Want to write your own blog? It’s easy and lots of fun!

For more info about the DooF Kids’ Food Blogging program, click here!

What’s a wokapalooza? A wokapalooza is when everyone gets together and people cook food like rice, noodles, vegetables, meats, shrimp and various other things in woks. There are a LOT of woks involved!

Let’s talk about woks. A wok is an Asian pan that’s kind of like a big frying pan except it has a really wide bowl shape. The sides are not steep at all. We made a lot of different kinds of food in the woks.

One thing all the dishes had in common was they were all chopped up first. There were knives everywhere!

The art of carving vegetables is really fun!

(A NOTE ABOUT KNIVES FROM ZEBOT PLANET-DOOF:

Remember, kids and zebras should NEVER experiment with knives unless they’re working with a parent or other responsible, kitchen-savvy adult — Charlotte and I had the help of lots of expert adults, including professional chefs!)

I tried experimenting with different kinds of knives. Just for fun, I carved a kitty out of a carrot. It was never used as a garnish. I just felt like carving something, so I did.

Our friend Thy brought different knives from different places: China, Vietnam and a really light one with a weird handle that I think was from France.

Check out all the cool cuts you can make with a cleaver!

What’s a good knife? That depends what you want to do. For instance, chopping vegetables or cutting meat or slicing toast is really different from carving a kitty out of a carrot. Knives are actually very specialized: there are knives for doing specific kinds of cutting jobs.

Green bamboo is so hard you need a saw to cut through it!

Ken and Thy actually used a big saw to cut green bamboo stalks. I think the bamboo stalks were my favorite thing at Wokapalooza, even through they were not cooked in woks. We put rice and coconut milk into fresh bamboo stalks, then roasted them in Andrew’s outdoor fireplace.

Thy and Steve filled the hollow bamboo tubes with rice and coconut milk.

There were different types of rice: white rice and black rice (but it was really purple). Want to know a weird thing about rice? I tasted the white rice and black rice before they were steamed and they tasted pretty much the same. But I could tell which was which after they were cooked.

Here are the bamboo tubes roasting in the fireplace -- it takes awhile for them to cook.

To me, the black rice had a darker taste. Of course, that could just be how I think of it. What you think can definitely have an effect on how things taste.

I’ve heard of experiments where they dyed sugar orange and purple, but it was all the same sugar. Still, people actually thought there was a difference in flavor, though.

So this brings me back to the rice. If you have preconceived notions about a food (like rice) and you think you won’t like it, it’s very doubtful that you will that food, because you’ve convinced yourself you won’t. My advice: don’t judge something until you’ve actually tried it.

I really wanted to know about the flavors of the rice and if they changed during cooking, so I asked Thy. She said the heat changes the taste and that heat can affect different kinds of rice differently. That makes sense to me. She also said that bamboo molecules might have been going into the rice. Heat makes molecules move around a lot faster, so that make sense.

I bet if we ate the bamboo stalks the bamboo might have a little of a ricey taste. But we probably wouldn’t notice it. But we probably wouldn’t be able to eat the bamboo in the first place so why does it matter? It’s funny to think about anyway!

Oh, and one other thing I learned about bamboo: the bamboo stalks can be really good cups! My mom told me about them, then I tried it. We drank lemonade out the bamboo cups ­ it was really fun.

Here's to you, bamboo (and Mom)!

Another thing I liked doing at Wokapalooza was kneading the dough for homemade noodles. Some people think it’s really hard work, but to me it’s relaxing. You get into the rhythm and your mind kind of wanders.

Sometimes I just need to knead -- it's really relaxing!

I thought it was weird that when I was done kneading, my hands were floury and had dough on them, but the stone counter surface I had been kneading on was totally clean. I mean: how does that happen?

How did we cook the noodles? Well, they were boiled for a minute or so, then added them to a super-hot wok. First, they cooked chicken and shrimp with cabbage, chiles, garlic, soy. It was a bit spicy for me, but I liked it.

I wish I had asked our friend Elaine for noodles BEFORE they had all the spices on them!

Here’s a weird thing about spicy foods: I’m fine with jalapenos and I’m fine with wasabi. But when I eat food with red chile peppers, I’m like “hot, hot, hot – waaaaay too spicy!”

I wish I understood more about how taste happens. Jalapenos and wasabi are just a good tingly sensation (as long as they stays on my tongue and not in my eyes). But even regular black pepper is too hot. Weird.

Andrew makes Southeast Asian coconut-rice pancakes (kanom krok) -- but not in a wok!

One last thing: dessert!

A really cool dessert was coconut-rice pancakes, which Andrew made out of rice flour, rice and coconut milk. The pancakes were cooked in a special griddle with round hollows in it so Andrew could make ball shapes.

He said we were having them for the party because people eat them as street food in Southeast Asia (where people use woks, but these pancakes are not cooked in them).

The pancakes were crispy on the outside, sort of like a marshmallow when you toast it perfectly and don’t burn it. The insides were soft and creamy. At the center were some green onions. I think the centers should have had mangos though. Then they’d really be amazing.

Want to try a coconut-rice pancake? Watch out -- they're HOT!

The dessert I enjoyed most was mango with sticky rice. Thy said people eat a lot mangos in Southeast Asia, so that’s why they were part of this party.

Mango is one of my favorite things. Even more than and I like lemon a lot. My brother thinks that’s weird. When I talk about how great lemons are, he just looks at me like “Are you okay????” I can be really obsessive about lemon. But mangos are even better.

Mangos are the ultimate end to the ultimate wokapalooza — even though they have nothing to do with woks!

Mangos make me feel fantastic (and very colorful)!

If you’d like to meet our friend Thy Tran, check out her super-cool blog, Wandering Spoon — and  for some of the world’s best wok recipes, visit the amazing website  of  our friend (and stirfry guru) Grace Young!

What happens when you get cool kids and DooFy zebras into the kitchen for a dynamite day of gumbo-making and food blogging? Let’s find out!

Want to make food more fun than ever? Try blogging about it!

Go for the gumbo!

by Ashleigh, age 12

Today, we’re making gumbo. I’ve never had it before. It sounds okay, but I think the name is funny. Mrs. C said it comes from an African word for a vegetable I’ve never tried: okra. That sounds funny too!

I’ve been cooking since I was eight. The first thing I cooked was scrambled eggs. My older brothers taught me because they said that’s the easiest thing to learn.

The coolest thing is how eggs change. When you first crack an egg into the pan, it just looks like a regular egg inside. Then the white of it turns kind of yellow and the texture goes from slimy to normal and then it turns into scrambled eggs. That’s why cooking is magic!

Zebras need onion protection gear -- but I am INVINCIBLE!

I know how to be cool in the kitchen -- even when the heat is on!

by Logan, age 11

First of all,  I am invincible. I say that because when I rub my eyes after I cut onions I don’t tear up.  When we made gumbo, I chopped onions with no goggles. That makes me feel INVINCIBLE!

ZeBot and his DooFy cousin ZakBot gear up for onion chopping!

If zebras can cut up onions and write about food, just think what cool kids can do!

by Ninja Monkey (aka Joey), age 11

We cut up meat and we diced onions. I started crying so much because every time I cut up onions I cry. Even though I put on onion goggles, I still cried, but I kept chopping till I was done. Then I cut up celery into bite-sized pieces.

Now I’m watching my friend Clarence play cooking games online which is not as good as real cooking, but it can teach you recipes.

And then you can cook more food and be a great chef if you want.

Zebras go gaga for gumbo -- and loco for hot sauce!

It's getting hot in here!

by Tati, age 13

We’re cooking chicken for our Gumbo Ya Ya right now. We had to cut it into one-inch pieces. Our cooking teacher Mrs. C. told us to measure by putting two fingers over the meat and then cut carefully with a knife. That will make a one-inch piece.

Then we had to take a paper bag and put flour in it, then put in the chicken and we shook it up. Now we’re frying the chicken. It’s on the fire right now. It sounds sizzly – and that’s a good thing.

Speaking of sizzling: I was feeding hot sauce to ZeBot. He went loco!

ZeBot dared me to drink a spoonful of hot sauce. And I went gaga!

P.S. I also made a  smoothie out of blueberries, strawberries, peaches and orange juice. It was really good.

Making gumbo is one great way to make a great chef!

by Clarence, age 12

I first learned to cook when I turned ten. The first thing I remember cooking was goulash. It had noodles, sauce and hamburger. It had a really good flavor, it wasn’t clummy or mushy – the texture was just right. It wasn’t watery either. It was just thick enough. It wasn’t real nasty, just real good. It really had this great flavor of tomato, garlic and cheese.

I like cooking and playing cooking games online. I will be a great chef someday!

Holding a knife with hooves can be tricky -- but practice makes perfect!

Learn to cook -- you'll love it!

by Ella, age 12

My job to do with gumbo (which sounds like jumbo) is to cut up the meat (chicken and sausage). I like cutting things because it gives me the confidence to be a professional cook or make great food when I have any children or a family.

It’s so cool feeling all the slimy chicken. Sometimes it can be really gross touching the raw meat, but I like it. So if you have any cooking classes in your school, I would consider registering in it!

At first I felt scared using the knife, because I was afraid it would cut me. But now I feel confident in cutting because Mrs. C taught me how to cut. And now I know I won’t get cut!

Frozen fruit smoothies are so COOL!

 by Jaylin, age 11

I’m taking this cooking class because I want to learn how to cook. Because when I get older I’ll need to know how to cook. Also, I think cooking is fun.

Right now we’re having fruit smoothies that some other kids in our class made. It’s good: it feels cold and smooth in my mouth.

We just had some gumbo, and it had meat and vegetables and rice. It was okay. I would have rather had just gumbo without rice. I don’t really like brown rice, but I like yellow rice. Maybe I’ll make it with that next time. I had a good time!

Let's stir up some fun!

Kendra know how to serve up gumbo in style!

by Aleema, age 12 and Jada, age 11

Stirring gumbo is fun! It was delicious. (Actually, we haven’t tried it yet, but it smells delicious.)

Zebras love homemade gumbo -- and so do we!

Yikes: this is hot, hot, HOT -- and we love it!

by Cheryce, age 12

Today we did Gumbo Ya Ya, I helped cook the Okra. I did not help cook the Gumbo part with the meats and vegetables, but I know everything will turn out good.

Ever since I started this cooking class, I loved the healthy and delicious foods. I like learning skills every Tuesday! Cooking is a great hobby for everyone. I encourage you try it!

As much fun to say as it is to make: GUMBO YA YA!

by Marilyn age 13

I have always wanted to make jambalaya. I have never tried it but found out it about from a movie I watched called Princess and the Frog. I don’t really know what it is but it looked really good. I’ve always wanted to go to New Orleans and go to the Mardis Gras just like in the Princess and the Frog.

Today we’re making Gumbo Ya Ya which sounds like jambalaya. I hope it tastes almost like jambalaya so I can try something new.

P.S. Hey, I just found out that Ya Ya is almost like saying wahoo!!!!! It means a party. So Gumbo Ya Ya means gumbo party!

My whole family goes bananas when I bake my special bread for them!

by Nadjah, age 12

My parents always tell me that I have to learn how to cook. And now I’m in a cooking class and I bring home all kinds of recipes. One time I made banana bread for my family. They really liked it and they always want to me make it over and over again. It makes me feel really proud of myself. And now my parents DO know I can cook!

PS: Now I can make great gumbo, too!

There's nothing like a kitchen from a zebra's-eye view (and ZeBot's riding high)!

Young Chefs' rules of cooking: written by kids, for kids!

by ZeBot and his DooFy cousin ZakBot

Being a zebra is fun, but it can be challenging to cook when you’re all hooves. But thanks to Mrs. C and her super-cool kids’ cooking club, we’re learning to be master chefs!

Food blogging is a blast!

Want to write your own blog? It’s easy and lots of fun!

For more info about the DooF Kids’ Food Blogging program, click here!

The amazing arts of food: cooking, eating, writing, taking fun photos -- and sharing!

Related posts:

1. At Nonni’s Table: Homemade Meatballs
2. Wonderful Homemade Wontons
3. Awesome Quesadillas 101

We like cooking because when you want to make a snack or any food for your family for any holidays or special days or just regular days, you know how to make it. You can do it all yourself.

We know how to make a lot of great things because our grandma taught us how. We can make rice, beans, chicken, macaroni and cheese and the most amazing salad.

Our grandma taught us how to make everything, actually. She’s a really good cook! We made a very great salad in our cooking class today and ZeBot the zebra helped us. It had a lot of stuff in it.

Chopping is fun once you learn how to do it!

Making salad is super fun because we like chopping things up. Today we learned more about using a knife and making pieces all the same size. Very good cooking teachers taught us!

We also like figuring out how things work and why they do it. When we make our salad today, we found out that when you make salad dressing you can mix oil and vinegar so they go together or stay apart. The right way is so it goes together. Then it is called a “vinaigrette.” This  is a French word  for salad dressing.

Vinegar + lemon juice + oil + herbs + spices = Yummy salad dressing

We think food tastes better if it’s pretty. We tried to figure out what made our salad pretty and at first it was a mystery. Then we looked some more.

Zebot loves the salad we made. And so do we!

We decided that a lot of colors make food look pretty when it’s on a plate. Our salad had a LOT of colors. It had green, red, purple, yellow and orange. ZeBot ate the whole bowl because it was pretty AND delicious.

We can't believe we ate the whole thing (with ZeBot's help)!

Another thing we made smoothies. You could put in anything you want. We put in peanut butter, banana and cinnamon. It was really delicious.

The way you make smoothies smooth is to put them in the blender.

For dessert, we tried our friend Joanna’s Awesome Apples and they really were awesome. She made them be creamy and crunchy with apple slices dipped in peanut butter, then covered with sunflower seeds. Yum!

Joanna's apple snacks were the most awesome ones ever!

ZeBot asked Joanna how she got to be a good cook even though she is a kid. She said it is just practice. And it helps if you like food.

Joanna also said a zebra should learn to cook because then it’s easy for him to make healthy stuff that tastes really good. He can also cook for his whole family of zebras and his friends.

Joanna gave ZeBot lots of good advice for cooking!

We think so too! How about if everyone gets cooking RIGHT NOW!!!!!!

Want to write your own blog? It’s easy and lots of fun!

For more info about the DooF Kids’ Food Blogging program, click here!

This is us with ZeBot and our friend LMB who is also Y-SpaceAlien!

Related posts:

1. Awesome Quesadillas 101
2. Super-Fun Stir Fry!
3. Lebanese Potato Salad

By Gia, age 5

(I said the words and had a grown-up write them down because I don’t know how to do that yet).

I love to cook. My mom and dad cook all the time and teach me everything they know. I know how to make pasta, pizza and raviolis. When I grow up, I am going to cook all the things I like any time I want.

Cooking is fun. It makes me happy because I get to eat food I made myself. Just like a grown-up. I also like it because I get to choose what I want to cook.

So when I had a cooking party with my friends at Chow Bella Kids, I chose to make chicken pie in a flower pot because it sounded so funny. And because I love spring.  And it was something I never made before. It was also fun because ZeBot the zebra helped us cook!

The first thing you have to do is get out all the things you need.

We had a lot of fun and everyone got to put what they wanted in their flower pots. We put our own filling inside the pots with chicken, peas and carrots.

It was really fun making these pot pies with my friends. Best of all it tastes great!

Chow Bella Kids‘ Recipe for Chicken Flower Pot Pie

Terra Cotta pots should be cleaned and soaked in cold water for 10-20 minutes before use

This recipe makes 8 small pots of homemade chicken potpie.

Ingredients

• 2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed

• 2 cup sliced carrots

• 2 cup frozen green peas

• 2 cups diced potatoes

• 1 cup sliced celery

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

•1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed

• 3  cups chicken broth

• 1 1/2 cups milk

• 4 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, potatoes and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

3. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Place a small circle of foil on the bottom of the terra  cotta pots,  place a portion of the cooked chicken in each, followed by a portion of the carrots, peas, potatoes and celery. Pour the thickened sauce over each mixture and insert half a rosemary sprig in each. Cover the pots, and place them in the refrigerator.

5. On a cool floured surface, roll the pastry out to form a rectangle 1/4 inch thick. Cut it into 8 circles.

6.  Set a pastry circle on top of each pot, draping the excess dough over the sides and pressing around the outside to seal. Trim the dough.

7. Transfer the pots to the oven, and bake until the pastry is puffed and well browned, 20 minutes. Serve immediately, in the pots.

Kid Tips: Pot Pie recipe requires adult preparation. The fun starts for the kids after step 3. Help each child line their pot pie with parchment paper. Then let them fill their pot with the ingredients of their choice.

Want to write your own blog? It’s easy and lots of fun!

For more info about the DooF Kids’ Food Blogging program, click here!

Related posts:

1. Apricot Glazed Chicken Breasts
2. Yummy Chicken Apple Bites

Today was the first day at the Chow Bella Kids cooking camp called “At Nonni’s Table.” Nonni means grandma in Italian. We made lots of great foods from fantastic recipes. But you don’t need your grandma to make them if you know how to do it yourself!

My favorite was the homemade meatballs because they really tasted like home!

I love learning to cook dishes that my mom makes for me at home, and that I can cook for my own kids some day. Plus, the meatballs and sauce smell so good when they’re cooking.

We made ours when it was kind of cold and windy outside. The combination of homemade meatballs, tomato sauce and lots of noodles made me feel really cozy inside.

Before you start cooking, always read the recipe!

When you cook, you want to try to make your food as healthy as possible without tasting gross.

We never made these before, so we measured carefully.

Our meatballs were healthy AND great-tasting because we made them with ground turkey and lean beef, plus eggs, water, minced onions, herbs and bread crumbs.

Here's what our ingredients looked like before we mixed them up.

And here's what they looked like all rolled into balls. Mixing and rolling is a blast!

And the tomato sauce is good for you because it has lots of lycopene, Vitamin C and other healthy stuff.

This simple recipe is great for kids and adults, too.

Everyone in your whole family will want seconds. I guarantee it!

Here's our marinara sauce. Can't you just smell the tomatoes, onions and garlic?

Recipe: Meatballs to Put In Marinara Sauce

Note: If you are a younger kid, you will need an adult’s help with the oven. But you can do all the mixing and rolling yourself!

 What you need:

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef

• 1/2 pound ground turkey

• 1 egg

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1/2 cup bread crumbs

• 3 tablespoons minced onion

What you need to know:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, water, bread crumbs, and minced onion. Roll into small meatballs.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once.

4. Add to marinara sauce, heat through and serve over pasta

5. Enjoy your homemade supper!

Want to write your own blog? It’s easy and lots of fun!

For more info about the DooF Kids’ Food Blogging program, click here!

Related posts:

1. Homemade Gumbo Ya Ya!
2. Wonderful Homemade Wontons
3. Super Salad & Awesome Apples

If you’re a Planet Earth kid, you’ve probably heard of baloney. But have you ever heard of abalone?

ZeBot and I just found out about it recently, when we were invited to go on a private tour of a Bay Area aquafarm with a few buddies from the San Francisco Professional Food Society.

This is the sign on the docks that pointed us toward our adventure.

Our adventure starts down on the docks at Half Moon Bay’s historic Pillar Point Harbor, where Google Executive Chef Olivia Wu and California Abalone Company owner Doug Hayes team up to explain the ABCs of abalone (you say it “a-baloney”) – from farm to table.

Meet our friends Olivia and Doug!

Olivia says Doug’s abalone farm is “sustainable aquaculture at its best. This is as fresh and local as you can get – and a true labor of love.”

“What I’m doing is so labor-intensive that you might question whether it’s worth it,” Doug admits. “But this is probably the only way people will be able to enjoy abalone in the future.”

Why does he say that? Well, wild abalone (a kind of shellfish known as mollusks) have become very rare –the Monterey Bay Aquarium calls them a “recovering population”.

Doug cares a LOT about sustainably farmed abalone -- and do ZeBot and I!

That’s why Doug decided to start an aquafarm where he could raise abalone sustainably, so that the wild population can keep on recovering.

At the farm in Pillar Point Harbor, only the best is good enough for Doug’s abalone. Every Saturday, he drives down to Monterey to harvest a ton of kelp in the three tasty varieties that make up the mollusks’ favorite menu, then hauls the fresh seaweed out to the farm to feed his gang of shellfish.

The smallest abalone are about as big as a nickel – and will take up to 14 years to reach the largest size that Doug sells off his boat (the “medium” ones are about nine years old).

Introducing: the abalone! Aren't they cool-looking?

When you’re buying something as rare and valuable as abalone, you want to make sure to prepare it properly – so Doug and Olivia provide all the details.

“In the Asian cooking tradition, abalone is sliced very thinly, stir-fried, poached or steamed,” Olivia tells us.

“You want to keep it really simple so you don’t overpower the abalone’s delicate flavor,” Doug adds.

ZeBot and I figure that, when it comes to cooking, simple is always good. We’re still working on the basics, so easy recipes are the ones we go for.

This is the fishing trawler "Irene," sailing the seas since the 1920s!

After we’ve been clued in on the how-tos, Jim Anderson of the Half Moon Bay Fishermen’s Association makes a surprise announcement: he’s arranged for a super-cool vintage 1920s fishing trawler to take us out to the underwater farm for a close-up look.

Ahoy, sailor! (Did you know that zebras were such nautical naturals?)

ZeBot was co-captain of the Irene while we motored out to the farm -- he did a great job!

The aquafarm is just inside the harbor breakwater, where water conditions are perfect for abalone.

We cruise by the 3000 square foot platform that marks the top of the farm – and use our imaginations to envision the cages deep underneath the water. Each cage is as big as a car – and home to hundreds of happy abalone.

You can just see the top of the abalone farm here -- the car-sized cages are underwater.

Another cool thing we learn about while we’re on the boat: besides being good to eat (and good for you because they’re high in protein and low in fat), abalone have beautiful shells.

On the way back to the dock, our new friend Tom (who also owns an abalone company) shows us some of his amazing examples of magical, multicolored shells.

Abalone shells are some of nature's amazing works of art!

When we get back from our voyage, we head over to the nearby Maverick’s Event Center for more briny seaside fun.

There's something so exciting about being out on a boat....

Gaston Alfaro, Executive Chef at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, shares his secrets for prepping, cooking and serving abalone meuniere. Chef Gaston dips the abalone in a little flour and egg, then fries it quickly in butter.

ZeBot and I learned lots of great kitchen tricks from our buddy Chef Gaston.

I’m trying to learn everything I can about Planet Earth food, so I’m anxious to try a tender, golden piece of Chef Gaston’s abalone. ZeBot doesn’t taste the abalone (he’s a vegan zebra who just eats fruits and vegetables and things like that), but he says it looks really interesting.

Here's Chef Gaston's abalone meuniere -- doesn't it look yummy?

What does abalone taste like? Well, not at all like baloney, but it’s really good. To me, the shellfish tastes very light and delicate, with a rich, buttery goodness that blends beautifully with faraway flavors of the sea.

Chef Gaston also made me an ahi (tuna) salad -- it was awesome!

So does this make you hungry for your own home-cooked abalone? If you find yourself near Half Moon Bay, just stop by Doug’s boat at slip F-22 in Pillar Point Harbor – he’s there most weekends from 11 am-4 pm (depending on the weather and his mood). If you see him, be sure to say hi from Y and ZeBot!

Stay tuned for more exciting adventures (you won't believe what ZeBot's up to next)!

If you’re hungry for info about Planet DooF and ZeBot‘s Planet Earth mission with Y-SpaceAlien and our favorite food-loving kids,  just click here (you’ll be glad you did). 

And stay tuned for more adventures — see you soon!

Abalone Meuniere Photo Credit: Teri Lyshorn

All Other Photos and Text: Intergalactic © 2012 Laura Martin Bacon

Related posts:

1. DooFy Mission: ZeBot!
2. ZeBot’s Silly Spring Rolls!
3. SoFAB Encounters of the Vintage Kind

by Y-SpaceAlien and ZeBot Planet-DooF

Wishing you “Gong Xi Fa Cai” – good health, happiness and prosperity in the Year of the Dragon! Where did we learn how to say that? Well, a couple of weeks ago, ZeBot and I were special DooFian guests at a Chinese New Year’s party for the San Francisco Professional Food Society.

ZeBot and I felt very honored to be invited to a banquet with all the grown-up chefs, bakers and other culinary pros from the San Francisco Professional Food Society!

Every year, the Chinese New Year falls between mid-January and late-February on the Western (solar) calendar. Chinese festivals are dated according to a lunar calendar, which means they’re based on phases of the moon. This year, New Year’s celebrations started in late January (during the new moon) and ended during the recent full moon with a special Lantern Festival.

Chinese New Year celebrations end with the Lantern Festival on the night of the full moon. (Photo credit: Reuters)

ZeBot and I found out that the New Year is also known as the “Spring Festival.” It marks the end of winter and the return of springtime. A new farming year will start soon – but first comes the festival!   Chinese festivals are times for families, friends and communities to get together for fun and feasting. One of the things everyone loves most is great food – especially foods that have special meanings.

ZeBot thinks bright orange tangerines are a juicy way to say "Good Luck!"

For example, dishes that are gold and red are favorites because Chinese traditions say they’re the luckiest colors. And if you’re visiting someone’s home, you might want to bring a bag of oranges or tangerines as a lucky gift.

Do you feel lucky? ZeBot does!

Another cool tradition is that grown-ups give red envelopes of “lucky money” to kids (and space aliens and zebras). At the Chinese New Year’s banquet we went to, ZeBot and I got colorful packets of lucky candy!

Fresh, colorful spring rolls are perfect for the Spring Festival!

ZeBot had a blast learning how to make spring rolls with his friend Laura.

Other fun festival  foods? Long noodles are eaten as a wish for a long life (plus, they’re super fun to eat, which ZeBot and I think helps everyone live happily ever after). Spring rolls or chunjuan (pronounced “chu-en-juan”) are usually eaten as snacks or part of a meal. Chun means spring, so spring rolls are especially good to eat for the Spring Festival.

In China, everyone in the family gets to help make steamed dumplings -- even zebras!

Bite-sized steamed dumplings, known in Chinese as jiaozi (you pronounce it “gee-ow-dze”),  are another traditional food that families like to make together. Everyone – including kids – shares in the fun teamwork of making them. (If you’d like to try making your own version of Chinese dumplings, here’s an easy won ton recipe that’s a yummy specialty of some of our favorite DooFy kids.)

Making Chinese dumplings called wontons is a ton of fun!

ZeBot says these wontons look won(ton)derful!

At the New Year, people like to use firecrackers to welcome the coming year and encourage the dragon to dance. The Chinese actually invented gunpowder a long time ago – but not for battles. They created it to make firecrackers for special occasions – the super-loud noise lets the whole world know there’s a celebration going on.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, ZeBot is a Dog (even though he's a zebra)!

ZeBot and I didn’t set off firecrackers – but we did welcome the Year of the Dragon by checking the Chinese zodiac. This is like a Western horoscope that tells you things about yourself, depending on what year you were born.

For example, if you’re a Planet Earth kid born in 2000 or 2012 , then you’re a Dragon. ZeBot and I splashed down on Planet Earth in 2011, so we’re Dogs! For more info, check out this link!

ZeBot and I love going to the library to do research -- we feel like food detectives!

Celebrating the Chinese New Year was a great introduction to the country’s special foods and traditions. To learn more, ZeBot and I went to one of our favorite libraries, where our super-smart librarian buddies Leslie and Naomi helped us find some cool books on Chinese cuisine (that means cooking style) and culture.

Here are a couple of the books we read:

Find Out About China by Zheng Quing

Chinese Festivals Cookbook by Stuart Thompson

ZeBot loves researching food traditions with our DooFy friend Sarah!

We also started learning how to make fun, healthy Chinese dinners from our cooking teacher friends, Sheila and Elaine.

ZeBot learned how to make a stir fry from our cooking teacher buddy, Sheila Crye.

If you’d like to grab a food-loving adult and make a colorful stir fry at home, try this recipe from Elaine at Chow Bella Kids.

In the meantime (this is so fun to say that ZeBot and I have to say it again):

Wishing you “Gong Xi Fa Cai” – good health, happiness and prosperity in the Year of the Dragon!

ZeBot and Luke learned how to make a sizzling stir fry at Chow Bella Kids!

If you’re hungry for info about Planet DooF and ZeBot‘s Planet Earth mission with Y-SpaceAlien and our favorite food-loving kids,  just click here (you’ll be glad you did). 

And stay tuned for more adventures — see you soon!

Lantern Festival Photo Credit: Reuters

All Other Photos and Text: Intergalactic © 2011 Laura Martin Bacon

Special thanks to:

The San Francisco Professional Food Society for a wonderful Chinese New Year celebration. For info about membership, please click here.

Leslie and Naomi at the Captiva Memorial Library for their kind assistance with space alien/zebra research.

Related posts:

1. DooFy Mission: ZeBot!
2. ZeBot’s Silly Spring Rolls!
3. SoFAB Encounters of the Vintage Kind

I love eating colors so I was really excited to make a stir fry. This is a Chinese way of cooking and stirring foods really fast so they keep their colors.

I learned how to make a stir fry at Chow Bella Kids cooking school. It’s really fun and tastes great and looks cool with all the bright colors of different foods. Plus, we got to make ours with ZeBot the zebra from Planet DooF!

My cooking teacher Mrs. Smit says you can use whatever vegetables you really like or whatever you have in your refrigerator. You can also include meat.  We used beef.

The way you add flavor is with soy sauce. This is a brown liquid made from soy beans which is not as gross as it sounds. In fact it’s really good! You also add honey. This is one of my favorite foods because I like sweet tastes.

You have to have an adult help you a LOT with cooking because a stir fry is very hot. But kids can choose vegetables and help get everything ready. The sizzling noise is very fun and it is fun to watch the food get stirred fast in the pan.

Put your cooked stir fry on some noodles. I like to slurp the noodles. The rest of the stir fry is great too. I can’t wait to make one again. You should try making your own!

This is how you hold a knife when you're chopping veggies (special thanks to Mrs. Sheila Crye at Young Chefs for showing ZeBot how)!

Recipe: Easy Beef Stir Fry

 A note to parents from Elaine Smit, founder of Chow Bella Kids:

This is a very easy recipe to make, and I find it’s a always winner with kids. The fact every kid seems like this dish is probably directly linked to the inclusion of honey as one of the ingredients – but it’s a wonderful way to encourage them to like fresh veggies. This stir fry recipe is very flexible, you can add whatever veggies you have in the refrigerator.

A note to kids: Always team up with an adult to make this recipe!

What You Need:

• 1 Pound Beef Strips

• 1 Tablespoon Oil Olive

• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

• 1 Cup Beef Stock

• 2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

• 4 Tablespoons Honey

• 1 Teaspoon Garlic, minced

• 1 Teaspoon Chili, minced

• 8 Spring Onions, sliced thinly

• 20 Medium Snow Peas, ends cut if needed

• 2 Medium Carrots, cut into sticks

• 1 Medium Red Bell Pepper, sliced thinly

• 1 Package Soba Noodles

What You Do:

1. If you are having rice, prepare ahead.

2. Heat oil in wok or frying pan.

3. Add beef and brown, stirring frequently.

4. While beef is browning, mix cornstarch with a small amount of cold water and mix to a watery paste. Add this to combined beef stock, soy sauce and honey and set aside.

5. Add garlic and chili and stir for about a minute.

6. Add all vegetables with the exception of the spring onions and stir fry for a minute or so.

7. If we are having with Noodles, I will begin soaking then in some boiling water.

8. Add the stock mixture, the spring onions and then stir until the sauce thickens.

9. Drain noodles and add then to the stir fry along with the sesame seeds. Combine well.

10. Serve and enjoy!

Related posts:

1. Super Salad & Awesome Apples
2. Super-Scrumptious Peach Melba

Have you tried a hand-cranked apple peeler? I have one of these awsome contraptions and now that apple season is in full swing, I am cranking my peeler all the time.
I don’t know the history behind this wonderful invention, but  I love the way it can peel, core, and slice an apple in seconds. I am always amazed at the instantaneous transformation and beautifully sliced and peeled apples. I think these thin peeled slices taste so much better than peeled apple chunks.

PEEL, CORE & SLICE

• With the shaft pulled all the way to the right, you are ready to load fruit.
• Simply center the top, stem end of an apple on the fork and firmly press it all the way to the base of the fork.
• With the apple loaded, crank the handle in a forward motion to peel, slice and core your apple .
• Continue turning the handle until finished. Slide the apple spiral from the coreTo make the spiral into individual rings, use a knife to slice through one side of the apple spiral.
• The only other tip I can think to add about this handy gadget it that is really works better on small-ish apples. Other than that, it’s a simple as it looks

Making applesauce is so much fun. The apples you have sliced with your apple peeler can now be put to some good use.

This method is fun because it allows for some hands on activity if you’re cooking with younger kids – plus it smells amazing and will taste fantastic.

 Apple Sauce

Makes 5 cups

Ingredients
6 large tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2cup apple juice
2 tables spoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
zest from one lemon

Directions
Place the apples, apple juice ,lemon juice and zest in a large pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat until the apples are soft. Approximately 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a hand held masher, mash the apple mixture until smooth. Serve warm and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

Apple Pie in a Brown Paper Bag (I am NOT kidding!)

Have you ever tried baking a pie in a paper bag? Did you even know it was possible? Well, guess what: it is! And it’s super fun — just right for warming up a cold winter afternoon!

Ingredients

• 2 unbaked pie crusts
• 3 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 egg beaten
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line pie shell with one pie crust, set aside.
2. Place apples in medium sized bowl. Add egg, melted butter, 1 cup sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Carefully, mix all ingredients until well blended. Pour apple mixture into pie shell and top with remaining pie crust. Trim edges and fold under. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Cut slit on top.
3. Place pie in paper bag, fold over edges of bag to seal. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Carefully poke holes in bag so steam can escape.
5. After pie is baked, remove from bag, return pie to oven. Turn oven to 450 for about 15 to 20 minutes until pie crust turns a nice golden brown

Related posts:

1. Yummy Chicken Apple Bites
2. Grilled Vegetable Stacks
3. Banana Cranberry Walnut Bread

My name is Jake and my favorite pizza is cheese pizza with nothing else on it. Oh, yeah a little sauce too. Well yesterday was a rainy day and thought it was going to be boring hanging out with my sister Ava and cousin Blythe.

But then my aunt Elaine came over with a big basket of food and told us we were going to learn how to make pizza. I couldn’t imagine that I would ever make a pizza by myself, but I did it. It tastes great too!

The first thing we did was learn how to prepare a pizza pan with a little olive oil so the dough won’t stick and sprinkled a little corn meal on the pan to help lift the pizza and make it tastes good.

Next we learned how to make the dough. We were making 2 pizza recipes so there would be enough pizza for my mom, aunt Amanda, Aunt Elaine, Blythe, Ava and me. First we measured a perfect one cup measurement of flour. We took turns measuring.

We stirred in the rest of the ingredients (salt and yeast) and mixed it all up really well.

Then we added wet ingredients (water and olive oil) we stirred until we couldn’t stir anymore. Then aunt Elaine showed us how to knead the dough. We did that too.

We split the dough into eight dough balls and let them rest for a little while. We washed our hands and helped clean up when the dough was resting.

When it was ready we had to put the dough on the pizza pans and spread it out with our hands so it was flat like pizza.

Now it was time to add the toppings. We had a lot to choose from but since I only like sauce and cheese that is what I made. Some other toppings were pepperoni, pineapple, mushrooms and olives. Ava and Blythe put that stuff on their pizzas. So did Elaine, Amanda and my Mom.

All the pizzas went into the oven for 15 minutes. We had to keeping checking on them to make sure they didn’t burn.

I was really surprised how good the pizza tastes. I don’t think I ever had a better tasting pizza. It tastes just like in a  restaurant!

RECIPE: Every Kid’s Favorite Pizza

Remember, you’ll need help from a grown-up for this one, but they’re easy to find — all the adults I know LOVE pizza!

Makes  4  6″  pizzas

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup very warm water

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Cornmeal

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450

2. Combine 3 cups flour, un-dissolved yeast, and salt in a large bowl.

3. Stir very warm water and olive oil into flour mixture.

4. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 6 minutes.

5. Cover; let rest on floured surface 10 minutes.

6. Lightly oil 4 (6-inch) round pizza pan’s, sprinkle with cornmeal

7. For individual pizzas, shape dough into 4  (6-inch) rounds and place on pizza pans.

8. Bake approximately 15 minutes

Related posts:

1. Pizza Party – Courtesy of Our Resident Ex-Chez Panisse Chef Alan Tangren