Playful recipes celebrate Dr. Seuss' 100th birthday

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Reading is fun and eating can be fun, too, and when the two coincide over the dinner table, children are very well served.

That's the message from the Block Institute, where staff have worked out a playful menu to coincide with national celebrations on Tuesday of the 100th birthday of Dr. Seuss (1904-1991), beloved writer and illustrator of children's books.

The National Education Association's Read Across America program culminates each year on or near the March 2 birthday, which this year they call a "Seussentennial."

The Block Institute's suggested Reading Day menu (with apologies to Dr. Seuss):

• One Fish Two Fish Red and Blue Fish ("One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish," colored baked fish, recipe follows).
• Sylvester McMonkey McBeans, ("The Sneetches and Other Stories," mixed bean casserole, recipe follows).
• Sizzling hot pebbles that fell from the moon ("If I Ran the Circus," eaten by Foon, falafel, fried chickpea balls).
• Assorted greens and other things (none of which will have a wing — garden salad).
• Cat in The Hat Cookies ("The Cat in the Hat," top hat-shaped sugar cookies iced in red and white stripes, recipe follows).
• The Pink Ink that the Yink Drinks ("One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish," pink lemonade).

The Block Institute is a not-for-profit, nonsectarian agency that serves developmentally delayed children and adults. Reading is important to child development, says Dr. Scott L. Barkin, the institute's chief executive, and so is making it fun and sharing it at home, including at the dinner table.

Because families served by the institute are often diagnosed with food allergies and sensitivities, which may affect their developmental progress, the following recipes include modifications for dairy, wheat-gluten and egg allergies or sensitivities.

Note: In recipes where margarine is mentioned as an ingredient, butter may be substituted.

Red Fish Blue Fish

• 1 pound mild white fish fillets (such as flounder, cod or pollock)
• Pinch garlic power
• Pinch dried basil
• Pinch white pepper
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine (for nondairy)
• Red food-coloring drops
• Blue food-coloring drops

Preheat broiler or oven to 350 F.

Rinse and pat dry fillets. Place skin side down on baking or broiling pan. Sprinkle fillets with garlic, basil and pepper. In small saucepan, melt butter or margarine with pineapple juice. Divide between two small dishes. To one dish add red food coloring to desired intensity. To the other dish add blue food coloring to desired intensity. Baste one-half fillets red, and baste remaining fillets blue.

Broil until done, or bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until no longer "milky."

Makes 4 servings.

Sylvester McMonkey McBeans

• 1/2 cup dried lentils
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 cup dried split peas
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup cut green beans, drained
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 cup canned lima beans, drained
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, cut in small cubes
• 1 cup canned red kidney beans, drained
• 1/2 pound white American cheese
• (grated)
• 1 small onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place lentils and split peas in a soup pot and cover with 4 cups water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until beans are soft. Drain completely and set aside. Mix green beans, lima beans and kidney beans in a large bowl. Add chopped onions and toss to mix. Add lentils and split peas and toss to mix. Add garlic, cumin, pepper and butter and toss to mix.

In separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup cheese and bread crumbs. Add remaining cheese to beans and toss to mix. Place mixture into casserole dish. Sprinkle cheese and crumb mixture over top of casserole. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until top crust is golden brown.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

For dairy-free version: Use dairy-free margarine.

For gluten-free version: Use rice bread, toasted and ground up to make gluten-free bread crumbs.

Cat in the Hat Sugar Cookies

• 1/2 cup margarine, chilled
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Vanilla or Cookie Icing (recipes follow)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream margarine and 1 cup sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in separate bowl and set aside. Gradually add dry ingredients to sugar mixture, stirring until dough forms. Wrap in wax paper. Chill or freeze until firm.

Roll small portions of dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut using hat-shaped cookie cutters, or similar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on rack. Decorate with wide stripes white and red-colored icing.

Makes 5 dozen cookies.

For dairy free version: Use dairy-free margarine.

For wheat-free version: Substitute 1 3/4 cups sweet rice flour and 1/2 cup tapioca flour for all-purpose flour.

For egg-free version: Substitute 3 teaspoons powdered egg replacer mixed with 1/4 cup water for eggs.

Cookie Icing

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• Red food coloring

Mix confectioners' sugar with water until smooth. Divide in half; use red dye to color one half to desired shade.

No substitutions needed for dairy, wheat or eggs.

Recipes developed by Todd Adelman and Jodi Behrend, Block Institute, Brooklyn, N.Y.