Recipe Inspiration

I get recipes from many different sources. When I first started cooking, I relied heavily on cookbooks, like Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything. I also learned a lot from Alton Brown and Rachael Ray on the Food Network. Alton Brown taught me a lot of basics - I still enjoy his show and have a few of his books. The thing I learned the most from Rachael Ray was improvisation - I loved how easily she could modify a recipe on the fly, how organized she was, and how quickly she could get a whole meal together. I also used to clip out recipes from the weekly Washington Post Food Section.

Nowadays, with the internet making it so easy to find recipes, I compile them on my computer, using Microsoft OneNote software to make my own cookbook of sorts. Whenever I see a recipe on a blog or from a friend on Facebook or even in the Post, I copy and paste it into my computerized book. It's really easy to organize and search for recipes. And rather than waste paper, I just bring my trusty laptop into the kitchen while I'm cooking.

One thing I really had trouble with when I became a parent was meal planning. Before kids, I would create a list of weekly meals, or swing by the grocery store on the way home from work and create a meal on the fly. With kids, especially after the birth of my second son who has a lot of special needs, I found this task overwhelming. We relied on quick meals and take-out for a long time.

Then I discovered The Six O'Clock Scramble, which is owned by local DC area mom Aviva Goldfarb. It really has made it so much easier to get dinner on the table during the week. For an annual fee, I get a weekly email with 5 entree recipes, suggestions for sides, and a shopping list. The recipes have a lot of variety and are very easy to modify; I often use them as a starting point and change things as I go. I can't share the recipes that I get since it's a subscription-only service, but just to give you an idea, this week's recipes are

• Hoisin Baked Chicken; 
• Spice-Dusted Tilapia With Lemon And Garlic; 
• Penne With Smoked Sausage, Tomatoes And Peppers; 
• Baked Eggplant Parmesan; and 
• Tuscan White Bean Soup With Sourdough Croutons.

I love the variety, and the recipes are healthful and don't rely on a lot of meat. We are not vegetarians but I try to serve meat only a few times a week. The reasons for that I'll have to save for another post. :)

*I love supporting locally-owned businesses, so I will link to them from time to time. I do not have any affiliation with any of them - no ulterior motives here!