Why am I doing this? Well, I love to cook and many people ask for my recipes so I thought this might be a good place to share them. I've enjoyed many food-related movies and books that tend to inspire me.
My first memories of food rest with my grandma...she left Wisconsin in the 1920s for Chicago. She was a good ol' Polish gal who made a living during the depression cleaning homes. She picked up some good cookin' from some of the families and shared them with us as little kids in the early 1970s.
Grandma had a nice garden which she tended to yearly with my Uncle Norbie. The main thing I remember from her garden is the grape vines. I would sit in her (HOT) kitchen and "help" as she made grape jelly. It freaked me out because, without fail, a spider always found its way into the basket of grapes. Growing up, I don't remember any kind of jelly, other than grape.
Another of grandma's specialties was beet soup. No, it wasn't a cold borsht...it was hot and served over mashed potatoes with browned onions. So delicious! I've actually mastered it in my adulthood.
Of course, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...I was lucky enough to be a child of a stay-at-home mom (ah, the good ol' days) who cooked dinner every night. The most memorable thing my mom ever made was her potato salad. I hear people say how great their potato salad is...I smile and humor them, although I am 100% certain they are wrong...my mom's has always been the BEST! Again...a recipe I've learned and nailed.
My dad also enjoyed food...it was almost unheard of to have a dad that did ANYTHING in the kitchen back then. Not MY dad...every Saturday night, my mom and dad had "date night". They would set up the card table in the basement, and dad would cook steaks with browned onions and mushrooms, wine, potatoes, and salads. Us kids would always sneak down and sit under the table trying to get tastes of his yummy treats.
One year, my mom and sister went to California to visit some family and my brother and I were left home alone with dad. We were both nervous...mom had never left us alone with him...could he do this? Did he even know how to take care of two young kids? Dad did great. My brother and I were treated to a dinner of marinated pot roast that dad made. He was so proud of himself...all he could talk about was his "marinated pot roast" on and on and on...I still giggle when I remember it. Oh, and I was really good, fortunately!
Then...I grew up...we moved from suburban Chicago to Blacksburg, Virginia in 1984. Things were different out in the country, to say the least. Sweet tea?! Are you KIDDING me?! I've never gotten used to it.
In college, my good friend & roommate and I lived in our first apartment. We had to start cooking for ourselves, more than just ramen and spaghetti-o's. Fried chicken...not so much (burnt on the outside and raw on the inside). Then, we started playing around with whatever our parents would buy us when they came into town to visit. We became queens of the casserole. I don't think either one of us gained too much weight that year.
And then...towards the end of my college career, I met someone...he LOVED to cook (and eat). I still wish he would have gone to culinary school because he would have been great. We had some of the same roots...his stepmother was Polish and made a mean pierogi. Jay loved to grill and try new stuff. Some failed miserably, but some weren't half bad, as long as you had many many hours to wait until he was done cooking.
Through Jay, I met many great people who are still close friends of mine. They all love/d food too! Does it get any better?? I think not! One couple, Scott and Michele, spent a lot of time with me, waiting for Jay to complete meals. They were kind enough to share some awesome recipes and cookbooks with me. My absolute FAVORITE (and a favorite of anyone else who has ever tried it) thing I ever ate of theirs was their sesame noodles! No, not the kind that you see everywhere...these are special! The original recipe is from a vegetarian restaurant in Blacksburg that they "tweaked". They did it up right. I've been making it ever since. It's one of only three recipes I have ever owned, that I am forbidden to share.
Then...came marriage and baby...marriage didn't last too long, but the boy is with me and growing to be a MAN! Heaven forbid!!
The day before Justin was born, my mom and I decided to bake "convent coffee cake" (the second recipe I don't share). The boy was going nuts all day, tearing me up...less than 24 hours hours later, he was born. I still have the original written recipe, complete with flour, crust, fruit, etc on it.
The boy never had a chance to get away from liking food! Yes, he did have his food jags like most every other toddler, but before then (and since) will eat most anything. It's nice to have him say what a great cook I am. He (and his friends) has his favorites that I make whenever I can but I still spend an obscene amount of time watching cooking shows, looking through cooking magazines, and trying new recipes. It is a rare occasion for me to try a recipe in it's original state and keep it as is. I am always trying to make recipes healthier, however, there are some times that nothing will substitute for things like short ribs, butter, wine, etc.
So, here I am...a (soon to be) 43-year-old single mom, registered dietitian with catalogs of wonderful pictures, recipes, memories of foods.
Another thing I learned form my grandma and mom was a love of gardens. There is nothing more fascinating than planting a seed, nurturing it, watching it grow, and using the end product to feed me and my family. A completely incredible thing!
I'm excited to share some of my food-related experiences with anyone who wishes to listen.
Thanks, and happy/healthy eating!
