Passover Pleasure: Matzo Ball Soup Recipe

A Matzo Ball Soup Recipe from Kayla, PopCosmo's Teen Chef: This soup is consistently a Jewish staple, but it is especially delicious during Passover, when you can't eat flour and/or leavening. I'm not completely sure what the dietary restrictions are, but ask your local Rabbi if you are feeling curious. To sum up the history of Passover, the Jews were oppressed in Egypt and had to escape on short notice, so they didn't have time to let their bread rise. Therefore, during Passover, Jews cannot eat flour and/or leavening, so they eat matzo, a crisp, flat cracker, instead. A unique matzo ball soup recipe is found in just about every Jewish deli and restaurant, and for good reason - it's delicious! For those of you who have never experienced a matzo ball, make these asap. They are very unique and hard to describe, but they are basically fluffy balls of heaven floating in a flavorful chicken broth. They are so easy to prepare, too! Please note that these are not Kosher because they have butter in them, but you can easily substitute margarine to accommodate Kosher diets.

Matzo Ball Soup Recipe, Serves 4-6

4 Eggs 1/4 Cup Water 1 Cup Matzo Meal 1/3 Cup Melted Butter, Cooled Slightly 1 tsp Salt + More for Soup 2 lbs Bone-In Chicken Breasts 4 Carrots, Peeled & Quartered 2 Ribs Celery, Quartered 2 Yellow Onions, Skinned & Quartered 1 Turnip, Peeled & Halved Chicken Bouillon, to Taste

Place the chicken, carrots, celery, onions, and turnip in a large pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for a few hours, adding salt and chicken bouillon to taste.

Whisk the eggs, water, butter, and salt together. Fold in the matzo meal and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Roll the chilled matzo mixture into 10 balls and boil for 30-45 minutes or until cooked through. Enjoy!

Easter Bread recipe

Easter Bread involves a lot of symbolism, whether it involves the eggs woven into the bread, the shape of the bread, or the bread itself. This particular recipe is delicious, fun, and beautiful to look at. It's a delicate sweet bread that is woven into rings and topped with a dyed egg and some sprinkles. You can dye the eggs whatever colors you want or just leave them plain. I tried to dye mine to match the sprinkles I used. I made mine into rings because I liked the way it looked and the size worked out well, but you can experiment with shapes that you find interesting or symbolize something meaningful. Any way you choose, it is sure to be delicious! ~Kayla from the Nerdy Chef

Easter Bread, Makes 6 Rings, Recipe Adapted from http://italiandish.squarespace.com/

1 Package Yeast 1 1/4 Cups Milk Pinch Salt 1/3 Cup Butter 9 Eggs 1/2 Cup Sugar 5 Cups Flour Vinegar Food Coloring Sprinkles

Boil 1/2 cup water in a mug or glass measuring cup. Whisk in 1 tsp vinegar and food coloring. Gently place an egg in the mixture and swirl lightly for up to 5 minutes or until desired color. Repeat with 5 more eggs, changing water when necessary or when changing colors. There is no need to boil the eggs before dying because they will cook when the bread bakes, but make sure you refrigerate the bread after you bake it.

Combine the butter and milk in a small pot until the butter is melted. Cool until just warm.

Combine the yeast, salt, butter, 2 eggs, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Fold in the milk mixture, then beat in half of the flour using the dough hook. Gradually add the remaining flour to form a stiff dough; you may not use all of it. Knead until smooth.

Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area for an hour or until doubled. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 pieces. Roll each into a 1" thick log. Twist two ropes together, then form it into a ring. Repeat with remaining dough.

Place the rings on parchment-lined cookie trays. Place an egg in the center of each; it should be fairly snug. Cover and let rise for another hour.

Preheat oven to 350F. Beat the remaining egg with 1T water. Brush onto the rings, avoiding the egg in the center. Top with sprinkles and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Happy Easter, and we hope you enjoy your Easter Bread recipe!

{Be sure to see our update here: 2013 Easter Bread}

St. Patrick's Day Recipe: Irish Soda Bread

From Kayla: Irish Soda Bread is a delicious Irish staple, and it is so easy to make! ? It's perfect for St. Patrick's Day because it's not your typical green recipe, but it is a very quick, fun recipe that you can make right now, plus it is rustic, hearty, and relatively healthy. This recipe can be personalized by using different fruits and flavorings, too. I used orange zest and raisins, but you can try any kind of citrus or extract in addition to any dried fruit, including cherries, cranberries, or currants. The fruit adds flavor and texture to the crumbly bread. Originally, Irish Soda Bread only contained flour, buttermilk, baking soda, and salt. I wanted a sweeter, richer bread that could be eaten for breakfast, snack, or dessert, so I added sugar, dried fruit, orange zest, an egg, and some butter. The trick to getting the right texture is to (1) handle the dough minimally, and (2) keep everything cold. Kneading the dough develops the protein (gluten) in the flour, which leads to toughness. Also, use lukewarm butter so that no steam is released when baking and you create a more dense bread. I used a stand mixer, but a food processor could work as well. As soon as everything was incorporated and just cohesive, I flipped the dough onto the cookie tray and patted it into a ball instead of kneading and rolling it. It may not be as pretty, but this is supposed to be a rustic bread!

Irish Soda Bread,? Makes 1 Loaf,? Recipe Adapted from Ina Garten 2 Cups Flour 2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour 1/3 Cup Sugar 1 tsp Baking Soda 1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt 1/2 Stick Butter, Chilled & Cubed 1 3/4 Cups Buttermilk 1 Egg 1 tsp Orange Zest or Other Flavoring 1 Cup Dried Fruit

Heat oven to 375F. Line a cookie tray with parchment paper (sold next to waxed paper at the grocery store). Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the butter and mix until just incorporated. Combine the buttermilk, egg, and flavoring. Slowly add to the flour mixture and fold in the dried fruit.

Gently form the dough into a round shape and transfer to the prepared sheet. Cut an "x" in the top and bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through.

Check out Kayla’s blog for more ideas! Just click? here! ? Thanks Kayla, for contributing such wonderful recipes!

Bananas Foster Pudding Pie

Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) is the day on which the goal is to indulge in as much rich, unhealthy food as possible before the 40 days of Lent. Some of the most famous celebrations are in Louisiana, and? Bananas Foster is an iconic Louisiana dessert. The flambéing of the bananas in the rum is very impressive, and the brown sugar, rum, and vanilla combine in a sticky, gooey, yummy mess. Igniting fruit can be a daunting task, so I decided to make mine in a pie.

My pie is banana pudding meets bananas foster, and it tastes SO good! It has a vanilla wafer crust that you can make yourself or buy, vanilla pudding, caramel-coated bananas with a touch of rum if you want to add some, more vanilla wafers, and whipped cream. The pudding and bananas melt together, and the vanilla wafers absorb some of the liquid to become cakey and soft. Of course, nothing beats homemade whipped cream, so I pile on as much as I can! As for the rum, it is a key flavor in bananas foster, but you can omit it if you want to. To make a complete Mardi Gras meal, be sure check out our main dish recipe for Jambalaya.

Bananas Foster Pudding Pie, serves 8, adapted from Ann Thornton

1 Vanilla Wafer Pie Crust 3 Brown Bananas, Sliced 1 3/4 Cups Cream 3 T Butter 2 1/2 tsp Vanilla Rum, Optional 2 T Powdered Sugar 3/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar 3/4 Cup Sugar 1/3 Cup Flour 2 Eggs 4 Egg Yolks 2 Cups Milk 25 Vanilla Wafers

Combine the dark brown sugar, 3/4 cup cream, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until sugar dissolves. Boil until thick enough to coat a spoon, whisking often, about 10 minutes. Add rum to taste, if desired.

Combine the sugar and the flour until lump-free. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolks. Continue whisking until it forms a smooth paste. Slowly whisk in a cup of milk, then whisk in another when combined. Transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it reaches the thickness of chilled pudding, about 10-15 minutes. The mixture will just begin to bubble and will hold soft peaks. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tsp vanilla.

Slice the bananas and fold gently into the caramel. Arrange half of the slices on the crust and top with half of the pudding. Repeat, then spread the vanilla wafers on top.

Whip the cream until it holds medium-stiff peaks. Add the remaining vanilla and powdered sugar. Spread over the pie, and serve.

Check out Kayla’s blog for more ideas! Just click here!

Jambalaya

On Mardi Gras, thoughts turn to ? New Orleans, which is famous for its Cajun and Creole food, but do you know the difference between the two? Cajun food focuses on stews while Creole food can be quite complex. Jambalaya is a hearty stew full of rice and an assortment of meats, seafood, and vegetables. Jambalaya may also be confused with Gumbo, another Louisiana stew, but Gumbo contains a roux, or a thickening agent composed of fat and flour. My recipe for Jambalaya is full of a variety of delicious ingredients such as sausage, chicken, tomatoes, rice, bell peppers, celery, onions, and shrimp. There are a lot of big flavors, but none of them overpower the others. It is actually very simple to make and is ready within an hour or two. To shorten the prep time, I use my food processor to chop all of the vegetables. It can take a while to cut them up, but the food processor is easier and much faster. I use Andouille sausage, a classic Cajun ingredient that is packed with flavor. It can be difficult to find, but it is worth looking for. And if you want to complete your meal, be sure to check out our Mardi Gras dessert, Bananas Foster Pudding Pie!!

Jambalaya, Serves 4-6, Recipe Adapted from Cooks Illustrated

1 Onion, Peeled & Quartered 1 Rib Celery, Quartered 1 Red Bell Pepper, Seeded & Quartered 5 Cloves Garlic, Peeled 2 tsp Oil 4 Bone-In, Skin-On Chicken Thighs 1/2 lb Andouille Sausage, in 1/4" Cubes 1 1/2 Cups Long Grain White Rice 1 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Thyme 1/4 tsp Cayenne 1 14oz Can Diced Tomatoes 1 Cup Clam Juice 1 1/2 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth 2 Bay Leaves 1 lb Medium Shrimp

Drain the tomatoes and keep 1/4 cup juice.

Pulse the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor until fine but not pureed.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and add the chicken, skin-side down. Cook until golden, about 5 minutes, flip, and cook until golden on the other side. Remove from the pot, reduce heat to medium, and add the sausage. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 3 minutes. Set aside. Reduce heat to medium low, add the vegetables, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add the rice, salt, thyme, and cayenne. Stir frequently until the rice is coated with fat, about a mint. Add the tomatoes, tomato juice, clam juice, chicken broth, bay leaves, and sausage.

Remove the skin from the chicken and put on top of the rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir and replace the cover; continue to simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Remove the chicken. Scatter the shrimp over the rice, cover, and continue to cook until the rice is tender and the shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the chicken. Discard the bay leaves and turn off the heat. Stir in the chicken, and serve.

Check out Kayla’s blog for more ideas! Just click? here!

Chocolate Lava Cake... a Taste Explosion

This is definitely one of my favorite recipes ever. I'm of the mindset that chocolate is the final section of the food pyramid, and this chocolate lava cake literally oozes it. The only way to eat chocolate lava cake is right out of the oven, when it is extra hot and gooey. I found that the original recipe in Cook's Illustrated didn't have nearly enough molten chocolate in the center, so I decided to add a spoonful of ganache (a mixture of chocolate and cream) before baking. It doesn't solidify with the cake, so you are guaranteed to have a rich, liquidy center. This chocolate lava cake is decadent, so I like to balance it with some fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. The light sweetness complements the fudgy richness of the cake, and they combine to make the perfect dessert!

Chocolate Lava Cake,? Makes 8

3 T Cream 8 oz + 1/3 Cup Chocolate Chips 1 Stick Butter 4 Eggs 1 Egg Yolk 1 tsp Vanilla 1/4 tsp Salt 1/2 Cup Sugar 2 T Flour

Heat the cream and 1/3 cup chocolate chips in a small bowl and stir to combine. Chill until solid.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 400F. Grease 8 6-oz ramekins and dust with a 50/50 mixture of cocoa and flour.

Melt the butter and remaining chocolate together in a large bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, salt, and sugar together. Pour gently on top of the chocolate mixture and sprinkle with the flour. Gently fold the mixture together to avoid deflating.

Spoon half of the batter into the ramekins. Place a spoonful of solidified ganache in the center of each and cover with the remaining batter. Place the ramekins on a cookie tray to keep level and bake for 12 minutes or until just set around the edges, crispy on top, and liquidy in the center.

Serve warm, in ramekins. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with strawberry, if desired.

Contributed by Kayla Saslow, teen food blogger at? The Nerdy Chef.

Dessert... for breakast? Yep.

We were all told at some point or another that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that it will even help your grades! Unfortunately, there is rarely time to eat something before school or work, but here's a tip to make it happen: a recipe for Banana Streusel Muffins, a relatively healthy breakfast that is easily transported for a breakfast-on-the-go. You can even make the batter over the weekend and bake one or two at a time throughout the week so that they are fresh. These muffins are full of bananas, and, though muffins have a bad reputation, the wheat bran makes them exponentially healthier.

Banana Streusel Muffins Makes 18, Recipe Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

2 2/3 Cups Flour 1 Cup Brown Sugar 1 Stick Butter 3 T Butter 1/2 Cup Chopped Almonds 1 1/2 Cups Wheat Bran 1 T Baking Powder 1 tsp Baking Soda 1 T Cinnamon 1 tsp Ginger 1 Cup Milk 3 T Corn Syrup 3 Ripe Bananas, mashed

Heat the oven to 400F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

Streusel: Combine 2/3 cup flour and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir in the almonds. This is your streusel!

Batter: Combine the remaining flour, bran, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger to make your flour mixture.

Combine the milk, butter, corn syrup, and remaining brown sugar in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the baking soda and bananas. Add to the flour mixture.

Baking Instructions: Spoon the batter into the cups and top with the streusel. Bake until cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

Contributed by Kayla Saslow, teen food blogger at The Nerdy Chef.

Healthy Cookies that totally taste terrific!

Resolution: Eat Healthier.We believe cooking should be fun, food should be enjoyable, and eating healthy should be easy and tasty! So, does award-winning teen chef &? PopCosmo PopStar, Kayla. We are so excited that she will be sharing her favorite recipes with us on a regular basis. Thanks, Kayla! Take it away...

"Healthy eating doesn't necessarily mean tofu and protein shakes. By making your own food and incorporating some simple switches, you can save a ton of calories and avoid artificial fillers without sacrificing taste. These Trail Mix Cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth, and they are full of oats, coconut, raisins, and nuts. You can change the ingredients as long as you keep the basic flavors and ratios, so try them with other dried fruits and nuts. I will also sometimes substitute whole wheat flour for about half of the all-purpose flour. Because there are so many oats, fruits, and nuts, you won't taste the difference. Enjoy!"

Trail Mix Cookies Makes 28, Recipe adapted from Gourmet

1/2 Stick Butter, Softened 1/4 Cup Shortening 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar 1 Egg 1/2 tsp Baking Soda, Dissolved in 1 T Warm Water 1/2 Cup + 2T Flour 1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Vanilla 1 1/2 Cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats 1/4-1/2 Cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut 1 Cup Chocolate Chips 1/3 Cup Walnuts 2/3 Cup Raisins

Preheat oven to 375F and line cookie trays with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and shortening; beat in the brown sugar. Add in the egg, baking soda solution, flour, salt, and vanilla, stirring well after each addition. Stir in the oats, coconut, chocolate chips, peanuts, and raisins.

Scoop the dough into 28-30 balls. Place them on the cookie trays and flatten slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes or until browned.

Check out Kayla's blog for more ideas! Just click here!

PopCosmo Popstar: Kayla

PopCosmo PopStar is a feature in which we share cool things that you are doing. Whether you make a difference with your volunteer work, you design jewelry, you are an athlete with a dream, or you do something else cool and unique, we would love to hear from you.  No matter what you do, you are a star… so share your story with us!

Our PopStar, Kayla, is a high school student from Atlanta, Georgia who is already a chef, business owner, and excellent student. We know how difficult it can be to balance doing well in school and spending time with friends, but when you add work to the mix, it gets even tougher. Kayla works to gain experience, learn from other chefs, and also to share her creations with others.  She impressed us with her creativity, drive, and commitment... and the fact that she cooks dinner for her family most nights!

Age: 16 Always has: my purse and laptop Proudest of: winning the 2011 Share Our Strength Great American Baking Contest Is thankful for: all of the opportunities I've had Wants to: go to Cornell University and be on Food Network Is afraid of: bugs and needles Believes everyone should: live up to their full potential My style: changes every day Pet peeve: fidgety people

At what age did you start cooking? I'm not really sure, but it's been a while How did you realize cooking was an interest? I've always been a picky eater, and I found that I liked food better when I made it. Oh, and my parents let me eat dessert if I made it. What made you decide to turn a hobby into a business? I realized that I needed reasons to bake, so I decided to attempt to sell things to my friends and my parents' coworkers. How did you find a job in a restaurant? It's a long story, but basically my Dad met a pastry chef at a benefit, and they worked it out so that I could intern at the restaurant she worked at. Tell us about your work in restaurants:? I have interned at Pricci and The Horseradish Grille, and I started working officially at Alon's Bakery. I work with the pastry chefs at the restaurants for a few hours every once in a while to prepare the desserts that they serve. At Alons, I worked for around 6 hours every day for 5 weeks over the summer in addition to whenever they are extremely busy. How do you balance work, cooking for fun, and getting good grades in school? Pastry chefs tend to work from early morning til early afternoon. I only work in restaurants when I have time off of school because the times just don't line up, and I only cook for fun after I finish my homework. Grades are definitely my first priority. Have you entered in cooking contests? I've been involved with Share Our Strength for the past three years and they have an annual baking contest. The first year I entered, I was in the top ten but didn't actually win anything. The second year, I won second place for my raspberry brownies, and last year, I came in first for my caramel apple walnut tartlets. What is your favorite thing to eat? I don't have a favorite food, but I love chinese food, pizza, cookie dough, and anything chocolate. What is your favorite item to prepare for others? I definitely love making pies and tarts because there are so many different flavor combinations. After I realized there was more to pie than fruit filling, I started experimenting, and I haven't become bored yet! Do you cook for your family? Yes, I cook dinner most nights. What is your goal, pertaining to cooking? I'm trying to decide between becoming a pastry chef, being a food scientist, and being on Food Network. Hopefully it will be a combination of all three! Who is your favorite chef? My top two are Alton Brown because he combines science and food and Gordon Ramsay, pictured above, because he has such high standards. What is one item of food that you would never eat? Any green vegetable What is the one restaurant where you would like to eat? Work? I would love to eat and work at Alinea in Chicago because it is centered on Molecular Gastronomy (using science in cooking to manipulate temperature, texture, etc.). Do you watch cooking shows, and if so, which ones are your favorites? I watch too many to list, but my favorites include Cake Boss, Chopped, Hell's Kitchen, Master Chef, Dinner: Impossible, and Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives. What is your best advice for a beginning cook? Read as much as you can, because experienced chefs have a lot of knowledge to offer. Worst thing you've ever made? I once attempted to make an El Salvadorian dish called Pupusas, which are made of a corn-based dough and some sort of filling. The dough dried up, cracked, and fell apart, and the filling was bland and had a strange texture. We ended up ordering Chinese food.

Thanks for sharing with us Kayla! We have no doubt that you will continue to accomplish your goals and we can't wait to see you starring in your own show one day. We are also excited to announce a treat for PopCosmo fans: Kayla will be sharing some of her favorite recipes with us over the next few months! ? Stay tuned....

Greek Pita Pocket

Excerpted from 400 Best Sandwich Recipes by Alison Lewis © 2011 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca.? Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

Serves 4

This Greek-style sandwich is a delicious combination and is so easy to make. We love making these on busy weeknights.

1 cup? plain nonfat yogurt [250 mL] 2 tbsp? freshly squeezed lemon [40 mL + 2 tsp? ? juice] 1 tbsp? chopped fresh dill [15 mL] (see Tips, below) 1/2 tsp lemon pepper, divided [2 mL] 12 oz? lean ground beef [375 g] 1/2 cup? diced onion [125 mL] 2? cloves garlic, minced 1 cup? quartered cherry tomatoes [250 mL] 1 tsp? Greek seasoning [5 mL] (see Tips, below) 4? 6-to-8-inch [15 to 20 cm] pitas with pockets 1-1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce [375 mL] 4 tsp reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese [20 mL]

1.? ? In a small bowl, combine yogurt, 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the lemon juice, dill and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) of the lemon pepper. Set aside.

2.? ? In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, sauté beef, onion and garlic, breaking up meat with a spoon until beef crumbles, for 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink and onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, Greek seasoning, remaining 2 tsp (10 mL) of lemon juice and remaining 1/4 tsp (1 mL) of lemon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until heated through.

3.? ? Place pitas on a work surface. Spread yogurt sauce equally in each pita. Place lettuce, beef mixture and feta cheese equally in each pita.

Tips:

• Fresh dill can be kept for only about 2 days. It's wonderful in chicken salad, with seafood and as a garnish to many dishes.
• To make your own Greek seasoning: In a small bowl, combine 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each dried oregano, dried parsley, dried garlic powder and salt.

Enjoy!!

PWEBKSAQ5EDH

All treats... no trick

Halloween is definitely one of our favorite holidays... when else can you dress as crazy as you want, hang out with your friends, ask neighbors for candy, and end the evening with a perfect sugar rush? ? We wanted to get everyone in the mood for Halloween, and could think of no better way than preparing some sweet treats for our friends or teachers. ? One Charming Party, an amazing website full of party concepts and images (and ideas you can use for babysitting) has unbelievable suggestions: cute (natch), easy to make (hey, we can even make these), and delicious (of course). ? These treats couldn't be easier, but they are still WOW-worthy in presentation.

One thing we don't love about Halloween is rotting pumpkins! We are always so excited for the season that we buy and carve our pumpkin too early. ? This year, we found the perfect solution in Pumpkin Parts. The parts stick in the pumpkin... just like a Mr. Potato Head for pumpkins! ? There are 5 different characters, but switch them around for witchy pirates, and piratey skulls. We're never too old for Mr. Pumpkin Head! ? Pumpkin Parts, $9.99, but at local retailers and here.

Last but not least... who to be this year? ? The most popular ideas this year involve the latest headline news and cultural topics. ? Be an Angry Bird, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Rebecca Black (super easy since she wears a black shirt most of the video) or our personal fave,? Princess Beatrice.... Try very, very hard not to feel ridiculously out of touch with fashion. ? Although yours probably won't sell for $130,700 on Ebay, you can make your own fascinator like Princess Beatrice's by following these simple instructions. ? Or buy one if you have $40 to spare. ? "Princess Beatrice hat costume", $40, buy at Headline Costumes.

No More Breakfast Blues

Excerpted from 400 Best Sandwich Recipes by Alison Lewis © 2011 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

There is nothing better than a healthy breakfast to prepare you for a full day at school. ? Most people agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and can actually help you improve performance at school and sports. ? An easy way to make sure you are getting all the nutrition you need, without skimping on taste, is to prepare these easy, fun breakfast sandwiches. ? Check out Alison Lewis' book here for more amazingly simple and tasty recipes.

Huevos Rancheros Wraps (breakfast),? Serves 4

The first time I ever had huevos rancheros was in Boulder, Colorado, when I was in college. I ate them every Saturday morning while I was living there. I love making these still today. ? Alison Lewis

4? large eggs

1/4 tsp salt (1 mL)

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (1 mL)

1 tbsp butter or margarine ? (15 mL)

1 can (14 to 19 oz / 398 to 1540 mL) black beans,

rinsed and drained

1 small tomato, sliced

1/3 cup? sliced black olives (75 mL)

2 tbsp chopped red onion (30 mL)

1 cup salsa or Pico de Gallo (250 mL)

4 ? 8-inch (20 cm) flour tortillas, ? warmed

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese ? (250 mL)

2 avocados, thinly sliced

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (30 mL)? (see Tip)

1.? ? In a bowl, whisk together eggs, salt and pepper.

2.? ? In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté eggs for 3 to 4 minutes or until scrambled. Set aside.

3.? ? In a large nonstick skillet over low heat, combine beans, tomato, olives and red onion. Stir in salsa and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes or until heated and slightly thickened.

4.? ? Place tortillas on a work surface. Divide egg mixture equally in center of each tortilla. Arrange cheese, avocados and cilantro equally over top. Fold both ends over filling then roll up tortilla. Serve immediately.

Tip: Cilantro, also called Chinese parsley or coriander in its dried form, has a pungent flavor and fragrance and is used in many cuisines. Choose bunches with leaves that are bright and vibrant with no sign of wilting.

Don't forget to drain and rinse canned beans to get rid of excess salt.