Simple Kid Pleasing Food & Cooking for a Crowd
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in Matthew 25:35
Today after my grocery run I decided to make chicken drumsticks...for an after school snack. Usually after school is when I do fun, inspired kid snacks. Lucy's friend asked the other day if they could "play playdough in my baking time" as if it were a measurment during the day. It is often true I bake in the afternoon to have things fresh when the kids start coming home from school between three and five, activity dependent.
Easter candy IV's have started to turn into emotional meltdowns, so I decided to jump on the Paleo bandwagon and serve some serious protien instead of peeps. It reminded me of how, as a young mom, I really wanted to know how other mother's fed their children! Did they learn from their mother's? Their grandmother's? Their father's? Did they cook in college or with friends for fun? One of my closest friends would go get ingredients and cook for a fun date.
I have some recipees really down, banana bread, pumpkin bread, chocolate chip cookies, a roast chicken (or two), a few classic hotdish recipees, garlic white fish, fresh stir fry, perfect steamed white rice, homemade granola and a few more. These are staples for us. As I expand I remember the rule that kids need to try something seventeen times, before it is familiar. This is why when families try to re do health habits, introduce greens or start baking their fries it can be tough going. Ideally a baby tries things over and over, and by the time they are a teen they are happily eating their baken salmon and salad without making "kill me now" faces. Our kids still make those faces sometimes, but rarely:)
Today's recipee is so simple it is likely already a staple for you and yours, here it is:
~2 flats of chicken drummies, about 6 pounds
~1 envalope onion soup mix
~ A few pinches of flour (lets say 1/4 cup but play with it)
~ Spice to taste, I mix kosher salt, ground pepper, a teaspoon fresh garlic or garlic pepper, a dash of cayenne pepper (skip for littles)
Fry the drummies in a skillet. If they are frozen defrost over night and put on paper towels while getting the kitchen set up to cook. I start this around 10 am to be able to put in the crock pot.
IF you want the nice crispy skin do the first step in the skillet and then put on a wire rack (sprayed with pam) on top of a baking sheet (which will catch the grease) for about 35min at 425 degrees.
For the crock pot, after frying the drummies and getting a golded skin on all, dump into a pam sprayed crock pot. Mix in drippings and 1 cup boiling water with the flour and onion soup mix. Leave on low for 5 hours.
Serve with buffalo sauce, BBQ, katchup, ranch.....each kid likes a different sauce! Leftovers pull apart for chiken salad, chicken enchaladas or chicken wild rice soup. We never have any leftovers but that is for you guys. Costco now sells rotisserie chicken bagged which is great for those ideas.
For a fun easy kid friendly side we put fresh broccoli under the broiler for five minutes after tossing in a bit of olive oil and garlic salt.
Part of cooking meals, snacks and breads is creating an inviting home. We love having others over to eat, have fellowship or simply just to plain old feed you! It is a way to show love in a busy, often chaotic world. Hope to see you soon at our table.
Today after my grocery run I decided to make chicken drumsticks...for an after school snack. Usually after school is when I do fun, inspired kid snacks. Lucy's friend asked the other day if they could "play playdough in my baking time" as if it were a measurment during the day. It is often true I bake in the afternoon to have things fresh when the kids start coming home from school between three and five, activity dependent.
Easter candy IV's have started to turn into emotional meltdowns, so I decided to jump on the Paleo bandwagon and serve some serious protien instead of peeps. It reminded me of how, as a young mom, I really wanted to know how other mother's fed their children! Did they learn from their mother's? Their grandmother's? Their father's? Did they cook in college or with friends for fun? One of my closest friends would go get ingredients and cook for a fun date.
I have some recipees really down, banana bread, pumpkin bread, chocolate chip cookies, a roast chicken (or two), a few classic hotdish recipees, garlic white fish, fresh stir fry, perfect steamed white rice, homemade granola and a few more. These are staples for us. As I expand I remember the rule that kids need to try something seventeen times, before it is familiar. This is why when families try to re do health habits, introduce greens or start baking their fries it can be tough going. Ideally a baby tries things over and over, and by the time they are a teen they are happily eating their baken salmon and salad without making "kill me now" faces. Our kids still make those faces sometimes, but rarely:)
Today's recipee is so simple it is likely already a staple for you and yours, here it is:
~2 flats of chicken drummies, about 6 pounds
~1 envalope onion soup mix
~ A few pinches of flour (lets say 1/4 cup but play with it)
~ Spice to taste, I mix kosher salt, ground pepper, a teaspoon fresh garlic or garlic pepper, a dash of cayenne pepper (skip for littles)
Fry the drummies in a skillet. If they are frozen defrost over night and put on paper towels while getting the kitchen set up to cook. I start this around 10 am to be able to put in the crock pot.
IF you want the nice crispy skin do the first step in the skillet and then put on a wire rack (sprayed with pam) on top of a baking sheet (which will catch the grease) for about 35min at 425 degrees.
For the crock pot, after frying the drummies and getting a golded skin on all, dump into a pam sprayed crock pot. Mix in drippings and 1 cup boiling water with the flour and onion soup mix. Leave on low for 5 hours.
Serve with buffalo sauce, BBQ, katchup, ranch.....each kid likes a different sauce! Leftovers pull apart for chiken salad, chicken enchaladas or chicken wild rice soup. We never have any leftovers but that is for you guys. Costco now sells rotisserie chicken bagged which is great for those ideas.
For a fun easy kid friendly side we put fresh broccoli under the broiler for five minutes after tossing in a bit of olive oil and garlic salt.
Part of cooking meals, snacks and breads is creating an inviting home. We love having others over to eat, have fellowship or simply just to plain old feed you! It is a way to show love in a busy, often chaotic world. Hope to see you soon at our table.
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