Since I am a soon-to-be a parent, a dear friend and fellow baker sent me the newly released cookbook Parents Need to Eat Too by Debbie Koenig.
At first I was a bit skeptical. First of all, I already love to cook, and I didn’t love the idea of a cookbook that created shortcuts. But once I went perusing through, I discovered it was a real gem, and not only for the helpful hints for new parents (which there are plenty).
For example, I love her recipe for Baked Macaroni with Ricotta, Spinach and Mint, a flavor combination I would have loved to whip up, parent or not. Or the Honey Soy Roasted Salmon – another delicious sounding dish with a simple, quality recipe.
But perhaps the best features of the cookbook are her tips for turning an adult meal into baby food, for each recipe. She also has a section of “Quick Suppers,” and a section for easy, entertaining food items to have on hand when people drop-in unannounced (which she says, they will), including jarred olives, marcona almonds, crackers and breadsticks.
Disclaimer: While the author is Jewish, the cookbook is not kosher though nevertheless packed with kosher-friendly and vegetarian dishes.
In short, this is a winner and I highly recommend as a great gift for the new parent or short-on-time cook in your life.
kosher
Pronounced: KOH-sher, Origin: Hebrew, adhering to kashrut, the traditional Jewish dietary laws.
