Meal Planning Basics & Recipes for Child Care Providers

Recipes

Peas and Pasta

This simple recipe fulfills the grain and one vegetable requirement for a CACFP creditable meal. When paired with another vegetable or fruit, a serving of cheese or meat, and a glass of milk, all of the components for a creditable lunch or supper will be met!

Please remember to use the child meal pattern links to determine age appropriate serving sizes for serving this recipe.

• Yield: 4 servings
• For the best buy, choose fresh peas with crisp pods.
• To prepare peas, remove from the pods before cooking.
• To store fresh, refrigerate whole pea pods for up to 2 days in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
• Peas contain fiber, which helps to keep you regular.
• For a printable version, please use the download button below.

Ingredients

• 3 cups uncooked pasta
• 2 cups peas
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large pot, bring 12 cups of water to a boil.
2. Add pasta and cook for 8 minutes.
3. Add peas to pot and cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Drain peas and pasta and place in large bowl.
5. Toss cooked pasta and peas with oil.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and serve hot.
7. Refrigerate leftovers.

Download the Peas and Pasta Recipe

Rustic Shepherd’s Pie

The following recipe for a delicious Shepherd’s Pie, was provided by Karen Vanderminden of Village Roots Catering. It is a perfect example of a “combination dish” where a maximum of three ingredients are creditable. In this dish, the meat (ground beef) and two vegetables (potato and corn) can be used to satisfy three components. Add a bread and a glass of milk and you have a wonderful, creditable lunch or supper!

Yields one 9 x 13 pan

For the Meat layer

• Vegetable oil
• 1lb ground beef
• 2 stalks of celery, washed and diced
• 1 medium sized white onion, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon of dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• Worcestershire or Soy Sauce to taste
• Dash of Hot sauce
• Salt to taste/Pepper to taste
• 1 bag Birdseye Baby Gold and White frozen corn (or other brand)

For the Smashed Potato layer

• 2lbs red potato, washed and cut into quarters
• 1 large white onion, peeled and quartered
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1-2 sticks of butter
• Milk
• Sour cream
• Salt and Pepper
• Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Put the red potatoes, quartered onions and 2 cloves of garlic in a pot. Cover with cold water. Turn on heat to high and boil until potatoes are soft and ready to mash.
2. While potatoes are cooking…
   1. Put a splash of vegetable oil in the bottom of a frying pan. Press the meat into the pan in a flat layer to cover the bottom. Turn the pan on medium/medium high heat and brown. Let it brown! Don’t mix it around until the bottom is nice and dark. Once it is browned, salt generously and mix the meat around to cook until all pink has disappeared.
   2. Add the diced onion and celery to the meat and cook for 4 minutes.
   3. Add the dried basil and parsley to the meat and vegetable mixture and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
   4. Add 4 splashes of Worcestershire or soy sauce and 2 splashed of hot sauce.
   5. Grate in 1 clove of garlic to the mixture (off the heat) with a microplane grater, stir to combine. Check for seasoning, add salt and pepper as needed.
   6. Top with frozen bagged corn.
3. When potatoes are cooked, drain (leaving the onions and garlic in with the potatoes). Add a stick of butter, 1/2 cup of milk and be generous with the salt. Smash the potatoes, onions and garlic all together. Add butter and salt to taste, and use enough milk to make a creamy proper consistency. Once consistency and seasoning are set, grate in a clove of garlic and add a huge tablespoon of sour cream. Mix to combine.
4. Top corn and beef layers with smashed potato layer.
5. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake until browned on top.

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