Pre-children, I cooked very differently, picked challenging recipes that had many steps in the cooking process, experimented with foods and spices.  took that extra trip to a market to get one unique ingredient.  Ultimately I had more time and freedom of experimentation.  Post-children, NO time, NO energy to haul kids to any market for special ingredients, little to NO leeway of a meal flopping and a tight schedule to organize, cook and feed hungry growing children.

This easy recipe was inspired by a complex recipe that I use to make pre-children.  It is from one of my favourite cooking sites,  Mireille Guiliano’s “French Women Don’t Get Fat”.  Click here for her version of Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.   Great recipe, but here is my post-kid’s easy, one bowl/mixer version.

In a blender or magic bullet add:

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese (use rest for lasagna later)
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp baking powder

Blend until smooth and make pancakes by drop on hot buttered skillet.  Use low to med-low heat under pan and cook these pancakes slowly.  They brown too fast if the heat is too high.

Amazing with maple syrup, fruit, spoonful of yogurt.

Perfect for breakfast, take along as a to-go car/stroller snack.  I make these and bring them on lunch picnics, road trips and have even served the left overs after dinner as dessert with some fresh berries, whipped cream and a drizzle of melted chocolate (or use chocolate or cookie decorating baking sprinkles – much easier).

Super easy, fast and delicious. Kids love this creamy cheesy sauce and parents love the fact that they are eating their vegetables. This is so delicious that I serve it at dinner parties when I want to serve a rich pasta dish. You can serve this sauce on any style of pasta, make leftover rice into a quick risotto, pour over leftover chicken and vegetables to make ‘chicken a la king’, pour over sliced potatoes and bake to make easy ‘scallop potatoes’. For an adult dinner party, this sauce is rich enough to serve on the side as a sauce for tenderloin, great with grilled prawn pasta, or add cooked bacon as an alternative to pasta carbonara sauce.

To make sauce:

I use the magic bullet blender.

• 1 part leftover cooked spaghetti squash or butternut squash (can use leftover cooked carrots/cooked peas/cooked beets/cooked broccoli or cauliflower – all depends on what you have in fridge and what flavour, dinner theme you desire)
• 2 parts milk
• dash of salt and pepper
• dash of nutmeg (spices for flavouring if wish ie. curry, dill etc.)
• 6-10 wedges of La Vache qui rit (The Laughing Cow) cheese

If using magic blender, place all the ingredients in large bullet container, warm in microwave (med heat) for 30 sec – 1 min (just so it is warm enough to start melting the cheese – do not boil). Place blender piece on bullet and blend until smooth.

If using regular blender or food processor, mix all the ingredients in a microwave safe glass bowl, warm in microwave (medium heat) for 30 sec to 1 min (just so it is warm enough to start melting the cheese – do not boil). Place into blender or processor and blend until smooth.

Adjust thickness of sauce by adding more cheese or initially cutting back on amount of milk (can add more during blending part if need to thin).

Pour over pasta or whatever starch/vegetable etc. you wish to serve. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Yummy!

Here is a great twist to a fruit salad and a wonderful way to introduce a new cheese – FETA.  Always a crowd pleaser with kids as well as adults.  Uniquely different and colourful.  If you grow mint in a pot on your deck, teach your little one to pick the mint for the salad.  I have found that this is the only way I will get them to try the ‘green stuff’ in the salad.  Great dinner addition but don’t forget, salad is a great snack during the day!  Or pack this one for a picnic in the backyard.  This is the dish that my 2-year old brings when we are invited out for dinner to friends.

• Watermelon (cut into bite-size melon chunks – or scoop into balls (use caution if choking is a concern)
• Sprigs of mint (finely chopped if you prepare or tear & toss in if your little one is helping)
• Feta cheese (cut into small pieces)
• Couple twists/sprinkles of cracked pepper
• Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• optional addition:  strawberries