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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
My husband and I started dating, via Match.com, a few weeks before Christmas. I knew he had a sweet tooth so I made him Monkey Bread on Christmas. To this day we have monkey bread with our two, preschool children on Christmas day. Oh, I should mention, one year my parents surprised me and came to visit. My husband knew they were coming and planned to make monkey bread Christmas morning. He thought with the added guests he should double it. Needless to say, doubling was not a good idea. It took three plus hours to bake!
I can’t really remember, but I do remember one of the first meals I tried to make from scratch after leaving home. It was a mac and cheese for my sweetheart. It didn’t turn out to well! Fortunately, I’ve learned a great deal since then!
Shortly after we began dating it was Valentine’s Day. We weren’t fully at the “I love you” stage yet but were getting there. I suggested we make crepes together instead of tackling an overpriced, overcrowded restaurant. I was alarmed to discover that he had no real butter (some sort of pseudo-healthy margarine) or milk in his fridge…also lacked a spatula. It was then that I learned that I’d be doing much of the cooking in our relationship (and I’m totally ok with that). We had a blast making crepes and experimenting with different fillings. It’s become a Valentine’s tradition for us.
What could you substitute for pine nuts? They ate so spendy! And would soy milk work for buttermilk?
Homemade pizza was one of the firsts!
He’s the cook, I the cleaner….I baked brownies 🙂
I put a lot of effort into that first meal for my husband (boyfriend) at the time. I had gone shopping at the local gourmet food store, planned everything to the detail (or so I thought). Candelight, hors d’oeuvres and martinis with bossa nova in the background. The ambiance was very romantic, my husband was so pleased. First course was a tomato, mozzarella topped with basil drizzled with a fine olive oil. A good California cabernet sauvignon served with the meal. The entree was filet mignon wrapped in bacon, served with mashed potatoes. However, unfortunately, I had postponed mashing the hot potatoes, and, as it became apparent that I was having some problems in the kitchen, my husband came to my rescue. He took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and got to work. We had a great laugh, and it was then that I knew he was someone that I could fall in love with!
We were staying at a Bed & Breakfast and made some black bean soup in a cup in the microwave… made pancakes when we got home.
Sadly, i have no recollection of a newlywed meal but while we were dating, the meal that sealed the deal was chicken thighs braised in a red wine sauce. i’ve never made it for him since, and i think he’s a little sad about that. Maybe i’ll have to go look up that recipe!
Scrambled eggs
My husband and I dated for 5 years before marrying so I had cooked him many meals in the meantime. The first thing I ever cooked for him was Natilla with Buñuelos. I’m from Colombia and this is a traditional Christmas desert. We’d been dating for a month after being friends for 2 years and it was his first visit to my family’s home for Christmas. That night he got to try all sorts of Colombian food my mom and sisters cooked along with my desert. He was so appreciative and has been ever since. Natilla and Buñuelos is a vanilla custard type mouse and corn/cheese round fritters.
I think it was a curried quinoa chicken salad!
I’m not actually sure what the first thing was that I made (I guess it wasn’t that memorable), but I have a feeling the it may have been chicken parm from the Pampered Chef cookbook. I know my husband made our first meal as a married couple – grilled chicken.
Chicken parm. It was his favorite then, and still is!
I made my husband a pasta dish with a fresh tomato mozzarella sauce sprinkled with parsley or oregano … a relatively quick and simple meal.
Potato curry!!