Side by Side

Tonight, our oldest daughter, Alyssa, and I worked side by side making many different dishes for both dinner and to stock the freezer. We made chicken three different ways (barbecue, oil and vinegar and apricot). We prepped turkey breasts for the freezer too with homemade herb salt and Meyer lemon. I made a large dish of pasta with beef, ricotta cheese and red sauce. We readied chicken tenderloins and planned side dishes. We indulged our cravings for Greek traditional foods like Tiropita and Spanikopita and made two of each so the ones in the freezer would not be lonely. I cooked a set, for tonight's dinner, until they were each golden and crispy yet tender inside. The Tiropita I prepared, like my grandma Mary would have, just feta cheese and a touch of cream cheese to balance the saltiness and improve texture. The Spanikopita was made with sautéed onion and a scandalous amount of dill as it should be, if you're Greek. Such a little bit of time was spent working side by side to make such a lot of food. We tidied as we went so there was very little clean up. We chatted and laughed as we planned and bagged and labeled. Try working side by side with one of your children to create a few meals to fill your fridge and freezer and see how much fun you will have together. Nourish your child's tummy and spirit through the love you share as you create meals everyone will enjoy.