Guest post- Kid's Cuisine. I really mean cuisine.

Here's a contribution by my friend Jayn, blogger (Luckier, see link below), owner of the twitter feed @marisandvera, former co-worker whose hilarious emails made diet coke come out of my nose more than once and mother of two. Jayn claims that your children will eat high brow food if you follow her instructions. Thanks Jayn!!!
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This is the story of how my go-to kids’ dinner is a French dish that many cooks better than me are afraid to undertake.

I used to love to cook.  I used to spend late afternoon work meetings dreaming about what I would make for dinner and jotting down ingredient lists (shhh…. don’t tell, ok?). On my way home from work I would stop at the supermarket and then spend the rest of the evening preparing and consuming my gourmet meal.

And then I had kids.  While the boring late afternoon meetings continued (alas), I no longer had the time to stop on my way home or to cook anything more than pasta. And those rare times that I did have the time, and the inclination, my older daughter would not even deign to taste my creations.  My younger daughter was always game, but she would often bestow the ultimate backhanded compliment, “Mmmm, Mama, it’s just too good!” Pass the pasta, please.

Enter the vegetable soufflé.  Somewhere along the line I happened upon a recipe and somehow got it in my head that my kids might like it and – voila! – we have the perfect food, one that delivers protein and vegetables in a tasty, and adult, package.

Bechamel

Just a white sauce.  Don’t be scared.  Do stir frequently and keep an eye on it.  If the butter browns, start again.

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1/3 cup milk

2/3 cup broth (I use a vegetable broth)

Salt and pepper

In a small saucepan melt the butter.  Whisk in the flour until the mixture does not taste like flour.  Add the liquids and stir until the mixture thickens.  Season to taste.  Set aside and let it cool somewhat.

Soufflé

4 eggs, separated

1 cup of vegetables cut up in small pieces (drained if very liquidy)

¼ cup grated cheese (we don’t do this, as per my older daughter’s demands)

Beat the egg whites until stiff and set aside.  Beat the egg yolks with a fork and combine with the cheese.  Mix in the béchamel mixture.  Add vegetables and  stir until thoroughly mixed.  Fold in the egg whites gently.  Pour into a greased and floured soufflé pan (What?! You don’t have one? You can use a loaf pan.  And even bake in a toaster oven.  Not that I did that when my oven was broken.  For a year.) Bake at 350 F  for about 45 minutes, or until the soufflé  has risen and the top is golden.

Important note: While the soufflé  bakes, you cannot make any loud noises.  This is the secret benefit of making a soufflé – your kids must be quiet for 45 minutes! That’s like a day and a half in single people years.  Hmmm, why did I not claim that pasta needs the same treatment?!  Dammit - too late.