Rex Features/Startraks

That’s amore!

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama continued their exploration of N.Y.C.’s restaurant scene on Friday with a pre-theater dinner at Maialino, Danny Meyer’s popular Roman-inspired trattoria inside the Gramercy Park Hotel.

Joined by friends including Valerie Jarrett and Ahmad Rashad, the first couple kicked off the weekend with an early supper before heading to the Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun, starring Denzel Washington, at the Barrymore Theatre.

On previous Big Apple excursions, the POTUS and FLOTUS have dined at hot spots like ABC Kitchen, Blue Hill and Red Rooster, which means the White House prepared them properly for what must have been a delicious meal.

With its rustic wooden tables, weathered wood floors, and bread and salumi stations, Maialino (which means “Little Pig”) feels festively Italian. While there’s no official word on what the group ordered, we hope they sampled the bucatini all’Amatriciana, fried artichokes, braised lamb with onions and olive oil cake.

Fittingly, both parties are all about fresh produce: The restaurant cooks with seasonal supplies from local farms, and the White House Kitchen Garden’s veggies are in full bloom for spring.

Let that inspire you to hit up the nearest farmer’s market and stock up on pecorino for cacio e pepe, fennel, celery and citrus for an insalata, or spinach and mushrooms to sauté with garlic and lemon.

—Brooke Showell

Alex Brandon/AP

Snarling traffic and sending smartphone-wielding passerby into a collective tizzy, president Barack Obama and vice-president Joe Biden held a lunch meeting on Friday at the Shake Shack in Washington, D.C.’s Dupont Circle — and hopped the counter for a photo opp.

This is hardly the first time Obama has held a brain trust over burgers, begging the question: What is it with the POTUS and ground beef? Is he hoping for the reported mental boost that comes from iron-rich foods? Is he rebelling against Michelle Obama’s healthy-eating reforms? Is he working through some kind of burger bucket list? There’s even an “Obama Eating Burgers” website devoted to the very thing.

We did notice that the Prez often chooses a spot known for its patties when he’s dining with a group; maybe that’s because he knows that few people can resist the allure of a juicy, perfectly cooked burger. Including us. Here’s the drool-worthy list of the spots where Obama has held a cheeseburger chow-down.

John Tlumacki/Getty

The restaurant: Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe, Boston

The order: Cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato and mustard, fries

The scoop: The POTUS stopped here for nearly an hour while campaigning for now-Senator Ed Markey, reports Boston Magazine. He won over the crowd by posing for lots of photos and leaving a $20 tip on an $8 order.

Jim Watson/AFP/Getty

The restaurant: Ted’s Bulletin, Washington, D.C.

The order: Cheddar burger, fries, side salad

The scoop: The Washington Post reports that Obama hosted a casual lunch at this vintage-style diner for a group of campaign volunteers who had won an essay-writing contest about community organizing.

Courtesy Pete Souza

The restaurant: Shake Shack Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.

The order: Burger, fresh-cut fries

The scoop: Obama and Biden’s recent lunch meeting at the Dupont Circle outpost of the nationally loved burger chain was to discuss a local reconstruction project.

Carolyn Kaster/AP

The restaurant: Lincoln, Washington, D.C.

The order: Cheddar burger, kale salad, sweet tea

The scoop: The Washington City Paper writes that Obama came with a small group of donors that had won a contest to have lunch with him.

Carolyn Kaster/AP

The restaurant: OMG! Burgers, Miami

The order: Cheeseburger, fries

The scoop: During the 2012 campaign, Obama’s secret service team gave the staff at this now-shuttered sandwich joint only 15 minutes to prep for the president’s arrival, reports the Miami Herald. But once again the generous tipper made it worth their while by leaving $40 in the jar.

Martin H. Simon-Pool/Getty

The restaurant: Ray’s Hell Burger, Arlington, Virginia

The order: Cheeseburger

The scoop: Obama likes this independent burger chain so much, he even took Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to the now-shuttered Arlington branch, according to NPR.

Pete Marovich-Pool/Getty

The restaurant: Mintwood Place, Washington, D.C.

The order: Cheeseburger, fries

The scoop: You can check out photos of the President and First Lady enjoying dinner with winners of a “Dinner with Barack” fundraising contest. Obama looks pretty pleased with his choice!

Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty

The restaurant: Scion, Washington, D.C.

The order: Cheeseburger, fries, spinach salad, iced tea

The scoop: Like Lincoln, Scion was another spot where Obama took winners of his “Lunch with Barack” contest, according to ABC News. The New American restaurant in DuPont Circle is known for its extensive beer list.

Roger L. Wollenberg-Pool/Getty

The restaurant: Good Stuff Eatery, Washington, D.C.

The order: Burger, fries, salad

The scoop: According to NBC News, Michelle Obama has taken her daughters to Top Chef alum Spike Mendelsohn’s Capitol Hill joint to sample the Prez Obama Burger (made with bacon and roquefort). Her husband visited Good Stuff the day before he turned 50, and reportedly bought lunch for a woman standing next to him in line.

Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty

The restaurant: Five Guys, Alexandria, Virginia

The order: Cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, jalapeño peppers and mustard

The scoop: Early in his first term, Obama went to the Quander Road branch of this chain with an NBC news team filming a segment about a typical day in his life.

—Lexi Dwyer

NFL player Richard Sherman knows how important it is to eat right, which is why he recently stopped by the White House to help First Lady Michelle Obama with her Let’s Move campaign.

Spoofing on his infamous post-game sideline rant in January, the Seattle Seahawks cornerback yelled his way through presenting the healthy school lunch he whipped up in the White House kitchen: salmon cakes and succotash.

He had a little help from Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and safety Earl Thomas, and of course the support of the FLOTUS, who played “sideline reporter” and interviewed Sherman about the meal. While chopping peppers and seasoning salmon, Sherman narrates, “This is how champions are made.”

When the First Lady asks him to take her through his “final plate” (har har), he shouts, “We the best chefs in the game!”

The question she missed: What kid would willingly dig into salmon cakes or succotash? Still, the video’s worth a watch. Check it out below:

—Rosa Heyman

Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty

Does Barack Obama‘s pie fixation surpass his obsession with burgers?

On Monday at a White House reception in honor of LGBT Pride Month, the POTUS announced his plans to extend anti-discrimation protection to federal transgendered workers, but what’s gotten the Interwebs into a tizzy is his high praise for White House executive pastry chef Bill Yosses.

“We call Bill ‘The Crustmaster’ because his pies, I don’t know what he does, whether he puts crack in them, or, um …” said Obama before his voice trailed off and the audience members, many of whom were videoing with smartphones, laughed heartily.

First Lady Michelle Obama was quick to set the record straight after her husband’s comment. “No he doesn’t. There is no crack in our pies,” she said, smiling, as the audience continued to chuckle.

Yosses, who is also the author of Desserts for Dummies, is leaving his White House post after seven years and will be moving to New York. According to the Associated Press, he plans to teach people about eating healthier and will also be joining his husband, Charlie Jandusay Fabella Jr., who he’s lived apart from since they first met 11 years ago.

Although Yosses oversaw the roster of decadent menu items such as the annual holiday gingerbread house and an array of fruit pies, the chef told The New York Times that the First Lady’s call for healthier dessert items has made a lasting impact on him. His substitutions have included swapping in fruit puree for butter, honey and agave for sugar. He’s also researched heirloom whole wheat products, which may produce a less bitter aftertaste than modern whole-wheat flour.

“She has done it with humor and good will, without preaching, just the way you would hope the ‘Mom in chief’ would do,” he told the Times.

Calling Yosses “a wonderful person,” President Obama said on Monday that during his first term as president, the family had to set limits on sweets after the POTUS learned his cholesterol had increased. “We had to establish a really firm rule about no pie during the week,” he said.

—Lexi Dwyer

Marcus Nilsson; Ramey

What makes White House pastry chef Bill Yosses‘ pie crusts so addictive that President Obama, who calls Yosses the “Crustmaster,” joked Monday they must be spiked with crack cocaine? Turns out, it’s a lot of butter. And lard. And cream.

At Monday’s LGBT Pride Month reception at the White House, Obama saluted the retiring Yosses — and blamed him. “His pies — I don’t know what he does, whether he puts crack in them,” joked Obama. “I’m just saying that when we first came to the White House…the first year, my cholesterol shot up. And the doctor was like, ‘What happened?'”

“…And I thought, it’s the pie! It’s the pie.”

For the record, First Lady Michelle Obama, laughing, chimed in: “There is no crack in our pies.”

And, as if to prove it, Yosses agreed to share with PEOPLE one of his favorite recipes from his 2010 cookbook, The Perfect Finish.

Flaky Nectarine Pie
Makes 1 9-inch pie to serve 8

Crust
20 tbsp. (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
7 tbsp. heavy cream
3 tbsp. rendered lard (or use more butter)
3¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling the dough
3 tsp. granulated sugar
1¼ tsp. salt

Filling
8 cups (about 7) ripe nectarines, unpeeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
⅛ tsp. salt
4 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. brandy
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg white, beaten, at room temperature
1½ tsp. granulated sugar

For the Crust
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, cream, and lard until smooth. In another bowl, thoroughly mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add about a third of the flour mixture to the butter and beat until the mixture comes together like a fairly wet dough. Add the remaining flour and mix until the dough just begins to come together. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and gently knead it into a smooth ball. Divide the dough in half, wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, and flatten into disks. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight (or up to 3 days).

For the Filling
1. In a large bowl, toss together the nectarines and lemon juice. Add the sugars and the salt, and gently mix to combine without mashing the nectarine chunks. Set aside to macerate for about 30 minutes.

2. Return the nectarines to the bowl and add the cornstarch, mixing until it has completely dissolved. Stir in the brandy and vanilla. Reserve.

To Assemble and Bake
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out both disks of dough to a 1/4-inch thickness and fold in half. Then re-roll to rounds about 12 inches in diameter and 3/16 inch thick (about the thickness of two quarters). This will create the layers of flakiness in your pie dough. Transfer one round of dough to a black steel or Pyrex 9-inch pie pan, and trim the edges so they are even with the rim of the pie pan. Place the second round on a flat baking sheet and put it in the freezer. This will become the top of the pie.

2. Freeze the dough in the pie pan for 1 hour. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove the pie pan from the freezer and line the dough with aluminum foil. Fill with baking beads, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool. When cool, preheat the oven again to 350°F.

3. Pour the nectarine filling into the pre-baked pie shell. Use a pastry brush to moisten the edges of the bottom pie crust with some of the egg white. Remove the top dough from the freezer and place over the fruit. Press down around the edges with your fingers to seal and tuck any excess dough under the edges. With a paring knife, cut 12 slits in the center of the raw dough, barely piercing it, to create air vents. Then, brush the top dough with the remaining egg white and sprinkle with Demerara or granulated sugar.

4. Bake on an aluminum-foil-covered rimmed 11-by-17-inch baking sheet on the center rack until the pie is deeply golden and you can see the thick juices bubbling through the vent, for 1 hour. Let cool before serving.

Marcus Nilsson; Charles Dharapak/AP

—Sandra Sobieraj Westfall

Reprinted from The Perfect Finish: Special Desserts for Every Occasion by Bill Yosses and Melissa Clark. Copyright © 2010 by Bill Yosses. Photographs copyright © 2010 by Marcus Nilsson. With permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

Lawrence Jackson/White House

Move over, chicken fingers and fries: The winners of Michelle Obama‘s 2014 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, who will be honored at a state dinner with the first lady on July 18, have proven that kid-friendly cooking doesn’t have to be pedestrian, predictable or something that comes from a box.

The contest, which began in 2011, calls for healthy recipes created by children ages 8 through 12. This year, more than 1500 entries were submitted from the 50 states as well as Washington, D.C. and the U.S. territories. The winners have been flown to the nation’s capital for fun, sightseeing and of course the big dinner. Last year, the POTUS himself crashed the party and spoke to the crowd telling them, “All of you have lifted up the whole fact that food can be fun and it can be healthy … you are setting up habits that are going to be great for your entire life.”

In a video about the contest, Let’s Move! Executive Director Sam Kass said that the recipes were judged on criteria such as healthiness, taste, flavor, affordability and what he called “the creativity of their story.”

The 54 winning recipes, which include preparations for dishes like catfish sliders and kale wraps, sound like fare you’d find at a stylish cafe — not a school cafeteria. “I am so impressed with the sophistication and talent these kids possess,” Epicurious special projects contributor and contest creator Tanya Steel told PEOPLE. “I never imagined three years ago that this would turn into this annual and inspiring event. It’s a way to help kids meet their full potential and live happy, healthy lives,” she added.

We snagged three of winning recipes, which are tasty enough to please both kids and parents.

Jeff Elkins/Epicurious; Inset: courtesy dey family

North Carolina winner Rajen Dey, 11, said in his contest entry that he was inspired to create his recipe after he tried kati rolls at a restaurant in India. “When we got them, they were way too spicy. I drank almost a gallon of water! When we came back to the U.S., I was trying to make a roll that was healthy, delicious, and not spicy,” he wrote. Dey’s signature tweak? Adding an egg to his kati roll, which he claims makes it “the best roll ever made.”

Yummy and Healthy Kati Rolls
Makes 8 servings

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
1 minced garlic clove
½ cup chopped tomato
4 mushrooms, chopped
¼ tsp. ground turmeric powder
¼ tsp. ground garam masala
¼ tsp. red chili powder (cayenne)
¼ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into small cubes
4 eggs
9 whole-wheat tortillas
½ red onion, peeled and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
½ cucumber, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
Juice from 2 limes
Salt to taste

1. In a large sauté pan or wok, warm oil on moderate heat. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add turmeric, garam masala, red chili powder, cumin, coriander, and chicken and cook, stirring often, until chicken is cooked, through about 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste and transfer to a bowl.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Using a nonstick pan, cook the eggs over moderate heat. Place a tortilla on top of the egg while it’s still cooking. Cook for 1 minute, then flip the eggs over. Cook 1 minute more, and slide the eggs onto a plate.

3. Diagonally on a tortilla, place a few tablespoons of the chicken mixture and eggs, as well as red onion, carrots, cucumber, and cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over the mixture and roll the tortilla up.

Jeff Elkins/Epicurious; Inset: Courtesy Vasquez Family

When you look at the photo of the soup submitted by U.S. Virgin Islands winner Ahlissa Pierce, 9, it’s easy to see how she got inspired. “One day I saw a rainbow, and I was thinking, how could I put all these colors inside one meal? Then I thought of my mom’s and grandmother’s chicken soup, which really didn’t have that many vegetables or that much color,” she told PEOPLE. Pierce hit almost every hue in the spectrum by adding veggies like red peppers, carrots, zucchini and purple cabbage. She also swapped in more nutrient-rich whole-wheat flour for the white flour that her mother traditionally uses.

Ahlissa’s Rainbow Soup
Makes 10 servings

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1½ yellow onions, peeled and minced
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, chopped
6 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 bell peppers—red, orange, and yellow—seeded and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 red potatoes, chopped
1½ cups chopped purple cabbage
1½ cups cubed pumpkin or sweet potato
1 zucchini, chopped
3 okras, sliced
1½ cups chopped baby spinach
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt

1. In a large stockpot, warm the oil over moderate heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, garlic, parsley, peppers, and 1 cup of water and cook for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and 11 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

2. To make the dumplings, combine the whole-wheat flour, sea salt, and olive oil in a large bowl. Drizzle ¼ cup water in slowly and knead for 2 minutes. Shape into small balls and flatten. Add to soup during its last 10 minutes of cooking and then serve.

Jeff Elkins/Epicurious; Inset: Courtesy Pierce Family

Even at age 11, Cody Vasquez, who won from the state of Arizona, is a Mexican-food expert: His parents own a small Mexican restaurant and he spends plenty of time helping out in the kitchen. In his entry, he wrote that his shrimp tacos, which he paired with a watermelon and jicama salad, would be “very refreshing on a warm summer day.” Along with his parents and Italian grandfather, who cooks for the family on Sundays, Vasquez told PEOPLE that there’s a certain Food Network star who inspires him: “I really love Giada De Laurentiis, she’s probably my favorite. I like that all her dishes are healthy and simple, and I’m Italian and Mexican and I really like that she uses a lot of those flavors.”

Shrimp Tacos with Watermelon Jicama Salad
Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 small seedless watermelon, chopped
½ cup jicama, peeled and julienned
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ fresh jalapeño, de-seeded and finely diced
Juice from 1 lime
2 tbsp. finely diced pickled jalapeños
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
½ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and pepper, to taste
Red chili powder, to taste
Ground cumin, to taste
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 dozen 5-inch white corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, quartered
Salsa, optional

1. In a large bowl, mix together the first five ingredients.

2. In a small bowl, combine the pickled jalapeños with the plain Greek yogurt. Place in the refrigerator.

3. In another large bowl, lightly season the shrimp with salt, pepper, red chili powder, and cumin.

4. In a medium sauté pan, warm the olive oil. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

5. Warm the tortillas on a grill, in a pan, or in the microwave.

6. Place three shrimp in the tortilla and top with a drizzle of your jalapeño yogurt sauce; top with cabbage and avocado and serve with a lime wedge. Top with your favorite salsa.

—Lexi Dwyer

Noura Jafar

The Chicago restaurant RPM Steak got a very special — and very presidential — visit on Wednesday.

President Obama stopped in for a meal at the steakhouse, which is owned by Giuliana and Bill Rancic, with White House senior advisor Valerie Jarrett and longtime friend Marty Nesbitt.

Obama’s group dined on classic steakhouse dishes, including the Grand Seafood Platter (oysters, shrimp, Alaskan king crab and lobster), a dry-aged bone-in Kansas City cut steak and the signature chocolate cake, a rep for the restaurant tells PEOPLE.

“Wow!!! President Obama is at our restaurant in Chicago @rpmsteakchi!!!! What an honor…I have tears in my eyes:) #bestfeelingever,” the host captioned the photo of POTUS she posted to Instagram.

RPM Steak is the sister restaurant to the couple’s RPM Italian, where Michelle Obama and her friends dined last year.

The President — who is in the Windy City for a closed-door fundraiser for Governor Pat Quinn and is giving a speech at Northwestern University on Thursday — even posed for photos with diners and spent time meeting with the staff.

“He came right through the front door and was great with everyone. People were so excited,” said Giuliana. “We didn’t know he was coming until the motorcade pulled up, which was super exciting.”

You can get a taste of the presidential life, too! Make the sinful chocolate cake the Obama party enjoyed, prepared by executive chef Doug Psaltis.

Jeff Marini

RPM Steak’s Chocolate Cake
Makes 20 servings

For the cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
4 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
4 tsp baking soda
2 cups coffee grounds
1 cup buttermilk
6 eggs
½ cup butter, unsalted, melted
½ cup canola oil

For the ganache:
¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup whole milk
2 ½ cups dark chocolate
½ cup milk chocolate
¾ cup butter, unsalted, room temperature

1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and baking soda and place in mixer with paddle attachment. Whisk coffee, buttermilk and eggs together in a separate bowl. Add coffee mixture to dry ingredients and mix until dry.

2. Mix butter and oil together and add to mix.

3. Divide batter evenly into 3 baking pans and bake at 250 degrees for 10 minutes.

4. In a small pot, bring cream and milk to a boil. Over a double boiler, melt both chocolates together. Pour cream mixture over chocolates and stir to combine. Stir in butter and mix until completely melted and combined.

5. To assemble, unmold cakes and slice tops to level off. Working in layers, start with one cake, 3 cups of ganache, another cake, 3 more cups of ganache, top with remaining cake.

6. Slowly pour remaining lukewarm ganache over cake, spreading with a spatula to evenly distribute. Appearance should be smooth and shiny.

7. Let cool overnight. Cut into twenty equal pieces.

—Ana Calderone

Daniel Krieger; Inset: Earl Gibson III/Getty

You would think that having the President of the United States, the First Lady and 250 guests over for dinner would make any chef really nervous. Well, not if you’re White Street N.Y.C.’s executive chef Floyd Cardoz.

“We’re going to cook our asses off,” Cardoz told Grub Street about the dinner he’s preparing for a Democratic fundraiser on Tuesday night. “Because how often do you get to have the president in the same zip code as you, let alone the same space?”

The former Top Chef Masters winner is preparing a meal of Long Island fluke, short-rib dish with grits, pumpkin-ricotta soup and a chickpea cake with avocado.

When creating the menu, Cardoz didn’t tailor his dishes specifically for President Obama’s palate (no burgers and fries here!), but tried to respect Michelle Obama’s healthy-eating initiative.

“I want him to understand that my philosophy is pretty close to his philosophy, and want to showcase what we do at White Street,” he said of the downtown New York spot he opened last month.

Cardoz even revealed that he’s not including any cream or butter in his dishes for the night. But that doesn’t mean they will let the guests leave without a sweet treat.

“We’re going to get every guest to leave with a bag of cookies,” he said. “I’ve asked for chocolate-chip cookies because that’s what I like. No nuts.”

If your invitation got lost in the mail (tickets ranged from $1,000 to $25,000), you can still have a taste of presidential flavor. Cardoz shared the soup recipe he’s whipping up for the glamorous event tonight.

Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Serves 6-8

4 tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. coriander, roughly ground
3 pieces allspice, roughly pounded
2 cloves, roughly pounded
½ tsp. cumin, roughly pounded
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 cup each onions, carrots and celery root, diced
1 inch. ginger, peeled and spiced
½ tsp. turmeric
1 large Mutsu or Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
2 qt. vegetable stock
2 cups roasted pumpkin puree
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
½ tsp. each freshly ground black pepper and salt

1. Place a large stew pot over moderate heat. Add the canola oil and heat until it shimmers.

2. Add all roughly pounded spices and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic, onion, carrots, celery root, ginger and turmeric. Continue to cook until soft and tender. Add apples and the vegetable stock and bring up to a boil.

3. Add the pumpkin puree, cider vinegar, salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are soft. Puree in a blender and strain through a soup strainer.

4. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish 
with diced candied ginger, seasoned ricotta and toasted pumpkin seeds, if desired.

—Ana Calderone

Courtesy Vine

During a Twitter chat on Tuesday night, First Lady Michelle Obama turned DJ Snake and rapper Lil Jon’s “Turn Down for What” into the ultimate healthy eating anthem.

During the Twitter Q&A, Barack Obama impersonator Alphacat asks FLOTUS, “How many calories do you burn every time you ‘turn up’?!” Her 6-second Vine response: “Turnip for what?” The music then clicks on and, while holding a turnip in her hand, Mrs. Obama bobs her head to the beat.

At the time of this post, the Vine video had already looped over 6 million times. Watch the video yourself, and just try to get that song out of your head the rest of the day.

Courtesy The White House

They might be known for projects like the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge but on Halloween, First Lady Michelle and President Barack Obama handed out a deliciously decadent gift to trick-or-treaters: a homemade butter cookie.

As acrobats dressed like spiders and cats performed on aerial trusses, the First couple — who opted not to don costumes — welcomed about 4,500 people to the lawn of the White House’s South Portico. Local students and children of military families were among their guests, and decorations included 200 carved pumpkins as well as topiaries of Bo and Sunny, the First Dogs, that were outfitted to look like circus clowns.

Along with the cookie, visitors received classic candies such as licorice and Hershey’s Kisses, kettle corn, Bo and Sunny baseball cards, and a snack likely close to the FLOTUS’s heart: a Gala apple.

PEOPLE got the stunningly simple make-ahead dough recipe, below. These cookies, which bake quickly and require just a few pantry staples, can be easily customized with your favorite frosting or glaze for any holiday.

Getty

The White House’s Sweet Dough Butter Cookie Recipe
Makes 18 to 22 cookies

2 lbs. butter
1 lb. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
3 lbs. all purpose flour

1. Mix the butter and sugar until soft and well beaten. Add eggs, vanilla, salt and half the flour. Beat on low until mixed. Add the rest of the flour and beat on low until incorporated.

2. Push dough ball flat onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate overnight. Roll out to one quarter inch thick and cut out desired shapes with cookie cutter.

3. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 14 minutes and allow to cool.

—Lexi Dwyer, reporting by Sandra Sobieraj

Chuck Kennedy/White House

Just in time to work on the elaborate holiday gingerbread house, Susan E. Morrison has just been named the new executive pastry chef at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the first time a woman has been appointed to that position.

She joins Cristeta Comerford, the first-ever female executive chef appointed in 2005, in this exclusive White House women’s club.

Morrison — or should we call her First Baker? — will be in charge of creating desserts for the White House’s daily needs as well as all social events there, including receptions, luncheons and state dinners. She’ll also tend to the White House beehive (fresh honey!) and garden.

With the start of the holiday season just days away, the sugar expert will soon start mixing flour and sugar for an annual tradition: recreating the White House in gingerbread, an epic creative endeavor that goes on display in the (real) executive mansion. In the last few years the gingerbread abode has also featured the Obamas’ beloved dog, Bo.

Morrison is no stranger to the White House — she’s been serving there in a culinary capacity since 1995 and has been assistant pastry chef since 2002.

Which means when President Obama is hit with a craving — for another slice of Death by Chocolate cake, perhaps? — he already knows who to go to for his fix.

—Nancy Mattia

Stewart Shining

If your Thanksgiving dinner is lacking in pie, it’s because the Obama family has a monopoly on all the pies in America!

After the First Family chows down on the turkey that was not pardoned for its crime of “having delicious bird parts,” as Last Week Tonight host John Oliver put it, they’re going to have some pretty incredible pastries!

The dessert menu, created by the White House’s first-ever female pastry chef, Susan E. Morrison, sounds incredible.

The President, his wife, Michelle, their daughters, Malia, 16, Sasha, 13, and the rest of their guests will get to choose from banana cream, coconut cream, pumpkin, apple, pecan and cherry pies.

(But really, why choose? Is six slices really too many?)

But will they really have room for pie after a Thanksgiving meal that includes thyme-roasted turkey, honey-baked ham, cornbread stuffing, oyster stuffing, braised winter greens, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato gratin, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and dinner rolls. We hope they’re wearing their comfy pants!

On Wednesday, the President decreed, in the White House’s most baffling holiday tradition, that turkeys Mac and Cheese would be pardoned and, having been spared “from a terrible and delicious fate,” will live out long, healthy lives at Turkey Hill, a farm in Leesburg, Virginia.

—Amanda Michelle Steiner, @amandamichl

Quentin Bacon/The White House

The first family’s longtime personal chef is leaving the White House.

The White House says the newly married Sam Kass is moving to New York, where his wife lives. Kass has worked for the first family since President Barack Obama was in the Senate.

Kass moved to Washington after the 2008 presidential election to serve as the Obamas’ primary chef. But he has also taken on policy work, serving as executive director of first lady Michelle Obama‘s anti-childhood obesity initiative and becoming the White House’s first-ever senior adviser on nutrition.

In a statement, Obama says Kass “has made a real difference for our next generation.” Mrs. Obama says Kass will “continue to be a leader in the vitally important work to build a healthier country.”

—Associated Press

Alex Brandon/AP Photo

Every time President Obama opens his mouth, people listen. And when he shoves something in there, people pay attention.

Based on a review of more than 12,400 reports filed by the White House press pool since he took office six years ago, TIME.com took it upon themselves to dissect nearly every one of the President’s public dining choices, including dozens of burger joints, a slew of steakhouses and more than 15 date night destinations with Michelle Obama.

Needless to say, this list is making us hungry.

It’s no secret that our Commander-in-Chief’s go-to-meal is a good old fashioned burger. His locations of choice include everywhere from the ever-growing Shake Shack to Washington, D.C.’s Good Stuff Eatery to Matt’s Bar in Minneapolis (known for stuffing gooey, molten cheese in the middle of their patties).

But Mr. Obama isn’t alone in his foodie habits — when the First Couple goes out to eat, they do it right. Their date night dinners have included N.Y.C.’s pricy, farm-to-table Blue Hill, Honolulu’s Asian fusion hot spot Nobu Waikiki location and 12 Bones Smokehouse in Asheville, NC for some delectable barbecue. Let the reservation envy sink in.

Apparently steaks are also a fit meal for the leader of the free world. He’s dined at Washington, D.C.’s BLT Steak, Bourbon Steak as well as Bill and Giuliana Rancic’s RPM Steak in Chicago — where he chowed down on everything from a Grand Seafood Platter (oysters, shrimp, Alaskan king crab and lobster), a dry-aged bone-in Kansas City cut steak and the restaurant’s signature chocolate cake.

While the First Lady is his favorite dinner date, the TIME.com interactive gives a breakdown of all of the others frequenting his table, including one pastor, two mayors, and four governors.

So what’s Obama’s favorite restaurant? The president has eaten at Alan Wong’s Asian-fusion restaurant more than any other place during his six years in office — he gets the soy-braised short ribs.

—Amy Jamieson

Courtesy Cooking Light

It’s hard to believe there was ever a time when Michelle Obama wasn’t on a healthy-eating track.

But, prior to entering the White House, she learned on a visit to her daughters’ pediatrician that their diets weren’t as good has they could be. “I thought we had it all together,” says the First Lady, who graces the cover of the Cooking Light‘s March issue. It’s the magazine first non-food cover in its 28 years of publishing.

Less takeout and processed foods, and more healthy home-cooked meals helped the full-time working mom turn it around.

“By the time we went back for the next visit, our pediatrician said, ‘What have you done? I haven’t seen these [body mass index] numbers change in this way in a while,” Mrs. Obama recalls in the magazine’s Family Dinner issue.

Courtesy Cooking Light

Now celebrating the fifth anniversary of Let’s Move! — Obama’s national program to fight childhood obesity — she shares how her own childhood helped shape her views on eating.

“[My mom] was famous for her lemon chicken,” Mrs. Obama shares. “And that was a good Sunday dish.” The rest of the week consisted of roast beef sandwiches (on Monday and Tuesday), lasagna for weeknight dinners, fish on Fridays, and the “unfortunate liver Wednesdays.”

“There was a pattern to what we ate,” she says. “There ware familiar flavors … we would sit around the table with the plastic tablecloth, and that’s when we would catch up and we’d talk about what we were eating, talk about what was going on in the day.”

She now shares the same sentiment with her own family. “[Between 6:30 and 7 p.m.] is the most important time of the day,” she says.

One of her biggest food influences: former White House chef Sam Kass. “He was a core of our processed-food elimination,” she says. “He said, there’s nothing wrong with mac and cheese, but it’s got to be real food … cheese dust is not food.”

For more on Michelle Obama’s interview — and the magazine’s new Let’s Move!–inspired curriculum Let’s Cook! —pick up the March issue of Cooking Light.

–Michelle Ward

Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Michelle Obama took on a big home project.

The First Lady recently renovated the White House dining room, making it one of the first rooms in the historical home to get a modern update.

The revamped room — officially called the Old Family Dining Room — was first unveiled to the public Tuesday, when Obama surprised visitors on a White House tour. The dining room has been in use since 1825 and had previously always been off-limits to the public.

“You feel a really huge responsibility to make sure that the changes reflect the values of the house, that they reflect the values of the country,” Obama said in an interview with Today correspondent and former first daughter Jenna Bush Hager.

BEFORE

Courtesy White House

The renovation, which was paid for by a donation from the White House Historical Association, transformed the room into a fresher, brighter and more elegant-looking space, with gray paint replacing the old yellow walls, burgundy drapes on the windows as well as gilded sconces and abstract art lining the walls.

The first lady is one of the first White House occupants to add modern, 21st century touches to the room, while retaining many original pieces, such as a decades-old crystal chandelier and Kennedy-era antiques. This also marks the first time that an African-American woman artist is featured in the White House, with a 1966 painting by Alma Thomas.

AFTER

Courtesy White House

The dining room functioned as a breakfast room until former first lady Jackie Kennedy moved the family’s dining area upstairs to the private residence. Now, the room is used as staging during state dinners or for lower-key official meals, including lunches with foreign leaders.

“Living here is such a gift. And you feel an awesome sense of responsibility to make sure you’re taking care of this house. But you also want to make sure that Americans feel like it’s their home, too,” Obama said.

In the interview, the first lady also speaks about how she and President Obama have turned the mansion into a home for their two teenage daughters, adding that family dinners are crucial, as they offer an opportunity to “just eat a good meal and catch up.”

“They’re absolutely important. I mean, Barack and I have tried to hold fast to the family dinner, almost every evening,” the first lady said. “I mean, now we’ve got kids who have sports and, you know, dances and things like that.”

Plus, a nice family meal can also provide a much-needed break from the public eye. “It’s a good opportunity for Barack to just forget about the worries of the world that he carries around. And we can just be a family.”

–Morgan Gibson

Jacquelyn Martin/AP

The green necktie has become almost obligatory, but President Obama, who can claim a great-great-great-grandfather from the Irish village of Moneygall, did more than just sport the color of the day. He put it in the White House water.

Fountains on the executive mansion’s lawn ran green on St. Patrick’s Day, and the president, who has joked his name is really “O’Bama,” celebrated with bagpipes, shamrocks and the poetry of Yeats.

Charles Dharapak/AP

“This is an annual affair and always one of my favorites. It allows me to trot out my Irish heritage,” Obama said as an Oval Office visit from Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Enda Kenny kicked off the St. Patrick’s Day festivities at the White House that included bagpipes on the East Landing, Guinness draft and Jameson whiskey in the East Room and a traditional menu of lamb, shepherd’s pie and shamrock-shaped shortbread.

Kenny gifted Obama with a slender green volume of poems by William Butler Yeats, whom the president called one of his favorite poets and one of Ireland’s best “exports.” Vice President Biden held a holiday breakfast of country potatoes and Irish soda bread at his official residence, joking: “Anyone wearing orange is not welcome in here!”

Charles Dharapak/AP

On Capitol Hill, where Obama, Biden and Kenny joined congressional leaders for lunch in the Capitol’s Rayburn Room, the St. Patrick’s menu was considerably more highbrow than the one-pot meal of corned beef and cabbage many of us associate with the holiday. VIPs instead dined on mesclun salad with fallen goat cheese soufflé and a balsamic vinaigrette; Dover Sole meunière with steamed spinach and saffron turned potatoes; and a salted caramel pie with graham cracker crust and vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.

Oh, and for those of us keeping it real on St. Patrick’s Day, there were shamrock-shaped cookies decorated in bright green icing.

—Sandra Sobieraj

Andrew Burton/Getty

Michelle Obama is making her mark on the White House dining room.

The first lady joined forces with White House curator William Allman and AD100 designer Michael S. Smith to create the new Obama State China Service, a stunning set of tableware to be used by not only the Obamas, but by many future first families to come.

Obama, 51, follows in the footsteps of many presidents and first ladies before her who purchased or commissioned china services for official use, including the Reagans, the Lincolns and Laura and George W. Bush, to name a few.

It’s a long-standing tradition that dates back to the early 19th century, but of course, our ever-fashionable first lady found a way to freshen it up. Veering away from the more primary red, green, blue and yellow hues used on recent state services, Obama’s 11-piece mismatched gold and “Kailua blue” table settings serve up a more modern feel.

Amanda Lucidon/White House

Obama told Architecture Digest in advance of today’s formal unveiling at the White House, “If you’ve seen our state dinners, we really do a lot of mixing and matching — sometimes because we really do not have enough, sometimes because we’re trying to create a new modern, different, edgy kind of look. This Kailua blue is one of those colors that will complement some of the other pieces already in the collection in a way that’s elegant, and I think it will be timeless. This really came out well. Nice job, everyone involved!”

The 320 place settings were designed with love and care, with Obama consulting the White House chefs and cooking staff. The service, donated by the White House Endowment Trust and administered by the White House Historical Association, is the first to include a tureen, which can be used for soups, desserts and more.

Amanda Lucidon/White House

The striking “Kailua blue” color that lines the majority of the pieces was inspired by the water in President Obama‘s home state of Hawaii. And the service’s manufacturer, Pickard China, is based in Antioch, Illinois, the first lady’s home state.

“The first lady has often said that she views her family as caretakers of the White House,” says Smith, the designer. “And one of the most important ideas behind the creation of this china was that it must be useful not just for the Obama family but for all future presidents and their families. We wanted it to be modern, so it’s not a matching set, but there is a continuity and theme that joins the pieces. It’s a fresh approach, and one that respects and honors the remarkable beauty and history of the entire White House china collection.”

The Obama State China Service will make its official debut on Monday at the Japan State Dinner, where we’re sure many a glass will be raised to the designer.

—Tierney McAfee

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty

The new china has been selected and the menu is set for Tuesday night’s White House State Dinner.

So it’s time to feast.

President Obama and Michelle Obama are hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife, Akie Abe, for the dinner-to-remember on April 28. Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto is the guest chef for the evening, joining the culinary forces of White House executive chef Cris Comerford and executive pastry chef Susan Morrison to create a one-of-a-kind menu.

“I am deeply honored to be the guest chef for tomorrow’s #StateDinner at the @whitehouse hosted by President @barackobama and First Lady @michelleobama in honor of Prime Minister Abe and Mrs. Abe of #Japan!” the Japanese chef posted to Instagram.

The first course, Toro Tartare and Caesar Sashimi Salad (pictured below), is wrapped in clear acetate and tied with a Mizuhiki cord, Yahoo Food reports.

The second course, Vegetable Consomme En Croute and Shikai Maki, is a tribute to FLOTUS’s kitchen garden.‎ The main course is American Wagyu Beef Tenderloin with Spring Vegetables and Maui Onion Veal Jus.

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty

The showstopper of the evening is definitely dessert, which includes a blown sugar teapot decorated with edible cherry blossoms and surrounded by petit fours as well as cheesecake made of silken tofu and soy milk with Florida berries and White House honey.

The dinner will include a sake toast and three American wines, all from California: the 2013 Ryo-fu Chardonnay from Freeman Vineyard & Winery, founded by Ken and Akiko Freeman in Sebastopol; the 2010 Joli Coeur Pinot Noir from Morlet Family Vineyards in St. Helena; and the 2007 Russian River Cuvee sparkling wine from Iron Horse Vineyards, also in Sebastopol.

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty

Cherry blossoms are the decor du jour for the dinner, with Washington’s signature flowers gracing everything from the red chopsticks to the table’s centerpieces.

And that’s not all! The guests will be entertained by the stars of the film Jersey Boys. Sounds like quite the party.

—Morgan Gibson, @morgangibson

Kids are notoriously picky when it comes to food.

But while the batch of budding culinary engineers at the Kids’ White House State Dinner may be choosy, they’re most worried about eating meals with the most nutritional value.

It’s a concern that Michelle Obama shares. Since President Obama’s inauguration, encouraging young Americans to adopt healthy eating habits has been a priority for the First Lady. And in order to get kids to not only eat healthy, but to cook healthy, too, she launched the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, which invites kids to craft their own affordable, good-for-you, and (most importantly) delicious recipes.

The real prize isn’t just creating a healthy new meal, it’s the chance to take the same coveted seats held by dignitaries and world leaders — this time, at the Kids’ White House State Dinner. Yes, it’s actually a lunch — there’s bedtimes to keep, after all!

Attending the event are fifty-five winners (there’s one representing each state and four territories) of annual Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, along with a parent or guardian. This year, nearly a thousand entries were submitted for consideration in the contest, which began in 2011. A few of the recipes were even be featured on the lunch’s menu.

During her remarks at this year’s lunch, The First Lady spoke of the power these young chefs have turn their peers onto nutrition.

“A lot of kids don’t understand that food is fuel in a very fundamental way,” she said. “And sometimes they don’t listen to grown-ups, and they don’t listen to the First Lady. But many of them will listen to you because you’re living proof of that reality.”

If you want to get your picky eater to start eating healthy, these winning recipes are a good place to start. We’ve got three FLOTUS-approved recipes you can recreate at home.

Mango-Cango Chicken
Corey Jackson Jr., Age 10
Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:
1 (14-ounce) package classic slaw
1 (13.5-ounce) can lite coconut milk
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup jasmine rice
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
½ teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can pear halves
1 (15-ounce) can diced mangoes
4 red leaf lettuce leaves

Preparation:
1. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix the slaw with 1 cup coconut milk, the mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and the lime juice. Chill for 20 minutes.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 ⅓ cups water with the remaining 2/3 cup coconut milk and bring to a gentle boil over low heat. Add the vanilla and jasmine rice. Cover, turn off the heat, and let stand for 25 minutes.
3. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the chicken, flipping once, for about 10 minutes total, or until it’s cooked through. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the pears and mangoes with their juices and the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes.
5. Arrange a lettuce leaf on each plate, and top with slaw. Add some coconut rice and chicken. Top with the fruit sauce and serve.

California Rainbow Taco with Mic-Kale Obama Slaw and Barack-amole
Aria Pelaez, Age 9
Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:
For the Tacos:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 orange, red, or green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
24 cherry tomatoes
2 fresh tilapia fillets
8 corn tortillas
½ cup low-fat Mexican cheese blend

For the Slaw:
½ cup shredded cabbage
½ cup finely chopped kale
¼ cup peeled shredded carrots
¼ cup fresh cilantro
¼ cup red onion, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Juice from 3 limes
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dip:
2 avocadoes, pitted
1 cup yogurt
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice from 3 limes
Salt and pepper to taste
Equipment: 4 skewers

Preparation:
1. Grill the veggies and fish: Grease the grill lightly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking and preheat to medium-high. Place the fruit and veggies on 4 skewers, alternating the pineapple, onion, bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes. Cook the veggies and fish, turning once, about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through and browned on the outside
2. Meanwhile, make the slaw: In a large bowl, combine all the slaw ingredients and mix thoroughly.
3. Make the dip: In a blender or food processor, combine all the dip ingredients. Blend until just mixed, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Warm each tortilla in a frying pan over low heat. Flip then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of cheese and heat until the cheese melts. Place each tortilla on a plate and top with ¼ piece of fish and a few grilled vegetables. 5. Top each with 1 big spoonful of cabbage slaw, drizzle with Guacamole-Yogurt dip, roll up, and serve.

Hannah’s Eggy Potato Scramble
Hannah Betts, Age 10
Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes
1 cup Brussels sprouts
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
½ cup mushrooms, chopped
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
¼ cup low-fat cheese
¼ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
¼ cup ham, shredded
Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes, place on a large baking sheet, and bake for 40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a baking dish, toss the Brussels sprouts with the garlic, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add to the oven where the sweet potatoes are baking. After 10 minutes, add the mushrooms, and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the veggies are slightly browned.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Cook in a nonstick pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes, or until the eggs are scrambled.
4. When the potatoes and veggies are cooked, remove from the oven (leave the oven on) and carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, being careful not to rip the skin. Scoop out the sweet potato flesh and place in a medium bowl. Add the Brussels sprouts-mushroom mixture and the scrambled eggs, mix together well, and place into the potato skins. Sprinkle the cheese, breadcrumbs, and shredded ham on top of each potato half. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

—Diana Pearl