Cool Kids Cook Radio Show #3 Interview with Johnette Downing – Monday, August 6, 2012

by Eliana on August 6, 2012

Hey Young Chefs!

Take a listen to my radio show, “Cool Kids Cook,” on the Voice America Kids network.

This week, I interviewed Multi-Award Winning Children’s Musician and Children’s Book Author, Johnette Downing. Ms. Johnette has 18 national awards for her 10 music CDs and 11 children’s books. Wow! She tours internationally and has performed in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Central America, North America, and the Caribbean. Visit her website at johnettedowning.com.

Johnette Downing, Multi-Award Winning Music and Books for Children

Here are the recipes that appear in the various segments of my radio show.

“A TISKET A TASKET WHAT’S INSIDE MY BASKET?”

Kid Chef Eliana shows her Perfect Pesto Pasta at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum

Perfect Pesto

Ingredients:
3 c. fresh basil
1/2 c. pine nuts
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. minced garlic
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
Dash sea salt
Dash white pepper

Directions:
Blend basil, pine nuts, cheese, and garlic. As mixture is blending, slowly add olive oil. Add a dash of sea salt and white pepper to taste. Store in an airtight container. Serves 8-12.

Laotian (lah-ocean) Sticky Rice with Durian (Source: About.com)
Ingredients:
1 c. mashed durian flesh
1 c. glutinous rice
11/2 c. coconut milk
Sugar to taste

Directions:
Wash and rinse the sticky rice with water. Drain in a colander. In a rice steamer, cook sticky rice with 1 cup of coconut milk for 45 minutes. Remove sticky rice and allow it cool. Separate the sticky rice into 2 serving bowls. In a separate bowl, add as much sugar as you desire to the durian flesh and mix well. Divide the durian mixture into 2 portions and pour it over the steamed rice. Add 1/4 cup of coconut milk into each serving bowl.

“KITCHEN TIPS N TOOL TIME”

Kid Chef Eliana with the Pasta Machine

Pasta Dough
Ingredients:
3 c. all-purpose flour
4 eggs
water, if needed

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine ingredients with your hands. The dough will not stick to your hands when it is ready. If it is too dry, then add a little bit of water. If it is too sticky, add a tiny bit more flour. Let the dough rest for a few minutes. Now, start using your pasta maker.

“THE SPICE DETECTIVE”

Today we’re investigating… oregano!

Garlic Oregano Bread
Ingredients:
1 loaf Italian bread
1/2 c. or 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. oregano
1/2 c. parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the loaf in half lengthwise. In a medium bowl, mix together butter, garlic, and oregano. Spread mixture on the two halves. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 10 minutes.

Here is another recipe using oregano.

Simple Marinara
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
2 cans Italian diced tomatoes
1 large can tomato sauce
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 tbsp. fresh oregano
1/2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a sauce pan. Add garlic. When the garlic sizzles, add ground meat. Cook until brown and drain grease. Mix in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and oregano. Let it simmer for one hour. Serve over your homemade pasta.

“SNACKTIVITY TIME”

Today’s Snacktivity is…

Ham Fruit Skewers
Ingredients:
2 pieces ham, cubed
2 pieces cheddar cheese, cubed
2 grapes
1 large skewer

Directions:
Stick a grape through the pointy end of the skewer and push up until it’s a couple inches from the top. Then, add your cheese, ham, grape, cheese, and ham. This will make 1 ham fruit skewer. You can make 4 skewers and stick them in an orange. Give these to your friends as a healthy and fun snack.

“CREATIVE CUISINE”

Chimichurri Grilled Steak with Roasted Bacon Brussel Sprouts and Baby Bellas in a Red Wine Reduction

Chimichurri
Ingredients:
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1 small white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. parlsey
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 bay leaf

Directions:
Add all of the ingredients except the bay leaf in a food processor and blend. Pour chimichurri over your meat and add a bay leaf for flavoring. Reserve some of the sauce for dipping. Marinate overnight. After grilling your meat, use the remaining chimichurri as a dipping sauce or pour it over your meat for even more intense flavor.

Kid Chef Eliana with Rice Krispies Cereal Sushi

Rice Krispies Cereal Sushi
Ingredients
3 tbsp. butter
1 10 oz. package of regular marshmallows
6 c. Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal
Swedish Fish
Fruit by the Foot

Directions:
Line a large baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Melt the butter in a large pot and add the marshmallows. Stir until completely melted. Take the marshmallow mix off the heat and mix in Rice Krispies. Immediately, place it on the baking sheet and, with a rolling pin, roll it out until it is 1/8 of an inch thick. Cut pieces 3 1/2 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place on top of the Fruit by the Foot lengthwise. Add 2-3 Swedish Fish and have the heads poke out a little bit. Roll the sushi and make sure you don’t stretch the Fruit by the Fruit or it will break. When you are done rolling, cut the end off of the Fruit by the Fruit. Now you have your Rice Krispies Cereal Sushi! Garnish with a small bowl of chocolate syrup for the soy sauce, cut up Fruit by the Foot for the ginger, and make green-tinted frosting for the wasabi. Serve your friends and watch their reaction when they realize it’s candy sushi! Arigato!

“COOKIN’ CRAFTS”

Paper Bag Apron

Paper Bag Apron
Supplies:
1 large brown paper bag
scissors
Stapler
Black marker

Step 1: Cut a slit down the middle of the paper bag and continue cutting off the bottom of the paper bag.
Step 2: Open the paper bag up and cut a square off the top of each side panel of the bag.
Step 3: With the scraps, cut four inch wide strips of equal length (12-15 inches long).
Step 4: Twist each long strip into ropes.
Step 5: Staple the twisted strips to the top corners of the front of the paper bag to tie the apron around the neck as well as the top of the left and right side panels to tie the apron around the back.
Step 6: Using the scraps, cut a small square pocket for the front of the apron. Create stitch lines around three sides of the pocket with a black marker. Now you’re cooking, young chefs!