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Dear Readers,

In Summer 2018 I decided it was time to move on to a more user-friendly blog with a clear distinction of categories and focussing on countries with which we share a personal history. Each and every recipe comes from the heart and has a place in our multi-cultural family.

I sincerely hope to get you on board again with my new blog. You'll find my writings on the self-hosting site called "Expat with Kids Recipes": https://expatwithkidsrecipes.com

Savoury Banana gratin

A banana gratin with a twist. A dinner dish your kids will love once their tastebuds have explored the surprising mix of flavours. Also works as a sturdy breakfast before heading out into the cold.

Ingredients:
4 bananas
1 teaspoon of butter
4 slices of white ham
4 teaspoons of mustard
150 ml of liquid cream
1 tablespoon of powder curry
60 g of grated gruyère cheese
Salt
Ground pepper

Preparations:
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
1.) Melt the butter in a pan.
2.) Peel the bananas and pan fry them, whole, 2 minutes each side.
3.) Allow them to cool down for a few minutes.
4.) Meanwhile, spread the mustard on the slices of ham.
5.) Pour the cream in a recipient, add the curry powder, salt and pepper. Mix well.
6.) Place each banana on a slice of ham (mustard side) and roll them delicately.
7.) Place in a gratin dish and cover with cream of curry.
8.) Finally, sprinkle with grated gruyère and bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is nice and golden. Serve warm.

Chicken with Tomato & Cucumber salad

Super tasty, super fast, super easy, super kid friendly, super healthy... what more do you need?

Ingredients for salad:
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 cup pear tomatoes, sliced in rounds
1 kirby cucumber, unpeeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced
3 pepperoncini peppers, stemmed and minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for grilled chicken:
4 chicken paillards (scaloppini), about 4 ounces each
Olive oil spray
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation: 
1.) Smash the garlic clove, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear to a coarse paste.
2.) Put the garlic paste in a large bowl and stir in the olive oil and lemon juice.
3.) Add the tomatoes, cucumber, pepperoncini, and dill and toss.
4.) Grind some black pepper. Toss again, and set aside.
Preheat a grill pan or nonstick skillet to medium high.
5.) Spray the chicken paillards lightly with the olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
6.) Grill the chicken, in batches if necessary, to avoid crowding the pan, turning once, until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
7.) Place each paillard on a plate and serve topped with the tomato-cucumber salad.

Arugula & tomato Pasta Salad

A hearty pasta featuring peppery arugula, fresh tomatoes and pungent red onion.

Ingredients:
12 oz. small rigatoni or other short pasta
½ lb. sliced bacon (about 9 slices)
1 medium Red Onion
1 pt. Grape or cherry tomatoes
1 bunch arugula, thick stems discarded

Preparation:
1.) Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and return it to the pot.
2.) Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a paper towel--lined plate. Break into pieces.
3.) Discard all but 2 Tbsp of the drippings and return the skillet to medium heat. Add the onion, season with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. 4.) Add the tomatoes and arugula and cook, tossing, for 1 minute.
5.) Toss the onion-tomato mixture with the pasta and fold in the bacon. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Super simple Banana Cake

This is a super easy, fail-proof and speedy recipe. You can whip up a cake in no time for breakfast, brunch or tea!

Ingredients: (10 slices)
2 eggs
150 g of cane sugar
150 g of sweet melted butter
3 bananas cut in round shapes + 1 whole
100 g of nuts cut in half and chopped
170 g of flour
1 full teaspoon of baking soda
1 tablespoon of brown sugar

Preparations: 
Preheat oven to 200°C
1.) Mix all the ingredients with an electric whip during 4 minutes, leave out the whole banana and the brown sugar
2.) Pour the preparation in the mould.
3.) Cut the whole banana in 3 to 4 slivers lengthwise and place it on the batter.
4.) Sprinkle with brown sugar.
5.) Cook for 70 minutes

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before unmoulding. Serve tepid or cold.

Spaghetti & Meatball muffins

How about turning an Italian dish into an American treat that your kids will love? My Neapolitan husband claims the idea of spaghetti and meatballs in itself is an American invention therefore... at this point... anything goes. YEHAY!

Follow this simple recipe for super-cool Spaghetti & Meatball muffins:

Ingredients:
170g spaghetti
1½ tablespoon olive oil
1½ cups parmesan cheese, grated
1½ cups tomato based pasta sauce
12 cooked meatballs
½ cup basil, roughly chopped
cooking spray

Preparations:
Preheat oven to 190C.
1.) Cook spaghetti NOT following packet directions, drain when every AL DENTE and allow to cool.
2.) Spray 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
3.) Pour 1 cup cheese into spaghetti pan and toss.
3b) You might wish to add an egg for the nests to better stick together.
4.) Divide spaghetti between the 12 muffin cups, arranging spaghetti to make a nest.
5.) Top each nest with 1 tablespoon of pasta sauce, a meatball, another tablespoon pasta sauce.
6.) Sprinkle each with parmesan cheese.
7.) Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese has melted.
8.) Cool slightly before eating, garnish with a chopped basil.

Ham & Cheese Party rolls

Need a fast and impressive looking "aperitivo"? A dish to take along to share? One that your kids can eat as well? Here's the answer.

Ingredients: (Makes: 12 rolls)
1 roll of pizza dough
¾ lb ham (thinly sliced)
12 thinly slices Emmenthaler cheese

Glaze (optional)
½ cup (8 tablespoons) butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1.) Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2.) Unroll the pizza dough onto a cutting board and press into approximately a 13x18-inch rectangle. 3.) Top with ham and cheese slices.
4.) Starting on the longer side of the rectangle, roll up the edge tightly. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down.
5.) Cut into 12 slices, approximately 1-inch wide. Arrange in prepared baking dish.
6.) Combine the butter, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and poppy seeds in a sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk until the butter is melted and the glaze is smooth and combined. Pour evenly over the rolls.
7.) Bake uncovered for 25 minutes until golden and browned.

Apple & Cinnamon muffins

Can you smell the autumn? Nothing beats the fragrance of brown butter, cinnamon and baked apple. Well, maybe chocolate cake but that's for another day.

Ingredients:
1 cup self raising flour
½ cup almond meal
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger, ground
½ tsp nutmeg, ground
½ tsp cardamom, ground
140gr unsalted butter, browned
⅓ cup caster sugar
⅓ cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 eggs
1 large apple, grated

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 180°C.
1.) Place the butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the milk solids start to turn brown on the bottom of the pan and smells nutty. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
2.) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom.
3.) In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, maple syrup, eggs and vanilla bean.
4.) Add the cooled brown butter and stir until combined.
5.) Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until combined.
6.) Fold in the apple.
7.) Spoon the batter into lined muffin cases and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and cooked.

Spinach Chicken Wrap

This is a easy-to-go wrap for kids' lunch or family picnic alike and can be whipped up in a moment.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon milk
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast
1/4 cup celery
1/4 cup halved seedless grapes
1/8 cup chopped walnuts
1 whole wheat tortilla
baby spinach leaves

Preparation:
1.) Whisk together the mayo, mustard, honey, and milk.
2.) Stir in chicken, celery, grapes and walnuts.
3.) Lay some baby spinach leaves on the tortilla, layer with the chicken mixture, and wrap it up tightly.
4.) Cut your wrap in half, and you're good to go!

Parisian Hot Dog

This Hot Dog is a long way from your ordinary American sausage and bun. It's the Parisian version and it's très chic. What do you think?

Ingredients:
2 hot dogs
2 red radishes
1 Paris mushroom
½ Granny Smith apple
1 lemon
1 shallot
1 tablespoon of chiseled parsley
1 tablespoon of mascarpone
1 tablespoon of mustard
1 tablespoon of honey
⅔ of baguette bread

Preparation:
1.) Preheat your oven to 200 °C.
2.) Wash and slice the radishes, cut the mushroom in thin slivers and the washed but unpeeled granny smith apple into thin sticks. Slightly sprinkle the apple sticks with lemon. Peel and chop up the shallot, chisel the parsley.
3.) In a small salad bowl, mix the mascarpone, mustard, shallot, parsley and honey. Halve the baguette lengthwise and heat for 5 minutes in the oven.
4.) Garnish the baguettes with sauce and the sausages (boilt in water), then top with mushroom slices, apple sticks and radishes.

Fruit fools

You can make fruit fools with any fruit soft enough to mash with a fork. Here you can see how to make strawberry or banana fool. The amount of fruit shown for either sort will make 4 small fools.

Ingredients:
220 gr strawberries
2 small bananas
25 gr caster sugar
1/4 litre yoghurt or double cream
wedge of lemon

For decoration:
chocolate drops, glacé cherries, sliced kiwi, biscuits

Preparation:
1.) Cut the strawberries in half or peel and slice the bananas.
2.) Put the fruit in the bowl and mash it with a fork until it is smooth.
3.) Whisk the yoghurt or cream until it is thick and creamy.
4.) Add this and the sugar to the mashed fruit. Stir them well.
5.) Pour the fruit mixture into the serving dishes or glasses. Decorate them however you like making suns, flowers or animal faces!

Birchermüesli

Birchermüesli is as Swiss as it gets. It can be eaten for breakfast, brunch or light dinner. It is a healthy alternative to cereals and the kids love it.

Ingredients: 
200 g Birchermüesli flake mix with no added sugar
4.5 dl milk
1-2 apples
other fruit, e.g. berries, grapes, bananas, kiwi etc., according to taste/season
1 red fruit yoghurt
some orange juice or mixed fruit juice
0.25 dl cream (or more )

Preparation:
1.) Mix the Birchermüesli flake mix with the milk.
2.) Grate the apples or cut them into small pieces. Add them to the Birchermüesli.
3.) Finely chop your other fruit, add it to the Birchermüesli and mix well.
4.) Add the yoghurt.
5.) Stir in some orange/mixed fruit juice to make it more refreshing.
6.) Add the cream.
7.) Optional: before serving whip some cream and decorate onto the Birchermüesli for nicer presentation.

Note: The consistency should be more “liquid” than solid. To adjust the taste if the consistency is too thick, add additional orange juice and/or milk.

Pizza Scrolls

This is a fun and easy recipe to make with your kids. The perfect after-school snack that every child will love.

Ingredients:
Puff Pastry Sheet
Basilico Tomato Sauce
Salami
Cheese

Preparation:
1.) Defrost the pastry slightly and roll out
2.) Cover pastry sheet with basil tomato sauce
3.) Cover with salami and cheese
4.) Roll up pastry sheet and slice into 1.5cm segments
5.) Place on lined baking tray and cook in a very hot oven 220C for 8 minutes or until golden.
6.) Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Carrot muffins

No Swiss gourmet journey would be complete without indulging the sweet tooth. All over Switzerland fruit is featured in many desserts, such as incredibly flavorful fruit tarts and fresh berries with whipped cream. However, vegetables can make delicious sweet dishes as well. Following is one of my daughters favourite recipes that we enjoy preparing and devouring together: Carrot muffins

Ingredients:
50gr butter
120gr sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs
1dl milk
200gr grated carrots
150gr ground almonds
100gr flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 180°C

1.) Melt butter
2.) Place into a large mixing bowl along with sugar, salt and beaten eggs
3.) Mix well with a wooden spoon or electric mixer.
4.) Pour milk into mixture
5.) Add grated carrots. Mix well.
6.) Add ground almonds, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda
7.) Place patty cases into muffin pan.
8.) Place heaped tablespoonfuls of mixture into pan.
9.) Bake for 25 minutes until cooked through. Do not overcook.

Let muffins cool down and decorate with marzipan carrots and a whole load of fantasy!

Mac & Cheese muffins

Your kids will love these. They are easy to make, easy to transport and easy to eat. An Amercian twist on the classic Neapolitan frittata.

Ingredients:
1 lb. Barilla macaroni
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
2 cups skim milk
8 oz. fontina or parmeggiano cheese, cubed (cheddar with cream cheese as substitute)
1 egg
cooking spray
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
2. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large pot then whisk in the flour forming a roux (or a paste).
3. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking as you go; then add in the cheese and stir until all of the cheese has melted. Let simmer on a low flame.
4. In a small bowl, crack open the egg and whisk it with a fork, then add a little of the hot milk and cheese mixture to it to temper the egg. (You don't want to cook the egg. If it looks cooked or scrambled, you added too much liquid).
5. Add tempered egg to the milk and cheese mixture; then add in the cooked pasta and mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray, then using a small kitchen spoon, add the pasta to the tin so that it's filled to the top. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes; then allow to set for 5 minutes.
7. Use a plastic knife to release them from the pan (so it won't scratch it) and serve. Makes approximately 100.

P.S. Before adding cheddar cheese to a cream sauce to keep it from clumping, put your shredded cheese (it is better to shred it from a brick of cheese yourself) in a baggie or bowl and put just a scant tablespoon of flour into it and shake it all around and then add to the sauce, it will melt smoother with less clumping or separating of the cheese and fat in the cheese.