Welcome!

Welcome to the in home cooking blog. In my family, food is an event. It inhabits our conversations, our emails, our thoughts.

I have four kids, three of whom have busy, busy schedules, and a husband who commutes more than an hour each way to work, and still tries to coach the kids' sports when he gets home, but still, I try my best to get everyone to the dinner table together whenever possible. And it's not always possible.Family dinner is important to me for a myriad of reasons. First, I had it growing up. The world is different now than they it was 20 or 30 years ago, and anyone who says it's not is delusional. Some of the experiences I had as a child, my children will not have, and they're having some I didn't, that's the way it's supposed to be. But family dinner is one tradition that was important to my parents and is important to me, and my husband and I are doing our best to maintain it.

Second, we catch up with each other and get to know each other. Get to know each other? you might ask, Don't you live together? Yes, but you know what they say about ships that pass in the night ... If we sit down together, we can hear about each others' days, what the plans are for the rest of the week, about what's going on with friends and family, in fact, in this election year, we're talking a lot about primaries and candidates. It's a great learning opportunity for the kids to learn and for us all to share our views, and learn respect for views that differ from yours.Third, we tell each other "You're important to me." Now, I'm realistic, I have three boys (15, 13, and 9) and a daughter who just turned 2, of them, the one who can barely speak is the only one who's likely to utter those actual words, and they don't want to hear me say it, either. But if you clear your schedule, put your homework away, turn off the TV, PS2, computer, iPod, and don't answer the phone, you're telling me, "You're important to me." And I'm no fool, I'll take that sentiment in whatever form I can get it.

Finally, I've read study after study that says family dinner promotes good self-esteem among children, keeps them off drugs and away from violent and risky situations, encourages them to do well in school, and develops them into responsible, contributing adults. How can it not? We're clearing our schedule for them too, we're telling them, "You're important to me."

Sound good? I can do it for you, too. I'll be posting thoughts about food and cooking, recipes, ways to get everyone together easily and quickly for what's really important, the bonding.

Many of my recipes can be made ahead of time, and put in the refrigerator or freezer for use later in the week or month. Many are quick meals that can be made in 20-30 minutes from beginning to end. Many are meals that are crowd-pleasers, there's nothing worse than getting everyone together at the table only to have them complain about what's being served.

If you try any of my recipes, please let me know how they came out. Of course, if you live in the Greater Newburyport area, I can come cook for you and your family.