There is a cookbook by “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio called “Think Like a Chef” (Clarkson Potter, 2007), which tells you in clear prose how to make duck confit, beurre blanc and stuffed sea bass. It’s a “weekend” cookbook, the kind you might pick up when you want a culinary project.

But most folks would be more likely to pick up a cookbook called something like “Think Like a Parent.” Parents with kids at home are busy — not to say harried (OK, stressed to the max) — yet feel duty-bound to get something healthy and tasty on the table. Even on weekends, the round of sports, play practice, laundry, Sunday school and yard work doesn’t afford much time to think about that duck confit.

A parent planning a weeknight meal thinks something along these lines: What will they eat with the least amount of whining? (“They,” of course, being the kids.) Do baby carrots really count as a vegetable? (Answer: yes.) Am I a bad parent if I call the pizza-delivery guy for the fourth time this week? (We don’t like to use the word “bad,” but the answer is yes. Sorry.) Can I stand another night of mac and cheese? (Nuh-uh.) Sick of strictly “kid-friendly” food, parents would like to prepare something they can also enjoy.

Enter Robin Miller. Her credentials? She holds a master’s degree in food and nutrition. She hosts The Food Network’s “Quick Fix Meals.” Most important, she’s a mother of two. Her new book, “Robin to the Rescue” (Taunton Press, 2008), provides the ammo you need to cook simple, quick, healthy meals for your family. Her book includes plenty of tips on how to prep ahead, and what dishes double easily and freeze well.

There are other good books written by people who seem to “think like a parent.” One is the “Healthy in a Hurry” cookbook from EatingWell magazine. I work occasionally for EatingWell and know that most of the recipe testers in their kitchen have kids at home, rejecting vegetables and whining. I’ll bet the same is true of the testers at the Martha Stewart empire, who put together “Great Food Fast” from the Everyday Food magazine. The fish tacos, below, might be the only way you can get your kids to try seafood. And I wrote my own cookbook, “Barbarians at the Plate,” with the help of parents around the country.

You can “think like a chef” some other day. For now, buckle down and think (and cook) like a parent.



SPANISH CHICKEN

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen broccoli florets

1 cup drained, oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1 cup chopped plum tomatoes

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and both types of tomatoes; partially cover the skillet and simmer until the fresh tomatoes break down and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

In the meantime, preheat the broiler. Sprinkle the chicken mixture with the cheeses. Place the pan under the broiler and broil until the cheese is golden and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe from “Robin to the Rescue” by Robin Miller (Taunton Press, 2008)



TURKEY TETRAZZINI

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound, 1/4 -inch-thick turkey-breast cutlets

8 ounces sliced mushrooms

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 cup low-fat milk

2/3 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup jarred, roasted red peppers, drained and sliced, if needed

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

freshly ground pepper, to taste

For serving:

cooked egg noodles, preferably whole wheat

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cook until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle with flour, stir to coat. Stir in the broth and sherry; bring to a simmer. Continue simmering, stirring constantly, until the mixture is slightly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the milk, peas and peppers, and return to a simmer, stirring often. Cook until thick and slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan and pepper. Return the turkey and any accumulated juices to the pan, turn to coat with sauce and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe from “Healthy in a Hurry” from EatingWell magazine (Countryman Press, 2006)



FISH TACOS

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 small red cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 jalapeno chili, stemmed and halved lengthwise and seeded

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound tilapia fillets (or other firm white fish) cut into 16 equal strips

8 (6-inch) flour tortillas

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a large bowl, combine the sour cream and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer half the mixture to another container and set aside for serving. Toss the cabbage and scallions in the sour-cream mixture. Mince half the jalapeno, add it and toss again. Season again with salt and pepper.

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the oil and the remaining jalapeno half over medium-high heat. Swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, cook the fish until golden brown on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Discard the jalapeno.

To make the tacos: Warm the tortillas according to package directions. Fill them with slaw, fish and fresh cilantro. Drizzle with the reserved sour-cream mixture. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe from “Great Food Fast” from Everyday Food (Clarkson Potter, 2007)

 

BAKED PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES

4 tart apples or 2 apples and 2 firm pears, stemmed, cored and sliced

1 tablespoon brown sugar

ground cinnamon

ground ginger

4 thick, boneless pork chops (about 1-1/4 pounds total)

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil.

Place the apple (or apple and pear) slices in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and ginger to taste. Season both sides of each pork chop with salt and pepper and nestle the chops in the fruit so that the chops are partially covered. Scatter the butter over the top and cover the baking dish with foil.

Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes more, until the fruit is very tender and the pork is beginning to brown.

Serve each chop with a scoop of fruit and pan juices.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe from “Barbarians at the Plate” by Marialisa Calta (Perigee, 2005)

 

Marialisa Calta is the author of “Barbarians at the Plate: Taming and Feeding the American Family” (Perigee, 2005). For more information, go to www.marialisacalta.com.