Quality Time For January

Cold-Weather Recipe Therapy

By
Carla Sullivan of MiniMunchers

Marc Murphy is not only the Chef
and Owner of four restaurants throughout NYC—Landmarc
Columbus Circle, Landmarc Tribeca, Ditch Plains West Village
and Ditch Plains UWS—but he is also a father of two. And his restaurants
feature some of the most extensive children’s menus in Manhattan!
Here’s a delicious (and healthful) recipe courtesy of Chef Marc to add to your
own kitchen’s menu. Plus, click here to read an interview with Chef Marc Murphy!

Grilled Chicken And Vegetable Quesadilla With Fresh Tomato Sauce

Serves
4

Quesadilla

1 chicken breast
Salt and pepper
1 small red onion
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 cup roasted red peppers
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
4 whole wheat tortillas

Butterfly the chicken breast and
season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on a hot grill and cook for
four minutes on one side. Flip and cook for another four minutes. Remove from
grill and let cool then dice the chicken into 1-inch pieces.

Dice the red onion, zucchini and
squash and sauté in a pan for about two minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Add the roasted red peppers and heat until warm.

Spread grated cheese on one half of
each tortilla and place grilled chicken and vegetables on top, covering with
another layer of cheese. Fold the tortillas in half and place them in a 350-degree
oven for five minutes until cheese melts.

Slice each tortilla into four
pieces and serve with fresh tomato sauce.

Tomato Sauce

3 whole plum tomatoes
1 shallot thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
4 tbs. olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 leaves torn basil
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Cut tomatoes in quarters and remove
stem. Sauté with shallots, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add
herbs and cook for about 15 minutes. Puree sauce and serve warm with quesadillas.

Make-Your-Own Bouquet

By
Lindsey Johnson of The Craft Studio

Give
your kids a jump-start on Valentine’s Day with this great floral arrangement
and vase craft that will last longer than fresh flowers and be a fresh look for indoors all winter long.

Materials
An inexpensive plastic or glass vase
One roll of brightly colored yarn
20-30 sheets of brightly colored tissue paper
Glitter pom-poms
5 pipe cleaners
Strong glue for a grown-up (super, gorilla or hot glue)

Help your child glue the beginning piece of the yarn roll to the bottom of the
vase. Begin tightly wrapping the yarn around the vase. Continue until you
get to the top of the vase and secure the end of the yarn with more glue.

Accordion fold 3-5 sheets of different colored tissue all together in one fold.
Tape the top of a pipe cleaner and secure it around the middle of the folded
tissue. Using kid-friendly scissors, cut a curved edge to look like a petal on
the tissue paper fold. Begin gently separating and pulling a part the tissue
paper to create a layered flower. Make as many as you can fit in your
vase. 

Present
the bouquet as a beautiful, long-lasting Valentine’s Day gift!

By
Sharla Feldscher of KIDFUN

It’s winter and that means the kids are “stuck in the
house”—and not so happy about it.

But how much do
children love to sing, perform, dress up—even use a microphone (pretend or
real)? Do you have an area in your home that you can designate as the stage? You
can build one, it’s easy. Just lay blocks side by side on the ground—in a large
square or rectangle—and you have a stage. Or, visit a nearby home repair store
and buy eight cinder blocks and a sheet of smooth, sturdy wood to place over
the blocks. Put a basket nearby filled with dress-up clothes. Boas are a plus!
Let your kids perform their own shows all winter long.