In Emeril's home kitchen, cooking is a family affair

By Samantha Critchell
Associated Press

"There is an anchor to food. It's finally the end of the day, and the reward is the meal. Even when pets — horses, dogs — are at the end of the chore, they get a treat," he says with a laugh.

After working all day (either in one of his nine restaurants or on the set of his Food Network TV show), Lagasse says it's a real treat to come home and prepare dinner for his wife and year-old son. It's their time to connect — often over a soup with tiny pieces of chicken and vegetables.

"My whole big push this year — on my TV show, too — is I'm trying to get families together at the table. It's a great place to open up, to get to know each other, and it also stops kids from eating crap," he says.

Lagasse says he's already encouraging his son to expand his palate beyond strained peas and mashed bananas; one of his favorite breakfasts is watermelon and eggs!

"When I was growing up, my brother didn't eat onions or bell peppers. Everything my mom cooked had bell peppers and onion. I remember her making a pot of food for the family and a smaller pot for my brother," Lagasse recalls.

"But I think if you involve the family in deciding what we're all going to eat together, it will be easier. Have a family conversation about 'What does everyone want?' Learn to compromise and how to make a family decision."

Or pick up Lagasse's new cookbook "Emeril's There's a Chef in My Family: Recipes to Get Everybody Cooking" (HarperCollins), where you'll find instructions for Scoop-it-up Spinach Dip and Fettuccine Alfredo My Way (which means with peas).

There was a very conscious effort to choose recipes that have jobs for all family members, don't take too long to prepare and can often be made in advance, Lagasse explains. Many dishes, though, feature less-common ingredients, such as the plantains in the Mambo Rice Lasagna and whole artichokes.

"We all get into this comfort zone where we have five dishes that we cook well and we never diverge. Sooner or later, these dishes become 'same old, same old' and people get bored," he says. "I say explore the world: Take a hamburger, add salsa and guacamole, and have a Mexican night, or serve it with mozzarella on focaccia and you have a little bit of Italy."

It's usually not the kids who are hesitant to new flavors, he adds. "You'd be surprised what kids like to eat — like hummus. The recipes in book came from kids' ideas. I'm amazed at what kids know about food."

The idea of serving cream sauces and burgers to children might initially throw up some red flags to parents worried about weight, but Lagasse says fast foods and snacks with chemical flavorings and preservatives are a much bigger problem when it comes to child obesity.

In his book, Lagasse says this creamy dip is his favorite way to eat spinach.

He's generally not bothered by the use of rich ingredients when making meals of fresh foods — again, these are far outweighed by the highly processed foods that are the alternative.

Scoop-it-up Spinach Dip

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach, washed and stems removed, or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 1/4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Baby Bam (recipe follows)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1/4 cup grated Monterey jack or pecorino Romano cheese
• Tortilla chips, or other chips of choice, for dipping

If using fresh spinach, bring a large saucepan filled with water to a rolling boil. Add the spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or just until spinach wilts and water returns to a boil. Using over mitts or pot holders, remove from the heat and strain the spinach in a colander set in the sink. Rinse under cold running water until cool.

If using frozen spinach, let the spinach thaw and drain in a colander set in the sink. Using your hands, squeeze the spinach to remove as much liquid as possible. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of spinach.

Place spinach on a cutting board and chop finely. Set aside.

In a heavy medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not allow garlic to brown.

Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture is a light-blond color, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Whisk in the heavy cream and milk, little by little, until the mixture is smooth. Continue to cook until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 2 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, Baby Bam and salt, and stir to combine well.

Remove from the heat. Add the sour cream, chopped spinach and cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted.

Serve immediately, with tortilla chips or other dipping chips of choice.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups, enough to serve 4 to 6 people.

This is a milder, kid-friendly version of Emeril's famed seasoning mixture.

Baby Bam Seasoning

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons 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

Place all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir well to combine, using a wooden spoon. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.