ABOUT THIS FEATURE
New cookbooks flood the market every week. This feature will help you make sense of what’s new and what’s worth trying out. Email your questions and ideas to connie.post@coxinc.com
One of my most valued possessions is a cookbook that I’ve had since the third grade.
I taped two quarters to a note card and sent them along with a “proof of purchase” to the Imperial Sugar Company in Sugar Land, Texas, just outside Houston.
About a month later, I received my copy of the sugar company’s “My First Cookbook” in the mail. Of the 28 recipes, the first one I tried was Tiny Turtle Salad. Each turtle consisted of a canned pear half for the body, 4 pecan halves for the claws, a green olive for the head and two cloves for eyes. The pear syrup was reserved and a couple drops of green food coloring was added to it. I soaked the pear halves until they were nicely tinted green. The only thing left to do was assemble the turtles.
I served this salad on individual salad plates to my parents and brother. My family always called our evening meal “supper,” but about this time was when I started calling it “dinner.” I begged my mom to let me serve my “tiny turtle” opus as a first course. That night I went to bed feeling a little more grown up.
With my mom’s supervision, that cookbook taught me how to bake potatoes and fluffy butter biscuits, boil carrots, assemble tuna casserole, devil eggs and whip up a mean Waldorf Salad.
When I came across Lauren K. Stein’s “Fresh Made Simple: A Naturally Delicious Way to Eat,” I thought this whimsical cookbook would be a wonderful way to introduce cooking to children. Both novice cooks and those with decades of experience will enjoy making dishes like Blueberry & Corn Pancakes, Pea Puree & Linguine, Cashew Butter and Honey Ricotta Crostini.
Instead of photos, the book contains easy-to-understand illustrations. Only occasionally is an exact amount indicated for ingredients.
Cooler weather is settling in, the perfect time for an evening bowl of soup. With adult supervision, an older child can make a delicious meal for the entire family with the accompanying recipe.
ONE POT TORTILLA SOUP
Olive oil
Chopped onion
Chopped garlic
½ lemon or lime
Salt
Big handful of chopped cilantro
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
½ jalapeno, seeded and chopped
Topping:
Sour cream
Shredded cheese
Sliced avocado
Fried tortilla strips
Put the olive oil, chopped onion, and chopped garlic in a pot. Saute until tender. (I used medium-high heat.) Then, add the juice from either a half lemon or lime, a dash of salt, the crushed tomatoes (including liquid), vegetable broth and half jalapeno. Bring to a boil; simmer until ready to eat.
From the book: "Fresh Made Simple: A Naturally Delicious Way to Eat" by Lauren K. Stein. Illustrated by Katie Eberts; 200 pages, $18. Published by Storey, 2015.
What you get: While most cookbooks are organized by meal or type of food, chapters in this book are organized by preparation style or texture, such as scrambled, smashed, tossed, roasted and toasted, spreadable, stacked, stuffed and cheesy.
In her own words: "Fresh Made Simple" is a beautiful reminder that we don't need much to enjoy food. A handful of ingredients and a pretty picture will do. Some good company is nice, too." – Lauren K. Stein.
NEXT WEEK: Sweet & Salty Popcorn Snack, plus Butterscotch Drops
About the Author