I recently tried two new dishes that my family gave me the thumbs down on.
This is unusual. I do not have picky eaters. My girls (and Dan) eat a variety of foods, and love all kinds of different fruits and vegetables. Most of the time, they are willing to take a bite or two of something new. The pickiest eater in my house is probably my husband, and even then most of the time when it comes to dinner, he says, “It’s better than the dinner I cooked.”
Get it?
So to strike out twice in a short time flummoxed me.
The first thing I tried was roasted broccoli. My family loves broccoli. The girls eat it raw (dip optional). They also like it steamed, and sauteed with garlic. Aside from lettuce, it’s our favorite vegetable. But roasted broccoli — which I found very tasty, with lemon zest and romano cheese — was a no-go.
“I don’t like the brown parts,” Flora told me. Dan said it tasted bitter.
I may try it again — lower the temperature on the oven, maybe? It did get quite charred.
The other dish I tried that I thought would be a sure thing was Banana Corn Fritters (recipe at Weelicious.com, a new-to-me site. I wish I could remember how I stumbled onto it.)
We are huge fans of brunch and brinner (breakfast + dinner) at my house. And Dan makes the best pancakes ever. I figured this was like a banana pancake, and since it was served with honey, the girls would love it.
I was incorrect.
Flora tried one with honey. After two bites, she said, “Can I have it with no honey?” After two bites of one with only butter, she said, “This is thick. I’m full. Can I go play?”
The fritters are dense, rather than fluffy like pancakes. Dan liked the taste, but didn’t like the corn. So I’m going to try again, with no corn this time. Flora didn’t like the corn either. I found kernels that she had plucked from the fritter on her plate. Apparently, she only likes corn on the cob. News to me!
Kate was markedly unenthusiastic about both roasted broccoli and the fritters, but she is not nearly so articulate as her sister. She just didn’t eat ’em.
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On the plus side, Flora tried and liked pesto pasta (made with garlic scapes for a more mild flavor), and I did manage to get some fresh strawberries (and chocolate chips) into my trusty muffin recipe, and the girls each ate three (over two days). So that was a win.
What have your kids or spouse eaten — or refused to eat — that surprised you?
Red Pen Mama 