Here it is, another blog about feeding your kids. I know, I know, we've read them all before. In fact, up until a month ago I worked at Cookie magazine, where I edited the weekly recipe newsletter, and occasionally posted to our food blog. Well, I've been a stay-at-home dad to my four-year-old daughter for a month now and I feel like I've been distracted from my epicurean responsibilities by such important housekeeping duties as rearranging the medicine cabinet, cleaning desk drawers, and refolding the contents of the linen closet. Although all these time-sucking activities give me a feeling of domestic satisfaction, I need to get focused on dinner, but I lack motivation. When I had to come up with a new and interesting recipe every few weeks for the newsletter, it kept me in the kitchen most nights testing different variations on "family-friendly" meals. We had our daughter eating skate wing; chicken simmered with soy and star anise, and a hundred different takes on mac and cheese. Not all were successful, but the challenge of finding a new food that she would gobble up was inspiring. If only I could find that same inspiration again.
Then it hit me. I've been getting recipes emailed to me weekly from various sources for years. All this time I've been getting dinner in my inbox and haven't fully embraced the inspiration and challenge that these cooks/chefs have been delivering to me. When I edited the Cookie newsletter I often wondered how many people actually took the time to make the recipe that I recommended. Now it's my turn to do the testing. I'm going to be culling recipes from various emails and newsletters and making their dinner suggestions, and then posting back on how well it went over in our home.
Now keep in mind that I don't have a professional background in cooking. Although in the sixth grade I did choose chef as my first choice for my career day project—I even cooked an omelet for my teacher as part of the assignment. Other than that, along with a few years waiting tables, I don't have any real culinary experience. I'm simply a dad who loves spending time in the kitchen and at the dinner table with my family.
I'll be reporting back on my successes and my failures. I would love to hear from you as to where you get your dinner inspirations, and, of course, what you think of the recipes. Keep in touch.
