
We dipped each stick in the melted chocolate halfway, and then dragged a fork down the sides to create the grooves.
fast healthy and fun ways to feed even the pickiest eater! Here you will find chat about kids, cooking and the everyday life of a mom.

Another great listing from Edible Magazine... Stone's Soup column.
Summer Cooking and Farm Camps and Clubs for Kids
There are wonderful opportunities around Marin and Wine Country to get your kids out into nature and into the kitchen this summer, learning where their food comes from while getting their hands dirty!
Check out the newest project I am working on, this farm to table camp should be lots of fun at Connolly Ranch.
Dirt to Dine Adventure Camp for Budding Chefs,
Connolly Ranch (in collaboration with Chef Michael
Chiarello of Bottega/NapaStyle)
Napa, ages 5–11
Camp dates August 3–7
For more on this camp e mail me
What’s Cooking Cooking Classes for Kids
San Rafael ages 6 and up
camp dates - July and August www.whatscooking.info
Slide Ranch Camp, Muir Beach 5 & up June-August www.slideranch.org
Devil’s Gulch Camp Nicasio 6 & up June-August www.devilsgulchranch.com
Children’s Garden Co. Organic Farm Club, Sonoma for the whole family, year round www.childrensgardenco.com
“Eat Draw and Be Merry,” Napa, grades 1-8
call or email for Summer 2009
andrapaints@comcast.net or 707.333.1641
Summerfield Farm Camp, Santa Rosa 4 thru 12 June and July www.summerfieldws.org
Pine Point Cooking School, Sausalito grades 5-10 June–August www.pinepointcooking.com
Operation Chef, San Rafael 7 thru 18 June–August www.operationchef.com
Apple Blossom Day Camp, Sebastopol K-5 June-August 707.823.3463
Announcing Edible Marin Wine Country Magazine Premiere Issue (drum roll please)
We here in Marin, Napa and Sonoma are thrilled to be contributing to a great new magazine. Read Stone's Soup Corner my kid centric foodie column. See The fabulous cover that Matthew shot, and find out about seasonal foods and recipes. Grab one at your local natural foods store or farmers market, you can always subscribe. We hope you enjoy it!
Because peas are coming into season I changed this recipe to accommodate fresh peas but if you are unable to get them use frozen.
On the searing summer days of my childhood, I spent
long hours outside with other kids, playing hide
and seek, getting dirty, and making mud pies. The
moment we heard the bells of the ice cream truck, our ears
perked up in unison and we raced off to get our ice cream treat.
Now, 30-something years later, I hardly ever see an ice cream
man. Maybe it's because grocery stores today are stocked
with so many more ice cream choices, or maybe it's because
kids play indoors more. Whatever the reason, the summer
school break presents a great opportunity to spend time with
your kids, cooking with them and teaching them about food
and family. It should be easy to entice them into the kitchen
to help create these unique and deliciously cooling Minty
Pea Pops and Veggie Corn Pops.
They may not get to chase
the ice cream man, but they will be having fun, enjoying
their dessert, and eating their veggies, too!
Sweet Veggie Pops
A New Twist On an Old Treat
By Jenifer Carden

Minty Pea Pops
Peas on a Popsicle stick? Just tell them it tastes like mint–chocolate
chip ice cream—but these are not quite ice cream and not quite vegetable.
They are now a staple in our house—a great dessert, snack, or
treat on a hot day. Have your kids help shop for and shell the peas.
You'll love it when your child asks for a Pea Pop!
Makes 6 cube-shaped pops
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup shelled sweet English Peas
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/8 to 1/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
6 Popsicle sticks or wooden craft sticks
Place the cream cheese, peas, and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl
and microwave on high for 20-second intervals until the cheese is
softened to room temperature.
Using a blender or food processor, puree these first three ingredients
into a smooth paste. Add the extract and mix again, scraping the
bowl frequently. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
Place the mixture into a food grade plastic bag and cut about 1/2 inch
off of one of the bottom corners. Squeeze the puree into an ice cube
tray or mini muffin tin, place 1 Popsicle stick into each serving and
freeze until solid, about 1 hour. You may also spoon the puree into the
molds. Depending on your freezer, you may have to let them freeze for
up to 4 hours. For best results, make and freeze these overnight.
Once the pops are frozen, remove them from the molds by twisting
just like ice cubes. You may need to go around the edge with a warm
knife if you used a muffin tin. Sealed in an airtight container, these
will keep for up to 1 month.
Variation: Sprinkle a layer of graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of the ice
cube trays or muffin cups and place the corn puree on top; the result will look and
taste similar to a mini cheesecake on a stick.
It's Toddler Café Tuesday. Our book has been out about a year now and I thought it was time to start sharing more of the recipes with you, my loyal readers. If you read my blog you know I love to use up the stragglers in my pantry and fridge. This recipe is no exception, have a forgotten fruit cup hanging around? This recipe is so simple and it is a great way to get your kids to eat their veggies. Tropical Glop Dips are fun and interactive for toddlers. They can scoop it up with cut pieces of veggies and fruit or spread it onto slices of bread. Makes 1 1/2 cups 8 ounces cream cheese One 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained Two 4-ounce fruit cups, tropical or peach, drained 1/2 cup diced or shredded carrots 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup toasted unsweetened desiccated coconut Place the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 20 seconds to soften. Add the fruit, carrots, and salt to the bowl and use a stick blender to blend for 2 minutes, or until combined. To toast the coconut, place it in a dry sauté pan on medium heat and watch closely. When you see it starting to turn light brown, stir the coconut around constantly to brown the rest evenly. Then pour it onto a plate to stop cooking. Sprinkle the dip with the toasted coconut. Serve with apple slices, carrot, celery, or pretzel sticks. Toddler Tip: Have your child “draw” shapes on their plate using the veggie as a pen and the dip as the ink.



As a busy working mom I am always looking for ways to cut my meal preparation down. Even though I am a chef and I love to cook, after a long day of standing around in the kitchen the last thing I want to do for dinner is chop, mince, and zest.
