First, let’s talk Mom’s Day. It’s sweet as strawberries, fluffy as a pancake, and most importantly, not a jerk. Do you have your plans mapped out for the day? Flowers, phone call, dinner, a cheesy card? Maybe you forgot and are throwing together a last minute shinanigan. Perhaps you’re still looking for a fabulous recipe to treat mom to? –Or just need a new weekend pancake. Follow the link above to get the recipe for my Cinnamon-Oat Pancakes with a Strawberry Smash, now featured on HooplaHa. I’m excited to partner with HooplaHa for this cooking segment, so check it out, give it a ‘like’, and most important, try the recipe — It’s a perfect Mother’s Day (or any day) treat!

And then there is the Jerk Store… It placed a call to my class the other week.

In the biggest surprise in my teaching career I was called a jerk! (With emphasis.) By a kindergartener. Why? Because I refused to give a child seconds. It sounds cruel, but stay with me– because there weren’t enough leftovers for everyone who wanted some. Instead of a few getting seconds, no one received seconds. Fair is fair and I’m a JERK!

It happens — I don’t realize how much my students will enjoy a dish we make, or we’re saving most of our extras for our end of semester party and my students are provided a paltry serving. In this case, we were making pierogies, saving most for our end of semester party. Each student received three homemade dumplings stuffed with caramelized cabbage and onion, served with a side of apple sauce. Seriously delicious even if kindergarten muscle can’t roll dough thin enough. Read more »

Kids in the Kitchen Video

If you didn’t yet catch it, catch it now while it’s hot– my recent 2/3 year old cooking class was featured by the (new) website HooplaHa. Check out the crazy that happens in my classes. See where some of the inspiration from these posts come from. Like the video. Post it on Facebook and tag/like Allergic to Salad. Forward it to your friends, and in general, spread the cooking love across the lands.

How did I come up with a recipe for from-scratch pasta a two-year old can make? I have to admit it was out of a little jealousy. You know, sometimes a little encouragement is what’s needed– Read more »

In case you missed it, I’ve been highlighted in a number of publications recently:
ioby Visionary – Edible Queens – Epoch Times – and coming soon to HooplaHa!
Make a tax-deductible donation to my next round of pop-up (non-after-school) classes– donations now doubled!
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Perhaps it’s the warming weather or last week’s vacation. Perhaps my students are just feeling the need to get things off their chest. Maybe it’s the ramps in the soup. I know ramps make me giddy when they hit the market for their short season (and I can actually find them). In any case, it’s been a strange week.
Like two students on the same day telling me they always hated cooking class.
Oh.
But now it’s their favorite class!
Oh! — Don’t scare me like that.

Or telling me they hate the soup we’re cooking this week.
Can we please stop using the word ‘hate.’
Then clasp hands behind their back and lap up the soup like a cat. (And yes, there was purring involved.)
I forgot soup always tastes better without utensils. Read more »