Emeril Lagasse's latest work captures children's excitement

• 'Baby Bam' adds spice to pasta pie

By Thayer Wine
The (Nashville) Tennessean

Photo illustration by Jon Orque • The Honolulu Advertiser

Maybe you can't see it, but TV chef Emeril Lagasse can. He sees from his fan mail and recipe requests from children that kids are cooking and excited about food.

"These kids are taking (this enthusiasm about food) home to their parents and they are going to change our world," said Lagasse with typical overstatement but all good intentions.

His seventh cookbook, "There's a Chef in My Soup!" (HarperCollins, $22.99), captures the excitement of his young fans who want recipe information and tickets to his TV cooking shows as much as any adult. It also provides recipes using healthy fresh food for snacks and family meals and safety tips. It's written in a noncondescending way for anyone who wants to cook.

The bright colors and simple line drawings will lure people of all ages to the simple recipes. You can almost hear Emeril's voice when he describes the recipes. Of his recipe for "My-Oh-My Spaghetti Pie" he says, "This layered pie is really a kicked up idea for leftover spaghetti noodles!" When you look at the recipe ingredients, sure enough, there is a "bam." The ingredient he is referring to is "baby bam," a special seasoning blend spelled out in the last pages of the book. He uses it in the spaghetti dish and others like the scrambled eggs "to kick them up a notch."

"The 75 solid recipes chosen for the book come from suggestions about the kinds of foods kids like to eat," he said.

Some of the recipes came from childhood memories of cooking with his mom, "Miss Hilda." Others came from children, ages 4-to-14, of friends and colleagues he invited to tastings and mini-focus groups at his New Orleans headquarters.

An ulterior motive here is to assure a coming generation of people who know their way around the kitchen and can take care of themselves, nutritionally speaking, when they're on their own.

The book is divided into chapters such as "First Things First" (on breakfast foods), "It-Isn't-Rocket-Science Salads," " 'P' Is for Pizza and Pasta," "The Main Thing," "Eat Your Veggies!" and "If You Finish You Can Have ... Dessert."

In the chapter "What's for Lunch," he makes a — what else? — kicked-up peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Of course, Emeril's PB&J isn't like any other but is likely to appeal to hungry kids. It has marshmallow cream in it, then he grills it like a grilled-cheese sandwich so everything inside is gooey and melting. He also gives pointers on how to freeze the sandwich ahead of time. It will thaw in the lunch box by lunchtime.

"Don't be afraid to let your kids work in the kitchen," Emeril writes in the opening chapter. But plan to be with them, he suggests, learning and laughing together. Each recipe has an icon or two to remind both the kid cook and the supervising adult to remain alert to safety in the kitchen.

Also, in the early pages of the book he gives lots of sensible tips on safety in the kitchen — practical advice for home cooks of all ages.

"In the end," he says, "the most important thing is that your kids have had fun, they've created something all their own and you've spent time together as a family."

'Baby Bam' adds spice to pasta pie

Make a day of cooking a family activity: On a day when adults and kids are at home, read over the recipe after breakfast, make a list and head off to the store, break for lunch, then re-read the recipe, set up the kitchen and cook dinner for the family, all together. The process exercises reading skills, teaches planning and some math and measuring and results in something good to eat, too.

This cheese-and-beef pasta pie recipe from Emeril Lagasse's new book, "There's a Chef in My Soup!" (Harper Collins, $22.99), is one even young children could participate in making. It makes use of cooked spaghetti and sneaks in some vegetables, too.

Because this recipe uses only the florets of broccoli, it might be worthwhile spending more to buy the trimmed heads. This recipe gets its kicked-up flavor from a seasoning mix Lagasse invented for kids, called Baby Bam. Directions follow the spaghetti recipe.

Every recipe in Emeril's book includes a list of the tools needed. In this case, you'll need measuring cups and spoons, cutting board, knife, grater, garlic press, 2ý quart saucepan, oven mitts or pot holders, colander, medium skillet, large mixing bowl, wire whisk, 2-quart casserole dish and a fork.

The preparation of this recipe involves boiling water, frying and baking in the oven, so it's best for children 10 or older. Younger kids can keep track of the timer, help wash dishes, place tools in position and serve as tasters. They can also help toss together a fresh salad and make a side dish: split a loaf of French bread in half lengthwise, generously butter (with or without garlic), sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, wrap in foil and place in oven alongside spaghetti pie for the last 10 minutes of cooking and while spaghetti pie rests for five minutes.

In typical Emeril style, the chef suggests that you use whatever grated cheese you like; he has chosen mozzarella, but you could use jack or even cheddar or gouda.

My-Oh-My Spaghetti Pie

• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups broccoli, cut into small florets
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Baby Bam
• 1 teaspoon parsley (dried or freshly minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 8 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 3 cups cooked spaghetti
• 1 heaping cup grated mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

Make sure the oven rack is in the center position and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the broccoli and cook for 3 minutes until the vegetable is slightly cooked and bright green. This is called blanching.

Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the saucepan from the heat and drain the broccoli in a colander set in the sink, pouring away from you. Rinse under cold running water. Set aside to drain.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, 1 teaspoon of the Baby Bam, the parsley, basil, 1/4 teaspoon of the remaining salt, the pepper and ground meat and cook, stirring until the onions start to turn brown and the meat is no longer pink (that means it's cooked through), about 8 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, the remaining Baby Bam and the remaining salt. Add the Parmesan cheese and whisk well.

Spread the cooked spaghetti in a casserole dish. Pour the meat mixture over the spaghetti and toss with a fork to combine. Place the broccoli on top of the spaghetti. Pour the egg mixture over the spaghetti. Sprinkle the spaghetti evenly with the mozzarella cheese and bake it in the oven until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the casserole dish from the oven and let it rest and firm for

5 minutes before serving.

* Young cooks may need help taking the hot skillet from the stove, and removing the casserole from the oven.

Baby Bam

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Store in airtight container for up to 3 months.