Day One- I have my kids, now how do we eat?

People all over this world fall out of love. Relationsihps end and often children are involved. Parents who once depended upon each other, now have to cope managing alone. As a Chef, I often heard stressed single parents saying," I do not know how to cook". "I do not know how to shop!" "How do I cook this?" How do I get my kids to eat?" "Do you have any really simple recipes I can make for my kids?"

A good friend Janet suggested that I set up  this blog to offer a safe haven for single parents and their kids. A place to get recipes,  to get cooking tips, to get shopping tips and to get these newly designed families cooking together, eating together and moving in a positive direction. I promise to update this site every week with a new recipe and to reply to any cooking questions you have.

So, this weekend.... You got'em? Now feed'em!

 

One Happy Parmesan Cod

Serves 4 (To serve more add 1/2 pound more cod per person. For less, obviously reduce by 1/2 pound)

 

Ingredients

2 lbs. Cod Fillet, fresh or frozen. If frozen, thawed in a refrigerator 24 hours prior to cooking. Cut into 4 uniform sized portions.

2 cups buttermilk Ranch Salad dressing (low-cal will do if you want to reduce calories)

2 cups Italian Bread crumbs

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp. lemon zest. (Rub the outside of a whole lemon against a cheese grater to remove small pieces of the lemon rind. This is called zest)

Preperation

Dry the cod fillets, by resting them on triple thickness of paper towel sheets at room temperature for 20 minutes

Add a pinch of salt & pepper to cod fillets while they rest

Pre-heat oven to 350*F

Mix the bread crumbs, lemon zest and parmesan cheese well in a 2 qt. mixing bowl 

Spray a cookie sheet with a non-stick cooking spray

Dredge the fillets in dressing using your right hand

Dredge the wet fillets into the parmesan bread crumb mixture with your left hand

Then place breaded cod fillets on the non-stick sprayed cookie sheet pan

Wash your hands (Smile)

Place the cookie sheet pan into the oven at 350* for 18 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165*F

(The exterior of the cod will be golden brown and the interior of the fillet will be solid white and moist)

Remove with a spatula and serve.

 

This is great with steamed fresh green beans. Place a 1/2 cup of water in a 2 qt. pot to boil at the same time you are drying the cod. Place 3 cups, washed and snapped grean beans in a colander that fits atop your 2 qt pot of boiling water. (3 cups are about three handfulls if you grab them loose at the market, like you were grabbing a bottle of water from a refrigerator)  Allow beans to sit on top of the boiling water and steam for 8 minutes, at the nine minute mark while your cod is baking. Remove beans and toss in 1 tablespoon of olive oil , a tsp of garlic powder and a tsp of lemon zest that you will have from the second side of the lemon you used for the cod breading. Squeeze a little lemon juice on the green beans before serving and salt & pepper to taste. If you purchase a bag of wild rice, or long grain rice, by Unlce Ben's or minute rice, they have a 90 second microwave type package. Follow package directions and just place in your microwave the same time you are removing the cod fish from the oven. By the time you plate the fish and the green beans, it will be time to plate the rice.

 

This recipe is great for family involvement. You as the parent do not have to be the authority of everything. Cooking is an art, so share the art with your child or children. A child can gain self respect and confidence by participating in the preperation of a meal. A child can measure and pour out the ranch dressing, or the bread crumbs. They can set the oven to pre-heat. They can be taught to set the oven timer and learn that following a recipe is important to the final product. A child can actually dredge the fillets, if there hands are cleaned before and after the process. A child can clean and snap the dry ends off of the green beans. They can measure the seasonings and add them to the beans. A child should not work the oven or stove top until the age of 10 and properly taught how to use them. A child should not work a cheese grater until age 12 and first taught how to use one. I can cover those concepts moving forward if you ask me to.

 

Please remember that mistakes will happen and children and parents might spill something or measure incorrectly. Be loving and patient with each other. Laugh it off, clean it up and enjoy the time you have and food you created. Just like each painting your child has given you, their food creations also are works of art. I had 4 wonderful children every weekend and now 12 years later they have grown and I relish those memories.

 

Things learned:

1. A new recipe that can be used for cod, bass, perch, bonita, salmon, tilapia or roughy. See you have 7 recipes for fish now! Plus green beans and rice!

2. Olive oil and Canola oil are best for your health.

3. Zest is the small pieces of rind from a citrus fruit.

4. The protein portion size of any meal, like the cod, should not be larger in size than the size of the palm of the hand of the person eating it. 

5. You are going to get through this transition and you and your kids are going to learn life skills as well as build memories.

6. Buying a food thermometer is a good idea and teaching your kids how to read it is a great idea.

7. Store un-used salad dressing in the refrigerator for no more than 3 weeks.

8. Store dry ingredients, such as bread crumbs in a dry place, like a cabinet.

9. Always wash hands and all cooking surfaces adn utensils before and after cooking to prevent bacteria growth.

10. Left overs can be heated in a 350* oven for 15 minutes, then re-served as a fillet or on a bun as a sandwich. Add some ranch dressing if using a bun to add moisture to your sandwich. Throw out leftovers if not heated and eaten within 3 days of the initial cooking.

 

Until next week...... be the best parent you can be.