Contact The Editor
Articles By This Author
Like most children, I loved nothing more than a snow day when I was growing up. However, I didn't spend the day on a sled or curled up in front of the television. A kid obsessed with cooking, I loved that an unexpected day off from school meant rolling up my sleeves and tying on my apron.
If you find yourself home with restless young ones on a snow day (or a weekend or a holiday, for that matter), might I suggest a kitchen project? Not only can you end up with something you'd very much like to eat (more on that soon), but you'll also have some nice time together, away from screens of any kind. In addition, you'll have a chance to talk about math (what are cup measures if not fractions personified?), science (why we want baking powder in a muffin but not in a brownie) and, of course, history and culture (let's trace that Parm). Cooking also invites conversations about the environment, health, nature and even economics.
My favorite reason to cook with kids is less academic and much more emotional. I owe any and all my self-confidence to my love of cooking. When I was growing up, I regularly got to create things with my own two hands, share them with my family and bask in their enjoyment. If that isn't a sure recipe for instilling a strong sense of one's own capabilities, I don't know what is.
These days, anytime I get to cook with someone younger than myself, I always start by asking them what they like to eat. Cooking, then, is a way of being in touch with yourself. How many other activities allow you to identify exactly what you want and then provide all the tools to manifest it?
The recipes included here are keepers for snow days because they aren't obviously "kid" recipes. How nice to all sit at a table or pull a stool up to a counter that's filled with something that appeals to everyone. If you're worried about your children being not that into grated carrots in their muffins, I understand if you want to leave them out. But before you do, check and see if getting kids involved in the making has an impact on the consuming. Getting to choose the carrots at the grocery store, peeling and grating them (with supervision depending on age and skill) and folding them into a simple batter are all empowering actions. It's hard to turn down something you've had a hand in creating.
It's not only about spending time together in the kitchen; it's also about not having to leave the house! If the roads are too dangerous for school buses, chances are you don't want to head to the store. These recipes are made with ingredients commonly found in home kitchens. In case they're not in yours, I included some easy substitutions.
The recipes are also infinitely adaptable. The batter for the Whole-Wheat Spiced Carrot Muffin doubles as pancake batter. (Try cooking the pancakes with a bit of coconut oil - delicious!) They can also be made into savory muffins by substituting curry powder for the spices and cutting the maple syrup in half (especially good with a steaming bowl of soup). The optional "mix-ins" can be whatever you want, from figurative soup to literal nuts, and can take the muffins in all sorts of directions. Also know that the carrots could be swapped for shredded beets, parsnips, or even grated butternut squash or zucchini.
The Brownies With Raspberry Jam Swirl are so easy because they don't require melting any chocolate (meaning no double boiler or questions about cacao percentages). Built on cocoa powder, they're a one-bowl endeavor. The raspberry jam swirled on top creates an extra dimension and introduces so much lovely flavor. I chose raspberry because I love it, but I have also made these successfully with fig jam, cherry preserves and even orange marmalade. Use whatever you like and whatever you have. (Hopefully, those are the same thing.) Peanut butter (or any nut butter) works well, too.
When gathering the simple ingredients for the Sweet Potato Gnocchi With Peas + Parm, you may find it hard to believe that such a beautiful dish will emerge. Note that you can roast or boil the sweet potatoes first instead of microwaving them (I chose the microwave because it's so fast). Forming the gnocchi is perfect for small hands and quite fun, but if it feels like a bit too much, simply boil a box of pasta, open a bag of frozen peas and follow the directions for the incredibly easy sauce.
Waiting for the water to boil is a good time to decide on a video - and hope for another snow day soon.
WHOLE-WHEAT SPICED CARROT MUFFINS
MAKES: 18 to 20 muffins
Incredibly healthful, these muffins are made with 100 percent whole-wheat flour and no extra fat, and are gently sweetened with maple syrup or honey. Great served with apple butter, they're also wonderful with a schmear of cream cheese or room-temperature butter.
Try using the batter to make pancakes for a fun breakfast (cooking them with a bit of coconut oil - delicious). The muffins can be made savory by substituting curry powder for the spices and cutting the maple syrup/honey in half, for serving with a steaming bowl of soup.
The optional "mix-ins" can be whatever you want them to be, from figurative soup to literal nuts, and can take the muffins in all sorts of directions. Also know that the carrots could be swapped for shredded beets, parsnips or even grated butternut squash or zucchini.
MAKE AHEAD: The muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Warm in a 300-degree oven, or split and toast, before serving.
Ingredients
•2 cups whole-wheat flour
•2 teaspoons baking powder
•1 teaspoon baking soda
•1 teaspoon kosher salt
•1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
•1 tablespoon ground ginger
•1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
•2 large eggs, lightly beaten
•1 1/2 cups regular or low-fat buttermilk (may substitute 1 cup whole milk plus 1/2 cup plain yogurt, or 1 1/3 cups whole milk plus 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar)
•1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (or vegetable oil or melted butter)
•1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
•1 tablespoon vanilla extract
•3 or 4 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated (about 2 cups)
•3/4 cup mix-ins, such as chopped pecans or walnuts, and/or dried fruit such as raisins or chopped dried apricots (optional)
Steps
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
Whisk together the whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a mixing bowl.
Combine the eggs, buttermilk, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract in another large bowl and whisk them together. Use a flexible spatula to stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture and then gently fold in the grated carrots. If you're adding any mix-ins, fold them in now.
Divide the batter among the lined muffin cups. (The batter will fill the cups.)
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the muffins are dark brown, firm to the touch and incredibly fragrant, and until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for at least 15 minutes before eating. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition | Per muffin (based on 20, using low-fat buttermilk and maple syrup): 90 calories, 3 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 140 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 8 g sugar
BROWNIES WITH RASPBERRY JAM SWIRL
MAKES: 16 servings
These not-too-sweet brownies from an easy batter rely on cocoa powder and don't require you to melt chocolate (meaning no double boiler or questions about cacao percentages). The raspberry jam can be replaced by another flavor of jam or by nut butter (such as fig jam, cherry preserves, orange marmalade, peanut butter or almond butter).
You can, of course, just leave the brownies plain.
MAKE AHEAD: The brownies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature (or in the refrigerator, which will make the texture fudgier).
Ingredients
•2 large eggs, lightly beaten
•3/4 cup sugar
•8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
•2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•2 tablespoons strongly brewed coffee or espresso, at room temperature
•1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
•3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (may use Dutch-process)
•1/2 cup flour
•1/4 cup raspberry jam (may substitute any flavor jam or peanut butter)
Steps
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square pan with baking spray (flour and oil), and then line it with parchment paper (two overlapping rectangles work well) so that there's enough paper left hanging over the edges. Spray the parchment in the pan as well.
Combine the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk for about 2 minutes, until thick and pale yellow. Whisk in the melted butter, vanilla extract, coffee or espresso and salt. Add the cocoa powder and flour, stirring until just incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Dollop the jam evenly over the batter. Use a skewer or the tip of a paring knife to swirl the jam into the batter a little bit. The goal is for the brownies to have bites of jam, not to have raspberry jam-flavored brownies (meaning don't stir it in completely, just swirl it).
Bake for about 30 minutes or until set throughout (test by jiggling the pan) and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few wet crumbs and not raw batter (try to avoid inserting the tester into a raspberry swirl). Let the brownies cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes; then lift the brownies out of the pan and let them cool completely, if you can bear it, and cut into 16 even squares.
Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition | Per serving: 140 calories, 2 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 45 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 13 g sugar
SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI WITH PEAS + PARM
MAKES: 4 servings
This gnocchi dish has the appeal of macaroni and cheese, but it manages to introduce a couple servings of vegetables.
The sweet potatoes can be peeled and boiled instead of cooked in the microwave.
MAKE AHEAD: The gnocchi can be shaped and then frozen on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, store in a zip-top bag or other airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can boil from a frozen state (add an extra minute or so to the cooking time to compensate).
Ingredients
•1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 medium)
•1 large egg
•1 1/4 cups flour, plus more as needed
•1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
•10 ounces frozen green peas
•1/4 cup heavy cream
•1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for serving (may substitute any hard cheese)
•Small handful finely chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)
Steps
Use a fork to prick the sweet potatoes all over; place them in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for about 8 minutes or until they can be easily pierced all the way to the center with a paring knife. (Stop the microwave a few times during cooking to turn the sweet potatoes.) Let them cool to room temperature.
Scrape the sweet potato flesh into a food processor, discarding the skins. Pulse to puree, then add the egg, the 11/4 cups of flour and the teaspoon of salt. Pulse for 5 seconds at a time, until a dough starts to form around the blade. The dough will be sticky.
Generously flour a work surface. Transfer the dough there, and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a rope that's about 1/2-inch thick and about 18 inches long. (Dust with more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.) Cut each rope into 20 even pieces. If desired, roll each piece over the tines of a fork to create gnocchi's signature indents.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat and salt it generously. Working in batches so you don't crowd your pot, boil the gnocchi until they float to the top. Once they're all floating, let them cook for another 4 minutes, stirring them now and then, to ensure that they're cooked all the way through. (They will enlarge a bit.) Use a slotted spoon or Chinese spider to transfer the cooked gnocchi to a large serving dish.
Use a measuring cup to reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then discard the rest.
Return the 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water to the pot and set it back over high heat. Add the peas, cream and cheese; cook for about 2 minutes, until the peas are bright green and the cheese has melted, forming a light and creamy sauce.
Transfer the cooked gnocchi to the pot and stir gently to coat with the sauce. Taste, and add salt as needed. Return the mixture to the large serving bowl. Sprinkle with extra cheese and parsley, if desired, and serve right away.
Nutrition | Per serving: 390 calories, 13 g protein, 63 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 70 mg cholesterol, 540 mg sodium, 8 g dietary fiber, 9 g sugar