This website is a little love note to my daughters, whom I adore. They are teenagers and leaving for adulthood soon. Since they were babies, I have loved cooking for them. I remember their first foods, their favorite foods, the meals that made them smile. I have mental notes of all the special requests for birthday dinners and Christmas Eve appetizers. For me, for personal reasons, cooking food for someone is how I show my love, one of the many ways I show how much I care.
I have had my daughters in the kitchen since they were 18 months old. Standing on a chair by my side. Stirring the cake batter. Stealing the cookie dough. The first dish any of them ever made was the green bean casserole for Thanksgiving. Sure. It’s just a dump-and-go recipe, but they did it. I let them open and smell all the spices. I had them top a cookie sheet of nachos with cheese before putting it in the oven. I bought just-add-water muffin mixes and let them ‘cook’ on their own. And, we went through POUNDS of mushrooms that they cut with a butter knife until they were tiny bits.
Cooking is something I do for them and share with them. I wanted a place where they could access our family recipes — access me — whenever they need to, no matter where they are.
To my daughters (I, M, and S):
Love you. Love you more. Love you mostest.