Myths:
1. Buying food at the store and preparing it at home is more expensive than getting take-out food.
2. Kids want simple foods like corn dogs, macaroni and cheese, and spahetti-o's.
3. No one has time to prepare food anymore in our fast-paced society.
All of the above are simply not true. With minimal training and some forethought, anyone can make a meal that is both healthy and satisfying, for very little money.
During a normal work day I get home from work, throw my jacket on the entry room table, be ignored by my kids, and prepare our family dinner. I've never been a "Top Chef," but cooking for my family is one of the most rewarding and relaxing things that I do. My kids may humor me with a friendly approval, but they are my harshest critics.
"I don't like it, Daddy!"
"It's too salty!"
"When are you cooking burgers?"
"What's for dessert?"
I love the Food Network and watching chefs prepare food. By using their ingredients and their passion for food, my aspiration is to expose great recipes to families and show that there are other practical solutions as compared to just buying takeout every night. A couple of my recipes actually use packet mixes, which to most families is fine, as long as the finished product is taken to a new level and leftovers are turned into meals that rival their original intention.
As I have spent the last few years exploring and testing the foods that make my kids happy. I have made many mistakes, but when I get it right they certainly let me know. I have a few recipes that take a mere 10 minutes to prepare.....plus, all is ready in the time it takes for me to take a shower and change for the evening in.
1. Buying food at the store and preparing it at home is more expensive than getting take-out food.
2. Kids want simple foods like corn dogs, macaroni and cheese, and spahetti-o's.
3. No one has time to prepare food anymore in our fast-paced society.
All of the above are simply not true. With minimal training and some forethought, anyone can make a meal that is both healthy and satisfying, for very little money.
During a normal work day I get home from work, throw my jacket on the entry room table, be ignored by my kids, and prepare our family dinner. I've never been a "Top Chef," but cooking for my family is one of the most rewarding and relaxing things that I do. My kids may humor me with a friendly approval, but they are my harshest critics.
"I don't like it, Daddy!"
"It's too salty!"
"When are you cooking burgers?"
"What's for dessert?"
I love the Food Network and watching chefs prepare food. By using their ingredients and their passion for food, my aspiration is to expose great recipes to families and show that there are other practical solutions as compared to just buying takeout every night. A couple of my recipes actually use packet mixes, which to most families is fine, as long as the finished product is taken to a new level and leftovers are turned into meals that rival their original intention.
As I have spent the last few years exploring and testing the foods that make my kids happy. I have made many mistakes, but when I get it right they certainly let me know. I have a few recipes that take a mere 10 minutes to prepare.....plus, all is ready in the time it takes for me to take a shower and change for the evening in.
To save money, I imagine the dinner, the reaction from my kids, and even how I will use it to make leftovers. I buy meat when it's on sale, or reduced for "quick sale" and freeze it until I take it out in the morning for that night's dinner. It's a process and the process works....especially for the working Dad.
Cooking is relatively easy. Anyone can follow a simple recipe, but there are many things that are learned with practice and experience. Again, I have made many mistakes but it has only made me better and more comfortable around the kitchen.
To me, food is family, it brings us together and puts us all in a good mood. In my current lifestyle I spend much of my weekend watching my daughter play softball for a traveling team and because of that I like to call myself a "sideline chef." I pack the rolling cooler with foods that will survive on ice, or locked up safely in foil and I enjoy the challenge of coming up with something good each week that my family will like. There are thousands of families across America that attend community sporting events, tailgate in coliseum parking lots, or travel like I do to softball, baseball, soccer, football or lacrosse tournaments. I have learned to love cooking, to build flavor, try new things and never be afraid to fail. It has only brought us all closer together.
