It’s hard to talk about a new year without bringing up resolutions.

I admire all the people who resolve to eat better, lose weight and exercise more. Considering how picky I am, to cut out—or even limit—the few foods I like would almost certainly mean disaster, but I figure it can’t hurt to try and work in a few more fresh fruits and vegetables. (Or can it? I broke out in hives after eating a high-protein candy bar as a kid. Really.)

My niece Greta doesn’t think about stuff like that. She turns four this month and while she likes fruits and veggies she had no qualms about going right for the pink marshmallow when it came to the fruit kabobs my sister served on Christmas Eve.

I’m with Greta—life’s too short not to eat pink marshmallows.

Getting dinner on the table and gathering the family to enjoy it together is no simple task for any busy family.  Work, traffic, sports, play rehearsal, Cub Scouts, and all the stresses of daily life make cooking seem more challenging than ordering pizza and devouring it while flipping on the television while other family members retreat to homework, video games, exercising or the multitude of activities that keep busy families on the move. If your family is anything like mine, it takes everyone’s efforts to pitch in and get things done around the house.  Dinner is no exception.

Kids can share in kitchen duty, and probably would do so happily.  Cooking together and eating together promotes more than just family relationships, but health, well being, and even saving money.  The statistics on the family meal are fascinating:  According to Baylor College of Medicine, meals eaten with family include roughly 50 percent more fruits or vegetables.  According to Time Magazine, the more often families eat together, the less likely kids are to smoke, drink, do drugs, get depressed, develop eating disorders and consider suicide. Imagine the cost savings when you actually use up the food you buy rather than let it spoil in the crisper drawer, and how many groceries you can get for the cost of a ml for four at a mid-priced, sit-down restaurant. 

The responsibility for the family meal often falls on parents, but the whole family can work together to get things done. When it comes to successful completion of kitchen tasks, the key is asking kids to do age appropriate ones:

Ages 5 or younger:
Make great assistants to parents, caregivers or older children.

Ages 6 and 7
Will do a fantastic job setting the table, if the dishes are placed within their reach.
Can make a simple “bag salad” better by adding shredded carrots, grape tomatoes, Bacos and croutons.
Will help make lunches by putting a piece of fruit in each lunch box, putting lunch favorites into small bags or containers, and adding a juice box and napkin.
Can make Warm Delights as a special dessert.

Ages 8 and 9
Can make tomorrow’s dinner with some supervision while parents take charge of clean up.
Can make easy Betty Crocker sides like Cornbread, Potatoes Au Gratin or microwaveable 80 Calorie Pouch Mashed Potatoes.

Ages 10 and 11
Can make delicious casseroles with parental supervision.
Can help make meal plans and shopping lists.

Ages 12 and up
Can help prepare meals in advance during the weekend and package them for storage.

Here are some menu suggestions for easy family dinners:

Menu 1:

“Healthified” Crunchy Asian Salad

Szechuan Chicken and Pasta

Warm Delights

Menu 2:

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Lemony Fish over Vegetables and Rice

Menu 3:

Chili Casserole with Corn Bread

Cinnamon “Fried” Ice Cream

What are your favorite family recipes?  What are your strategies for getting dinner on the table?

After today, the holidays are officially over but winter isn’t—at least not in Minnesota.  If it is cold where you live, you might consider making some ice votives for your front steps.  My friend, Kathy, made some for her front steps and then “harvested” about 30 more for friends and neighbors.

She pours water into a large plastic molds and then lets them sit in outside in our below freezing temps for around 10 hours or so when she brings them inside and pours out any remaining water in them.  Then she puts a candle in the center and that’s all there is to it.

With most schools still on break until next week, at this point parents could probably use some inspired ideas to keep kids happy and occupied.  There are a multitude of activities for kids and families like roller skating or going to an indoor water park.  But these activities can cost a lot.  Stuffing teddy bears at the mall or playing games at an arcade is fun for maybe one day of winter break, but done repeatedly these activities can break the bank. 

A fun alternative is getting kids active in the kitchen.  Cooking and baking appeals to toddlers and teens, and it can create memories as meaningful as any that cost many times more money.  Who knows?  With a little luck and some imagination, maybe this week’s kitchen creativity could even make your family some extra spending money.

Betty Crocker’s annual cookie mix recipe contest "Mix it Up with Betty!™" kicks off this week.  One Grand Prize Winner will win $5,000, and it might be your family.

Start out by asking your kids to use their imaginations to think about what the most delicious cookies would taste like.  Would there be chocolate chips, coconut, chopped up candy bars?  Would they be shaped like circles, stars, mini donuts?  What flavors?  What color?  What size?  Sure, these may seem like simple questions to you, but your children will feel extra special and important when you take the time to learn what they like.

Kids can draw their creations and together you can create a recipe that uses a Betty Crocker cookie pouch mix.  Talk about your family’s favorite flavor combinations and favorite treats.  Make decisions about your final recipe together.  Gather your ingredients and make a test batch.  Be sure to take pictures to capture your cookie baking memories.  As you taste your creation, brainstorm clever names inspired by your family’s traditions, inside jokes and nicknames.  It’s a terrific way to teach your child the process of seeing an idea through from beginning to end, all while having fun in the process!  So, go ahead, bake up some family fun that is educational and meaningful right in the comfort of your own home. 

Be inspired by last year’s winners.

Look at the 2007 winners.

On Christmas Eve, our family doesn't make a big meal but rather we make a meal out of lots of hearty appetizers. There are always the chicken wings and stuffed mushrooms that Susie makes and the barbecued cocktail wieners that Uncle Dennis brings, some shrimp cocktail, pickled herring, lefse, cheese crackers and usually meatballs. This year, my new (by marriage)niece, Lena made some delicious Galumpkis (stuffed cabbage rolls with both beef and pork) and I made a tomato-pasta soup and served it in mugs. Katie made some Mini Bacon-Cheese Cups (little quiches) and Jason made Mini Greek Burgers, which were a big hit.

The recipes Katie and Jason made were from a recent Pillsbury supermarket magazine on Holiday Appetizers.  I wish I had taken a photo of Jason and Katie making their appetizers in our kitchen but it was a bit hectic since our guests were soon to arrive. Here is a photo from the magazine of the Mini Greek Burgers.

Jack saved the day and suggested that we fry the 16 mini burgers on our new Panini grill and that worked great. I think the Mini Greek Burgers would be a big hit at any New Year’s Eve Party.

 Mini Greek Burgers 
 
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Start to Finish: 30 Minutes
 
  Sauce 
    3/4 cup Yoplait® Fat Free plain yogurt (from 2-lb container)
    1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
    1 clove garlic, finely chopped
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
  Burgers 
    1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
    1/4 cup Progresso® plain bread crumbs
    1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
    2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
    1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
    1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  Breads and Toppings 
    16 mini (2 1/2-inch) pita breads (from one 7-oz bag)
    1/2 medium cucumber, cut into very thin slices
    1/4 small red onion, cut into bite-size strips
 
1. In small bowl, mix sauce ingredients. Cover; refrigerate until ready to use.
2. In large bowl, mix burger ingredients until well mixed. Shape beef mixture into 16 patties, about 1/4 inch thick.
3. Place 8 patties in 12-inch nonstick skillet; cook over medium-low heat about 3 minutes. Turn patties; cook 2 to 4 minutes longer or until meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160°F. Remove patties from skillet; cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining patties.
4. With serrated knife, cut pita breads in half horizontally. Place patties on bottom halves of breads. Top each patty with about 2 teaspoons sauce, several slices of cucumber and strips of onion. Cover with top halves of breads. Serve immediately.
 
16 sandwiches

It wouldn’t be Christmas for Jack without getting a meal of his beloved lutefisk—a Scandinavian fish delicacy of dried cod that has been soaked in lye.  It has a fresh fish flavor but the texture is gelatinous which may be why some folks don’t like it. That, and it sort of stinks when you cook it.

The Scandinavians in Minnesota make fun of eating “white food” but what can I say? Lutefisk is usually served with boiled potatoes, lefse (Scandinavian flat bread made with mashed potatoes mixed with flour) and cauliflower.  The Norwegians usually serve lutefisk with melted butter and the Swedes serve it with a white sauce –or is it the other way around? Anyway, I added a few carrots in with the cauliflower and stirred in a little fresh dill weed to add some color to our meal.

Just in case you are wondering, that's the mashed potatoes at the back of the plate and rolled up lefse to the right of them. Under the lefse is my cauliflower and carrot mixture with dill weed and at the center-front of the plate is the lutefisk.

What is your favorite holiday meal?

I wish you good health, sufficient wealth and love, and of course enough time to enjoy them all! I'm taking time off today to enjoy being with my family and friends and hope you can too.

I’m at home today, getting ready for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For me this means that I’m still cooking and baking. Tomorrow I plan to make Overnight French Toast Bake with Berry Topping to bring to Jason’s  and Katie’s home on Christmas morning.  I really like this make-ahead recipe because of the pretty red berry topping with fresh strawberries.

  French Toast Bake with Berry Toopping 
    12 cups cubed (1 inch) soft French bread (about 13 oz)
    8 eggs
    3 cups half-and-half
    1/4 cup sugar
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    2 teaspoons vanilla
  Berry Topping 
    1 cup sugar
    1 tablespoon cornstarch
    1/4 cup orange juice
    1 bag (12 oz) frozen unsweetened mixed berries
    3 cups fresh strawberries, cut into quarters
 
1. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Place bread cubes in dish. In large bowl, beat eggs, half-and-half, 1/4 cup sugar, the cinnamon, salt and vanilla with wire whisk until smooth; pour over bread cubes. Cover tightly; refrigerate at least 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
2. Heat oven to 400°F. Uncover dish; bake 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean.
3. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, stir together 1 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Stir in orange juice until smooth. Stir in mixed berries. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook about 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until topping is slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
4. Just before serving, stir strawberries into topping. Serve warm over French toast bake.
 
8 servings

There is a famous and often quoted line said by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a famous French food expert from the 18th century that seems especially relevant during the holiday season: “Tell me what you eat and I'll tell you who you are.”  Traditional foods that are mainstays of family celebrations often tell us a lot about who we are and where we came from.

What I find very interesting is the way that different cultures sometimes intersect and how the traditions of different groups can sometimes be very similar.  The holidays are a great time to share our traditions with other people.  I love that my sweet little niece learned about Hanukkah this week at preschool.  The class made latkes and learned about the history of the holiday.  She made a glittery menorah and played with dreidls.  Her family doesn’t celebrate Hanukkah like mine does, since it is my husband who introduced me to Judaism.  Though my sister and her family lives hundreds of mile