Friends,
Over the years I have come to appreciate truly good food. I was not brought up with fancy meals, not by any means and neither my family nor my personal financial situation has allowed me to afford to dine at restaurants serving the cuisine of my choice all the time. Therefore, I have compiled these recipes; a good deal of them are quick, easy and can be prepared costing less than a meal for two at a fast food restaurant. A few of these recipes take time, but are so very worth the effort, time doesn't seem to matter. Some of these recipes are even perfect for special occasions - even weddings.
The recipes have been derived from a multitude of sources. Family members or friends passed some recipes to me (thank you Alison Jordan!); less than a quarter of the recipes are adapted from ideas I found in cookbooks. A few are attempts to recreate amazing delicacies I had the great fortune to taste while traveling with my former boss Arla, who herself is a gourmet chef and delved into multicultural food with the pleasure of a kid in a candy store. She was a true inspiration and broadened my mind when it came to the world of food. Still, the vast majority are creations I stumbled upon while hungry and raiding the fridge and pantry.
With that said, I invite you to click on the links below and check out the product of my labor. I have finished a great deal of the documents - which are in Microsoft Word, by the way. Please download and save them for easiest use.
I'd like to dedicate this to several people in my life who have made an impact on the contents you are about to partake in:
1. I'd like to thank Adam Payne, a friend from high school and college who generously acted as a Guinea Pig for many of these recipes while I worked on perfecting my cooking skills my first year of college. Thank you, Adam, for your castiron stomach and friendship strong enough to tell me when the stuffed mushrooms or meatloaf sucked!
2. I'd like to thank Alison Jordan who inspired me to write this cookbook as she wrote one herself back in 1994. I've included some of her recipes in the book as they are just wonderful as is she. A wonderful and inspirational woman with a fabulous sense of humor and a nose for both good cheese and excellent wine! I miss you, Alison!
3. I'd like to thank Brady Noveh & Isaac Vandeveer for being such wonderful friends to me during a hard period in my life and for always being encouraging and comforting. They are a wonderful couple and amazing cooks in their own rights! I wish them all the love I can give.
4. A huge thank you goes out to Arla Ramsey, my former boss and my good friend. Thank you for instilling in me a belief in myself. I've taken many risks based on your sage advice both personal and with the food I cook. You continue to be an inspiration!
5. Thank you, Ed Robbins, my father-in-law, for telling me - Just Do It - and encouraging me to finally post this work in progress even though it isn't finished yet. Here I go, Dad, taking your advice. Watch out!
Chapters In My Cookbook
Introduction
The Basics
Herbs, Spices, and Other Seasonings
Starting the Day - Breakfast
Dips, Dressings & Sauces
Appetizers & Soups
Mange Italiano
Southern Californian Mexican Cuisine
Asian & Pacific Islander Inspired Cuisine
Chicken - It Tastes Like Everything?
Seafood - Eat Food - A Very Bad Pun
Meats
Strictly Vegetarian
Side Dishes
Die Atkins Die - aka Breads and Desserts
Extra Special Recipes Requiring A Little More Time
Sample Menus
Index