Family Friendly Recipes

Recipe of the Month: Cilantro Pesto

I’ve never been a fan of cilantro, let’s just throw that out there before we get started with this recipe.  It is a common belief that the aversion to cilantro is genetically passed down to us from our ancestors, and I know for a fact that my grandmother hates cilantro.  But I have decided to overcome this sensitivity. There are just too many wonderful dishes that include cilantro that I didn’t want to avoid–salsas and salad dressings, enchiladas and falafel wraps…the list goes on and on.

I have been easing myself in to ordering dishes with cilantro and trying to accommodate it into meals that I make at home.  But now it is cilantro season on the farm and I don’t want to miss out on any delicious opportunity, so I decided to dive right in. I decided to make the most flavorful thing that I could think of with my big bunch cilantro.

Cilantro pesto is a creative take on basil pesto, but you can use it in so many ways.  It is delicious on pasta, as a topping for sandwiches, mixed with cottage cheese as a dip for tortilla chips, and even as a saute for chicken or fish.  I made it the traditional way with pasta and it was amazing! It still might not be my favorite flavor, but cilantro is definitely growing on me!

Cilantro Pesto Recipe

Recipe of the Month: Big Sur Lemon Bars

As spring erupts stupendously around me on the farm, at the beach, and in my garden, Big Sur has been on my mind.  I wonder what the wildflowers look like lining the hazardous cliffs, how cold the lazy eddies are collecting sunlight in the rivers and streams, and I long to hear the calls of Red Tailed, Cooper’s and Red Shouldered hawks floating on the warm perfumed updrafts above me. I dream about the breathtaking views from Nepenthe’s porch and I also wonder what delicious spring creations are being popped out of their kitchen.

For those who have never experienced the beauty of Nepenthe, I cannot do the place justice through my words, better to toss the kids in the car and head down to Big Sur for the day to experience it yourself.  Not only is their menu amazing (and local), but they have a fantastic art and craft shop, an outdoor fireplace, and one of the best views of the coast I’ve ever experienced.  Do yourself a favor and read the history of the place before you go. It will make you appreciate it even more!

One of my favorite treats from the Nepenthe kitchen and cookbook are their Big Sur Lemon Bars.  We are lucky enough to have lemon trees on the farm that produce delicious Meyer lemons almost all year round. With the beautiful weather we have been having, I’ve been craving a snack that looks and feels like spring, and these tart, gooey treats are it!

They are also great to make with the little ones because they require no delicate touch, and are very hard to mess up!

Big Sur Lemon Bars

from The Nepenthe Cookbook

Adapted from Eat, Live, Run

Prep/Cook time: 45 min, Makes 9×9 pan of bars

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 stick cold butter

for the lemon filling:

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup all purpose flour

4 eggs

2 tsp lemon zest

2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 5 lemons)

additional confectioners sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

KIDS! To make the crust, combine the confectioners sugar, flour and sea salt in a large bowl.

KIDS! Cut in the cold butter and work with your fingers until the mixture resembles cornmeal.

KIDS!Press into a greased nine inch pan

Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden.

KIDS! To make the filling, whisk together the granulated sugar and flour in a bowl.

Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition.

Cut lemons in half.

KIDS! Squeeze the juice out of the lemons.

Zest the skin of one or two of your lemon peels.

KIDS! Add the zest and the juice and mix until everything is smooth and combined.

Pour filling over hot crust and return to oven to bake for another twenty minutes. When done, the filling will no longer jiggle.

KIDS! Let cool completely in the pan before slicing and dusting with powdered sugar.

Recipe of the Month: Baked Stuffed Apples

Apples are the only fruit on the farm these days.  Sure, we had pineapple guavas for a while…and then there were some delicious oranges, but those dwindled out about a month ago…in the bleak fruitless winter, apples are in full abundance.  I cannot be alone, these apples (stored in the cooler) are my savior! I am trying my best to eat locally and when there is rarely a fruit around these days, apples come in handy.  To make apples a little more exciting, and even to dress them up as dessert, I thought this recipe might be a refreshing change of pace.  Hop on over to my favorite blog for the whole story, or see below for the kid friendly recipe.

Baked Stuffed Apples with Dried Cherries and Walnuts

Jenna Weber

Eat Live Run

Total cook time: 1:30 min, Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 large granny smith apples
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 T butter, melted
• 1/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350.
2. KIDS! Combine the pumpkin pie spice, dried cherries, walnuts and brown sugar together in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Core apples carefully, making sure not to cut through the bottom.
4. KIDS! Stuff brown sugar mixture in each apple and set in a glass casserole dish with the apple juice poured in on the bottom.
5. KIDS! Mix together the maple syrup and melted butter and drizzle over the top of the apples.
6. Cover with tin foil and bake for forty minutes.
7. Remove foil and bake for an additional twenty minutes, or until tender.