cooking — Cooking for Baby & Me

CHILDREN’S RECIPE: Pineapple and Banana Smoothie
Ingredients:
¾ cup Pineapple, peeled and chopped
2 Bananas, peeled and chopped
1½ cup Greek Yogurt, vanilla
1 cup Coconut Milk or Almond Milk

Method of Preparation:
Combine all items in a blender until smooth. Add ice if you like, or freeze yogurt in ice cube trays so as not to dilute the flavor.

FAMILY RECIPE: Marinated Pineapple Salad with Puffed Grains and Pickled Chili
Ingredients:
2 Pineapples, cored and cubed
2 cups White Balsamic Vinegar
2 cups Sugar
¼ cup Filtered Water
6 stems Mint
4 Chilis, dried or Red Pepper Flakes
3 Cucumbers, seedless, peeled and sliced
4 fresh Chilis, sliced and seeds removed
½ Red Onion, julienned
2 cups Vegetable Oil
½ cup Dry Wild Rice
½ cup Mint Leaves
½ cup Chives, chopped
Salt to taste
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method of Preparation:
To make a pickle liquid; combine the vinegar, sugar, water, mint stems and dried chilis in a pot and bring to a rapid boil, then let it cool to room temperature and strain. In a bowl, pour half of the pickle liquid over pineapples. Pour remaining liquid over fresh chilis and let steep. Add chilis, cucumbers and red onions to salad and mix.

To make puffed rice; heat vegetable oil in a 2 qt pot, when the oil is at 400F, sprinkle the raw wild rice into the oil and let it puff for 20-30 seconds. Strain the rice and place on paper towel to remove the excess oil, season with salt.

Add mint, chives and salt into salad and toss, place in serving bowl and top with extra virgin olive oil and puffed rice.

CHILDREN'S RECIPE: Pear Butter Grilled Cheese Bites
Pear Butter:
Ingredients:
10 Pears, cored, cubed and skin on
2 Lemons, juice of
½ tsp Allspice
1 Cinnamon Stick
½ cup Sugar

Method of Preparation:
Place cut pears into a pot and cover with water. Add lemon juice and bring to a boil. Boil for 20 minutes or until pears are soft. Strain liquid and discard. Place pears in a food mill and rice into another shallow pot. Season with allspice, cinnamon stick and sugar. Place pot with the pear mixture back onto the stove and cook on low for about 2 hours stirring every 5-10 minutes. The mix starts out with an applesauce consistency. Cooking on low should reduce all the liquid in the pears and start to caramelize while reducing. Chill and serve when finished.

Grilled Cheese Bites:
Ingredients:
2 slices Brioche, ¼” each
1½ tbsp Pear Butter
1 slice Fontina Cheese, 2-3oz
1oz Butter

Method of Preparation:
Spread Pear Butter onto one side of brioche, and then top with sliced fontina. Toast in a pan with melted butter until golden brown; flip and bake at 350F for 1-2 minutes to melt cheese. Cut crust off, slice into four equal squares and serve.

FAMILY RECIPE: Pear & Ricotta Toast
2 slices Sourdough Bread, ½” each
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Pear Butter, from children’s recipe
1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta, whipped
1 Pear, cored and julienned
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ Lemon, juice of
Salt, Pepper to taste
8 Pecans, candied and chopped
1 tbsp Honey
Micro Herbs to garnish

Method of Preparation:
Drizzle olive oil on sourdough and season with salt and pepper. Toast the bread on a grill or panini press until golden brown. Spread Pear Butter to one side of toast and top with ricotta. Toss pears in extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add seasoned pear to top of toast garnish with pecans, honey drizzle and micro herbs.