(201) Family Fall 2018 | Page 8

FUN FOOD DELICIOUS RECIPES FROM NEW COOKBOOK OFFER AWESOME OPTIONS FOR KIDS RECIPE COURTESY OF CAROLYN FEDERMAN INGREDIENTS FOR THE PESTO 2 garlic cloves 2 bunches of basil (about 1 ½ cups leaves, lightly packed) ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped ½ cup olive oil ½ teaspoon coarse salt ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated FOR THE SANDWICHES 8 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese 1 sprig basil 1 to 2 teaspoons pesto 4 thick slices bread 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil Coarse salt Ground black pepper DIRECTIONS MAKE THE PESTO • Peel and chop garlic. (Remember to use “the claw” to protect your fingers.) Pull the basil leaves from their stems (discard the stems). • In a food processor, combine the garlic, basil, parsley, olive oil and salt. Turn on the processor and count to 20. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the processor and then replace the lid and pulse again, for another count of 20. Repeat until the ingredients are blended into a paste. The pesto won’t be completely smooth; it will still have little leaves of herbs, but the garlic should be completely mashed. • Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan cheese. The pesto will keep in a tightly sealed container in the freezer for up to 1 month. MAKE THE SANDWICHES T 6 hinking of easy-to-make meals can be hard. New Favorites for New Cooks helps get your kids involved in the family’s meal planning routine. The cookbook teaches new chefs — young and old — to make dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as snack, drinks and desserts. Carolyn Federman is the founder of the Charlie Cart Project, a nonprofit that provides tools and curriculum for food education in schools. FALL 2018 | (201) FAMILY • Cover the outside bottom of a small sauté pan with aluminum foil so that the foil wraps up the sides and over the lip of the pan. Then, line a cutting board with two paper towels. • Arrange the mozzarella cheese slices on the prepared cutting board and pat them dry with another paper towel. • Pull the leaves from the basil sprig and then chiffonade (roll into a pencil shape and slice them thinly). • Spread the pesto (add more if you are a big fan) over two of the bread slices. Spoon ¼ teaspoon of the olive oil over each of the other two slices. Arrange the cheese on top of the pesto, drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, and add a pinch of salt and pepper and a sprinkle of chiffonade basil. Close the sandwiches. • In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the sandwiches for about 2 minutes. While the sandwiches are cooking, take the foil-covered pan by the handle and press the bottom down firmly onto the sandwiches to flatten them. Flip the sandwiches over with a spatula and flatten the other sides. Cook until the bread is toasty and the cheese begins to melt. • Move the sandwiches to plates and eat them while they’re warm and melty. NEW MAKE LUNCHTIME EVEN BETTER MELTY PESTO PANINI