LUNCH TIME!!!!

 Qoute of the Day "When baking, follow directions.  When cooking, go by your own taste."  ~Laiko Bahrs

So how's it going?  good glad to hear it... Me? well it's bloody hot... and I just realized that I decided to write a blog, in the middle of the night
less then two weeks before we pick up and move to a new city.... 
Cause I am special like that....

and the house is a little more then half way packed. it really is hard to pack to far, before the move date.
Really, You pack up all the things you think you don't need right away... You get rid of the junk and stuff, old toys, and hand-me-downs, you have been meaning to get rid of(4 trips to dump and donation places) and then your sitting there going what else? the bedding closet? clothing? toys? well we can hold off with the bare minimum.

No no you can't.

Because you pack to much and then then you got nothing to keep you occupied later on in the night when your bored and it to late to pack... which is one of the problems we are running into now... all the books are packed  (20 boxes) and the  Dvd's are packed (5 boxes) most the video games are packed (only 1 box *sniff*)

And then.... there is the kid's stuff.. How in the Hades does a little person collect that much junk?? really.. I need a truck just for her!!!


 Now she's been pretty good about the whole thing. with the donating of toys, the throwing out of the junk. especially when you explain that, the toys we donate will go to children that really don't have alot of toys.. and the ones we throw out make room for new ones come Christmas...

but anyways... it's lunch time... and really children start to get cranky if you don't feed them...
so for lunch we are going to make pizza.... and not from a box!!!! yes dad's it is possible to make a quick pizza without ordering it.. and it can be fun for the children too...and better yet kinda resemble healthy eating!!!

I know it's a lot to ask for.. Pizza that is
1) Good for your Kid to eat!!
2) Is quick... (bout 10 min's to 15)
3) and kids will like.

here is one of the tricks, I learned early on.. Let them help...trust sounds easy, it isn't.. I absolutely HATE people in my Kitchen.. drives me nuts.. my wife likes the arrangement. I cook the food i do the dishes she stay outta my kitchen... this works for me.. but kids they actually want to learn.. because LEARNING means independence. and there is a good chance if they help make it.., they will like it and want it again which means you can feed them healthy food.. that they like!!

so where to begin...
first things first... turn on the oven.. about 350 degrees

Ingredients 

pizza sauce ( if you don't have pizza sauce, the easiest quick way is use ketchup.. if you got kids you got ketchup, It is it's own food group)
we use a light garlic butter... cause then it helps brown the crust and makes it not stick the baking sheet
Vegetables
Cheese
and what ever else the child thinks or you think should go on it

for the Crust

I use a Flat Greek Pita.
why? cause it's cheap ($1.25) and it holds up really well to what ever you want to add to it, and can hold alot of weight.. it also comes in Whole wheat and cracked wheat options..

so First things first ...Wash Your HANDS!!! and the little monsters hands!
Good lord!!! where did you put those things??...
  
while your washing your hands.. this is the time to ask your little monster.. I mean kid . "what do we want to put on our  pizza? "
this by the way is the longest process for a child, so while they are thinking...

Sauce the pita. Lightly... garlic butter or pizza sauce...

 If the child can't come up with what they want, I found giving 3 options is a good way to speed up the process... Why 3? simple one is not enough, 2 is a yes or no.. but 3 gives them just enough to make them think and to make it not seem like they are being treated like a baby, it makes the food theirs....

So for my daughter, we went light Garlic butter..
She choose
4 different peppers, (Green,Red,Orange,Yellow)
Crab meat..
Cheeses (mozzarella, Old Cheddar, and Marble)

Myself,
I went Green olives,
Brushetta (yes, I have brushetta in the fridge at all times... it's a good midnight muchie) I will post my brushetta recipe later)
crab meat..
cheese

Then we cover it is cheese, now for cheese go to your local mall, (walmart kmart,giant tiger) and look for a Grater that is for parmesan, it is really fine, but the fine grater, actually makes it look like there is more on the pizza then there actually is..
we like cheese.. but putting five inches of cheese on anything is really not good for you....

Then throw it in the oven for about 10 min's or till the cheese is melted and just starting to crust... give it a minute to cool before taking off the tray,
just enough for the cheese to become a little more solid to hold everything together. cut and put on plate..




Pretty simple and I am sure others have made something similar, but the kid likes it, and she is happy to get to help.. which then makes less complaints about eating healthy food.. not that we have that problem with her.. she likes veggies...(weird i know)

but I know alot of ppl that are really amazed at how simple cooking with a kid, let alone getting them to eat something, that is marginally healthy or at least more healthy then McDonalds and the other fast food joints..
 And that is kinda the point..
If we teach them healthy food is tasty earlier in life then we won't have to worry as much about them later in life.. least for the eating part.. everything else, well that's another story ....
I am still working on the blueprints for the door-less windowless tower, I can stuff her in...


Well off to pack some more, Enjoy your day!
James