I will be the first to admit it - I am pretty obsessed with kitchen stuff. When I moved to Boston I had 26 boxes marked as "kitchen". That number only multiplied when Derek & I moved in together and we went to work putting our kitchens together. My philosophy is that it's all about having the right tool for the job at hand...
Outside of a corkscrew :), one of my favorite kitchen tools is a Microplane. I can't remember where I first learned about them, but I suspect it was Martha Stewart. The first Microplane I bought was specifically to grate Parmesan cheese. You end up with the fluffiest, lightest little pillow of Parmesan that you've ever seen! The second Microplane I bought was a coarse grater. This one is great because it has more surface area. This is the tool that I have found invaluable in cooking for S&Z.
Most recently I use the Microplane to shred vegetables into anything and everything that I am cooking for the kids. They are good eaters and they definitely eat chunky vegetables as well, but I find that shredding things like zucchini, summer squash, and carrots into various dishes can pack an extra punch in the event they are having a picky day. If you don't have a microplane, you can also use the fine-grating side of a box grater. As I've written previously, I shred veg into salmon patties and tuna burgers. Here's the recipe for what I cooked up for them tonight.
Pasta with a Punch
1/4 package of whole wheat pasta of choice (rotini is my favorite because it soaks up sauce)
1 large carrot, finely shredded
A couple of handfuls of fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
Marinara
Cook pasta according to package directions. About a minute before it's done, add the fresh spinach. Drain thoroughly in a colander, then return to the warm stockpot. Add shredded carrot and marinara to coat the pasta. Mix and serve.
They loved it!!!
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