Toddler Cafe - Jennifer Carden [26]
soup ghosts
makes 6 servings or 30 wontons
filling
8 ounces ground pork or chicken
4 ounces medium raw shrimp, shelled (about ½ cup)
1 green onion, minced
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger (see note on page 95) or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
30 square wonton skins
1 quart chicken broth
2 cups water
Frozen vegetable mix or other frozen vegetable, as needed
preparation * Combine all the filling ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Pulse to combine, making a paste. Or if you don’t have a food processor, mince the shrimp with a food chopper and add everything to the meat, then mix with clean hands or a wooden spoon.
Fill a small bowl with water for sealing the wontons. Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each wonton square. Using your finger, draw around the edges of the wonton skin with the water. Fold 1 wonton corner to meet the opposite and seal firmly. Next, wet the remaining 2 corners and pinch them together, pressing firmly. Or gather all 4 moistened corners together at the top to resemble a purse. Place the finished bundles on a plate.
Bring the broth and 2 cups water to a gentle boil; drop the wontons in, stirring gently, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the skins are opaque and the meat inside is firm.
Place 3 wonton ghosts in a bowl with a small amount of broth and a handful of frozen peas or corn to cool it down.
variations
Give them Asian-style plum sauce to drizzle into the soup.
Try adding chopped canned water chestnuts to the meat mixture for a crunch.
recipe notes
For a crunchy soup or salad topper, lay a small stack of wonton wrappers (about 5) on a cutting board. Thinly slice them into linguini-like strips, fry in a small amount of oil, and drain on a paper towel.
To enhance store-bought chicken or vegetable broth, add onions, celery, carrots, parsley, a bay leaf, and chicken bones and cook for about 1 hour. Strain and enjoy.
Ask your local grocery store for chicken bones to make stock, which you can use in place of broth. Sometimes they will give them to you for free or very inexpensively.
kids need texture; it makes food more interesting and primes them for grown-up eating. this can be served warm or cold, and it is a nice twist on plain old chicken strips. lemon is a good way to get kids used to sour flavors.
twistin’ chicken
makes about 12 tenders
ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 1 pound chicken tenders
juice from ½ lemon
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 egg whites
1 cup coarse, dry breadcrumbs (or panko; see note on page 100)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese zest from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
preparation * Cut the chicken lengthwise into ½-inch-wide strips. Mix together the lemon juice and cornstarch, then mix in the egg whites; set aside.
For the breading: Combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, zest, and salt in a low, wide dish or zip-top bag. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture and then into the breading mixture. Place onto a plate and set aside.
Heat a sauté pan on medium heat and add the oil. Sauté the chicken strips until golden on both sides.
variations
Try lime or orange juice and zest instead of lemon.
Use turkey breast in place of chicken.
toddler tip
Let them twist some lemon juice on it and then see if eating the chicken can make them do the Twist. After dinner, put some music on and dance!
recipe notes
Use your child’s favorite dipping sauce, such as ranch or barbecue, to dunk these into. Mayonnaise with a bit of dried mustard and lemon zest is yummy, too.
Freeze your chicken slightly to make it easier to slice.
If you are concerned about thoroughly cooking your chicken, put it in a 300°F oven on a baking sheet to finish cooking for about 5 minutes.
Panko breadcrumbs are from Japan and can be found in the ethnic aisle of your grocery store.
kids will love this surprise package. it is small and manageable, and you can use up any vegetable you have; just make sure to make