The Picky Eater's Lunchbox

It's that time of year when parents should breath a sigh of relief.After all it's the start of the school year. Instead moms and dads are growling and pulling their hair over the little one's lunch box. Why? They have picky eaters.

Some kids will eat everything and anything. These are little foodies in the making. Some are just downright fussy. They won't eat certain foods , whether because of taste , texture or color. What to do? Work around it. Be clever and creative. If they hate fresh veggies, such as carrots and broccoli(most kids despise them).Try packing a flavored dip such as a low calorie ranch or onion. If they insist on sandwiches make them fun and healthy wraps. Add some kid pleasers such as guacamole or salsa in them Shredded cheese ,a good source of calcium can also be added.

What about sweets? Let's face it , kids practically demand them whether they starting kindergarten or high school. How does a parent handle this and what can be done. The easy and actually the best answer is fruit.Again make it fun. Pack grapes which are a finger food and one that can be shared. Apples and pears can be sliced too , With the first you can include cinnamon for extra taste. Fruit roll ups are another great lunchbox dessert. They're the closest thing to candy despite being relatively healthy and again a blast to much on.

Picky eaters can be worse than detention or extra homework.The solution is to create a fun and tasty lunch that will be eaten and not traded. Can it be done? Yes and successfully too!

Raise A Glass of Cider

This is the season for a chilled, heady glass of hard cider. it reflects the labors of the season as well as the abundance of a good harvest. The Times Dining section celebrated it in yesterdays' weekly column The Pour with Eric Asimov. Luckily Mr Asimov got to sample a few interesting ones at the Manhattan bar Dovetail. This make me envious of his job. Cider, refreshingly bracing and fruity crisp is probably the best drink out there.


I have always labored under the thought that most ciders were either English, American or French . Reading the article I found that there are refreshing Spanish one. One from the Basque hills was tried and found fresh and complex. It is not a sparkling clear brew but ratter a cloudy one. Mr. Asimov also tried ice cider. This is where cider is frozen and then the water is removed to create more of an apple wine. American ciders are also good if they're done right. Most of the ciders originate in New England in Either Vermont or new Hampshire, The bright red Redfield apple is primarily used . it gives cider it;s rich red wine like look and intricate flavor.

What was an even bigger surprise to me is that there is a pear cider. This makes sense because pears and apples are basically from the same family. There are also pear and apple ciders which sound heavenly . I can just imagine the taste of both fruits along with the kick of a good hard cider.

This is definitely the time for cider. the season calls for a heady cup of it . Not only that it;s a celebration of the harvest. It is the perfect drink for any fall feast !

So Many Pears So Many Recipes

The apple is usually the star fruit of the fall season. However its' costar, the pear can also shine in a variety of recipes. It can be made into a variety of things, from butter to pies sliced in salads or used in sweet relishes. better yet there are so many different kinds of pear the possibilities are endless.

Surprisingly enough pears are wonderful in any kind of salad. They lend flavor and texture as well as color. Plus there's a dose of unexpected sweetness. The fruit goes well with any kind of lettuce is doe swell with ones featuring chicken. A great lunch or brunch salad is pear with chicken and almonds. this is a light. yet tasty concoction made with a yogurt mayo dressing and also has crunchy celery and green peppers. You can also make pear bread which is similar in texture to banana and zucchini breads. Again slices of pear bread with butter make great holiday gifts and nice hostess gifts for thanksgiving. You can use any kind of pear as long as they're peeled and shredded.

Pears also make wonderful desserts. I'm partial to poached pears myself. You can poach them in red wine for a full flavor. use th e mircrowave for this. It's the easiest and also the less messiest too. Pear tarts are wonderful and easy to make. Most recipes call for a simple pie crust and sliced pears. You can glaze the fruit with apricot jam before baking and later serve with an almond cream. An even delicate pear based dessert is pear sorbet usually made with a touch of white wine. This the perfect end to a chicken or duck dinner.

This is the season for pears and there are so many to be harvested right now. Use this versatile fruit in any dish from brunch to dessert. Their flavor is wonderful, crisp and light like a sunny fall day. They really are the stars that shine during this season.

Jamming

There's nothing like jam on a warm English muffin or well buttered toast. Even bette r is when you make it. Now that the summer harvest is done with it's time to try jam making. With the right equipment, It's relatively easy and fun.it;s also a great Saturday afternoon activity the whole family can profit from.

I know everyone has qualms about jam making. After all it does come with a bad rap.preserve the wrong way and you've got problems namely a deadly botulism. However if don e the right way you have homemade jams that can be enjoyed whether in crepes or on muffins. You do need th e right equipment though such as sterilized jars, paraffin for sealing and two piece metal lids. You'll also need a kettle or large pot for cooking along with pectins for preserving Pectins are thickening agents derived from fruit. This is what holds the mixture together and give jams and jellies their texture.

What kind of jams to make? Apples are big right now along with pears. You can make either a n apple butter (sooo good on fresh made bread or some kind of apple chutney. Pears lend themselves to some wonderful jams too. You can also make a spicy butter from them too using nutmeg. The English go for blackberries this time of year and English kitchen are full of jars of the stuff freshly made into jam. There;s a wonderful site www.canning-recipes.com that has dozens upon dozens of ideas . Go to it if you want just simple recipes or looking for more adventurous ones.

Takes your harvests and turn them into jams. There's nothing like waking up on a cool morning to a cup of coffee and homemade jam spread on buttered toast or English muffin! better yet you have your favorite fruit flavors to choose from