When we were in our last couple of years of college, Matt and I lived in a house off-campus. It was there that we first started honing our cooking skills. With our college friends in tow, we would gather, watch Junkyard Wars (remember that show?) and make up everyone's family favorites. In the eight (?!?!) years since college, we have grown as cooks (chef sounds a bit too fancy for what we do) by leaps and bounds. Where we once took the "easy route" and bought things like garlic in a jar and processed foods, we now know the joys of making our own pasta and bread and using fresh ingredients as they are available.
These days, our food must be fast and easy to feed our young family, but fresh and nourishing and light for everyone's health. We strive to have a home-cooked meal on the table just about every night of the week and to eat as few processed foods as possible. Weeknights are quick pastas, egg dishes, burritos and the like. On the weekends we do our "big cooking" and prepare the more complex meals and stock our freezer. We are by no-means perfect and in times of great diress (kids screaming hungry and an hour of errands left) we take that easy drive-thru. But we believe in the powers of a home-cooked meal for health, happiness and tradition.
This section of the blog is made up of recipes, but also points the way to our favorite cookbooks, a list of recipes by category, some helpful tips and tricks in the kitchen, and some menus; both to give you a hand in meal-prep and to remember ourselves what we like to go together. The latest feature I've added is a "family favorites" section. These are the recipes that we prepare time and time again and consider to be at the center of our family's cooking lexicon.
We hope you find the cookbook useful and interesting and come back frequently.
Some Recent Additions to the Collective
Ingredients
1 package egg noodles (we like no yolk)
1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced in 1/2" or 2 packages prepped frozen winter squash
1 large onion
rosemary leaves
2 T butter
salt and pepper
parmesan
Directions
Heat oven to 425. Peel onion and cut into large dice. On a rimmed baking sheet, place squash and onion in one layer, distributing evenly. Season with salt and pepper and rosemary leaves. Bake for 20-30 minutes until squash and onions are nicely roasted.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook egg noodles according to package directions. Once noodles are done, drain and return to pot. Add butter and then combine with roasted squash and onions. Season with more S&P if necessary.
Serve topped with grated Parmesan.
Filed In
Italian , Meatless , Lighter , Quick
Ingredients
2.5 C granola
1.5 C rice cereal
1/2 C quick oats
.5 C dried cranberries or blueberries
.5 C chopped dried apricots
.5 C honey
.5 C brown sugar
.5 C peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
Directions
Grease a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray or butter. Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl. Combine brown sugar and honey in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar is melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour peanut butter mixture over the cereal and fruit and mix thoroughly. Press mixture into 9x13 pan and allow to firm up for an hour or so. Cut into squares and ENJOY!
Filed In
Snacks
Ingredients
green beans
butter
dill (fresh or dried)
salt & pepper
Directions
Cook your green beans until done. I like to steam them in skillet with just a little water if fresh, or nuke them if they're frozen, of course. While still hot, add the butter and mix it in so it melts. You do not need much butter. A tablespoon gives an entire pound of green beans a very nice flavor. Then season with dill and salt and pepper.
Jess says ...
My kids LOVE these beans. We eat them with just about anything and I hardly ever have any more than a spoonful left over.
Filed In
Asian
Ingredients
8oz cream cheese
1 pkg Oreos
24 oz semi sweet baking chocolate
Directions
Process Oreos in food processor to make fine crumbs. Combine 2.5 cups ore crumbs with cream cheese and form into balls. Melt chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Dip balls into chocolate and sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Allow to cool and harden on wax paper.
Filed In
Desserts , Baked Goods
Ingredients
3 large sweet potatoes
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup light-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup honey
4 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes until soft when pierced with a knife, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool. Peel, and discard skins.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine cornmeal, milk, butter, brown sugar, spices, salt, and 1 cup water. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Working in batches if necessary, place cornmeal mixture, sweet potatoes, flour, honey, eggs, and cream in a food processor. Process until smooth; pour into dish. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve.
Filed In
Side Dishes , Meatless
