Feeding kids can be frustrating—they don't like this, they don't like that. So here’s the plan: Make it easy on yourself. Don’t cook one meal for them and another for yourself. Find a good collection of recipes and techniques that are fast, easy and pleasing to the pickiest eaters in your brood.

These recipes are sure to become family favorites:

Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Fast Fake-Baked Ziti
Italian Mini Meat Loaves with Mac and Three Cheeses
Pork Milanese with Creamy Orzo
Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Soft Turkey Tacos

Some days you crave grown-up flavors like cilantro, capers or fennel-laced sausage. To keep the whole family happy, make a basic dish you can serve the kids and then finish with more sophisticated flavors.

These recipes and ideas will get you started:

1. Kids love risotto! Make a basic risotto for the kids, give them a helping, and then stir in the more sophisticated ingredients of your choice. Let cook another minute or two, and serve yourself the grownup’s risotto. Some delicious additions are:

• sautéed spicy Italian sausage and diced tomatoes


• sautéed shrimp, lime juice and cilantro


• sautéed shiitake mushrooms and asparagus


• smoked salmon, lemon zest and dill

A tip: If you own a pressure cooker, you can have perfect risotto within 15 minutes with no stirring. Try Risotto with Winter Vegetables or Shrimp and Saffron Risotto , recipes created expressly for this method.

2. Tomato sauce: Make a basic Marinara sauce to serve on spaghetti for the kids. Keep about two cups for yourself and add in anchovies, capers, black olives and basil for a puttanesca sauce you will love. Other additions could be:

• sun-dried tomatoes


• shrimp, calamari and red pepper flakes (with a splash of clam juice)


• a healthy dose of pesto

Tomatillo salsa
Salsa Roja: Red Chile-Tomatillo Salsa
Taqueria Guacamole
Pico de Gallo

4. Chicken Paillards are always popular. Serve them plain for the youngsters, and add sauces or salad toppings for the elders. This recipe is finished with a lemon-garlic-parsley paste and arugula.