Toddler-Friendly "Not Your Fish Fry" Fish Sticks

Let's face it, in the South, there's nothing quite like a deep fried piece of fish to get a party started.  Not the healthiest meal, but then again...it's fried-fish-deliciousness.  I have been trying to perfect an oven baked version that still somehow remains crispy, and it's been tough my friends--until now.  I think I have the combo and cooking method pretty much down for some oven fried fish goodness that your toddler and large toddler (husbands, etc) will love!

I know you can buy a big bag of frozen fish sticks from the supermarket and call it a day.  But take a look at the ingredients on most of those bags and you'll realize how many preservatives and extras have to be loaded into those fish sticks to get them to hold together.  Then, look at these ingredients:

Ingredients:

2 lbs Alaskan Cod - Sliced into 1 inch thick and 2 inch wide fish stick size pieces

2 cups of whole wheat flour (or regular flour)

2 cups of Panko bread crumbs

2 eggs

3-4 tsp Old Bay seasoning

1 tsp Parsley flakes

1 tsp Paprika

Salt and Pepper

Juice of 2 lemons

2 tbsp of Dijon mustard

Cooking Spray


Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and line a cookie sheet with foil.  I HIGHLY recommend using a nonstick cooling rack for this recipe.  I placed the cooling rack over the cookie sheet so that all sides of the fish sticks could be equally heated and crispy.  Otherwise, you run the risk of having one side of the fish sticks mushy and getting stuck to the cookie sheet.

Generously spray your cooling rack with non stick spray.


Put your flour in one plate.  Combine the Old Bay Seasoning, parsley flakes, paprika and Panko crumbs into a separate plate.  Combine your eggs, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard in a third large, shallow bowl.  Dry your fish as best you can with some paper towel and place on a fourth plate.

Set up your breading station in this order: Fish sticks, flour, egg wash, and Panko, with the Panko being closest to the cookie sheet.  In my setup below, my cookie sheet is on the left out of frame, and the fish sticks are farthest from the cookie sheet.

Dip each fish stick into the flour and dust off the excess.  Dip into the egg wash, letting excess drip off before finally coating it into the Panko.  Place each stick onto your rack and repeat until you run out of space on the rack.  You may need to do a second batch of fish sticks depending on how many you made.

Once all the fish sticks are on the rack, stick them in the oven for around 13-14 minutes.  They should be golden and crispy and flake easily with a fork.  As a reminder, the internal temperature of the fish should be at least 145 degrees.

Serve with some roasted veggies or a salad on the side.  I made a little cocktail sauce for my husband and I mixed 3 parts ketchup with 1 part horseradish.  YUM!  My toddler loved these fish sticks.  If you have picky fish eaters in the house, definitely give these a try since the cod is such a mild, non- fishy-tasting fish!  Enjoy!

Toddler-Friendly Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Quesadillas

Living in Texas, there are countless Tex-Mex dining options and absolutely everyone has a favorite joint. The problem with eating out for Tex-Mex is this: chips and queso.  I don't know about ya'll, but when a server puts that plastic basket of golden and warm tortilla chips in front of me, I am a goner.  A margarita (well, not now because I'm pregnant), a basket of chips and queso, a plate of greasy enchiladas, and 7 bajillion calories later....well you get the idea.  Unless you're incredibly disciplined and are one of those "I'll just have the grilled fish tacos on corn tortillas and a skinny margarita" person, you're likely to consume an absurd amount of calories while dining out for Tex-Mex. Don't get me wrong, I am all about the occasional indulgence.  However, if you're having a craving and want to feed your family a much healthier option, try these quesadillas.  These are so versatile, super toddler-friendly, and are SO easy to whip up.  Loaded with fiber, protein, and of course veggies, you will feel great about serving this meal to your family!

I used my pressure cooker to make the chicken mixture, but you can also use your slow cooker.

Ingredients:

Large/Burrito size flour tortillas
1 15 oz can of black beans - Drained and rinsed
2 lbs of chicken thighs or breasts
3 tsp of ground cumin
1 16 oz jar of mild salsa of your choice - I used H-E-B brand organic Salsa
1 cup of water
10 oz bag of frozen chopped spinach
Mexican cheese blend - shredded
Unsalted butter or canola oil
Salt and pepper
Optional: Avocado and sour cream

Set a large pot or your pressure cooker to medium high heat then add 2 tsp of oil

** I was terrified of my pressure cooker and let that baby sit in my cupboard for five years.   Then I saw an 8 year old use a pressure cooker on MasterChef Junior without flinching.  The next day, I learned how to use my pressure cooker properly and have never looked back. Seriously guys, the pressure cooker is the most amazing cooking tool ever.  

Place the chicken in the pot/pressure cooker and add some salt and pepper.  Sear the chicken on each side for 2-3 minutes, allowing for the juices to seal

At this point, if you're using a slow cooker, transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.  Add the black beans, the salsa, the cumin, 1 cup of water, 1 tsp of salt, and a bit of pepper. Set on low for 8 hours if using a slow cooker.

If you're using a pressure cooker, just add the same ingredients as above to the pot.  Set the pressure cooker on high heat until you've achieved high pressure and get the steam/whistle, then lower your pressure cooker's heat, but still retain relatively high pressure (don't release the pressure yet).  You may need to set it a couple of notches down from high heat, depending on your stove.

After 15 minutes (or 8 hours for the slow cooker), remove the pressure cooker from the heat and let the pressure drop naturally.  Some pressure cookers have a quick release valve which I've used when I am pressed for time.  Once the pressure has been completely released, open the lid.  You should be able to easily shred the chicken with two forks.  Yes, after 15 minutes in the pressure cooker ya'll!  I'm telling you, this is truly a fantastic tool!

Add your cooked spinach to the mixture and stir well.

Taste the mixture and add salt and/ or pepper as needed.

Set up your quesadilla-making station:  Flour tortillas, cheese, butter or canola oil, and chicken mixture.

Get a large skillet or pan heated up on medium high heat.  Add a pat of butter or 1/2 tsp of canola oil. I feel like olive oil has a bit too much of a noticeable flavor and can alter the taste of this dish so I opted for canola oil for my husband and butter for my toddler.

Once the oil or butter shimmers, add your tortilla, and sprinkle some cheese on it.

Spoon a few tablespoons of your chicken mixture to one half of the tortilla.  Throw some more cheese on top.

Once you see the tortilla starting to bubble up a bit and the cheese melting, (2 minutes or so), fold the tortilla over.  It should have some nice golden/brown spots on it.

You can press down a bit to really get that stuffing all up in there.  Remove from heat, cut into wedges, and serve with some diced avocado and sour cream.  You can use the chicken mixture on salads, a burrito bowl over rice, or just eat it as-is.  This mixture is also super freezer-friendly!

Toddler-Friendly "Loaded Veggie Bolognese"

Pasta - the ultimate comfort food! And as it happens, one of my toddler's (and husband's) favorite meals.  Pasta is also one of those things that most pantries have a ready supply of and it's a quick meal when there's no other option.  But what about the sauce?? Sure I could throw some cheese on the noodles and call it a day, but wouldn't it be nice to have a freezer stash of made-from-scratch, loaded with veggies, brimming with meaty goodness sauce on hand?  Enter "Loaded Veggie Bolognese" as your healthy, freezable alternative to store bought jar sauces.  Make a large batch of this sauce to serve for a few dinners and then freeze the rest for those emergency days when you're running late to make dinner, don't want to eat out, or are exhausted from wrestling your toddler out of the swimming pool and into dry clothes.  The toddler who now happens to be screaming at you for dinner.  Seriously, why do they always act like they've been starved for days when you're 10 seconds late serving dinner??

Anyway, this sauce can be made using a slow cooker or regular large Dutch oven or any other cauldron-size pot you may have on hand.  Your picky veggie eaters will not be able to see/taste/feel/pick out any of the hidden vegetables in this dish.  If they do, color me impressed.

Ingredients:

2 lbs lean ground beef or turkey - I used 96% lean beef for this recipe
2 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes
6 cloves of garlic
One large white onion
2 medium size zucchini - peeled
3 large carrots - peeled
2 cups of chopped baby Bella or Cremini mushrooms (optional, but I think it adds a nice flavor)
3 tbsp of chopped fresh oregano
Fresh parsley
Salt and pepper
1-2 tsp of sugar



Directions:

Bring large pot or Dutch oven to medium high heat, add your ground beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

Meanwhile, peel your zucchini, carrots, onion, and garlic.  Get out your whopper chopper (as I call mine) and add all the veggies to the chopper, including mushrooms, and give it a whirl.  It should resemble this:

Once your ground beef is browned, remove the beef onto a plate.  This is important in order to prevent drying of the meat, especially if you're using lean meat.  You will add it back in later.

You should have some fat from the beef rendered in the pot so just use that to cook the veggies with.  Add the vegetables to your pot and cook on medium high heat for 15 minutes or so.  The veggies will be watery from the zucchini and mushrooms so you want to dry it out a bit via cooking or your sauce will be too watery.

After 15 minutes, add your two cans of crushed tomatoes, beef, chopped oregano, sugar, and a GENEROUS amount (at least 2 tablespoons) of salt.  This is a really big batch of pasta sauce we are making and since we didn't use any pre-made sauces, there will be no added salt or sugar.

Mix well, cover, and reduce heat to a low simmer for 1-2 hours.  The longer the sauce cooks, the tastier it becomes with all the flavors coming together beautifully.  After an hour, check the sauce and add more salt if needed.  It will likely need it!

When ready to serve, chop some fresh basil or parsley and top with freshly-grated Parmesan.  Serve over your favorite pasta! I've found bowtie to be really easy for toddlers to grasp and that particular pasta grabs sauces really well too.  Freeze the leftover sauce in airtight plastic containers to reheat later!