A Cookbook for a Desperate Housewife: Recipes Included

If you’ve had a baby, you know the first few months are an absolute blur. But around month 3, people start expecting you to act more like a normal human again. So around this time, my husband and I had “the talk”  and I promised I would start cooking, or at least providing, some type of edible food around dinner time.

After I promised said meals, I plopped the 2 year old in front of the TV (I wanted to say something different but I’d be lying), strapped the new baby into a holding device, and stared at the pantry. What in the heck was I supposed to cook that would also allow me to keep my children alive? I was immediately overwhelmed. That’s when I decided I needed help.

I’m lucky to live in a neighborhood with a bunch of moms with young kids. I’m also lucky that we have a neighborhood Facebook page. I decided to post asking if anyone wanted to share recipes- not anything from an episode of “Chopped” but recipes you could easily cook while one kid is attached to you and the other is rolling around on the floor having a tantrum. I was thrilled with all the recipes coming in!

We decided to print and bind the recipes to form what is now called our Desperate Housewives of Prestonwood Cookbook. We are all thrilled with it and are always raving about it to each other.

Here are 2 recipes from the book that you may enjoy:

Broiled Sweet and Spicy Salmon with Pineapple:

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 lb salmon filet, cut into 4 pieces

salt and pepper

nonstick cooking spray

pineapple (I use a can of pineapple chunks)

cilantro, roughly chopped

rice

lime wedges (optional)

Directions:

Heat broiler, with rack in top position. Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile in a small bowl, stir together maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Season salmon with salt and pepper.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, arrange salmon and pineapple in a single layer, and brush with half the maple syrup glaze.  Broil until salmon is cooked through 8-11 minutes, brushing salmon and pineapple with glaze halfway through.  Add cilantro to rice and fluff with a fork.  Serve rice with salmon, pineapple, and lime wedges, if desired.

Pasta Fagoli

1lb ground beef or turkey

1 med onion, diced

1 tbs steak seasoning

2c frozen mixed vegetables

1 can Italian roasted tomatoes

1 can rotel

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup shelled pasta

4-5 cups beef broth

2-4 beef bouillon cubes

Directions:

In a large pot, brown meat and add onion and steak seasoning in with meat.  Add canned tomatoes, rotel, kidney beans, frozen veggies, beef broth and bouillon cubes to meat.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 min.  Add pasta shells and cook until al dente.

 I hope you enjoy these meals, and it inspires you to grab a group of friends and create your own cookbook!

Bon Appetite!