My First Recipe

I've been cooking since I was about 6 years old. It started with scrambling eggs, boiling hot dogs, frying bologna (you know what I'm talking about), and making grilled cheese sandwiches.  By the time I was 10, I was responsible for cooking dinner for my family one night a week. Needless to say, by the time I reached adulthood I had a pretty good repertoire.  Some people are surprised to learn that I cook. I guess I don't give off that impression. I actually come from a family where eating in was the norm, eating out a treat, and where everyone (dad and brother included) contributed in the kitchen. I am so thankful for that upbringing now that I have a family of my own.

My main cooking inspirations are my mother and late paternal grandmother.  These two ladies can (could) throw down in the kitchen.  My mom loves to cook flavorful yet healthy food using fresh ingredients.  She's also like MacGyver in the kitchen. No matter what you have in your fridge and pantry, she can whip up a gourmet meal. My grandmother made cooking look so effortless. I don't know if it was something she loved to do but growing up in Tennessee, her southern roots definitely shined through. Dinners around her kitchen table went fast. If you didn't get there when dinner was served, you probably didn't eat. I have to also give props to my dad who taught me a lot about the basics of cooking. His specialty is baking pies. I get my apple and blackberry pie recipes from him.

I don't consider myself a great cook but I can execute a recipe. Now that I have more time to focus on cooking I have started exploring new and different cooking styles and adding my own flare.  Until recently I did not eat poultry, beef, pork, or any other kind of meat (except seafood) for about 13 years so the variation of what I'm cooking now has definitely expanded. I blame my husband for this. :-) With him being a carnivore, I quickly became annoyed at having to cook two separate meals. One night, I made him a t-bone steak and myself a tofu steak. While he was grubbing away at his steak, I looked down at my place and said to myself: "self, why are you eating this? It doesn't even taste good." At that moment I decided it was time for me to tip-toe back into the carnivorous world and I haven't looked back since.

Some of my recipes will be exact duplicates of a chef and I will give them credit where due. Others will be based on someone else's recipe with my own tweaks.  On rare occasions I may even throw in an original recipe. Most of my cooking is semi-homemade, meaning I cook some things from scratch and get other things from a can, bottle, or frozen pack.

My first recipe is for spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs are from scratch and the sauce and pasta are store bought. The meatballs recipe is based on one from Bobby Flay but I have substituted some things based on what was available in my kitchen.

Ingredients


1 pound ground beef
4 ounces milk
4 large eggs
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 slice whole wheat bread (tear into small bread crumbs)
2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic (can get this in a jar)
A generous sprinkling of dried Italian Seasoning (usually includes oregano, rosemary, parsley, and basil)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray cooking oil on top of foil.  Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with your hands. Form into golf ball sized meatballs and place on foil. If mixture is not sticking together add more panko bread crumbs.  Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.

While meatballs are baking, cook spaghetti in desired amount as stated on the package. Also, take a jar or two of your favorite pasta sauce and pour into a large deep skillet, cover and simmer over low heat. Once the meatballs are finished in the oven, place them, one by one, into the skillet with the sauce, making sure you spoon some sauce over them so they are covered.  Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.

After straining, place cooked pasta in a large serving bowl. Pour sauce and meatballs over pasta. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan (or the Kraft stuff from a bottle) and serve with garlic bread (found in the frozen food section). Serves 3-4.

We had this last night for dinner and the leftovers for lunch today. So good. Enjoy!

New Beginnings

My friend Christine has inspired me to start this blog to document my life experiences as a wife and mother and the joys and challenges that come along with these titles.  Three years ago I met the love of my life at a dark bar in Venice, California. Two years ago we got married. One year ago, God blessed us with a beautiful baby boy who we named Carter James. For those of you that know me well, you will agree that "wife" and "mother" were not things I necessarily saw in my future. Now, I cannot imagine life without "my boys."

My husband Jimmy recently accepted a promotion at work which has relocated our family from Santa Monica, California to Carmel, Indiana (yes...we left California willingly).  Along with the change in geography, my career also changed. I put on hold my seven year career as an attorney to dedicate my time to Jimmy and Carter.  Again, for those that know me well, this decision was a bit of a shocker; especially since I was itching to go back to work after three months of maternity leave. Nonetheless, I have embraced my new role and have been surprised at how quickly I'm becoming domesticated...and I hate to say it...liking it. 

The purpose of this blog is to give you a window into my new life in a new city. There is so much to experience and I can't wait to get started. I will also include some of my favorite recipes from time to time and share fun ideas for activities to do with your child(ren). Enjoy!