles. Set 4 of them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Cut a smaller circle about the size of a quarter out of the middle of the 4 remaining circles. Place the circles with the hole in them on top of the circles on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until very puffed and golden. Set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, and whisk in the flour until blended and smelling slightly like biscuits, about 3 minutes. Slowly stir in the milk and continue stirring constantly, until thickened (it will be very thick). Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the shrimp, ketchup, Worcestershire, and mustard. Stir until the shrimp have thawed and the sauce is about as thick as yogurt. Season with salt to taste. Place each pastry shell on a plate and pour the sauce into the shells; sprinkle with paprika, and serve.
toddler tip
Pretend you are a sea horse, swimming down deep to get your snack out of the biscuit basket.
recipe notes
To defrost puff pastry, move it from the freezer to the refrigerator 4 hours prior to use. You can also use the quick-thaw method: Separate the pastry sheets, covering each one with a piece of plastic wrap. Thaw the sheets at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Once thawed, do not leave them out, or they will become too soft to cut.
You can make the puff pastry shells ahead and refrigerate them, covered, for a few hours until you are ready to fill them.
Try sprinkling strips of puff pastry with Parmesan cheese and twist them before baking, or cut the dough into a square and fold in a piece of chocolate! Use your imagination—you can put just about anything in puff dough. Just remember