Do you share your recipes?

When you personally share a recipe, whether it’s a treasured family creation or something you tore out of a magazine, tried and enjoyed, you are sharing a little bit of yourself.

Many of us share recipes all the time: on our websites or blogs, on Facebook, Google+ and YouTube. And of course we’re all able to get our dose of visual food porn on Pinterest and Instagram.

But when someone gives you a recipe directly, it’s even more special. They are sharing with you something that made them happy (and probably made those whom they fed happy, too)… a food memory made this way is pure love.

My wonderful friend Ivy moved away from Chicago to begin the next chapter of her life in Santa Fe. When she saw all my Hatch Chile posts a few weeks back, she shared her recipe for Green Chile Lamb Stew.

I knew I had to make it… not just because Ivy’s a great cook, but because she’s all about family and friends and, well, sharing. I knew that when I made this Lamb Stew, I would have her back in my kitchen again for a little while.

I used Hatch Chiles in this recipe (remember I bought 25 lbs. and froze them), but you can use any green chile, like Anaheim peppers, Cubanelle peppers or poblano peppers. Just make sure you roast and peel the peppers. Remove the seeds and veins if you don’t want your stew spicy.

This recipe takes about 2 to 3 hours to slow cook on the stove, so I used my trusty Pauli Cookware Pot. This is the perfect piece of cookware for a stew because you don’t have to constantly stir the stew or worry that it’s going to burn!

Thanks, Ivy. For the recipe… and everything else that comes with it.

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If you liked this recipe, you’ll love my recipe for Vietnamese Beef Stew!

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Say goodbye to this at your kids’ school Halloween parties:

I have a feeling that what just happened at my neighborhood school is going to become a nationwide trend by next year: no snacks, candy or treats at school holiday parties.

Halloween is just too frightening for parents of kids with allergies.

But I know EXACTLY what those worried parents are thinking… and what they fear each time their child walks out the door. My youngest has an anaphylactic shock-inducing allergy to peanuts. She’s learned to be safe about her food. But every time I hear of a child who dies because of allergic reaction, that gnawing anxiety that it could happen to her comes flooding back.

Nut allergies were once the biggest concern at school parties. These days, navigating the allergy minefield is just too tricky, so why chance it at all? Even moving from sugary sweets to healthy treats like apples and hummus won’t work… someone might have a legume allergy.

With the nation’s obesity rate where it is, classroom parties should not HAVE to be food based… there are other ways to celebrate. Instead of decorating cupcakes, the school in my neighborhood will be making bracelets and cards to send to a children’s hospital and doing other age-appropriate community projects.

But honestly, it does make me a little sad to see that food-festooned parties are on their way out. I used to love to see some of the more inventive things the really competitive moms would bring to the Halloween parties.

Thank goodness for Pinterest!

Mama doesn’t believe in tricking picky eaters into eating healthy food… especially vegetables.

There are books and blogs dedicated to doing just that, I know. But if you introduce veggies early enough, and in small quantities, you have a better chance of bringing them into the tent.

Kale, the darling of the leafy vegetables world, is the perfect example. Kale used to be hidden in winter soups or boiled to death with other hearty greens.

Now, it’s roasted, sautéed and shredded into salads. There are entire Pinterest boards dedicated to Kale recipes.

Kale chips are even being tucked into lunch boxes. Guess what? Kids love them… even the picky eaters. The other day I saw a kid with a green smoothie… WHAT? Kudos to the parents (or the kid) for venturing into territory my kids would NEVER have explored. 

This all goes back to introducing kids to greens early… as soon as their little tummies can digest the fiber.

Mac and cheese, a kid favorite, blends beautifully with finely chopped kale, broccoli or spinach. Start with just a little bit, a teaspoon or two per serving is about right.

Another idea: sauté the chopped leafy veggies in the same pan that you fry bacon. Top with chopped bacon and a little cheese. Easy and delicious and goes great with a meaty main course.

Do your best to get them to eat their veggies. But at the end of the day, DON’T WORRY… they’re not going to starve if they turn their nose up at a dish.

Mama’s guilty. I’ve done it many times. I’m sure you have, too… at least once. Now I’ve come to believe it’s just plain rude. 

I’m talking about taking cell phone photos of your food in restaurants.

What is this anyway?

What’s most annoying? The flash. If you need a flash, then you don’t have enough light, which means your image is going to be slightly out of focus and look like an overexposed hot mess.

So you snagged a great table at the hottest place in town. I’m sure you’ve already Tweeted and put your plans on your Facebook page. Is it really that urgent that all of your 4,321 friends know you’re eating sweetbreads AT THAT VERY MOMENT?

Many restaurants are making it simple: No cellphones. That’s actually a blessing in abundance: No texting. No phone calls. No photos.

Mama can hear your complaints already: “But it’s free advertising for the restaurant,” and “I’m just giving the chef a shout-out for her creativity.” Baloney. You have a toy and you want to use it because you think you’re creating art. This is what I mean:

I’m not deluded. You’ll continue to Instagram everything that’s served you so you can Pin It and put it on your Tumblr feed. There are entire websites and Facebook pages dedicated to making your foodie cell phone images look better. But there are also a few Cell Phone Food Photography Hater pages, too. So can we all agree on a few things?

• Obey the restaurant’s rules. If the restaurant says no cellphones, then put it away.
• No flash. Turn the flash off before you point the phone at the plate. If the image looks bad without a flash, the Party Gods are sending you a message. Don’t move your plate around or stand on your chair to get a better angle.
• Be discreet. Don’t make a production of it. One shot… two tops. And remember: No Flash.
• Respect other diners. If they give you dirty looks, stop. They’re there to have an enjoyable meal, too.
• Ask if the restaurant can send you some images. Better still, go to their website. Most likely, those are professional images (but give credit where credit it due).

What do you think? Do you agree? Would you eat in a restaurant that bans cellphones?