But now my daughter is dating a chef. A really good chef. The man can make cooked carrots look like a delicacy. His mashed potatoes are a thing of beauty. And it is not unusual for my husband to show everyone from the butcher to random neighbors’ photos of the beef Wellington that Joe the Chef made for us the last few Christmas dinners.
I am not going to lie. Cooking for a chef gives me anxiety. Let’s be honest, you cannot just throw together a tuna noodle casserole and feel good about it when you have a chef at your table. Even when I try to make something a little more complicated there are many things to worry about. Am I using the right spices? Is the meat overcooked? Is there a better way to plate a meal?
I am always grateful when he shows up early for dinner and makes gentle suggestions or takes over the last-minute preparations. He has taught me a lot. For example, last summer he helped me make a Key Lime Pie and spent quite a bit of time showing me how to make candied limes. I will never look at a store-bought Key Lime Pie the same way again.
He sometimes cooks Sunday night dinners, which are always delicious. You always know it is going to be a good night when he walks in with his Kitchen Aid mixer, or his own knife tucked under his arm. But most importantly, he is truly kind. Burnt garlic bread? No problem. He just quietly scrapes off the charred pieces without a word. Dry chicken? Never a word — but I do see him scrounging around the refrigerator looking for barbecue sauce to give it added moisture. Limp sauteed asparagus? He still compliments the good flavor.
I always love to hear Joe the Chef share his favorite food stories. Sometimes he talks about things he has learned from other chefs or a funny story about something that happened at work. He talks about his love of food, and how much he misses his mom, who he credits as the person who taught him how to cook. He talks about recipes he would like to try someday, and ideas he has for his own creations.
There is a famous quote by Chef Jacques Pepin that says, “Cooking is about love. It is about family, about memories, about our connection to each other.” Whether we are eating tuna noodle casserole or diving into Joe the Chef’s spaghetti bolognese, our Sunday night dinners are the best day of the week. Hats off to the chef.
Recipe: Bacon Hashbrown Bake
Makes 8 servings
159 calories per serving
Ingredients:
4 cups frozen shredded hashbrowns, thawed
12 bacon strips cooked and crumbled
½ cup 2% milk
1/3 cup chopped onion
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. butter melted
½ tsp. paprika
Directions: In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Transfer mixture to a greased 9-inch pie plate. Drizzle with butter, sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned.
Recipe: Polpette di Mamma (meatballs)
Makes 8 servings
453 calories per serving
Ingredients:
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4-5 fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
8 cups crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. pepper
(meatballs)
1 lb. ground pork
½ lb. ground beef
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
½ cup 2% milk
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients and reserved ½ cup tomato mixture. Gently mix until combined (mixture will be loose). With wet hands, roll ¼ cup mixture into balls. Place on a baking sheet. Add meatballs to simmering sauce, gently shaking pan to allow for more space. Bring to a simmer; cook, covered at least 45 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- In a small saucepan, combine olive oil, basil leaves and garlic over very low heat until mixture is very fragrant, and garlic turn golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Strain mixture, discarding the basil and garlic; set oil aside.
- In a Dutch oven, combine crushed tomatoes, water, tomato paste, salt, chopped basil, pepper and reserved olive oil. Bring to a boil; remove ½ cup and set aside. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, while preparing the meatballs.
Interested in free nutrition education lessons from OSU Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)? Contact Nancy Lyons at 937-244-9654 or lyons.489@osu.edu.
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