Marin Mommies presents this week's guest recipe from Nicole Cibellis, Marin mom and author of the blog A Family that Eats Together, where she shares meal plans and recipes that will please foodies and children alike. Nicole is also the creator of the new Little Froglet line of children's activewear.

Nicole's meal plan for this week features thyme and lemon lamb chops with couscous and cucumbers, slow-cooker short ribs with a black Mission fig mole sauce and sweet potato fries, shake-and-bake coconut chicken with saffron rice and coconut-mint dipping sauces, mac-and-cheese with alphabet pasta, and this spring-inspired angel hair pasta with asparagus and prosciutto.

Strolling through the farmer’s market this weekend has made me so excited for spring. The market is filling up with all kinds of produce including tons of asparagus. This recipe has a delicate blend of lemon and cream, which lightly coats the pasta and asparagus. The prosciutto gives it a little salty flare. If you would like this dish to vegetarian, leave out the Prosciutto.

Are you still looking for a fun Spring Break camp for your child? Marinwood Recreation Department in San Rafael offers an exciting Spring Break Camp with lots of fun hands-on and outdoor fun for ages 3–12 April 9–13.

The camp is divided into two age groups: Camp Grasshopper for ages 3–4, Camp Cricket for ages 5-7 and Camp Dragonfly for ages 8–12. Campers will participate in separate activities including arts, crafts, sports, group games, swimming and much more. The camp counselors are dedicated to providing a safe and fun environment for children to interact, meet new friends and participate in exciting recreation and activities.

The one-week camp is Monday–Friday from 9 am–3 pm. The cost is $160 for residents and $180 for non-residents. Before care is available from 8–9 am ($25 per week or $7 per day drop-in) and after care is available from 3–5 pm ($50 per week or $14 per day drop-in). Drop-in  $40 a day. Camp goers need to bring a sack lunch, two snacks, water, swim suit, towel and sunblock to camp daily. There's a sibling discount is for full week registrations too.

Marin Mommies presents this week's guest recipe from Nicole Cibellis, Marin mom and author of the blog A Family that Eats Together, where she shares meal plans and recipes that will please foodies and children alike. Nicole is also the creator of the new Little Froglet line of children's activewear.

Nicole's meal plan for this week features Chinese roast chicken with whole wheat buns, roasted vegetable and mini meatball pappardelle, chicken tostadas, lamb meatballs with lemon-yogurt sauce, and this tofu curry with baby bok choy.

I love curry dishes, especially with tofu. There is something so warming and delicious about curling up with curry and rice. This recipe is easy to make. I have become a fan of baking tofu to get the consistency of fried tofu without all the fat. Baking it does take more time than frying but, it is half the calories so, it is well worth it. In this recipe, the curry is very mild but it can be easily spiced up with hot pepper flakes. Also, you can substitute asparagus, peas, pea pods and really any vegetable you prefer, in place of the baby bok choy. My son just loved this curry and asked for a second serving, which in my house is always the sign of a successful recipe. Serve with rice.

Happy April! We're busy finishing up a major software upgrade for Marin Mommies, and some parts are still a work in progress—notably the calendar. We should have any outstanding issues resolved soon. Thanks for you patience!

Crepes, those thin and delicate French pancakes, are one of those dishes that's easy and fun to make, and can be served up for any meal—breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and dessert. They're easy to make and the only limit to them is your imagination. My kids love choosing their own fillings to make their own crepe creations at mealtime or for dessert.

Crepes were orginally created out of buckwheat flour by Breton peasants as a substitute for expensive bread, but now they have a more elegant status on most menus.

Here's the basic crepe batter recipe we use:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup water
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons melted butter

These decorative sand-covered flower vases are a perfect craft for spring. They're easy to make, and look really beautiful, especially placed by a window where they catch the light. My daughter was so proud of her colorful creatiions. Use them to hold daffodils or other bright spring flowers.

Raid your recycling bin and find some containers like glass or even plastic jars and bottles for this craft. You'll also need colored sand, white glue (like Elmer's), a paint brush, and paper plates. We found colored sand at Michael's, but most craft or art supply stores should have it.

Pour sand on paper plates, and "paint" the outside of your jar or bottle with white glue. You can also paint patterns like dots and swirls with the glue to create special decorative effects.

Now that spring is here, work with your children to create some beautiful seasonal crafts to decorate your home. One of our favorite spring crafts this season is these charming butterflies made from things you probably have on hand at home: old magazine pages and 12-inch pipe cleaners. This craft is best done by children of kindergarten age and up, as it involves some coordination and folding skills and might be difficult for younger children.

To make these butterflies, cut out colorful pages from magazines (instead of just throwing them in the recycling bin), and cut out two squares: one four-inch and one five-inch. Turn squares diagonally (like a diamond), and fold in 1/4-inch accordion pleats.

Bend a pipe cleaner in half and twist the folded end so it makes a loop. Pinch the middle of each square together, and carefully place them between the two arms of the pipe cleaner, with the smaller four-inch square on the bottom. Hold everything in place by twisting the ends of the pipe cleaner and pressing the loop flat. The two pipe cleaner ends can now be curled into antennae.

While it may be spring, the evenings are still chilly enough to warrant making a nice pot of warming soup for dinner. This easy and delicious meatball minestrone—filled with mini chicken meatballs, pasta, and fresh vegetables—is perfect for a cool evening.

The kids love to pitch in and help make the meatballs, which is really the hardest part of this easy-to-make recipe; the soup comes together really quickly and easily and is ideal for a weeknight meal. Feel free to vary the vegetables to reflect whatever you happen to have on hand.

Ingredients

Serves 6–8

Meatballs

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Marin Mommies presents a book review by guest contributor Barbara McVeigh. Meet Me at the Moon will be available March 29, and Gianna Marino will be at Book Passage in Corte Madera April 20 at 10 am.

Local author Gianna Marino’s new children’s book Meet Me at the Moon honors the quintessential dance between a mother’s love and a child’s need for reassurance. Vibrant textured hues of reds, greys, oranges and greens set the tone while exquisite elephants, zebras and giraffes move along sun drenched landscapes, under starry skies, in rainstorms and more upon the African plain.

Mama Elephant tells Little One she must go away for a while. The land is dry and she will climb the highest mountain to ask the skies for rain. Little One is worried and grips Mama’s trunk “I don’t want you to go.” Will Mama return?