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!
Every Room’s A Stage
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.
