Eating Locally in the Pacific Northwest

17
June
2008

Edible Critters for Local Munchkins

While we want our children to be the benefactors of stewardship and sustainability, they’re also partners in the effort.

While writing a recent post about an Onion and Goat Cheese Tart, I thought about children. Would a kid eat this, would Lily like it? I wondered about a child-friendlier take on the tart and that lead to these critters. I used naan and cookie cutters to create little fishy, penguiny, rabbitty morsels, but could have used the pastry dough from the tart just as well.

Brush cut-out shapes with a little olive oil and then spread with fig or rhubarb jam and dollops of goat cheese; combinations of grated cheeses; tomato sauce underneath and it’s almost a pizza; a thin slice of apple or pear topped with grated cheese; and by all means include the caramelized onions if that’s kid-friendly enough. Use your imagination and include toppings that kids love and that will tolerate a few minutes in a hot oven along with the Onion & Goat Cheese Tart.

Bake them at 375º for 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye out - different combinations of cheese and veggies will require slightly different cooking times. Remove from the oven when edges begin to brown, cheese bubbles and you can’t wait another minute.

Awaken the child within. I can tell you these things are delicious. In fact, forget about the fancy schmancy tart and just go for the cheesy critters.

Use local products whenever possible and emphasize the food’s story when cooking with children. They’re curious about where things come from and willing to take a close look at the ordinary, which could be a flower, a tiny bug or the inside of a radish. Get out the magnifying glass! Such exploration, especially of edible plants, enhances curiosity, an appetite and a willingness to try something new for supper. That, and the hands on experience of actually creating a deliciously cheesy bunny.