Spinach Roll

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Posted on 18th May 2010 by fasolane in Recipes

This recipe was modified from an old cook book I found at the library called “Usborne Cooking School: Vegetarian Cooking for Beginners.”

Serves 4

  • 4 oz pine nuts
  • 4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (the original recipes calls for 6 oz of ricotta, I am not a fan.)
  • 2 T milk
  • 1 bag chopped frozen spinach, thawed
  • 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 1 T italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 T butter
  • 10 sheets phyllo dough
  • 1 large tomato, sliced
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Put the pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast in oven for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool.
  2. Put the spinach in a colander and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
  3. Mix spinach, cheese, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and italian seasoning in bowl.  Add pine nuts.
  4. Melt butter and brush on each layer of phyllo dough.
  5. Spoon spinach mixture on top of dough leaving a one inch border around the edge.
  6. Fold each side of rectangle over so that they overlap the edge of the spinach mixture.  Roll it over like a jelly roll.
  7. Place on baking sheet seam side down.  Brush top with butter and place sliced tomatoes on top.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Slice and serve.

I fully enjoyed this meal.  My husband said it was good.  Ben ate a few bites.  Jack balked but ended up eating a few bites later when he was really hungry and said it wasn’t so bad.

I used the extra phyllo dough to make a cinnamon/sugar/nutella dessert.  Not calorically friendly, but delicious.

India Oven

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Posted on 18th May 2010 by fasolane in Restaurant Reviews

We tried the new Indian place that just went in on Gilbert and Southern.  Delicious buffet with all the tea you can drink and all the nans you can eat.  The curries were a little too spicy for Ben, but the Tandoori chicken was perfect.  The mild rice had some veggies in it that didn’t even phase him.  He tried a samosa.  The staff was excellent during the lunch rush and one of the owners, a Sikh, wearing his Dastar, was very friendly and engaging towards Ben.  At one point, Ben was clearly suffering from a bite of too spicy curry, and he brought over a small bowl of rice pudding so that the milk would calm the spiciness.  Amazing!  I highly recommend this place and will no doubt be back again.

Politics and Kids

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Posted on 18th May 2010 by fasolane in Just Blogging

Teaching kids about politics can be exhausting and exhilarating.  During the presidential elections in 2008, my then 4 year old was fascinated by the process.  I tried to leave out my liberal leaning bias and just teach him the facts, but I have to admit when he would recognize Obama’s voice on the radio and say things like, “That’s Obama, our next president!” I was such a proud mama!

So what happens in 12 years when he joins the college Republicans? Will my heart break? Possibly.  Will I be proud that he came to his ideas on his own and didn’t just drink the kool aid that I fed him his entire life? Most definitely.  Same with religion.  If I can instill in my kids the self assurance to make their own minds up about things, I will have done my job.  I try and be as open as possible with them about religion and politics.  I want them to figure things out on their own.  Research.  Find a fit that works with their beliefs and ideas. Don’t drink my kool aid, but don’t drink any one else’s either.

I want to be as tolerant and non judgmental as I can possibly be.

Meatless Mondays

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Posted on 17th May 2010 by fasolane in Just Blogging

Another Monday, another attempt at a meatless meal.  This week?  Spinach pockets made with phyllo dough, spinach, cheese, italian spices, and tomatoes.  I need ideas for good meatless meals.  I’ve exhausted the veggie lasagna, spinach raviolis, bean burritos, cheese quesadillas, and plain spaghetti with tomato sauce.  My family doesn’t embrace the meatless Monday so well.  Jack generally goes for the pepperoni pizza option at school.  Jason is on his own at work and ocassionally will go to Taco Bell and get bean burritos, but I’m sure most weeks, he’s a cheater.  Ben is stuck with me, so he gets grilled cheese, veggie burgers, or mac n cheese.   I generally go to allrecipes.com for my ideas.  Tofu goes over fairly well, if I cook it in enough oil and add enough sodium via soy sauce.  How about posting great ideas for meatless meals.  Thanks!

About Me

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Posted on 17th May 2010 by fasolane in About Me

I’m Kim.  A mother of two energetic (read: loud) boys.  A typical lunch in our house? Chicken nuggets and mac n’ cheese, maybe the occasional hot dog or pizza.  I’m sick of it! I want my kids to be adventurous eaters.  Not quite as adventurous as Andrew Zimmern and his love of all things testicular…Maybe more along the lines of just challenging my kids taste buds and finding on their own that they just might like curry or pesto and broadening their cultural awareness while I am at it.

Yes, I guess I’m a little late to the world of blogging as everyone and their mother has their own blog.  With Facebook’s demise (probable? possible? hopeful?) I think we may return to a more civilized internet where blogs rule.  So here I am.  My gimick?  Let’s find kid friendly restaurants in the East Valley (or other locations, I can work with friends in other cities as long as they don’t boycott my site because I live in Arizona.)  And by kid friendly, I don’t mean the golden arches or any other fast food joint.  I want to sit down with my kids and enjoy a good meal.  Maybe a new Indian place in town? Or a good Thai restaurant?  Something that will curb my cravings for “exotic” foods and still be a hit with the kids.

I’ll probably throw in some commentary on raising kids, living in AZ, politics, what not.  Comments are always appreciated.

I know a few good places and want to find more.  So, in the words of my kids favorite band…”Let’s get it started. HA”

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