I have always enjoyed cooking, but the interest never truly took hold until I became a single father and was tasked with feeding two kids on a daily basis. Both kids had a severe milk allergy, (the go to the emergency room or inject epinephrine type--not an intolerance), so control over ingredients was important. I also wanted to minimize if not eliminate the amount of pre-packaged food we were consuming to better control the intake of things like sugar and sodium.
With tomatoes in the garden I need as many recipes as possible that use them, (a single tomato plant is very bountiful!) This is a nice, clean chicken recipe. Total cook time is around 45 minutes.
This can be replaced by sour cream, but it mixes better under heat and I think tastes better. It does take a couple days of preparation before use, though, so some forethought is needed.
This is a generic BBQ sauce. It is tangy and can be tempered with more sugar if desired. I personally like it tangy. The ketchup I use is store-bought, but one without corn syrup. Total cook time is around 1 1/2 to 2 hours, but most of that is simmering.
This is a generic cheese sauce that can be made with various types of cheese. While the original recipe has a focus on it being a sauce for vegetables, I use it for things like macaroni and cheese, cheesy potatoes, and cheesy chicken pasta. See the notes below for cautions about certain types of cheese and how to get to the desired consistency.
Except in certain cases (like breads or making a roux), measurements are estimates. Spices I usually eye then adjust with tasting. Pepper should be freshly ground to get the best flavor.
The following abbreviations are used in the recipes:
C: cup
T: tablespoon
t: teaspoon
lb: pound
oz: ounce
g: gram
fl oz: fluid ounce
in: inch
ft: foot/feet
1T = 3t
1/4C = 8T
8fl oz = 1C