Read Your Recipe!
Fish Tacos used to be just a California (and Mexico, obviously) thing but clearly they are becoming more mainstream as the faces that greeted me in first period were suprisingly placid.
I took a BIG risk today. In my second level class we do yeast as an entire UNIT, so when we make our bbq chicken pizza the kids are well-versed in kneading and water temps.
Switch from Mexican to all-American. Can you beat chicken noodle soup? I don’t really think you can. Now, you might be thinking, 40 minutes? I can heat up Progresso chicken noodle in 2 minutes. Yes, you’re correct. Why make it yourself? You can use the exact ingredients you want, there is almost ALWAYS less sodium, and there is definitely a soul-soothing component that cannot be overlooked. Soup is comfort food and a big pot of soup on the stove on a Sunday afternoon makes everyone happy.
So glad Bari came back so I could snap this… the bell rang simultaneously with the timers so our title had a chance to live up to it’s name.
So, today is our “transition” from dairy to meat. When I taught the manicotti lesson I explained that if you like lasagna, ravioli and stuffed shells then you’d love manicotti, since it’s basically the same thing in a varied form. Same as enchiladas. If you like tacos, burritos, taquitos, quesadillas, etc, you will like enchiladas.
An EXTREMELY basic little recipe, reminiscent of the 1950’s I’d say. Using refrigerated crescent roll dough and a simple mixture, then rolling up jelly-roll fashion, you end up with a dangerously addictive appetizer.
This is an ATK (America’s Test Kitchen) recipe that has become my go-to mac and cheese. You make a classic cheese sauce, starting with the roux (equal parts fat and flour) but the small additions here of minced garlic, cayenne and dry mustard give it a fantastic flavor. The sauce to noodle ratio is fab, especially if you let this rest about 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven.
Today we’re doing notes on calcium and dairy intake, but I snapped a few photos last night of the salad my husband and I have been devouring lately.
Continuing with the dairy unit. Last week we got down with the Italian trinity (parm, mozz, ricotta) and today we met some Mexican/southwestern cheeses.
That is a REALLY long title. But these are really good cookies, so I guess they deserve it? I got this recipe off Epicurious.com, my fave site, and then made a few changes. I used what I had on hand and LOVEd the turn out. They are easy to make and perfectly balanced in flavor. Definitely a keeper.
When the kids arrive and see the title of the recipe, I usually get a lot of quizzical looks and one or two enthusiastic responses by those who have had it before. In my explanation I ask if anyone has had lasagna, stuffed shells, baked ziti or ravioli before. Inevitably every hand raises. Noodle, tomato sauce, egg, cheese (ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan), parsley, Italian herbs. Careful rearrangement of these ingredients ensures a pretty good time, whether it’s week night frozen ravioli or a pre-game pasta party.
For whatever reason in the beginning of EVERY new semester, a student asks if we can make smoothies one day. It’s nice to be able to say yes (usually it’s NO, we aren’t making filet mignon, lobster, or ice cream sundaes).