My name is Anna Choiniere, and I am the executive chef and owner of Raising Rose Kitchen LLC, a private chef company offering intimate in-home dining experiences throughout the Charleston area. But long before I cooked for clients, I cooked for just one very important little girl - my daughter, Auriella Rose.

The seeds of this business were planted during a season of my life when it was just the two of us. I was an active-duty Air Force single mom, far from family, working full time, doing my best like so many parents do. Our weekdays were long, and we often spent more hours apart than together. But every evening, without fail, we would find our way back to each other at the dinner table. That small window of time became the highlight of our days. I loved to cook, so I started an Instagram page, Raising Rose Kitchen, to share the recipes and little moments we were creating together. What I felt at that table with my daughter - connection, calm, nourishment, love - ignited something in me. Those moments weren’t just about checking the box of “we ate dinner.” They were about filling our stomachs AND our hearts. They were about slowing down long enough to remember what mattered. Those evenings are what pushed me to pursue culinary work. My dream became simple: help others feel what I felt at that little table with my little girl.

As I shared more of our meals, I started involving my daughter in the cooking process - not because it was easy (it wasn’t), but because it felt right. We experimented with new recipes and ingredients. We talked about how food fuels our bodies - how protein makes our muscles grow, followed by very serious arm-wrestling matches to test whether we ate “enough chicken”. We learned about how veggies made us smarter, kept our tummies happy, and helped us avoid the dreaded daycare sniffles. Slowly, I watched her curiosity bloom. The more she helped, the more she wanted to taste. Foods most kids wouldn’t touch suddenly became exciting to her because she had a hand in making them. And that’s when I learned something, 

Now, let’s be honest: cooking with kids is not always graceful. It can be stressful, messy, slow, and sometimes… questionably chaotic. There will be crooked cuts, spills at the worst possible moment, and ingredients that mysteriously vanish into tiny mouths before they ever hit the pan. But those moments?

Those are the ones I cherish the most. Those are the memories my daughter and I return to over and over again. And those moments shaped her into a child who not only tries new foods but genuinely appreciates them. Yes, we had to slow down - but in the end, slowing down was the whole point.

With this recipe, I want to gently encourage you to make mealtime with your children a little more magical. Invite them into the kitchen. Show them how things work. Take the mystery - and the intimidation - out of cooking. Kids are so much more capable than we give them credit for, especially when we trust them with real responsibility and guide them safely. Let them help chop a vegetable, whisk a sauce, or arrange the plate like it’s a masterpiece going into a museum. Let them be proud of what they contributed. Sit together at the table and talk about the flavors, the textures, the colors, the funny moments you shared while cooking.

A new year brings new beginnings, new traditions, and new opportunities to strengthen the connections that matter most. The kitchen has always been the heart of the home.

Makes 4+ Servings

This recipe is designed for parents and kids to cook together. Many steps are kid-friendly, but all kid tasks should be supervised by an adult, especially when using knives, heat, or handling raw meat. Kids can absolutely help with prep, mixing, and assembling - just choose the tasks appropriate for their age and comfort level.

2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 Large Zucchini

12oz Green Beans

½ Cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce or Tamari (GF)

½ Cup Chicken Broth

½ Cup Brown Sugar or Honey

2 Tbsp Seasoned Rice Vinegar

1 Tsp Granulated Garlic or Garlic Powder

1 Tsp Ground Ginger

1 Tsp – 1 Tbsp Chili Garlic Sauce (Optional)

1 Tbsp Corn Starch

1 Tbsp Avocado Oil or Vegetable Oil

1-2 Scallions

1 Tsp Sesame Seeds

Steamed Rice (For Serving)

Prep