Easy Meals to Make with Kids

With school out of session and summer just around the corner, finding ways to keep your kids occupied can be a challenge. Cooking with your kids is an engaging and exciting project, with a delicious reward at the end! Check out these easy meals from our alum that will be fun for you and the kids!

Easy Chicken Piccata by Chef Vinny Dotolo

Ingredients

• Chicken
• Salt & Pepper
• Flour
• Olive Oil
• 2 cloves of Garlic, chopped
• 2 spoonfuls of Capers
• Dry White Wine
• Chicken Stock or Water
• Butter
• 1 Lemon
• Chopped Parsley (for serving) 

Directions

1. Slice chicken in half lengthwise, cover with plastic wrap and lightly pound to flatten. (Chef Vinny uses a small sauté pan)
2. Season chicken generously with salt & pepper and dust with flour, lightly shaking off excess.
3. Sauté chicken in olive oil until golden brown. (Chef tip: Cook about 75% of the way on one side, then flip until 95% cooked).
4. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Add a chopped garlic and capers. Just before the garlic begins to brown, add a splash of dry white wine and let alcohol burn off for a minute.
5. Add a splash of chicken stock or water, and place chicken back in the pan. Let cook for a few more minutes.
6. Add in a couple knobs of butter and remove chicken from the pan and onto your serving platter. Reduce sauce for another minute or two, until your desired consistency.
7. Squeeze in juice from one lemon, chopped parsley and season and adjust to taste.
8. Spoon sauce over chicken, and enjoy!

Check Out Chef Vinny's Instagram Post featuring his Chicken Piccata!

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French Omelettes by Chef Tim Hollingsworth

Ingredients

• 6 Eggs
• 2 tablespoons Milk
• Goat Cheese (at room temperature)
• Bacon, cooked​

Directions

1. Add eggs, milk, and pinch of salt into a large bowl. Whisk together until yolk and white are combined without lumps.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add butter to evenly coat the bottom of a pan.
3. Once butter has melted, add half of the egg mixture. Stir vigourously to create small curds in the eggs. Rotate around the eggs are evenly spread across the pan and let them sit. Turn off the heat.
4. Add goat cheese and bacon to half of the omelette.
5. Flip one third of the omelette with cheese and bacon over.
6. Turn heat back on and add butter to the empty side of the pan.
7. Roll the remaining third of the omelette closed. Plate and enjoy!

Watch Chef Tim Hollingsworth and his kids make this omelette on his YouTube Channel!

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20 Minute Lasagna by Chef Seamus Mullen

Ingredients

• 2 celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 4 anchovies, minced
• 2 tbsp Kalamata olives
• 4 tbsp EVOO
• 2 tbsp fig balsamic
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 cup San Marzano Tomatoes
• 1 cup artichoke
• 4 zucchini, cut lengthwise into ¼” planks
• 2 cups grated mozzarella
• ½ cup fresh ricotta or labne

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat EVOO over medium-low heat.
2. Add vegetables and sweat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add ground beef and cook for 1 minute.
3. Deglaze with fig balsamic vinegar. Add tomato and simmer for 5 minutes (or longer if you have the time!)
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. In an oven-proof roasting pan, layer zucchini plans, sauce, ricotta and mozzarella cheese. Repeat! 
6. Bake for 20 minutes and enjoy!​

See how Chef Seamus's No Pasta Lasagna turned out on his Instagram Highlights!

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Ratatouille with Poached Eggs by Chef Ludo Lefebvre

Ingredients
Ratatouille

• 2 eggplants
• 2 bell peppers
• 3 spring onions
• 2 zucchini
• 6 garlic cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 branches rosemary
• ¾ cup olive oil
• Salt
• White pepper
• 1 bunch fresh basil

Poached Egg

• 4 to 6 organic large eggs
• 3 tablespoons White Vinegar​

Directions
Ratatouille

1. Clean and dice all the vegetables, onions and garlic. ( remove seeds from eggplants and bell pepper).
2. In a dutch pan or large saucepan “confit” the eggplants in ½ cup of olive oil (‘confit ‘means cook slowly in oil…). Eggplants retain a lot of the oil so you need to nourish them well from the start. Once the eggplant starts to moisten add the bell peppers, then a few minutes later the onions, bay leaves, rosemary and garlic, stirring regularly and enjoying the perfumes from the south of France.
3. Add the tomatoes, the rest of the olive oil and cover the pot and let cook for 15 minutes. Then add the zucchini and cook for 10 more minutes.  Add at the last moment some fresh basil. Salt and pepper to your taste.

Poached Eggs

1. Bring to boil 1.5 L of water in a large saucepan.
2. When the water starts to simmer, you don’t want big bubbles.
3. Break one egg in a small bowl. With a fork stir the water to create a spiral movement. Add the white vinegar and salt. Pour gently the egg and with a spoon bring together the egg white around the egg yolk.
4. Cook for about 2 minutes. The egg should be soft and the white, cooked.
5. Take out the egg and cool it off quickly in a bowl of cold water. Take the egg out of the water and place it on tray with a paper towel.
6. Salt with a pinch of fleur de sel.
7. Repeat the operation with the other eggs.
8. Serve the warm ratatouille with a poached egg.

View Chef Ludo's full recipe on his website!

It's never too early to teach your kids to love cooking! And with these recipes from true our All-Stars, your children will be well on their way to being Little Masters! Don't forget to share your family meals with us on Instagram @lexusallstarchefclassic!