A Garden Picnic

I was sitting at the table enjoying after dinner wine with a best girlfriend, my mother, and my aunt. We were reminiscing about the amazing meal we had just enjoyed when my friend said “you should write your own cookbook!”. The idea stuck. I believe cooking should be fun and from the heart. We all lead such busy lives, cooking should be the icing on the cake of your day. A strong recipe is in the quality of the ingredients and the luscious combination of flavors. Recipes are meant to be modified and played with and this cookbook allows the opportunity to play, add and eliminate ingredients, and in the process create new and wonderful flavors and recipes. Ingredients are meant to be experimented with in varying measurements or just seasoning to taste. The other key to easy and fun cooking is it should be quick. Spend your time enjoying the meal instead of cooking it. Stock your cupboard with your favorite go to ingredients; beans, roasted red peppers, brown rice, quinoa, the list is endless. Here is a compilation of tried and true, quick recipes I love: and some of the wonderful recipes from wonderful people in my life. Have fun and make them your own!