2020 was a year of a million meals at home. 2021 is starting out similarly for us. Here are the recipes I have in my back pocket that are on repeat in my house! I hope you find a recipe that you can add to your family’s repertoire! Read on for are the top recipes I have on repeat!
For today’s Friday Five I thought I would take a little walk down memory lane. With Two Spoons turned FOUR last week and it is amazing how far we have come. From questionable photography and no one to see it anyways, to sponsorships and 34,000 Facebook followers, we’re so proud of our little slice of the internet! Follow along (and if you aren’t following on Instagram, Stories is where the everyday magic happens!) or subscribe so you don’t miss a thing!
When an overweight, carb-addicted, Taco Bell worshiping, 40-something (43 to be exact) decides to do something as crazy as the Whole30, well, I guess I think it deserves its own post. So many people have asked me why I did the Whole30 and what I hoped to gain from it, and I find those questions so important, yet somewhat difficult to answer. Keep on reading as I get real, and share what I learned from the Whole30.
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This post is actually a preview of some up and coming posts which will use these Caramelized Onions. Confused? Don’t worry, it will all become clear very soon. But while you are waiting, we’re going to teach you How to Make Caramelized Onions, so you can stock your own freezer. Get excited-we are going to put these sweet and savory onions to good use in the upcoming weeks. Read on to get detailed instructions on how to make a batch of your own. Plus a pro tip which shows I have NO shame. I will do anything to make your kitchen experience just a little bit more comfortable!
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I can’t tell you how many times I’ve commiserated with friends about the challenges of cooking for kids. I’m not talking about technical cooking skills here – most of us can manage the ins and outs of classic kid foods. Rather, I’m interested in how to balance making healthy, tasty food that kids and adults will want to eat. I don’t want to be a short order cook and I want my kids to eat food that pushes beyond macaroni and cheese and pizza. Lane and I are both busy working moms and our kids range in age from 9 months to high school so our kid culinary needs are widely varied. In putting together this week’s Good Food Reads, I wanted to find a collection of recipes that would be useful for moms with kids of all ages. To make it a little easier, I’ve broken down the recipes by (loose) age groups. There are recipes for young kids, families, and recipes to cook with your kids! Do you have a favorite recipe that is a surefire hit with kids? Let us know! We’d love to share it here.
For Babies and Toddlers:
Pregnancy Smoothie (and the whole Smoothie Project) from Weelicious. Are you guys familiar with the Smoothie Project? Catherine, the genius behind the go-to cooking with kids site Weelicious, features a daily smoothie on her Instagram and has a cool PDF with mix and match options for healthy smoothies the whole family will love. I loved this pregnancy smoothie – and it’s perfect for the whole family.
An easy finger food for older babies, Barley Banana Protein Pancakes have only four simple ingredients and are quickly whipped up in a blender. Yum!
My oldest child was a bit of a picky eater when first starting table foods. These Toddler Muffins were a lifesaver and he always devoured them. They are so easy to make and freeze well. Highly recommend!
I’m hoping to try these Sweet Potato, Spinach and Chick Pea Patties from Annabel Karmel. I love that it doesn’t shy away from big flavors and packs in plenty of nutrition!
My youngest is proving to be an adventurous eater and I’m excited to try these Mini Chicken and Carrot Meatballs for Baby this weekend. They should be perfect for the freezer, too.
Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Cheddar Croquettes are a great option for baby led weaning and are full of nutrients. Make a double batch and pop the extras in the freezer for later!
My son refused to eat eggs until just a few months ago but my daughter is absolutely in love with scrambled eggs. This Veggie Eggy Orzo is next on my list of finger foods to try for her! I love the simple ingredients and whole wheat orzo.
Older Kids:
There’s no easier way to get veggies into picky kids than with pasta sauce! I love this recipe for 5 Vegetable Pasta Bolognese.
These dumplings would be great for older kids and families alike: Ricotta Spinach Dumplings.
Ok, so these are not the healthiest option, but they are an easy treat you can absolutely make with younger kids! We all need dessert sometimes, right? Check out our very own Peanut Butter Cup Bars.
Good For the Whole Family:
Cooking for Kids doesn’t have to mean making separate meals. I love these simple Mashed Sweet Potato Bowls, Two Ways for a quick and easy way to make a healthy meal for all ages.
And because I can’t do a Good Food Reads without a good one pot dish: One Pan Pesto Chicken and Brown Rice. Perfect for cooking for kids and adults!
Finally, what kid (or grownup?) doesn’t love crispy chicken? Check out these Panko Crusted Chicken Drumsticks. They’ve got tons of flavor and crunch and a honey mustard dipping sauce sure to please the pickiest eater.
Well friends, that’s it for this week’s Good Food Reads: Cooking with Kids. How’d we do? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!
Happy Cooking.
xoxo
One week later and I’m even more excited about spring! It’s officially here (well, at least according to the calendar, if not the actual weather) and this week’s Good (Food) Reads is going to celebrate that with recipes and articles for the new season. We are forecast for some snow here in the good ole midwest, so I’m going to freshen up my kitchen with salads, bright desserts, and a few Easter goodies. Here. We. Go.
I have a longstanding obsession with Yotam Ottolenghi. His recipes can be a little involved and sometimes call for some less-than-standard pantry ingredients, but they are absolutely worth it. His Turkey Zucchini Burgers with Spring Onion and Cumin are one of my spring and summer staples and a great way to use the garden abundance of zucchini each year. The NY Times is featuring a recipe for Baby Spinach with Dates and Almonds that sounds amazing. It does call for sumac, which can be hard to find, but you can order it at Penzey’s, or I’ve also found some at Cost Plus World Market….
I don’t know about you guys, but I have a complete addiction to cookbooks. I blame my habit on my grandmother (hei hei, Bestemor!), whose home is always filled with the smells of something wonderful baking and whose pantry is overflowing with cooking tomes. She tends to favor old, local, home-style cookbooks, often bought at church fundraisers or garage sales – ones that over the years have been peppered with priceless notes and anecdotes. My mother has a similar love of cookbooks, though with a slightly more modern, photo heavy bent to her collection. Personally, I love them all.
With the rise of cooking blogs, Pinterest, and digital food magazines, we are surrounded by recipes and beautiful photos of food with just the swipe of a finger. It is a wonderful thing and the ease of web-based resources is something I really appreciate in the midst of the every day life hustle and bustle. There is something so wonderful though, about a slow afternoon with a cup of coffee and an actual book. One that you can hold in your hand, and read cover to cover, savoring the recipes and stories their authors have put down. Over the years, I’ve managed to collect a respectable assortment of wonderful cookbooks and in the process, compiled a list of favorite recipes that I return to again and again. It is a few of those recipes (and their books!) that I want to share with you today.
Since we have been talking a lot about breakfast and baking the past week, I’ve put together five of my favorite cookbooks for baking bread and sweet treats:
What are your go-to books when it comes to baking? Are there recipes your family asks for again and again? Let us know!