Shhhhhhhhh

Just finished this project, and couldn't wait to share it! It's a birthday present for my boss, silhouettes of her kiddos. So shhhhh, her birthday isn't until next week ;)

How to:

First, take a backlit picture for a sharp silhouette.

Next, upload it into a ms word type of program, and adjust the contrast and re-size to what you'd like the final product to be.

 Cut out the silhouette, and trace onto a nice black paper. To avoid unwanted pencil lines, remember to flip it at this point if you'd like it facing a certain direction.

 Pick out a cute paper (little K loves butterflies), and trace the insert of your favorite frame for sizing.

Paste or tape your silhouettes in place. 

The hardest part of this project is getting them to stand still!! :)

xo

Recipe of the week: Shredded Chicken Tacos

As a private chef, I am always in search of the best recipes. Though we tend to focus on flavor, texture, color, and smell as a means of qualifying the "best" in the culinary world, there are also other, more practical factors to consider. Time (preparation; active and inactive). Convenience (accessibility of ingredients) Nutrition, and lastly, the Kid factor. The best family recipes balance these 4 factors, and taste great!

Kids love meals that are messy!! It makes them taste better.
Since the way children interact with food is vastly different from adults, be prepared and know that:
Breading= vacuuming
Sauce= bath
Finely shredded cheese= JUST DON'T GO THERE! (unless it's melted)

Here's something that the kids (ages 2 1/2, 4 1/2) love lately!

Shredded Chicken Tacos serves 4

For the chicken:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2T vegetable oil
1t each dried oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, ground coriander, chili powder, ground cumin, salt, and pepper (add some cayenne pepper or 1 diced jalapeno for some heat if desired)
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1c chicken stock

1 can black refried beans
4oz spinach puree

8 flour or corn tortillas

Toppings (pick a few, or all of them)!
light sour cream
shredded cheese or queso fresco
favorite salsa (salsa verde is great with these)
shredded lettuce
diced avocado

To prep the chicken:
Preheat oven to 300 F.
In an oven-safe skillet, heat 2T oil over medium heat and add chicken breasts. While 1st side is browning , season with all the spices listed above. Flip after about 2-3 minutes, and season other side. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock and tomato sauce, bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove skillet from heat and cover with foil and place in oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Closer to mealtime, heat black beans and spinach puree in a medium saucepan. Season with a little salt, set aside.
Prep toppings.
When chicken is ready, remove from oven, take off foil and shred with a fork while holding the chicken breast with tongs in your other hand. Drizzle a little of the pan sauce onto the tacos. Serve.

Kid tip: melt cheese onto the chicken, then let them create their own tacos! Enjoy!