Rachael Ray's Non-profit Organization Yum-o!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DISH TO MAKE WITH YOUR KIDS AS HELPERS?

We like to make Pesto with Apples and Noodles.

HOW DO THEY HELP?

Since they were four years old (they're 5 1/2 now), my twins have been responsible for peeling the garlic, plucking basil leaves off the stems and pushing the button on the food processor to run it. Lately, they have also taken on the tasks of moving around the apple slices to sauté them and measuring the pasta.

CAN YOU GIVE THE Pesto with Apples and Noodles RECIPE?

Yes, I’d love to share it!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• Pasta, such as spaghetti (enough for everyone), prepared according to package directions

For the pesto:

• 4-6 cloves (we call them "toes!") garlic
• Leaves from a large bunch of basil
• A small handful of toasted pine nuts (optional)
• 3 ounces shredded parmesan cheese (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 small Granny Smith apple (optional)
• Olive oil, for the pesto and for sautéing the apples for the topping

For the topping:

• 1 small apple per person, quartered, cored and sliced
• Sliced red onions (optional – I add them to the pan of apples after the kids' servings are out)
• 1 hot Italian sausage, thoroughly cooked (optional – we add this for our non-vegetarian family member)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring the water for the pasta to a boil.
2. Start cooking the sausage, if desired.
3. Place all the dry pesto ingredients in a food processor along with the apple, if desired. With the processor running, add enough olive oil to make a smooth, thick sauce.
4. Add the spaghetti or other pasta noodles to the boiling water and cook, according to the package directions.
5. Slice the apples, then sauté them in a large pan with olive oil until they are soft and golden. Add the onions at the same time, if desired.
6. Serve the drained noodles with the pesto sauce and apples (and sausage, if desired).

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY INVOLVING COOKING AND EATING TOGETHER WITH YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS?

My father cooked Chinese food when I was a kid. We'd invite lots of people over, then spend the entire day chopping vegetables, deep frying egg rolls, wontons and tinfoil-wrapped bites of chicken, stuffing dim sum and bao, pre-cooking rice for fried rice, and making Midori ice to serve with leechee nuts and testing sauces. Right before the meal, my dad would fly into action, stir frying in a wok in the kitchen and transferring the sturdier dishes to the oven to stay warm. It was a great experience in prepping ingredients, and a lot of fun.

WHAT TIPS OR ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS NEW TO THE KITCHEN OR JUST GETTING THEIR KIDS INVOLVED IN THE KITCHEN?

Some really easy dishes to get kids involved in making include: risotto (because it really doesn't need to be stirred all the time), bread (kneading is a lot like playing with clay), salad (planting, harvesting and tearing lettuce are all kid-friendly activities), pancake batter (blueberry pancakes are featured in a Curious George book, so these are called "George Pancakes" in our house), and scrambling eggs. Another great (and super simple!) treat is to slice a melon into thick slices, cut the fruit with a cookie cutter and stick a popsicle stick in it. Then freeze it on parchment or waxed paper until it's solid, and you have a healthy and delicious fruit pop!