Yummy Cabbage Sloppy Joes, Baked Zucchini Fries & Kale Chips...Readers have been requesting the recipes for the dishes served at First Lady Michelle Obama's Kids' State Dinner on Monday. All of the 54 recipes from the award-winning junior chefs who were Mrs. Obama's honored guests are collected in the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge Cookbook [PDF]. But just to make things easy, below are the recipes for the dishes served as the main course. They were healthy and tasty: President Obama not only "crashed" the event, but he also stopped by the Old Family Dining Room to sample some of the dishes as they were being plated (above, with Executive Chef Cris Comerford, at right).
Using Ronald Rea
gan State china, Mrs. Obama offered her 140 guests Yummy Cabbage Sloppy Joes from 12-year-old Kansas winner Rory Coyne, with a side of Baked Zucchini Fries created by 11-year-old North Carolina winner Sydney Brown. The recipe for the Kale Chips from nine-year-old New York winner Samuel Wohabe that were placed on each luncheon table is also below. The full luncheon menu is here. (Above, the President and Mrs. Obama joke during his drop-by)CLICK HERE for all posts about the Kids' State Dinner.
Recipe notes: The Sloppy Joes recipe makes 8 servings. No serving number--or cooking time--was specified for the Zucchini Fries, but 10-12 minutes will work. The Kale Chips can easily be made using about half the amount of oil called for in the recipe. Check the sidebar of the blog for all White House recipes.
Yummy Cabbage Sloppy JoesIngredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium zucchini, shredded or diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1 1/2 cups finely shredded cabbage
1 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 sandwich rolls, split (optional)
Method
1. In a large skillet, cook the beef until cooked through, about five minutes. Drain the fat from the skillet, and reserve the meat on a plate.
2. In the same pan over moderate heat, cook the onion, zucchini, celery, red pepper, and cabbage until all the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add the cooked beef to the pan and stir to combine.
3. In a small bowl, combine the tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour the sauce into the pan with the beef and vegetables and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 8 minutes.
4. While the Sloppy Joes are simmering, toast the buns in the oven or toaster oven.
5. Evenly divide the mixture among the toasted bun bottoms, top with the other halves, and serve.
Makes 8 servings.
Baked Zucchini FriesIngredients
1 large egg white
1/3 cup milk
1⁄2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
2 large green or yellow zucchini, peeled, trimmed, and cut into (2-inch-long, 1⁄4-inch-thick) strips
1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
2 large green or yellow zucchini, peeled, trimmed, and cut into (2-inch-long, 1⁄4-inch-thick) strips
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Combine the egg white and milk in a small bowl, and combine the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in another small bowl.
3. Dip the zucchini slices first in the milk mixture and then in the cheese mixture. Shake off any excess, then place on a baking sheet and place in the oven.
The recipe does not give any advice on baking time, but cook until outer coating is crispy, about 10-12 minutes, turning once if needed.
Kale Chips
Ingredients
2. Combine the egg white and milk in a small bowl, and combine the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in another small bowl.
3. Dip the zucchini slices first in the milk mixture and then in the cheese mixture. Shake off any excess, then place on a baking sheet and place in the oven.
The recipe does not give any advice on baking time, but cook until outer coating is crispy, about 10-12 minutes, turning once if needed.
Kale ChipsIngredients
1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves torn into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. On a large nonstick baking pan, drizzle the kale with olive oil, season with salt, and toss until evenly coated.
3. Bake until crispy, about 15 minutes.
Behind the scenes as the White House chefs prep the luncheon menu:
*Top photo by Pete Souza/White House; other photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama. White House video.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. On a large nonstick baking pan, drizzle the kale with olive oil, season with salt, and toss until evenly coated.
3. Bake until crispy, about 15 minutes.
Behind the scenes as the White House chefs prep the luncheon menu:
*Top photo by Pete Souza/White House; other photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama. White House video.
