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One Proud Momma
I'm just back from an amazing food trip to New York. It was all under the guise of attending the launch party for the book I co-wrote with the chef Todd English. Working on this book with Todd for the past year has been memorable to say the least. We-actually, I-had a few challenges. To start, we live on opposite sides of the country. Plus Todd spends at least half of the year on the road, but apparently San Francisco is the only place in the world he never visits! On top of that, I knew Todd’s food and restaurants well but had never met the man himself, so I was a little curious to see how we were going to write a book together. I mean what if he was one of those rude, demanding chefs you see on tv? What if he made me cook with him and I looked like a rookie? Even worse…what if we just didn’t get along and I had to work with him for a whole year? Add to that an extremely tight deadline and I was a stress bomb before I ever met the guy.
But the funniest thing happened. I met Todd, we shared some great food, and quickly found some common ground. (Turns out we both have a twisted sense of humor and a love of skirt steak that borders on obsession.) The biggest relief was to find out that he too has children and he loves cooking for his family. Phew!
But it was still pretty hard to be working over the phone all the time when you’re talking about something like food. (I need to see things to really understand them.) So after months of back and forth, we finally got together to cook so we could get all of his ideas onto paper. We started with an outrageous shopping spree at Whole Foods-my idea of heaven on Earth!-and then I set the rules: every recipe had to be 10 ingredients or less and easy to make. Translation: no restaurant food!
Over the next three days, I witnessed first-hand what earned Todd the James Beard Rising Star Chef Award when he was 30. With a knife in his hand, some simple ingredients on his kitchen counter, and some very loud music, Todd churned out one magical recipe after the next. I found myself laughing that I was getting paid to do this job. It was like going to culinary school all over again but better! Three days later I had a notebook full of some of the best recipes I'd ever tasted in my life. Only problem was I had to go home and type up the whole darn book!
When my first copy of the book arrived on my doorstep, I took a deep breath. Knowing how many hours we had put into it made me nervous to see it in real life! What I opened was a beautiful compilation of recipes that defines who Todd has become as a chef. The photography is so incredible that it just made me want to cook everything all over again! But you know the best part? It’s full of the kinds of recipes I want to cook for my family every night. Can you tell how proud I am? Seriously, I feel like a new mom all over again.
So this week, I am thrilled to give you a free sneak peek and share some of my favorite recipes from the book with you in my Weekly Menu. I can't give them all away, so if you love these recipes go buy the book! It’d be a great holiday gift for any parent who wants to get in the kitchen and not have to spend a ton of time or money to make delicious meals.
I can’t finish this post without thanking my husband for putting up with me over the past year. He has held down the fort when I’ve been racing around trying to juggle two cookbooks, One Family One Meal, and more work than I could have ever wished for in life. Props to Kyle!
Stay tuned next week. I have a big announcement and I need your help! (Hint: I’ve been dreaming about it for a very long time!) So have a great week in your kitchen. I know I will!
- Amanda
But the funniest thing happened. I met Todd, we shared some great food, and quickly found some common ground. (Turns out we both have a twisted sense of humor and a love of skirt steak that borders on obsession.) The biggest relief was to find out that he too has children and he loves cooking for his family. Phew!
But it was still pretty hard to be working over the phone all the time when you’re talking about something like food. (I need to see things to really understand them.) So after months of back and forth, we finally got together to cook so we could get all of his ideas onto paper. We started with an outrageous shopping spree at Whole Foods-my idea of heaven on Earth!-and then I set the rules: every recipe had to be 10 ingredients or less and easy to make. Translation: no restaurant food!
Over the next three days, I witnessed first-hand what earned Todd the James Beard Rising Star Chef Award when he was 30. With a knife in his hand, some simple ingredients on his kitchen counter, and some very loud music, Todd churned out one magical recipe after the next. I found myself laughing that I was getting paid to do this job. It was like going to culinary school all over again but better! Three days later I had a notebook full of some of the best recipes I'd ever tasted in my life. Only problem was I had to go home and type up the whole darn book!
When my first copy of the book arrived on my doorstep, I took a deep breath. Knowing how many hours we had put into it made me nervous to see it in real life! What I opened was a beautiful compilation of recipes that defines who Todd has become as a chef. The photography is so incredible that it just made me want to cook everything all over again! But you know the best part? It’s full of the kinds of recipes I want to cook for my family every night. Can you tell how proud I am? Seriously, I feel like a new mom all over again.
So this week, I am thrilled to give you a free sneak peek and share some of my favorite recipes from the book with you in my Weekly Menu. I can't give them all away, so if you love these recipes go buy the book! It’d be a great holiday gift for any parent who wants to get in the kitchen and not have to spend a ton of time or money to make delicious meals.
I can’t finish this post without thanking my husband for putting up with me over the past year. He has held down the fort when I’ve been racing around trying to juggle two cookbooks, One Family One Meal, and more work than I could have ever wished for in life. Props to Kyle!
Stay tuned next week. I have a big announcement and I need your help! (Hint: I’ve been dreaming about it for a very long time!) So have a great week in your kitchen. I know I will!
- Amanda
This Week's Recipes
Crunchy Cheddar Cheese Casserole
I had such a blast writing Cooking in Everyday English - the ABCs of Great Flavor at Home with the chef Todd English this year. As we were working, I had the chance to cook with him in his home kitchen. It was one of those "pinch me" moments in life-I couldn't believe I had access to such an amazing chef and teacher. I'd like to believe I taught Todd a thing or two, and this is one of them! I made this to show him how I get my children to eat their spinach. I have to admit-the cheese cracker topping and addition of raisins was all Todd. 
Vegetarian- Side Dish
Ingredients
| 16 oz frozen spinach, thawed | 1 cup yellow onion, diced |
| 4 tbsp olive oil | 1/2 cup raisins |
| 1/2 tsp dry mustard | 4 cups cooked long-grain rice |
| 1/4 cup unsalted butter | 1/4 cup all purpose flour |
| 1/2 tsp kosher salt | 2 cups milk |
| 3 oz cream cheese, softened | 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, shredded |
| 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded | 1 1/2 cups fish-shaped cheddar cheese crackers |
| 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted |
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain spinach well, pressing between paper towels. Chop spinach.
Cook onion in hot oil in a medium-size sauté pan over medium heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in raisins, dry mustard, and spinach, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes, breaking up spinach as you stir. Remove from heat, add rice, and stir until blended.
Melt 1⁄4 cup butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour and salt until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, 3 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in cream cheese, and cook 2 minutes or until melted. Remove from heat, and stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese until smooth.
Stir together cheese sauce and spinach mixture. Let cool 1 to 3 minutes, and stir in Cheddar cheese. Pour into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish, and spread in an even layer.
Place crackers in a zip-top plastic freezer bag; seal bag, and crush crackers using a rolling pin into pea-size pieces. Pour into a bowl, and stir in 2 Tbsp. melted butter. Sprinkle cracker mixture over spinach mixture in baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until topping is crunchy and mixture is thoroughly heated.
Cook onion in hot oil in a medium-size sauté pan over medium heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in raisins, dry mustard, and spinach, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes, breaking up spinach as you stir. Remove from heat, add rice, and stir until blended.
Melt 1⁄4 cup butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour and salt until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, 3 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in cream cheese, and cook 2 minutes or until melted. Remove from heat, and stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese until smooth.
Stir together cheese sauce and spinach mixture. Let cool 1 to 3 minutes, and stir in Cheddar cheese. Pour into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish, and spread in an even layer.
Place crackers in a zip-top plastic freezer bag; seal bag, and crush crackers using a rolling pin into pea-size pieces. Pour into a bowl, and stir in 2 Tbsp. melted butter. Sprinkle cracker mixture over spinach mixture in baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until topping is crunchy and mixture is thoroughly heated.
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cook time:
35 minutes
35 minutes
serves:
8
8
family
37 family added this recipe
37 family added this recipe
Recipe: Cooking in Everyday English-The ABCs of Great Flavor at Home by Todd English
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