The Whole Family Cookbook

I should have guessed from the advance praise Michelle Stern's new cookbook has received that we would not be disappointed. Though the preview only offers a taste of what's to come in the final edition, I have to say that it was quite a taste! We cooked two dishes from the preview: Chicken Parmesan and the Pumpkin Ravioli. Here's how they turned out:

Chicken Parmesan
I didn't think it was possible but Michelle Stern has done it. She's made chicken parm a possibility for weeknight meals in my house. If you're one of those people (like me) who was convinced that the ONLY chicken parm for you was one with a crispy coating that took lots of time to prepare, you're in for a shock. I had this very satisfying, tasty meal on the table in less than 20 minutes (take that, Racheal Ray!). The Kid helped mix the thyme and olive oil marinade for the chicken, we tossed it around a bit. Then the chicken was into a hot pan, covered with sauce and cheese and into the oven before you could say "Yumm-o." The trick is using chicken tenders (or, in our case, slicing up a chicken breast into tender-like strips). It cooks fast and doesn't dry out. The thyme really shines through in this dish. The whole family gave it a thumbs up!


Pumpkin Ravioli
First, let me say that we did not follow the recipe exactly. I couldn't find pumpkin in the grocery store at this time of year and I certainly didn't want to use the canned stuff, so we swapped in one of our favorite squashes - Butternut Squash. I had roasted some earlier in the week for soup and reserved a cup of the puree to use in this recipe. Mixed with fresh sage, ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses and wrapped in a wonton, you can't beat this stuffed pasta dish.
We cooked ours in vegetable stock and water and served it with a little cheese and parsley, alongside some steamed broccoli - it was a great meal that we all enjoyed. The next day, I ate the last of it with a sage butter sauce. Yum!



The Whole Family Philosophy
Beyond offering some simply great recipes, Stern's cookbook promises something more: a message we should all take to heart, especially when cooking for our families. Eating REAL FOOD is good for you. Eating organic is even better. And eating locally-grown and raised food is the best! I loved seeing the pictures of kids getting to know their food - the one of one of the kiddos from In the Kitchen with Audrey holding up the chicken is priceless! Healthy attitudes towards food and eating begin in the kitchen so I hope you and your Kid will grab The Whole Family Cookbook and cook up something good! I know X and I are going to.

Right now, you can pre-order yours at Amazon.com - it should be coming out mid-April. I can hardly wait!