Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in kansas city, KS

Heart healthy beef: It's whats for dinner.

by Jenny Meade

May 25, 2009

Okay, so I am a Kansas girl. I grew up here, and I remember the cows grazing nearby in fields that are now just rows and rows of cookie-cutter homes. There is no shortage of amazingly fresh cuts of beef in Kansas. When my Alabama raised husband moved here, he was totally amazed at the selection at the meat counter. Well, that and the velocity of the wind coming off the prairie and it's ability to nearly knock your car off the highway, but that's different.

I will eat chicken if I have to, and I will eat fish, if it is fresh Missouri croupie pan-fried in cornmeal, preferably in my grandmother's perfectly seasoned cast iron skillet. But if given a choice, I will always choose beef. Hamburgers are dandy, but make mine a filet, please, and just lightly wave a match underneath it and then put it on my plate. (My vegetarian friends just gagged over their keyboard. Sorry. I yam what I yam.)

Anyway, right now, your local Kansas City Hy-Vee store, together with the Kansas Beef Association, is supporting the Kansas City Heart Walk on May 30th. the Kansas Beef Council has developed a passport book full of recipes and healthy eating tips. Right now, the passports are available in the meat department in Hy-Vee stores. The first 100 people who take their passport to the Kansas Beef Council booth at the Heart Walk on May 30 will receive a $20 Hy-Vee giftcard. The Heart Walk is at Theis Park - off the Plaza - at about 47th & Oak. 

Meanwhile, thanks to my friends at the Kansas Beef Council, I have some $20 Hy-Vee gift cards available to giveaway here at Being Savvy. So! The first three people to email me with their favorite beef recipe get them. Starting...NOW. I will share the recipes here coming up soon.

PS - My children? Would not eat beef when they were younger. I could barely contain my disappointment that my spawn did not enjoy, much less crave, a cut of the cow the way I do. But thankfully, as they've gotten older they will tolerate it. Especially if I let them dip their steak in catsup. Which I kind of think should be illegal, but whatever, they eat it.

Kid Friendly Restaurants.

by Jenny Meade

February 24, 2009

Sometimes, in the midst of all the things parents manage during a given week, fixing one more interesting meal at home just doesn't make the list. Or maybe you have an old friend making a quick stopover in Kansas City during a business trip, and the last thing you want or have time for is cleaning your house and preparing a decent meal for company. 

Eating out it is!

Here's a few Kansas City favorites that are great for entertaining the adults, and are pretty good at tolerating the kids, too - provided you go early and have some backup tricks in your purse, of course.

1. Nick & Jakes - They bring your children a small plate of cheese, crackers and grapes when they first greet you, just to help tide them over while ordering.
2. Kyoto - Who can resist watching the cook juggle knives at a super-fast speed and flip shrimp into daddy's mouth? Really, any Japanese steak house is a score with the kids, just for the show alone, and you don't have to listen to the kids whine "Mom, when is my dinner coming?" when it's being cooked right in front of them. Have a picky eater who only eats plain grilled chicken and white rice? No problem! Your traveling friend is on an expense account? Hibachi on the Plaza is even better!
3. Hereford House - You can't beat a great Kansas City steak for showing a great time to out of town guests, or for a little weeknight family celebration.  The servers are always on the ball and their kids menu is first rate.  They have a coupon in the local Entertainment Book, too.
4. Ready for some barbecue?  No shortage of that around this town, as KC Masterpiece, Oklahoma Joe's and Fiorella's Jack Stack all have great food and fun family atmosphere. And since most barbecue has been simmering, smoking or roasting all day, it doesn't take long to get food delivered to your table once you place your order, always a bonus when eating out with kids.  While not local, Famous Dave's out at The Legends has a pleasing kid's menu and great service.  And, while Gates and Arthur Bryant's would definitely be in the top 5 of KC BBQ favorites, most locations aren't as kid friendly, but certainly great options for take out. 
5. Stroud's - Now back and better than ever in their new location in Fairway, Stroud's fried chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes and green beans are some of the best home cooking this city girl ever found.The food comes fast, hot and good, and the promise of cinnamon rolls make every kid, big or little, clean his plate, and fast.

Valentine's Day Celebrating

by Jenny Meade

February 09, 2009

You may have noticed that Valentine's Day falls on a Saturday this year, right after Friday the 13th. (Ouch!) What you may not have yet figured out is that your chances of getting a babysitter or a dinner reservation on that evening are practically nil at this point.  So, not to be a huge downer or anything, but why not plan to stay in and hang with the family anyway?  You can go out to dinner on any old Saturday night, right? 

You can make heart shaped cookies, Valentine's Day crafts, and everybody can lend a hand to making a favorite family dinner. (Even if it is just mac-n-cheese...) And then you can watch a Valentine's movie .

Or, if you're brave enough, there are still some tickets available to Bob The Builder Live at The Music Hall on Saturday afternoon.

Enjoy your heart shaped holiday!  Here's a few more Valentine links from Family Education to get you going.

 Read more...

Holiday sweets.

by Jenny Meade

December 19, 2008

One thing about the holidays is we all sort of leave behind our normal food freak outs and allow more exceptions to the rule. Once Halloween passes, it's hard to avoid the onslaught of holiday cookies and treats and chocolate yummies. While moderation is always a good idea, it's okay to let your little ones have a taste of the wonders of Christmas. Here's a quick roundup of local food/candy  Read more...

Creating in the kitchen - Gifts in a jar

by Jenny Meade

November 26, 2008

Now that your kids are home from school and preschool for the rest of the week, and seeing as how you have all that Thanksgiving prep and cooking to do, you're going to be spending a lot of time in the kitchen. And the kids are going to be underfoot and wanting to help mommy with her tasks. So why not set aside a space where they can help you get a leg up on some holiday gift giving. Gifts  Read more...

Dinner Table Destinations

by Rita Arens

July 22, 2008

Tired of same old, same old? Think your little one might be ready to expand his or her palate? Try: Blue Koi -- Located on 39th Street, Blue Koi has dumplings, noodles and the famed bubble tea. Habachi Japanese Steakhouse -- This steakhouse is in Westport, and it's all the shrimp-throwing, onion-volcano fun you can hope to have at a Japanese steakhouse. Taj Mahal -- Great Indian food in  Read more...