About me
I am a writer and artist. I currently live in the United States with my handsome, talented, and ridiculously brilliant husband, and our kind and clever son, who is the absolute joy of my life despite waking me up far too early on the weekends.
My favorite things in life include cooking, collecting recipes, meal planning and grocery shopping (for real, I love it, and I would love to meal plan and grocery shop full time for other people if that was actually a thing that paid a living wage and offered health insurance), writing, painting (visit katyscott.com if you want to see my artwork), yoga, the Oxford comma, and making people laugh.
Cooking became a special challenge for us when our son was diagnosed as an infant with a crazy number of food allergies. We are all still learning how to navigate these limitations, and thankfully he has outgrown most of the allergies… but years of having to avoid things like dairy, wheat, eggs, and soy (and more) probably has made us healthier people in the end.
My favorite foods (because I know you wanted to know this) are too numerous to list within the confines of an “About the Author” page, but include all kinds of cheese (seriously, I have never met a cheese I didn’t like, not to mention that I live in a place where queso is basically its own food group), tomatoes in all their forms, beans, big salads, arugula, balsamic vinegar, caramel, Washington State wild blackberries, Blue Bell vanilla bean ice cream, red wine, and good strong coffee.
About the recipes
What types of recipes will you find here?
Fresh
I avoid processed food as much as possible, so my recipes use simple, fresh ingredients and spices. The shorter the ingredient list on the box or can, the better. In fact, the only processed foods that I generally keep on hand are what you find in the Basic Pantry Staples list on p. 15. Everything else comes fresh.
Fast
Most of these recipes can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Some take more time, but I think the results are well worth it. And most are tailored to serve two people but can be easily doubled, tripled, or halved.
Friendly
I present the recipes in plain English, with easy-to-follow instructions. You’ll also find a list of the necessary kitchen equipment with each recipe. And check out the Resources section (p. 11) for quick mix-and-match charts!
Flavorful
I have included lots of delicious family recipes (thanks, Mom!) as well as my own favorites that I’ve gathered and adapted over the years. Don’t be afraid of the phrase “family recipes,” though, because these aren’t typical American potluck dishes like celery-infused lime jello or soupy, salty green bean casserole.
With each recipe I have listed the kitchen equipment that you will need to complete that dish. However, I do not include basics such as wooden spoons, sharp knives, cutting boards, measuring utensils, plastic zipper bags, tinfoil, or serving dishes.
I do tell you when you need bowls, pans, baking sheets, and non-basic utensils such as rolling pins or pastry brushes, or equipment like blenders and electric mixers.
While most of these recipes are tailored for two people, some of them yield more servings. These are typically things like bread, salad dressings, and desserts: items whose leftovers keep or freeze well (such as chili), or those that you would be likely to make when you have company. You can always cut the ingredients in any given recipe in half or thirds, but keep in mind that a partial recipe may need less cooking or baking time than called for.
A note about recipes
Recipes are always a work in progress, and no ingredient list is ever set in stone. They can be changed to suit your tastes, your needs, and your budget. Although I own lots of cookbooks, there are few recipes that I follow completely “by the book.” Invariably I’ll modify a recipe to make it my own, writing notes in the margins. My favorite recipes are those that I have personalized.
I hope that you will think about these recipes in this way. Feel free to adapt them to your requirements, and please let me know when you do. I would love to hear about your creations and learn from your efforts.
A note about allergies
Some ingredients listed in these recipes are among the more common allergy-causing foods, such as wheat, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts, eggs, and dairy products. However, people can be allergic to just about anything. If you are allergic to certain ingredients, please make your own substitutions or simply avoid recipes that contain them.