I'm always challenged to get kids to eat things they normally wouldn't. I've seen my share of juvenile facial contortions when speaking words like "liver" or "goat cheese". But say "macaroni and cheese", "hotdogs", "hamburgers" and they go nuts! They seem to never tire of this stuff. It's my opinion that if kids were introduced to "real food" from Day 1, special children's meals found on restaurant menus wouldn't be necessary…and chances are will make the parent's lives a lot easier as they are only preparing one meal instead of two.

I have the best luck by getting kids involved in helping me to prepare the meal. A chance to make a mess, are you kidding!

Spring is a great time to try new dishes. Following is a couple of unique, citrus entree recipes that are delicious and refreshing, with a playful dessert for the hardworking cook's helper.

ALL Organic - Virginia Sausage, Fennel, Apple and Goat Cheese Ravioli with Citrus Cream Sauce

Note the fact that I say "ALL organic" which further enhances any meal to my mate as it shows my initiative to take the time to shop "wherever" necessary to round up these ingredients. Actually most can be gathered at the Home Farm store. Have your kids help in the prep, it's messy and they'll have a ball. Plus this stuff tastes great!

The filling:
12 oz Ground sausage
3 med Apples, sliced
1 med Onion
1 med Bulb fresh fennel (take off fibrous outer skin and slice very thinly)
8 oz Crumbled goat cheese
1 lg Egg
1/4 cup Breadcrumbs

Stuffing

In a large pan, cook thinly sliced apples, fennel and onions until golden - aiming for slightly caramelized but not burnt. I add a pinch of sugar and a small squeeze of lemon while cooking. Keep heat medium to low and let them get really soft. Cook sausage in a separate pan until browned. Drain grease and set aside.

When everything is cooked and cooled, mix apple, fennel and onion mixture with the sausage. Incorporate well and add the goat cheese and breadcrumbs. Mixture should be stiff, but pliable. Salt and pepper to taste. Once you're satisfied, add the breadcrumbs a bit at a time - these are just to give the mixture a little body and keep it together. Finally, add one beaten egg.

Homemade Ravioli

You'll need a pasta machine to do this right. But it's not necessary. I've adapted this from a number of recipes.

1 cup Pasta flour
1/4 cup All-purpose flour
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Warm water
1 tbsp Olive oil

To really make authentic pasta dough, pour the flour onto a smooth surface and make a well in the center. Add salt, olive oil and eggs to the center, ideally not letting it spill over the sides of the well. Gently pinch at the sides of the well, incorporating the flour into the eggs and olive oil. Do it right, you end up with a nice ball of dough to which you can add the water as needed until it is a pliable consistency. Knead, and then set aside to rest for about an hour. After it rests, cut the ball in quarters. Put the dough through the widest setting on your pasta machine. Roll through a couple times, patting with a small amount of flour. Continue to increase the setting, making the dough thinner and thinner. Ravioli dough should be thin, but not see-through, to make it tender.

Meyer Lemon Cream Sauce

Juice of 1/2 Meyer (or regular) Lemon
3 tbsp Butter
3 tbsp Flour
1 cup Whole milk, warmed
1/4 cup Fume Blanc (or a not too dry white wine)

Melt butter, then add flour, whisking briskly. Cook down the mixture and brown about 2 minutes, but make sure it doesn't burn. Add the warmed milk and stir until you have a nice, smooth sauce. Add the lemon, stirring quickly and the wine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over the top of the raviolis.

Salade de Racine Vegetable et Fruit avec de la sauce à Citron
(Salad of Beet, Oranges, Apple with Citrus Dressing)

Learn to say the French name (it sounds better) or go here and they teach you http://www.bell-labs.com/project/tts/french.html The Goal: Something that the kids will eat while introducing a previously despised vegetable (beets). Kids are happy, eating things they normally wouldn't, spouse is impressed, all is well.

1 1/2 lb Fresh Beets With Greens (About 1 Bunch)
1 lg Orange
2 med Unpeeled Granny Smith Apples, thinly sliced
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Raspberry Vinegar, get good quality
1/4 cup Raspberry Preserves-warmed or room temp
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Unsalted Sunflower Seeds, toasted

Prep: Coarsely shred beet greens to measure 2 cups. Set aside. Leave root & 1 inch of stem on 2 beets, clean well and set aside. Place beets in a small saucepan & add water to cover & bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat & simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain & cool. Trim off beet stems and roots and rub off skins. Cut each beet into small wedges. Set aside. Combining: Peel & section orange over a large bowl, reserving juice & membranes; Set sections aside. Squeeze membranes over bowl to extract juice. Discard membranes. Add orange sections, beets and apples. Toss gently & set aside. Combine oil, vinegar, preserves, sugar, salt and garlic in a mixing jar. Shake well and pour over beet mixture. Toss well. Plating: Arrange 1/2 cup shredded beet greens on each of the salad plates. Top with beet mixture; sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Chocolate 'Spiders'

These are cool! With the change of season brings all kinds of insects including hairy (Wolf) spiders. Freak your kids out with these!

12 oz. Vegan dark chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups Chow mein noodles, uncooked
1 cup Nuts, Pecan, walnut or pistachio, crushed

Lightly grease a baking sheet. Gently melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Combine with the chow mein noodles and the peanuts and fold until the noodles are well coated. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheet. Chill for at least 8 hours, or until ready to serve. Makes approximately 24 spiders.