Participatory Eating (and Sun-Dried Tomatoes)

Getting kids to eat more than hot dogs and chicken fingers is the modern parent's dilemma. Kids are picky, and of course they love Oscar Meyer and Tyson. I would very much like to say something negative about these corporations but I fear that I might disappear or take a fatal fall.

But I do think there is a solution. You hear a lot of people say that getting your kids involved in the cooking process will perk up their food interest. Two summers ago, I made homemade pretzels with my nephews. They loved them. Granted, pretzels are not hard sell for kids, but their eyes lit up when we were making them. Children will want to eat the fruits of their labor. So obvious and logical, kids are so simple, I thought. What I didn't realize is that this is equally applicable to adults.

For example, I thought I hated sun dried tomatoes. They always seemed dry and chewy, and sometimes bitter. I had let a few bad sun-dried tomatoes ruin my perception. But then, I made them myself last week. And now I'm in love -- in love with the process and the taste. Perfectly simple to make, and the results are amazing. They are so versatile. You can put them on sandwiches or wraps, eat them plain, throw them in a salad, make a pesto, use them in spread, toss them with pasta, and much much more. I don't have the Tuscan sun available to me, so I made them in my oven.

Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees
Halve and de-seed 3 lbs of plum tomatoes
Place them on a baking sheet
Sprinkle just the tiniest bit of salt
Let cook for 8 hours

Heaven! That's all you have to do. This is a seasonal recipe. The trick here is that the tomatoes you start with have to be sweet and ripe. Do not buy tomatoes at Safeway in December and try to makes this. I'm guessing that it will probably taste a lot like scotch tape.

After making these, my husband, who loves sun dried tomatoes, made a meatloaf. It was a Giada DeLaurentis recipe: "Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sun-dried Tomatoes." I have to say it was incredible. I also happen to be a sucker for meatloaf.

1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped up sun-dried tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 lb ground turkey
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands. Then spray a 9" x 5" loaf pan with vegetable oil and pour mixture in.

Cook for 50 minutes at 375. Temperature in the middle should reach 165 degrees.