In this cookbook, Jaime
focuses on the heart and soul of her blog (sophistimom.com): recipes for making the most
of special moments with your family. According to Jaime, celebrating
really isn?t about the events but about the moments. And big or small,
these are to be enjoyed with great food and lovely, simple touches of
sophistication that everyone in the family can appreciate. Featuring
twenty unexpected, wonderful celebrations that any family can enjoy, the
book offers original ideas for making the most of time spent with
children, including suggestions for activities, books, and music that go
along each theme. Some 150 full-color photographs showcase the
approximately 100 finished recipes as well as the author’s three
adorable children.
I use recipes a lot. Probably because I lack a creativity gene and therefore can’t just throw stuff together to make an edible meal. I would say almost every single cookbook I own is not geared just towards kids. Even though many are advertised as “family” cookbooks there are usually only a small handful of recipes that my children would enjoy eating. Husband and I love using the cookbooks since we love trying new and unusual things but our girls have definitely gotten tired of our creative meal choices lately. So I was super excited to review Celebrate Every Day and hopefully find some new favorites for my whole family to enjoy.
To start this is the first cookbook I have owned that I felt was more than just a recipe book but put together more like a fun book to be devoured by the mind as well as the mouth. She wants to help you enjoy the everyday with your kids and offers fun ideas to make those everyday days fun and special.
Organized by season, the book offers ideas for such gatherings as:
-
Welcome Spring Brunch
-
Berry Picking Party
-
Back to School
-
Breakfast
-
Fireside Supper
-
Rainy Afternoon Feast
An example of one of the recipes is for smores. I am sure that you and your kids have had them a hundred times but Jamie offers up a way to make yours from scratch! Including making your own marshmellows, graham crackers and chocolate truffle sauce!
For some of the recipes she even offers up some great book suggestions to sort of go along with the theme. Here are the ones to go with the smores recipe. I LOVE this so much!
No worries if you are not up for such an optimistic recipe she offers TONS of easy and quick treats like limeade and succotash.
We decided to make the Slow Cooker Creamy Polenta with Mushroom Ragout.
Slow Cooker Creamy Polenta
Ingredients:
- 8 cups water
- 2 cups polenta or medium ground yellow corn grits
- 2 teaspoons kosher sald
- 1 cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter
- Place water, polenta, and salt in a slow cooker and stir. Cover and set the cooker to low. Cook for 6 hours, stirring once after 3 hours if possible. Turn off slow cooker.
- Add cheese and butter and stir until butter is melted. Spoon into bowls and top with Mushroom Ragout.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large shallot, finely minced
- 1 large clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms, such as button, cremini,
- shiitake, or oyster, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup sparkling cider or white grape juice
- 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- Pecorino Romano cheese, for sprinkling
- In a large skillet, heat olice oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and cook utnil tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Working in small batches, brown the mushrooms and push them to the outer edge of the pan to make room for the next batch.
- When all the mushrooms have browned, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and the fresh herbs. Increase heat to medium-high. Pour in sparkling cider, vinegar, and chicken stock. Simmer until liquid is reduced and thickened, about 2 minuts.
- Spoon on top of polenta and sprinkle with more fresh herbs and Romano cheese.
It tasted great and it is nice to serve up a dish without meat once and a while to change things up. Husband really liked it the best!
I am here to tell you that my children would probably LOVE or at least try every single recipe in this book. These recipes are not calorie count approved but more fun and enjoyable recipes to cook up for your kiddos. When it comes to thinking up an easy side dish for a meal or a fun snack to take to one of my girls’ events this is my go to cookbook!
See inside this book on Amazon.com.
Buy It! You can purchase Celebrate Every Day for $24.95 and is currently on Amazon for $17.92.
I received a sample product for this review. All opinions are my own and/or my family’s, take it or leave it. Click here to view my whole disclosure policy.
