I don’t know how popular a post on cooking will be, but I’m rather over the punch in the gut that the pursuit of popularity ends up being, so I’m bringing this one to you from my kitchen tonight anyhow.
First, please know, that if cooking and baking aren’t your thing, that’s just fine. I grew up in that kind of household myself. (And as evidenced by the 3 Things I’m Confessing post, we do our fair share of eating out, too.)
Firing up the oven sends a few of us into bliss and a few others into despair – and we’re all loved and accepted either way.
For those of us who like to whip up a thing or two ourselves, or who are wanting to start – I’m sharing a few of our favorite recipes with you tonight. These have each been made a million times and I reach for them when I need something familiar and steady.
Enjoy, friends.
3 Things: Recipes
1.) Beef Bourguinon by Martha Stewart
It’s rare for me to fix a dish and have all five of us like it. This one does the trick, which makes it an extra treat for me to make. It’s so much more fun when people like what you fix. This one has to be started earlier in the day, because after it’s seared, it cooks low and slow. We usually indulge in this during the fall and winter months, as it’s a cozy meal – especially when paired with some type of potato. It’s a french style stew, so it also begs for bread of some sort. A baguette or rolls or buttery biscuits would all make it happy. Ms. Martha has been teaching me how to cook for years now. Thank you, PBS.
2.) Brie an Croute from Better Homes and Gardens
I feel kinda fancy when I serve this, though it is spectacularly easy. This is a delicious appetizer, served with crackers or apple slices or triscuits. If you can’t find the smaller brie or camembert, just use a larger one and expand your pastry circle. I do this all the time. Also, I tend to like it better if I saw off a little bit of the cheese round’s rind. It gets extra melty that way. Feel free to use all sorts of jellies: pepper, apricot, apple, blackberry. They’re all good and your guests will be giddy no matter which one you choose.
3.) Spaghetti Squash Casserole by Erin Clarke
We had this one tonight. It’s one of my all time favorite casseroles. A friend brought a sample of it to me (minus the cheese) when we were doing Whole 30 together a few years back. I was so hungry during that 30 days that when I ate this….I felt like it saved my life. The flavor combo is spot on, it’s packed with nutrients, and it’s pretty because of all the colors! The leftovers are divine too, as I always look forward to lunch the day after we have this. Erin Clarke, at Well Plated, created this gem. All of her recipes are excellent and worth a spin around your kitchen.
Surely you’ll find something from up there that sounds too good not to try. If you end up cooking up one of these, let me know how you liked it.
Also, always keep in mind that who you have around the table is always more important than what you have on it. Fellowship, relationship, conversation – this is what we’re after when dining together. So if the food doesn’t come out perfect, that’s okay. Show up and enjoy the company, the family, the community anyway.
Happy whipping and chopping and plating and consuming and interacting, friends. Bon appetit to you all!
Uhmmm….Excuse me, but I made a mean skillet of Hamburger Helper and Boxed Cheesecake when you were growing up!!
And not a lot of people can remember 15 different orders for Taco Bell’s Drive Thru without writing them down! I consider that one of my Gifts!
And now I am really craving the Spaghetti Squash Casserole you make! But not enough to attempt it myself….I will wait until I come back for a visit 🙂
Mama
Oh MOM. You did make a mean Hamburger Helper! And you can order large amounts of food in a drive thru like no body else I know! You always remember everyone’s orders – it IS a gift. And I am grateful.