Small Beef Bites and Easy Apps for Families
**The following guest post is the third in a series of four by Chef Dave Zino, Executive Chef with the National Cattleman’s Beef Association**
Hello again, everyone. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Now that we are “officially” in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I figured it would be a great time to share some tips on quick, simple appetizers and small bite beef plates for kids and time-strapped families.
Everyone knows that kids can be picky eaters. I meet many parents who say their kids turn up their noses at anything that isn’t delivered by a local pizzeria or that comes in a box with a toy. So if you want to broaden your children’s culinary horizons, it helps to pick fun, easy-to-eat snacks that don’t require them to be seated at the dinner table with a fork and knife.
What’s also great about the three recipes below is that they are easy-to-prepare and use ingredients that can be found at any major grocery store. Not to mention they are fun and tasty, guaranteed to please everyone.
These bite-size meatballs have a nice kick that can be balanced with a side of cool blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping. They are super easy to make and would be an ideal option when cooking for a group of your child’s friends at a sleepover. If the kids don’t like spicy foods, you can easily substitute your favorite sweet or tangy BBQ sauce.
Kids love chips and salsa, and this recipe will make for a perfect protein-packed afternoon snack. All you need are two beef shoulder top blade (flat iron) steaks, a jar of your favorite chunky salsa, some guacamole (store bought is fine), and a little cilantro. The steaks are marinated right in the salsa to give them a little extra zip too.
I know, I know, sundaes are usually associated with desserts, but trust me – this unique interpretation is a fun, colorful change of pace. As an added benefit, they can be served in simple plastic cups, which make them easy for kids to carry and eat.
So, go ahead and give one of these recipes a try next time you’ve got a pack of hungry, anxious kids to feed. Drop me a line on Twitter too; I’d love to hear what they thought. If you’d like more easy beef recipes, remember that you can find hundreds of free recipes by checking out BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com on your home computer or mobile device. The site truly gives you all the know before you go.
Until next time, have fun with your kids and your food this holiday season!
Chef Dave
As Executive Chef for the leading food authority on beef and veal, Dave Zino is responsible for concept development, ideation and recipe development for the beef industry. Dave also works very closely with the checkoff-funded Beef Innovations Group in evaluating and developing new beef products.
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