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My midlife crisis arrived about twenty years too early. The year was 2001 and I had been working in the modeling industry for almost 15 years — basically since I was a teenager. Modeling afforded me many wonderful opportunities for which I will always be grateful, but it didn’t really fulfill me.
I had always dreamed of going to culinary school, yet the thought of simply abandoning what I had done for so long to start something completely new gave me great anxiety, no matter how determined as I was to find my true calling. I researched several culinary programs but never could commit to do anything more than take a tour. And so there I remained, lost, two years shy of my 30th birthday and entirely too young to be so confused about what I was doing with my life.
I was living in New York back then and had made an appointment one day to see yet another school, the Institute of Culinary Education. The tour date was September 11th and as you can probably figure out for yourself, I did not get to visit the school that day. As it did for many people I know, 9/11 forced me to reexamine my life. I decided within days of that unspeakable tragedy that if I was ever going to follow my dream, that was the moment.
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I spent the next year as happy as I’ve ever been, working during the day and going to school at night. As hard as it was, I still romanticize that period of my life for the sumptuous meals (my schoolwork) that I would bring home from my classes for my future hubby and I to enjoy late at night after our long days of work and school.
This all finally brings me to the whole reason for the recipe below. While at I.C.E., I was blessed to meet one of the kindest, sweetest, most talented women I know. At a very young age, Sarah Copeland knew exactly what she wanted to be and she made it happen. A veteran of the Food Network, writer, food-expert, urban gardner and co-founder of Share Our Strength’s Good Food Garden’s Campaign, Sarah’s most recent exploit is The Newlywed Cookbook. Not only is this amazing book rich in information and stories, it features tantalizing food photography and delectable recipes which are perfect for both the newbie and experienced cook. Below is one of my many favorites from the book. I made it for Kenya’s snack one day and all the kids (and their moms) went nuts for it.
Rise and Shine Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and grated (2 cups)
- 1/2 medium zucchini, grated (1 cup)
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Place the raisins in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and set aside to plump.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
- Stir in the carrots, zucchini, pecans, and pine nuts.
- In another large bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Drain the raisins and stir them into the batter.
- Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tin 3/4 full with batter.
- Bake 25 minutes (15 minutes for mini muffins) or until a wooden pick inserted into muffins comes out clean.
- Serve.
- *From The Newlywed Cookbook by Sarah Copeland-reprinted with permission from Chronicle Books
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Kahlua pig with cabbage and rice. mmmm….
I made my husband baked tilipia (no recipe). I did not know the first thing about it at the time. I made it because he is Catholic and it was a Friday, and I was trying to support that. It turned out awful! Dry as a bone! He was very sweet, and choked it down. We have good laughs about that night now.
Gosh, I have no idea! We probably ordered a pizza or picked something up for our first true meals as newlyweds, but I have a baked salmon dish I was making a lot so I’ll go with that
I think we made supper for each other, actually! He took care of the salad and I made pasta that night. Nice and simple.
I don’t remember the very first meal as a newlywed (I cooked homemade meals every meal and we were living together) BUT I do remember the most memorable night I cooked for him for one of the first times after we met. I made fresh spring rolls, potstickers, and steamed broccoli salad. He is a carpenter and had an issue at his jobsite so he arrived later than planned. I had already cleaned everything up from cooking and kept the potstickers warm in the oven. Everything else was room temperature. After eating about half of his dinner he asked where I had gotten the amazing take-out food from? I laughed and said I made it! He couldn’t believe it. The kitchen showed no signs of me cooking which is what made him think that way in the first place.
My first meal was rice and beans and chicken. My rice was salty, my beans were runny and the chicken burnt. I was so upset about our meal that we ended up ordering take-out food.
the first meal I ever made was after marriage – for my hubby. It was a simple comfort meal – lentils with saute potatoes served with steamed rice. Blissful .. but that was 13 years back!
The first thing I made for my husband was a tomato sandwich- fresh homemade bread, beefstake tomato right out of the garden, homemade aioli and a pinch of seasalt & pepper. Simple yet amazing
chicken cutlets with extra garlic and spaghetti!
I don’t remember, but he always says that my homemade jam, I gave him as a Christmas present after we met made him decide to marry me!
I don’t quite remember the first thing I made, but I think that it was either salmon patties or spaghetti. I do remember the first thing that he ever made for me though. It was chicken breast cooked on a George Foreman Grill and a salad. Melted my heart!
I made him my Ukrainian Potato Soup with a side of corn muffins. He loved it & it’s still his favorite!
The first meal I made for my husband as a newlywed was sweet and sour meatballs. It was part of our wedding supper.
Banana Pancakes:)
I made him homemade pizza. My mom always made it so I wanted to carry on the tradition.