When kids start cooking, the first few times they can build their self-confidence by making something healthy in their comfort zone. When my son first made dinner we bought hot dogs from the farmer. I tired of them very quickly but at least he had a couple of weeks of cooking success with those and frozen vegetables. Grilled cheese or tuna melts are good for beginners.
Now, after a couple of years, my son’s favorite dinner to make is baked fish and asparagus, but if he signs up for it on the menu too many weeks in a row, we find something else for him. This week Tony jokingly asked him to make tetrazzini, even though he wasn’t sure what is was, and I dug out a scrap paper recipe for him from my binder. According to Wikipedia, tetrazzini is an American dish named after an Italian opera singer. It’s a creamy vegetable and meat sauce served over pasta or baked with the pasta as a casserole.
You can put a cup or two of leftover cooked chicken, turkey, or seafood in this recipe, but it’s good as is with a lot of vegetables. Feel free to vary the vegetables; I’d rather use chopped broccoli than peas but I wasn’t home. You cannot necessarily expect the kids to make dinner AND at the same time take a large number of quality photographs for your blog, however.
Vegetable Tetrazzini
1 package linguine prepared according to package
3 T butter, divided
1 package sliced portabella mushrooms
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 chopped sweet onion
1 C green peas
1/2 C white wine
1/4 C flour
2 C low-sodium broth
2 C milk
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 C Parmesan
1/2 t salt
1/4 fresh ground pepper
1/2 C bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 375. Heat a large pan with 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Sauté mushrooms, pepper, onion, and peas for 1 minute. Add wine and cook another 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour for 1 minute until completely combined. Slowly whisk in broth and milk. Bring to a boil then simmer 4 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and parmesan.
Add the creamy mixture and the cooked pasta to the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Place everything in a sprayed 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake 25 minutes.
