A Thanksgiving feast

As a food blog, we should be bursting with plans for the Thanksgiving meal. But we've been a little quiet, because we aren't preparing big feasts this year. My family goes out for the holiday meal — and I'm grateful to enjoy the fruits of someone else's labor!

But if I were cooking, this is the meal I would plan:

Best Spiced Nuts: Slightly sweet with a kick from garam masala and Sriracha — irresistible snacking while you wait for the turkey to be done.

Dry-Cured Rosemary Turkey: This is the sole entry here that isn't from this site. This was my go-to holiday recipe for years. The blend of seasonings is just fantastic. Get started on it right away: It cures in the fridge for three days before cooking.

Chestnut Sage Soup: I dream about this soup. Creamy chestnut puree with apples, sage, bacon, and vanilla notes... swoon.

Succotash in Squash: This is a showstopper vegetarian dish, scoring huge points for flavor, presentation, and history — a nod to Native Americans and Thanksgiving tradition.

Yams with Za'atar: Give the candied yams a rest. Instead of burying veggies in sweetness, bring out their deep flavor with za'atar spice. This dish is a cinch to make, which is a blessing on a busy cooking day.

Crunchy Marinated Green Beans: Instead of burying green beans in a casserole, show them off with a touch of Asian flavors.

Black-Eyed Peas Salad: With canned beans, this takes almost no effort. And you can make it the night before, so it's one less thing to tackle on Thanksgiving Day.

Rice of Many Colors: This kid-friendly dish is packed with protein and veggies, and easily adaptable to suit your family's taste.

Minute Bread: Tasty rolls with cheese baked right in — delicious!

Pumpkin Pudding with Cranberry Sauce: An unusual dessert that takes full advantage of fresh cranberries.

Pear and Cranberry Sauce Skillet Pie: This twist on a typical pie blends sweet and tart flavors for a perfect finish to the meal.

4 tips to cook with kids at school

Classes started and I am planning a handful of recipes to make with kids at school. Sometimes they will be theme-oriented, inspired in some children's book or even about chemistry. But invariably they will involve lots of fun, and, of course, some messy activity to clean up after...
My 7 years old had already two years in a row of Cooking Club, which had been really fun, as some of the recipes were first tested with Darienne and her boys. My now 5 year old under, though, is going to have his first year of cooking classes, and can't wait to start. It looks like Cook Play Explore is going again to be full powered for Fall! We can't wait!

As a good friend of ours suggested, here are some tips if you are willing to volunteer at your kid's school, or maybe just wondering how to have a structured playdate with kids and cooking with them, the easy way:

• Portable electric equipment is always a good choice to use if you're working in a classroom or even your dining table. Griddle, ice cream machine, pasta machine, crockpot and hand blender are some that I've used for from scratch recipes and worked just perfectly.
• If baking is the plan, and you have access to a oven-  think always about mini-muffins and mini all things to reduce baking time, and, therefore, anxiety from the kids.
• Safety is, obviously, a big concern. Practice had taught me that serrated plastic knives from party-ware packages  are very useful and good to cut strawberries, bananas and other types of fruit and vegetables. Very clean children sized scissors are also a good idea. 
• Always work close to the teachers to find out about any allergy in the classroom. Try to adapt recipes to avoid frustration, but if not possible, have the parents of the kid with allergies to send some alternative ingredients or snack so not for him to be excluded. 

Here's a little list of of many times tested recipes at school and with the Cook Play Explore boys:

Banana Bonbons

Delicious raw candies that took some prep before the activity and was inspired by the awesome I'd like to Eat a Child book.

Be Bim Bop 

Two electric griddles made this possible. Kids had lots of fun cutting vegetables and savoring the wonderful rice.

Scissors Salad 
24 new scissors were donated to make the activity possible and clean. A portable mini oven was used to make the croutons, and peer pressure made some kids to eat lettuce for the first time.

Ben and Jerry's Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream 

This was a delicious treat enjoyed by kids and teachers with fruits on the top. Icre cream machines made it possible!

Stone Soup 

The old revisited folk tale inspired this recipe which had a bit f a different stone in the soup.

Enjoy, and, of course, never forget to invite the little chefs to wash their hands with soap and water before every cooking session. Have fun!

Wild Smoked Salmon Summer Salad

While we were tasting many classic and new flavors of the French cuisine, one scene caught my eyes in awe in the bistros: How salads are so popular and go much beyond the concept of romaine lettuce tossed with some garden vegetables with some predictable dressing on the side.

I tasted many interpretation of the well known Salade Niçoise, and was puzzled by how French ladies would take hours chatting and eating a Parisiénne Salad: something like a beautiful mountain of greens with little mounds of all sort of things to be mixed and seasoned. The slow motion of eating and working the salad to a different level of dish, while ingredients were mixed in each portion brought to the mouth, the long pauses to eat, the elegant way of flavoring it with no pressure from the waiter. Something like a scene from a movie. All of this caught my attention and inspired me to make more salads at home.

This is inspiration for a very nice lunch for the end of summer, but don't forget the French dijon mustard to bring the soul of French flavors to your salad.

Wild Smoked Salmon Salad

This is for two to three portions of salad.

Salad

12 ribbons, about 1/2 inch width, of wild nova smoked salmon
1/2 bulb of fennel, shaved
1 celery stalk, shaved
1 scallion (green onion), chopped
1 teaspoon whole grain dijon mustard
a few drops of fresh lemon juice (enough to season the salmon)
dill, sprinkled over salmon
6 cups spring mix salad

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon French dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped shallots or white parts of green onions
kosher salt to taste
Fresh chopped chives (optional)

Layer salad greens, fennel, and celery in a big bowl and put the salmon on top. Put half of the mustard in the middle of the plate. For the dressing mix all the ingredients and refrigerate for two hours before serving. Serve the dressing on the side. Enjoy it cold.

Mom's Fruit Salad and an Open Letter to my Sons

Dear sons,

I really love to think that you're planning something awesome to surprise me on Mother's Day. Yes, Mother's Day is coming this Sunday!! And please, don't forget to remind Daddy, as he might be a little distracted with the final game of his soccer team in Rio.

But as you know I am a bit picky, and if you are thinking about bringing me breakfast in bed, here's a suggestion: a fruit salad. Yes, forget all the croissants, pies and pastries.

Please  choose some organic sweet strawberries, juicy apples, and that little orange called kumquat and one nice lemon from a neighbor's tree. On the side I really would appreciate if you can serve a little portion of Greek non-fat yogurt. Some coffee would be great. And just a slice of toast with some honey on it would give me happiness.

P.S. Don't forget to take the pajamas off the living room floor, brush your teeth and, if you want, put a flower in a vase, and design some crazy cards, before waking me up at 8 a.m. But if you don't have time, just read this little recipe ...

With my (everyday)  love,

Your Mom

Strawberries, Apples, and Kumquat Zest Fruit Salad

4 strawberries, sliced
1/2 Fuji apple
1 kumquat, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cut all fruits with a plastic knife, to avoid cutting your little fingers. In a little bowl squeeze lemon and mix with the kumquat zest. If you don't know how to take the zest, watch this little tutorial. Sprinkle the zest and lemon juice over the other fruits.

Celebrate with great green veggie dishes

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If ever there's an opportune time to coax your kids to eat more green veggies, this is it.

Take full advantage of the wee 'uns excitement for St. Patrick's Day and serve them some healthy green goodness. These favorites from our archives are by no means Irish, but that's besides the point.

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Pesto, that magically delicious favorite, gets a delicious twist as Popeye Sauce: spinach and cream cheese pack a powerful nutritional punch, and kids will adore coating pasta and gnocchi with this festively green sauce.

Baby spinach makes an understated guest appearance in one of my favorite spreads, Spring Pea Dip. You can whip it up in under 10 minutes with frozen peas. Set it on the table with crackers or baby carrots while you prepare dinner — and watch it disappear.

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Finally, for an quick and easy side, toss together the Minty Armenian Cucumber Salad pictured at the top of this post. It's simply delicious, and a lovely addition to a packed lunch.

We'll feature a few more of our favorites for this very lucky holiday throughout the week!

Patrick-crepes with (or without) Wild Arugula and Balsamic Reduction

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If you are enjoying the luck brought by leprechauns this March, this recipe will help you bring more greens to the table. This good-looking crepe (with no artificial colors)  is a delicious way to wrap up even more greens inside it.  It is also a chance for your kids to get acquainted with different tastes. Another possibility is to fill it up with cream cheese or ricotta seasoned with pesto or simply cheese and turkey ham.

My boys gave mixed reviews about it: With arugula and balsamic reduction it was a 10 out of 10. Without the pretend "shamrocks" these crepes were a 100 out of 10, if you know what I mean ... They rolled the crepe-pancakes and just ate them.

This is the first of a mini-series with some green food  that we will post up to March 17. As you know by now, Darienne and I can't resist celebrating holidays with food.  This is a great and inspiring one: If food has to be green, that's the most beautiful occasion to take advantage of!

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Patrick-Crepes With (or Without) Arugula and Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

1 cup milk
1 cup cooked or 2 cups raw baby spinach (if cooked simmer with olive oil and a tablespoon of water)
1 cup flour
1 egg
1 to 3 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon dried savory or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Kosher salt to taste
Balsamic vinegar reduction, to taste (optional, see note below)
Arugula (optional)

Mix ingredients with an electric hand blender. Let the mix stand for 10 minutes at room temperature and then blend it again.

Preheat griddle to 300 F (or use a skillet over medium heat), and coat it with a thin layer of olive or canola oil. Ladle the equivalent of 1/2 cup of crepe mix onto the griddle, and cook each side for about three minutes.

Pile cooked crepes on a plate to retain moisture and temperature. After about five minutes, plate them with arugula, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction, or your favorite filling.

Note: To make balsamic vinegar reduction, simply bring vinegar to a boil over medium heat. Continue to cook over low heat until vinegar is reduced by at least half.

Healthy Holidays: Happy Spinach Salad

We want to celebrate the holidays with a 6-course menu with recipes from our repertoire with a holiday twist.

From today up to next week we will post our favorite choices and some new ones to welcome a very healthy New Year! 

For our first course  we chose this simple yet amazing Strawberry Spinach Salad. The colors are very holiday-ish, you can even decorate it as a Christmas tree. And if you are not close to any fresh strawberry as we are, here in California, you can substitute for fresh kiwis, figs or ripe yellow peaches.

Baby Spinach Salad with Black and Red Dressing

You can choose different ingredients for the main salad. I've combined it with rocket and once used basil instead of spring onions. Kids might want to join you on the presentation, which can be really cool.

Salad:

4 cups fresh baby spinach

1 sliced medium strawberry for each plate

Dressing:

1 ripe strawberry, diced in tiny pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 spring onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup apple juice or lemonade

Kosher salt to taste

Mix all ingredients for the dressing at least one hour before serving. Organize each plate with a bed of spinach and slices of strawberry. Serve with the dressing on the side or pour over the salad, leaving the guest to redesign the plate. Enjoy!

Strawberry Season Special: Spinach with Balsamic Dressing

This simple yet charming salad combination was made for a Mother's Day brunch many years ago. At that time I ended up not posting the recipe because I didn't like the photo. But this week, inspired by the beautiful red strawberries, I found many fun ways to arrange the spinach leaves and strawberries, and take pictures of them. Its freshness is amazing, and kids (sometimes) love it—as the dressing has some hidden sweetness blended with the tangy combination of balsamic vinegar and strawberries.

Baby Spinach Salad with Black and Red Dressing

You can choose different ingredients for the main salad. I've combined it with rocket and once used basil instead of spring onions.

Salad:
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 sliced medium strawberry for each plate

Dressing:
1 ripe strawberry, diced in tiny pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 spring onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup apple juice or lemonade
Kosher salt to taste

Mix all ingredients for the dressing at least one hour before serving. Organize each plate with a bed of spinach and slices of strawberry. Serve with the dressing on the side or pour over the salad, leaving the guest to redesign the plate. Enjoy!

The Kids Cook Monday: Their Favorite Salad

This post is a mix of a "few of our favorite" recipes and one that can symbolize what the campaign for the Kids Cook Monday aims for: A healthier diet and making a contribution for our kids to be able to like and even make foods that are (unfortunately) excluded from the average kid's menus.
Here's a toast for one of the simplest, yet successful, recipe I shared in this blog in 2010. Later after I made it with our playgroup friends, this recipe and step to step guide was shared with about 60 kindergarteners and first graders of my son's school. It was my first project for their Wednesday Cooking Club, where I currently teach hands-on recipes once a week with two enthusiastic volunteers and one amazing school teacher.
During three weeks we witnessed how kids minds are so opened to try out something new - and how their participation on the prep can make a difference. The result was amazing: few leaves of Romaine lettuce were abandoned on the plates. The resemblance with a classic "grown up" Caesar Salad, the happiness to find out that they could use scissors to cut, the wonderful aroma of the croutons coming from the oven - all made the kids curious to try the salad. And some were so proud that they wanted to bring the recipe home to share with their family.

Scissors Salad

Croutons:
4 slices wheat bread
Garlic powder, to sprinkle
Grated Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle
Olive Oil Spray

Salad
5 large leaves of Romaine (or 10 hearts) of Romaine lettuce
Cherry tomatoes, if in season, (to taste)

Dressing:

1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried basil or other herb
1 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper (optional)

Invite the kids use their very well washed craft scissors to cut the bread to small squares. Show to them how to spray olive oil on the bread pieces, and ask them to sprinkle it with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese. The scissors will be used to chop the Romaine leaf and will leave it on the side in a bowl. In the meantime toast the croutons in a 350 F pre-heated oven for about 7 minutes. In a small bowl let them measure and mix the ingredients for the dressing. They can now prepare their final salad, dressing it up, adding the homemade croutons Have fun! And a Happy and healthy new year!

Second Helping: Apple Pomegranate Salad with Tarragon Dressing

If you're unfamiliar with pomegranates, prepare to fall in love. They have a reputation for being hard to eat, but that's nonsense. Simply score the leathery outer skin, peel it open, and gently remove the gorgeous red arils from the bitter membrane. You can do this over a bowl or by immersing the fruit in water, which helps separate the membrane bits. (For a great pictorial of this method, check out this post at Wit & Whistle.)

Some people chew the arils and spit out the seeds, but I don't. I like the crunch, and spitting out those tiny seeds takes a lot of the fun out of the experience.

This fall salad came together at the farmer's market, where I find more affordable organic produce. Organic apples at $2 a pound, a head of organic red butter lettuce, a beautiful deal on pomegranates (three for $1!), tarragon from my garden -- and this salad was had for a song.

The dressing worked a miracle in my house. My older son, who has never eaten lettuce, happily ate three servings of greens. We used the dressing to season purple cauliflower for roasting the next day -- yum!

Tip: If the high price of organic food puts you off, check out the Environmental Working Group's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides. Available as a pdf or iPhone app, it identifies the "cleanest" produce and the "dirty dozen" to help you choose when to go organic.

Apple and Pomegranate Salad with Tarragon Dressing

Soaking the apple slices in acidulated water -- with lemon juice or vitamin C -- keeps them from browning. Leftover dressing will keep at least a week or two in the refrigerator.

2 to 3 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 vitamin C tablets, crushed, or 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 head of butter lettuce or other greens
3 tablespoons pomegranate arils

Tarragon Dressing:
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, stir together crushed vitamin C tablets or lemon juice with water. Peel, core, and slice apples, then immerse slices in water bath for a few minutes to reduce browning. Drain.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake to blend. Combine greens and apples in a large bowl; drizzle dressing over and toss to combine. Top salad with pomegranate arils.

Playdate Special: Scissors Salad for The Kids Cook Monday

Great headlines here: Three boys from 3 to 6 years old ate all their salad bowl at a playdate.

Yay! Before too much of a celebration, I must make a confession: I've been truly obsessed about developing a new way of thinking about how I feed my kids. That perhaps -- following my intuition -- they trust me as a good reference for what to eat as much as they trust my suggestions for how to dress. And as many other things in life, they might think that if I think it's just no big deal for them to eat salad, they will do it. Naturally. I've been working on this change lately, so to accept that they might even like and eat what I don't, something like roe and osso bucco.

I am learning to be more open-minded with two close sources of mine: My mother-in-law and husband proudly eat and happily try anything labeled or called edible food. One of my boys goes with the same DNA. For me and somehow my older kid, things are a bit more complicated, and we love all the good-looking foods but sometimes not all greens and types of meat and foods with unusual textures. That might also run in the DNA. But I promise, at least we will try to eat that something that just doesn't look so yummy.

Before I go too deep into the troubled waters of the classic debate "nature vs. nurture," I will just share here something very, very easy: a strategy to turn "making salad" into play time. To ease our way into eating the ultimate green – aka lettuce -- I invited the kids to help me with scissors, plastic lettuce knives, a oil mister, and garlic “sprinkles.”

When I served the salad itself, I gave them the power of chopping the already-cut leaves into smaller pieces, and also the possibility of using the dressing (at the playdate we served Organic Light Balsamic form Newman's Own) and sprinkling croutons, served with shaved Parmesan cheese.

Scissors Salad

Croutons:
fresh bread, cut into 1/2-inch dice
olive oil
garlic powder

Salad:
3 hearts Romaine lettuce, chopped in large pieces
2 cups shaved Parmesan cheese

Suggested dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons apple juice
1/2 teaspoon basil
Salt to taste

Prepare the croutons ahead of time. You can ask the kids to sprinkle the diced bread with garlic powder and spray the olive oil with the aid of a mister. Bake for about 6 minutes in a 300F pre-heated oven.

Cut lettuce leaves and dry them well. Mix the dressing. Serve the lettuce in a bowl with a pair of scissors (we used a kid's Fiskar), the dressing, croutons and cheese on the side. Have fun!

Second Helping: Yellow Squash and Green Figs Warm Salad

This was inspired in a very tasty one I had a long time ago when I thought salads were doomed to be cold for ever. At that time I was stunned by this new discovery: And when I want to impress my guests, that's the way to go...

The stars of this delicate dish are two of the seasonal items from California, where we live: yellow squash and green figs.  I chose to have the delicate sautéed treats over a bed of cold lamb lettuce (mâche), and had the best style bistro-dinner ever on a midsummer night.

Because the experiment was made too late for the kids to try, I will give it another goal. My plan is to pair it with some slices of crunchy smoked turkey breast stripes or even thin squares of bacon. I might be wrong, but I think they will at least try the warm part of the deal.

Yellow Squash and Green Figs Midsummer Night Dream Salad

This is probably going to do well with another type of greens. My bet is that butter lettuce will work fine. Also, a very important note: Green figs are really green, not figs that are not ripe.

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced with a mandoline
4 green figs, peel on, cut in round slices
Sea salt, to taste
1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
mâche or other greens

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Over medium heat add squash and fig slices, making sure they sauté evenly without falling apart. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Leave to cook for about 7 minutes or about when everything begins to brown, turning once. Add lime juice around pan in drops. Carefully remove squash and figs from the pan, and serve on the top of greens.

Second Helping: Inspired Aroma Salad

One of the best salads I had while on vacation was made with three of the main Israeli ingredients: Fresh chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and lots, lots of good extra virgin olive oil. The specific one that I keep dreaming about over and over again was surrounded by quinoa and was topped with grilled eggplant, haricots vert (one of my favorite ingredients in life), mint and a bit of green onions.

I tasted it between one laugh and another with my friend Tamara, who lived here in the Bay Area and now is living in Tel Aviv. We met to catch up in a chain cafe called Aroma, where generous bowls of salad share the stage with coffee. I would dare saying that's exactly what makes the place so specially Israeli: They could not live without salad. Nor good and strong coffee. Any time of the day.

So, after tasting it I could not forget it. I tried one interpretation of it for my husband's birthday and the second time I prepared it was for our last playdate. We were lucky to have Darienne's grilled eggplant and fresh mint form her garden to help achieve the maximum perfection. My boys obviously decided not to eat it. But they tried before and liked it. So, peer pressure was there and no person under the age of 6 touched the micro portion on their plate.

In the meantime I was pleased to watch Darienne and Doug trying it - and enjoying it! So I hope to share the same pleasure with you here in this very simple recipe .

Israeli Inspired Salad

I used a very nice crunchy cucumber, called here Persian, and seasonal sweet tomatoes. But I am sure that most of the success of this salad lies on the quality of the olive oil. 

4 cups cooked quinoa, prepared as instructed by package plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ripe sweet tomatoes, chopped in 1/2-inch cubes with peel and seeds
4 small cucumbers (Persian) or 2 big sized cucumbers (English), chopped in 1/2-inch cubes, peel on
Enough olive oil to involve all ingredients
Juice from one lime
Kosher salt, to taste
1/4 medium purple onion, chopped in tiny cubes (optional)
4 slices grilled eggplant (see Darienne's recipe here)
Haricot verts, to garnish
Mint leaves, chopped to salad and whole leaves to garnish
Chives or spring onions, to garnish

Mix all ingredients but don't overdo it: you want to see all chunks there and quinoa grains involving them. Top bowl with French green beans, eggplant, mint leaves, chives or spring onions.

Second Helping: Cherry Chicken Salad

For years I resisted the temptation to buy a cherry pitter, on the grounds that there's no room in my kitchen for single-purpose tools. I pitted cherries by hand, or skewered the pits on cake decorating tips. It was so tedious I began to regret ever introducing my husband to fresh cherry pies.

Finally I broke down and bought not one, but two cherry pitters at a local cherry orchard market. I chose a simple push-button gizmo that secures to the top of a canning jar; it works beautifully. My kindergartner, however, fell in love with the less efficient but utterly charming Cherry Chomper. It's worth dedicating space for two tools to enjoy sitting at the table with my boys, pitting cherries and eating half the bounty while we work.

During the brief, perfect cherry season, we work the fruit into everything: ice cream, pies, and tarts, in salads, with yogurt, in a warm compote with meat, and of course savored fresh out of hand. Here I added cherries to a very light chicken salad, made with Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise and with jicama, one our favorite vegetable snacks. I also incorporated pineapple sage, the latest addition to our herb garden. I'm still learning how to work with this surprisingly light and tropical-scented herb, and I found I needed quite a bit to get much flavor.

Cherry Chicken Salad

If you don't have pineapple sage, substitute freely with other herbs -- tarragon, mint, rosemary, and oregano would all work well. Adjust the amount to suit your taste.

1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 1/2 cups cooked, chopped chicken (about 1 pound)
2 cups cherries, pitted and quartered
1 cup diced jicama (or 1/2 cup celery)
3 tablespoons fresh pineapple sage, chopped (or substitute other herbs to taste)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
salad greens

In a small bowl, combine yogurt and lemon juice. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, cherries, jicama, and herbs. Stir yogurt mixture into chicken mixture; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve atop salad greens.

Playdate Special: Black Eyed Peas for Picnic

I had this vision of a beautiful early Spring picnic table with some vivid  colorful touches: two salads, a well seasoned ceviche - and a winner dessert to comfort the kids, after so many novelties.
Perhaps I was too ambitious. On the day before the picnic I printed all consumer guides from Monterey Aquarium just to find out that my local stores and chain supermarkets didn't have any of the recommended fish suitable to my unusual menu.
So, I thought about two alternatives: Portuguese sardines or a good brand salami to go on the side and accompany the Latin American style black eye pea salad. And some simple pasta salad to make sure the kids would eat. Something.
The final result was somehow predictable. While pasta salad made of mini-farfalle Piccolini, asiago cheese infused in olive oil and rosemary,  and fire-roasted tomatoes was easily accepted by most of the kids, beans were abandoned on the side of the plates.
But as I love black eyed peas and think someday they will be as popular with my kids as the  homonym music group, I will share the recipe. I understand that some people just think salads don't deserve a recipe, but trust me on this one: Sometimes the combination of flavors and textures is what makes a side dish to shine.
The dessert was, as I said, a winner. Who would not go for a chocolate shell filled with goodies on a sunny day? 

Black Eyed Peas Salad

I used freshly cooked black eyed peas, prepared in my beloved pressure-cooker. I believe that canned beans will work too, as far as they marinade one night before in the spices to loose that odd salty water taste.

6 cups cooked black eyed peas, drained
1 medium sweet tomato chopped, with seeds
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup orange bell pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice or vinegar
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon sweet basil (Mexican Albahaca, Ocimum Basilicum)
Ground Black Pepper to taste
Kosher salt to taste

Mix all ingredients well in a bowl and let it stand in the fridge overnight. If wanted, serve it with sardines in olive oil or salami on the side.

Vanilla Ricotta Cream for Chocolate Dessert Shells

I bought those wonderful Dobla dark chocolate Belgium dessert shells from World Market. It took me some days to figure out what to fill them with. The recipe that follows is a simple pudding that can be useful to go with fruit salads or pies.

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/ tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk cream well with sugar up to a creamy texture and than integrate  ingredients ans refrigerate for about 2 hours up to the time to serve.

Playdate Special: Persimmon and Fennel Salad with Lemon

This easy, delicious salad has only three primary ingredients: fennel, persimmon, and preserved lemon. If you're aren't familiar with all of them, it's time to be introduced -- they're all in season now. Your taste buds will be forever in your debt.

My 5-year-old has been on a persimmon kick, but I was bracing for him to balk at trying it with any seasoning. To my surprise, he loved it. Unfortunately, he was in kindergarten Friday and couldn't encourage his friends to try our new favorite salad. But they were happy enough to munch on delicately spiced popovers and Granny Smith apples.

The secret to the flavoring of this salad is preserved lemons. They're common in Moroccan food, and you'll find lots of tagine recipes requiring them. I've never made a tagine, but I've added preserved lemon to seafood, vegetables, grains, chicken, and salad. All you need are some lemons, kosher or coarse sea salt, a jar with a tight lid, and a month to watch that sunshine-yellow jar with anticipation. While you wait, however, you can enjoy this salad with simple lemon zest. The preserved lemons will stay good for a year or two.

Fennel, also known as sweet anise, looks a bit like celery. This recipe uses the fat bulb and the dill-like fronds; you can also use the stalks just like celery and enjoy with dip or flavor soups.

Persimmons are plentiful around here. Fuyu persimmons, used in this salad, are round and best enjoyed on the firm side. Hachiya are somewhat heart-shaped and need to be very ripe and soft (I use those for baking).

If you have still more persimmons, try Winter Jewel Salad, with persimmon, pomegranates, and dates in a cinnamon-orange dressing that tastes like fall, and Persimmon Compote, which is delicious stirred into yogurt or oatmeal or spooned over ice cream..

Persimmon and Fennel Salad

You probably won't need to add salt if you use preserved lemons (recipe below).

1/2 preserved lemon, rinsed well and diced, or grated zest from 1/2 a lemon
juice of half a lemon (Meyer, if you have one)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 fennel bulb
3 Fuyu persimmons
salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces baby spinach

Combine preserved lemon or zest, lemon juice, and olive oil in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
Wash fennel bulb and remove any tough outer layers. Cut the stalks and fronds just above the bulb and set aside. Cut bulb into quarters and remove the tough core. Thinly slice fennel and put in a large bowl.
Peel persimmons and cut into eighths; add to bowl.
Stir gently, taste, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve on top of baby spinach leaves and sprinkle with chopped fennel fronds.

Preserved Lemons

Use organic lemons -- you eat these peel and all, and it's worth the trouble to find ones that haven't been sprayed.

organic lemons (Meyer are especially good, but any kind will work)
kosher salt or coarse sea salt
large jar with tight-fitting lid
optional spices: cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods, bay leaves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns

Be sure to have enough lemons to fill your jar, plus extras for juice.
Sterilize your jar and lid by boiling in water for 10 minutes.
Scrub lemons well. Cut away any stems. Slice the lemons almost completely in half, but not all the way through. Make another cut, perpendicular to the first, so you've cut the lemons nearly into quarters. Pack the cuts with salt and put lemons in the jar. Pack firmly! Add any spices, if you wish, and add enough lemon juice to completely cover the lemons.
Shake the jar every day or two to evenly distribute juice and salt. As lemons soften, add a few more.
After a month, your lemons are ready! They're very salty: Rinse before using, and taste before adding more salt to a dish.
I've been assured the jar never needs refrigeration, but I stick it in the fridge after opening it. The pickling juice can be reused over the course of the year.

Second Helping: Salsita Salad

Salsita Samba

So I took a brand new Santoku knife and went to cut thin
squares of red onion, red bell pepper, tomatoes and spring onion. I
want them very small and cute. I mix everything and at the end their
own juices will be united with the luscious olive oil, salt, vinegar
and sprinkled with fresh leaves of cilantro. Right after, I decide,
finally to add just a few drops of green Tabasco. It works, I love the
smell of it.

1/3 big orange bell pepper
1/3 big red bell pepper
3 tomatoes cut in small cubes (be sure not to loose their juice, so
it's better to chop them already over the bowl).
1/2 red onion
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
10 drops of Green Tabasco

Mix everything in a bowl. Put in the fridge for at least 8 hours.

Second Helping: Easy Going Potato Salad

Potato semi-mayo salad

This is a very good dish to bring to a picnick, potluck and to accompany meat and bbq's.Its simplicity might be disappointing, but the result is always wonderful.

6 medium Idaho Potatoes cooked with the skin
2 hard boiled eggs smashed with a fork
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
Pinch of Dill
Salt to taste

While potatoes are still hot, add the olive oil and eggs. Add salt, pepper and dill and refrigerate.