View from the Cottage

My appalling recipe collection

October 9, 2018

Before I downsized from the house to the cottage, I had an appalling recipe collection, overflowing two large drawers in a Victorian secretary. Recipes were haphazardly collected in folders that bulged so that their spines tore. But they were organized—a folder each for entrees tried, entrees not tried, vegetables, appetizers, desserts, breakfasts. I saved some—they are in an out of the way file cabinet that I envisioned as part of my office—until I realized how limited space in the cottage is. Now the cabinet and the recipes are in my closet. Not handy. I’m not sure I could find an old favorite if I wanted to.

The irony is that I’ve started a new appalling collection, and it’s growing out of bounds. I just can’t resist recipes that intrigue me. Of course, my main cooking audience is my local family—Jordan, Christian, and Jacob. Truth be told, they are fussy eaters, and many of the recipes just aren’t on thei list of acceptables—spaghetti pie with eggplant, smoked salmon pizza, kalpudding (a meatloaf and cabbage combo). You get the drift.

My chef friend Heather said to just send her a recipe they won’t eat, so I did. She’ll make  spaghetti pie with eggplant for our lunch next Monday. Maybe kalpudding later—it sounds like a winter dish.

Some of my older recipes are preserved for eternity in my cookbook, Cooking My Way through Life with Kids and Books (blatant publicity Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Cooking-through-Books-Stars-Texas/dp/1933337338/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1539125500&sr=1-1&keywords=cooking+my+way+through+life+with+kids+and+books&dpID=51CkxYqaq0L&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch ).

I’m excited to remind you that my new cookbook, Gourmet on a Hot Plate: Tiny Kitchen Tips and Recipes, will be available in early November—plenty of time to put it on the Christmas gift list for that senior living in small quarters or the college freshman just cooking on his or own on a hot plate in a dorm room.  A couple of my old favorites will be included, but mostly it’s new recipes and new cooking hints.

For instance, did you know to always add a pinch of sugar to tomato sauces to cut the acidity? Or how to make your own buttermilk. Or ranchero sauce? Lots more. I’ll be giving some hints as the pub date gets closer.

Meanwhile, think eggplant and cabbage.