Columns

Today I am writing with a hot tip for new parents, or anyone needing to rely on a little prepared food this winter. I am usually an advocate for making nearly everything from scratch but even I, someone who cooks for a living, know it isn’t always possible. While I like to make my own tomato sauce there is nothing wrong with picking up a jar or two of delicious sauce when I simply don’t have the time. When selecting my jarred sauces I always follow two important criteria: the sauce must be organic and can’t contain any funny sounding ingredients or preservatives. These are two of the reasons I love Dave’s Gourmet and was thrilled when they reached out to me about trying some of their delicious pasta sauces.

I don’t have many words of wisdom to share today. The lesson here is that it is always good to keep the preschooler occupied while waiting for a baby to arrive. And, if said preschooler wants to stay occupied with a baking project, make it easy on yourself and choose the simplest thing in your repertoire. Like popovers, for example.

With baby due to arrive any day now I’ve spent the past couple of weeks stocking up my winter pantry. I know I’ll be spending quite a bit of time in the blissful infant fog over the next few weeks so I am making sure all of my go-to staples are filled to the brim to help me avoid daily dashes for food. Last week I spent some time flipping through my cookbook and jotting down ideas for easy healthy meals I want to focus on this winter. For the first few weeks with baby I’ll be sticking exclusively to lean proteins and vegetables. Not only to lose the baby weight, but because they will give me the energy I need to get through each day (and night) while still keeping up with my preschooler. I also plan to focus on a low-salt and low-sugar diet to relieve the end-of-pregnancy swelling I am currently experiencing.

I am so thrilled to be participating in the Second Annual Coast-to-Coast Toast with Vanberg & DeWulf. As I’ve mentioned before, during college I interned with Vanberg & DeWulf and learned all there is to know about imported Belgian beers as well as participated in the building of Brewery Ommegang. Over the years I’ve kept in close touch with Wendy and Don and love celebrating their business whenever I can. Of course, this year I have to abstain from a literal toast and drink (less than 2 weeks to go!) but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy good beer when it is incorporated into great food.

Welcome to my new (website) addition: Naptime Lifestyle! Not only do I love to cook and feed my family, I also have other interests like gardening, reading, decorating, kids, design, and crafting. I added this column to be a place to talk about all of these things.  I also suspect I’ll have a lot of baby stuff to talk about this winter so I think this would be a great place for that topic too!

This winter my friends and I have been taking meals to my friend Melissa’s family while she undergoes chemotherapy. Her prognosis is excellent, but the treatments can leave her tired and lethargic. It is the least we can do to drop off a healthy meal now and then so she can concentrate on recuperating. Last week was my turn to bring her dinner and given my current state I ended up taking her a mash-up of homemade foods, like a big batch of these oatmeal heath bar cookies, and a few store-bought items. Together everything comprised enough food for a few healthy family meals with some comforting nibbles thrown in.

We are really in the final stretch now. In less than two weeks (I hope!) we will be meeting our new baby. I am so excited! At the moment I am feeling extremely heavy and slow. I remember this feeling from my pregnancy with my daughter and know that it won’t last forever. So I just take it one day at a time and keep my eye on the prize. As for cooking, well, I am all about (maybe only about) recipes that come together in ten minutes or less. At this point there is simply no other option. While I have a normal appetite, I have no interest in standing on my feet for any longer than a few minutes and am relying strictly on those little, quick meals that satisfy without being too involved.

Happy 2013! Wow, can you believe how time flies? I mean, seriously, where did the year go? I am so thankful for the wonderful year that was 2012 and am thrilled to be looking forward to all the milestones that 2013 will bring. My first big milestone should be arriving toward the end of this very month (!) In light of this heavily-pregnant-oh-so-tired feeling I’ve been focusing on simple, easy meals lately. I just don’t have the energy for anything too involved. This is one of the reasons I loved this post on Food52 about using one healthy gremolata in several different dinner recipes over the course of a week. Not only is this efficient (and delicious) any time of year, it is especially relevant to my cooking strategy these days!

One of my favorite meals with my daughter is breakfast. We are both morning people and I love talking with her over cereal or waffles before we kick-off the day. I often find this is her chattiest time and we talk about things we are looking forward to in the hours to come. Both of us are also big fans of breakfast food and spend a lot of time dreaming up new recipe ideas. Just the other week we thought of making oatmeal pancakes because it would be the ideal combination of two breakfast dishes we love.

I had to squeeze in this one last post before signing off for Christmas. I’ll be back next week with a little check-in and some awesome news (not baby related!). I hope you all will be away from your computers (or, maybe, enjoying your new iPad’s?) and spending time with your families. That is what I plan to be doing anyway! While you are, hopefully, relaxing by the fire here is a great little treat for you – Homemade Bailey’s Irish Cream. Sip it on the rocks, stir it into your coffee, or just drink straight up. Have a happy and safe holiday season everyone!

While I wrap up my holiday preparations in anticipation of next week I thought I would stop in with a quick recap of all of the best holiday food and party ideas I’ve been posting here for the past few years. These are some of our family favorites for the holiday season. The recipes I turn to again and again. Given my current state I had to be especially prepared this year (!) since lately I’ve been in no mood to stand on my feet for any great length of time. I am sure I’ll make up for it next year! In the mean time, I hope you and your families are looking forward to a fabulous and fun week ahead.

To follow-up on yesterday’s overnight panettone french toast today I am talking about a favorite make-ahead egg-based breakfast – asparagus and mushroom strata. There is something about serving a strata that seems so old school. I remember my Mom making stratas when she entertained at brunch, and I even remember my grandmother making them for dinner when I stayed at her house. It is a true classic that always fits the bill. This is definitely one of those recipes that you need in your back pocket year-round, and is perfect for the holiday season!