Update: Congratulations to Rachelle, our winner of this giveaway, whose favorite go-to kid-friendly meal is, “Sweet potatoes! My grandma always used to bake them in the toaster oven and slather them with tons of butter and salt and pepper. If you’re in a sweet mood, just switch to brown sugar and cinnamon.”
To celebrate Meatless Mondays as well as the publication of my upcoming Cook without a Book: Meatless Meals
Except I got Melissa Clark’s new book Cook This Now
What I like about Cook This Now is that it’s divided, not just seasonally, but monthly. When you’re looking for inspiration as we often are, there are about ten recipes—main courses, side dishes, desserts—perfectly suited for each month of the year.
And although these recipes are both familiar and appealing, they’re also a little different. Most of us know how to roast asparagus. But have you ever thought about paring it with Gingered Rhubarb Sauce? You’ve likely made shortbread, but Melissa’s has pistachios in it. Her shrimp scampi is flavored with Pernod.
What I especially love about Cook This Now is Melissa’s “What Else?” From her substantial list of tips after each recipe, there’s enough information for you to create your own recipes, thus at least quadrupling the number of recipes in the book.
Her long notes before each recipe offer more advice and personal stories—just the kind of information I’m looking for in a book, and not necessarily the kind of help you can find on the Internet.
I cook on the fly a lot, but there are times each month when I want to cook something special, something different, perfect for the season. This one stays on the shelf for inspiration.
Melissa Clark is also mother to Dahlia, so many of her recipes are both adult- and kid-friendly (and because we’re running Baked Chicken Nuggets later in the week from Kathleen Flynn’s new book Kitchen Counter Cooking School), I’m wondering what’s your favorite go-to kid-friendly recipe?
Like the last few weeks, we’ll give you a couple of days to respond. Giveaway ends on Wednesday, October 12th at 9 PM ET with winners announced on Thursday morning.
I’ll go first. When Maggy and Sharon were growing up, I knew I could always make them happy with Chicken Parmesan (although turkey meatloaf was a close second).
My kids had a favorite when they were little and now that they are big it is still their favorite!! We call it pork chop bake and I think the recipe came off the box of Lipton Onion Soup mix. Even though this recipe isn’t written down anywhere it will be passed down for generations!
Pork chops and mashed potatoes (Except for the time I put green food coloring in the potatoes and proclaimed it was the green veg. Not so much.).
Mac and cheese…the homemade version for sure!
Cheese quesadillas – nice and crispy – served with a mild salsa. Even when I was tutoring, they were a favorite with the kids that came to my house.
In our house it is mac and cheese (homemade of course!) with chicken and broccoli, or ribs and your baked beans. Our kids are completely content if one of those meals are on the table.
One skillet pasta meals where the pasta cooks in some kind of tomato sauce/crushed tomatoes with meat, veggies and cheese. My son loves it, it packs in veggies, and very few dishes to wash!
Navajo Fry Bread Tacos
My kids favorite meal and has been since I made the first time 15 years ago. I am making this tonight for my hubby’s birthday.
Homemade mac and cheese or chicken casserole!
Black Bean Tacos!
Chicken pot pie..from The Perfect Recipe
Roast chicken, broccoli, and mashed potatoes. Simple tastes!
My kid’s love any and all pasta dishes…and so do I! 🙂
I don’t have any real kids but my husband who is like a “big kid” loves chicken pot pie.
Homemade mac & cheese. I know its not the healthiest, but everyone loves homemade mac & cheese…although I’m still trying to find that “perfect” recipe!
It is and was mac and cheese, (from scratch of course) they still love it and the youngest it 18! She gets a little gourmet with it now, which is encouraging.
For my three little beloveds, the hands down favorite is pancakes or waffles for Brinner! A close second is pizza but only with pepperoni, please. And they do love spaghetti.
Your site, recipes and family love always warms my heart, and I love everything I’ve ever cooked from here.
~R
Spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread.
Spaghetti with alfredo sauce, altho my sauce tends to come from a jar.
Homemade Mac & Cheese!
Homemade hamburgers and fire!
oops should read homemade hamburgers and fries 🙂
I have a VERY picky eater. I like to make spinach tortellini & garlic bread. It deludes me into thinking she’s getting some veg.
Salmon cakes and sweet potato fries