Archive for Appetizers
Kids Make Fruit Kabobs
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I love to get the kids in the kitchen and have them help prepare meals. Well… that’s what I like to say. But honestly, when dinnertime comes around, I’m often rushing around to get it done. Instead of finding something the kids can do, I’m often scooting them out the kitchen, out of my way. With our summer activities finally slowing down this week, we were able to take our time and make something together. We decided to make something that’s always a kid favorite: Fruit Kabobs!
Fruit kabobs are a great activity for kids. You can use almost any fruit, they are in bite-size pieces, and the kids can put it together themselves (or with minimal help, depending on their ages). Melon is a perfect fruit to use on the kabobs because it is so easy to cut. I did the big cuts, and removed the rind from the fruit with the big, sharp knife. But then the kids could use a butter knife to easily cut the melon into bite-size pieces. They thought it was great. We had a cantaloupe, but watermelon and honey dew would be good additions. You can see from the picture that we used strawberries and grapes, too. Go ahead and use up whatever you have in the house. Of course, some fruit turns brown quickly, so if you’re making them in advance you’d probably want to avoid those.
Cutting the fruit. If your kids are older, consider letting them cut the fruit themselves with Rachael Ray’s Young Cooks Cutting Set
The Sticks. You can use a variety of sticks for skewering the fruit: toothpicks, bamboo skewers, coffee stirs, small skinny straws, or even chopsticks. But my favorite is plastic swizzle sticks, or Drink Stirrers
Good for kids and the family. This activity encourages kids to help out in the kitchen. Kids feel good about what they created. They get to pick the fruit they want, and then eat it! With the kids going back to school soon, I’m also thinking this activity is great for helping kids build fine motor skills.
Now that I got the kids back in the kitchen, I’m hoping to continue it more often. So, when I sit down to plan our meals for next week, I’m going to include one or two items that the kids can help prepare. Planning in advance will allow me to schedule around after-school activities and give us plenty of time to get it done. If you’re looking for some kid-friendly recipes, or maybe a little more inspiration, check out these online posts and articles:
Gluten-Free Kids in the Kitchen
Happy Kitchen Jam Tarts (gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free)
Kids in the Kitchen: Spaghetti and (Gluten-Free) Meatballs
Other Online articles about Kids in the Kitchen:
Cooking with Kids Teaches About Simple Snacks
Dads and Kids Cooking Together
Why Invite Your Kids Into The Kitchen?
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Cantaloupe is the theme ingredient this week for Friday Foodie Fix at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang. So check it out for more gluten-free recipes with cantaloupe.
Corn and Black Bean Salad
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Here’s another quick and easy recipe that’s great to make for parties, especially a Mexican fiesta. Everyone will love the fresh flavors and the bright colors. You can serve it as a dip with corn or tortilla chips, but I think it’s best as a side salad. It’s also great added to Southwestern Chicken Salads, rice bowls and even as a filler in tacos. I’ve made this salad with several variations. Here’s what I put in it the last time I made it:
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Corn and Black Bean Salad Recipe
Ingredients:
4 Cups (about 16 oz.) frozen whole kernel corn
1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 Cup (about 4 – 6) green onions, sliced
1/4 Cup red onion, finely chopped
Juice of 2-3 fresh limes
3 TBSP vegetable oil
1 TBSP ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium tomato, chopped and added right before serving
Directions:
- In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except the tomato.
- Cover and chill the salad for a couple hours or even overnight.
- Add the tomatoes and stir gently right before serving.
Additional Notes:
- Adding the tomatoes right before serving, prevents the salad from getting too watery and the tomatoes from getting mushy.
- If you don’t want to bother with adding the tomatoes at the end: chop up a sweet red pepper instead and mix it in with all the other ingredients before you chill it.
For more gluten-free recipes with onions, check out this week’s Friday Foodie Fix at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.
Shrimp
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This week’s theme ingredient at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang’s Friday Foodie Fix is shrimp. In her post of it, Diane talks about the benefits of cooking shrimp, from the ease of cooking to the many nutritional qualities. If you like to cook shrimp, or would like to find some new recipes, be sure to check out the round-up of recipes at the link above. We don’t eat a lot of shrimp at my house. Mostly because my kids aren’t yet fans of it. My son will eat cold shrimp with cocktail sauce, but my daughter still sticks her tongue out at it. Despite my kids’ resistance, we still occasionally cook it on nights I give the kids leftovers or hotdogs for dinner. Gotta love leftovers!
I found a great recipe at Bonefish Grill’s website for Saucy Shrimp and Scallops. I was trying to recreate their recipe for their Saucy Shrimp appetizer that we love to order at the restaurant. It didn’t turn out exactly like the appetizer I have at the Bonefish Grill, but it was close (and very good!). After comparing the recipe I made with the dish at the restaurant, I noticed these differences: The restaurant uses lime juice, not lemon like the recipe states; and the Sun Dried Tomatoes the restaurant used had a much sweeter taste than the ones I got at the grocery store. Other than that, I’d say it was pretty much the same. My husband and I gobbled it up at home just as fast as we do at the restaurant. And, if my kids don’t want to eat it…well, more for me and my husband. 
