Grown Up Ramen, from Alison

(Adapted from Real Simple)

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 7 cups chicken broth or stock
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* kosher salt
* 1 pound angel hair pasta
* 1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
* 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped <---- I usually forget to add this * 1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped * 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. 2. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth, red pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. 3. Add the pasta and cook, stirring, until the broth is nearly absorbed and the pasta is al dente, about 6 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and parsley. 4. Divide among individual bowls and top with the almonds and Parmesan.

Chicken Chow Mein, suggested by Alison

From Parents magazine...there was a feature about getting kids to eat more "globally" (ie: beyond chicken nuggets, lol.) So, they asked several chefs with close ties to other countries to share recipes of what kids eat in those countries.

Chicken Chow Mein

Makes: 8 (1-cup) servings Start to Finish: 25 minutes
View Nutrition Facts
Ingredients

* 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
* 2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
* 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1 lb. fresh or dry lo mein noodles
* 1/4 cup canola oil, divided
* 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
* 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts separated, sliced 1/8-inch thick
* 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 3 cups packed spinach
* Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Mix cornstarch and soy sauce in a bowl. Add chicken; marinate for 5 minutes.

2. Boil the noodles in a large pot of salted water until al dente, about 5 minutes for fresh, 10 to 15 minutes for dried. Drain and transfer to a bowl filled with ice water. (It helps prevent the noodles from getting soft and sticky.) When they're cold, drain and toss them with 1 Tbs. canola oil.

3. Meanwhile, heat 2-1/2 Tbsp. oil on high in a large pan. Stir-fry chicken until almost cooked through, about 6 minutes; remove. Add 1/2 Tbsp. more oil to pan; stir-fry ginger, scallion whites, and garlic until oil is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the noodles, chicken, and spinach and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with scallion greens if your child likes them.

Onion Rings, from Alison

I had a bunch of sweet onions from the CSA, so I made...

Onion Rings

ingredients

1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large sweet onion
oil for frying

method

In a large bowl, beat egg and add milk. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Cut onion into thick slices.Dip the onion into the milk mixture and then coat with the flour mixture. Repeat (this is important.) Heat the oil to 350 in deep fryer.Fry onion rings, a few at a time...I forget the exact time. It will take a few mins.

**Note-- I doubled the recipe, and it was just enough batter for 3 large onions

French Dip-ish Sandwiches, from Alison

French Dip-ish Sandwiches

ingredients

1 can beef broth (I used low sodium)
1 pound sliced deli roast beef
8 slices provolone cheese
4 kaiser rolls, split

method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Open the rolls and lay out on a baking sheet. Heat broth over medium-high heat. Place the roast beef in the broth and warm for 3 minutes (I did this in 2 batches). Divide meat on rolls, then top with provolone and the top half of the roll.Bake the sandwiches in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese just begins to melt. Serve with small bowls of the warm broth for dipping.

Suggested by Alison - Ratatouille

Ratatouille at Cooking for Engineers