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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
It’s been quite a while since I got married so I’m not really sure but I think it was chicken, rice and salad.
Lentil soup…my husband asked me to marry him over my lentil soup 😉
I made my husband spaghetti which seems to be my signature meal.
I wanted to impress him, so I made a pork loin with a warm mustard salad & angel hair pasta with lava cakes for dessert. Yum!
I made lemon chicken. It was simple but delicious.
The first meal we made together was probably Chicken Helper with green bell peppers fresh from our garden. We always tried to add a little more to it to make it more interesting.
baked pork chops & rice. only three ingredients (beef broth being the third) but tastes so gourmet…
WHile we were dating, I made spagetti & lasagna for my beau- now hubbyD! 🙂
Gosh, I haven’t thought about this for a long time…. It was chicken stir fry. Good times!
It was a while ago, and we lived together before we got married, so I have no idea what the first meal was. I’m sure it was something vegetarian (back when he ate practically no vegetables), and he probably said it was good just to make me feel good about my cooking.
I made some sort of chicken, don’t remember what exactly.
Sadly, I am having a hard time remembering the first meal I made for my husband. We went out a lot when we were first dating but then I think I started making meals for him pretty regularly after we moved in together just before getting married.
I made and have been making dinner for him ever since…
I have no idea. I can’t remember that long ago. It was no big deal to me. I started cooking with my mom so long ago that I can’t remember NOT cooking. So it isn’t something that stands out in my mind. I guess it was good enough.
One of the first things I remember making my hubby was a chicken stir fry..yum!
We made egg rolls together using his Mom’s recipe.
Scrambled eggs, toast, and orange juice 🙂