Food is an important part of our every day. We typically cook three meals a day at home, and it’s a rare “treat” when we go out to eat somewhere. When I met Brett 13 years ago I was 19 years old, living on my own, and a normal dinner for me was Chef Boyrdee from a can. Brett was 23, had just finished doing some world traveling including living in the Middle East, soaking up the culture and cuisine of Egypt and Israel as well as all around Europe. When I met him he was working at Barnes and Noble and a “hobby” of his was gleaning interesting recipes from around the world throughout the cookbook section. While we were dating he cooked for me. Every. Single. Night. After gaining 10 lbs, I realized how different this guy was, and how amazing different foods can be.
Flash forward 13 yrs and 4 kids later. They’ve been raised to eat anything and must try everything. It’s a rule around here. And guess what? My kids LOVE to eat. We literally have to control their intake, because even things like 4 bowls of salad can be a bit excessive.
We teach them about food. About the beauty in color, nutrition, in flavor, and about how different parts of the world use different ingredients and why. We try new recipes, and also have a nice beefy list of family staples that I dream of them enjoying with their own kids some day. And all of this? It’s completely a gift from my husband. He’s a brilliant cook. He glances at a recipe and then lays it aside. He uses recipes more as a source of inspiration, because he ALWAYS has his own take on things. And waste? Oh no. Not around here. When the fridge is full and things need to get used, he whips up a concoction using turnips, celery, carrots, peanut butter, and egg- you name it. I kid you not, and it will taste DIVINE.
On any given day Brett may make something Indian, Thai, Nepali, Greek, French, Persian, Middle Eastern, or Italian.
So this post is sort of a stepping stone….Starting at the beginning of the year I decided I really needed to begin photographing his creations. With the chaos of our home, I’m not the best at having a camera handy so I’ve really been trying the last few months to remember to take photos. My food folder was getting rather big, so I chose a few dishes to show you. Down the road I hope to show more on the blog….perhaps share cooking and nutritional tips, recipes, and the cooking process. One thing I really want to do is help parents who feel weighed down with the burden of cooking healthy for their family, because frankly, I get it. I’m the same way. I’m just not wired to LOVE cooking.
Here are some things we’ve made around here the last few months:
Our take on Caprese (baguette, mozzarella, tomato, basil, balsamic and olive oil, salt and pepper)
Brett’s Pad Thai….
Typical weekend breakfast: feta omelet with rosemary potatoes, blueberry or banana cardamon pancakes.
Brett’s version of Moussaka, with a fun wine my sister gave me. I’m the middle of 3 sisters, but certainly not the mischievous one.
Kabob Chicken (that Brett roasted over our fire), with homemade Baba Ganoush, and all the fixins. And yes, Brett is wearing bead necklace that one of the kids made him. ;)
Pan steamed salmon, sauteed veggies, and ginger-chili pasta, YUM….ONE of my favorite recent dinners!
Poached eggs, grits, Ezekiel brand cinnamon raisin toast, bacon, and a Bloody Mary.
Quick dinner night…..taco salads!
Another one of my favorites: Persian stew with chicken and oranges….
After roasting and scraping an eggplant, here’s a common lunch staple for us of Baba Ganoush.
Another Brett lunch: boiled eggs, cheese, veggies and a slice of sprouted bread- with horseradish of course.
Skyline Chili is huge here in Cincy, and Brett makes his own that we love. Our nephew Zazi digging in below. :)
Cooking is therapy to this boy….he can spends hours and hours in the kitchen. Although I don’t feel the passion, I can fully respect it. I feel quite lucky to reap the benefits. For his birthday I bought him the above book. I wish I took a picture from the side because the book is HUGE and it’s no ordinary cookbook. It explains in great details all the steps to cooking and the proper way chefs prepare foods. From sauces, to pasta making, to preparing meats, to baking….I can’t wait until that book is worn out from use and I get to try everything. Honestly, I’ve always been an, “Eat to live” person and not a, “live to eat” type. I’m finding the older I get and the more my culinary pallet broadens, I am falling deeper and deeper in love with food. It’s also such a focal point for our family to grow, and learn. We look forward to sharing more of this journey here on the blog.
And did I mention we’re getting this boy a new kitchen soon!?
brett
baba of four. admires all things natural and organic about life, food, and others.
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“Down the road I hope to show more on the blog….perhaps share cooking and nutritional tips, recipes, and the cooking process.”
yes, please!
however some of those dishes you shared above seem slightly…scratch that…VERY intimidating
@emily- you would be REALLY surprised at how easy it is to make most everything shown here. :) Looking forward to sharing much more!
Brett and my hubby sound similar in the kitchen…glance at the recipe, and then ultimately do whatever you want. ;) I crack up too because when hubby and I make the same dish on separate occasions, his almost always tastes better. Hmmm, what is up with that? Oh well. I would love to hear more about this baba ganoush…
Yum! Those dishes look delish. My husband loves to cook, as well. I don’t think I’ve ever commented, but I love your blog! I just started a photography business in SC and I was wondering if you could share some tips on how to start up a photog business? It’s amazing/wonderful that you and your husband are able to do this together and I wish I knew how to get my business rolling.
Beautiful post. Beautiful words. Beautiful photos.
I love this beautiful family. And i’m a bit sad i’ve only tried about a third of those menu items :(
MMMM….can I come eat at your house sometime? Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures with us! I am not a person who loves cooking either, but 2 of my best friends are both the type who, like your husband, can look at a recipe for an idea…but change many things about it and still make it delicious. It’s a blessing to be around people like that :)
Whao, beautiful. I’m a “live to eat” person, so I can definetly understand Brett’s love for cooking. But can he come to France to show to my husband that men can cook, they just have to try !
Wow. This all looks so delicious & beautiful. Lovin’ the images- I can taste the food just by looking at them!! :)
Oh man…I am SO hungry now! Love everything about this post and love that Brett has shown you (Jess) and your precious kiddos how wonderful food can be. I feel like I’m good at cooking yummy dinners — it’s the rest of my day that tends to escape me!
Can you guys start sharing some of your recipes? I’d love to make a Z concoction!!! :)
Do you have any idea how much I love y’all? I mean, I’ve loved you since the minute I found you but from one foodie to another, this seals my undying devotion.
I may just have to drive to Cincy and spend the day eating with ya!
xo,
edie
Gabe’s face in the pad thai shot = preciousness personified! :) Great post!
I feel like there’s no need to point out how incredibly delicious all of this food looks and how I want to jump into the pictures and eat it ALL.
What I love even more tho, is what the food choices and presentation say about brett’s creativity and intuition and sense of adventure. Who doesn’t love a good zwolinski??
can I come live with you, or a least get food yoda to teach me a thing or two?
My mouth is watering! Everything that you showed looked absolutely delicious! I am SO NOT a cook and my family is not the least bit adventurous. They think that they are pushing boundaries by eating hummus! But I can’t wait read more about y’alls cooking forays and the new kitchen!
As if I didn’t love you guys enough, after this post, I’ve determined you are my soul mates!!!!! ;P (those are seriously some of my favorite dishes!)
I can almost smell and taste that chicken+oranges :) We brought back from Fl hand picked oranges and only thing I haven’t done with them is taking bath in orange juce :) lol So. I am getting home tonight and looking up a tips for this awesome dish. Otherwise I am much like Brett, can make a poop taste good, according to my hubby ( Bret ) Can’t wait to read more about food here. Lana. Love your footographik fam :) lol
1. I’m hungry now
2. Recipes please!!! You know, when you have all that extra time.
3. I love how your kids try it all and like it! So nice to see kids eating outside of the mac and cheese and chicken finger staples. :)
ok. seriously. you weren’t kidding when you said you’ve been saving all these food shots!
your post is just as beautiful, the words, the thoughts on food and family. it is just that important and a bond. i know this too.
anyway, awesome post and awesome pictures of food, family, and love!
hugs,
gina
This blog post made me SO happy. I’ll admit, I’m always checking out the food in your pictures, whether it’s the focus or not. It always looks so delicious! I know, that’s weird, right? Anyway, I’m so glad to hear you’re going to be posting more stuff about it – can’t wait!
so if you hear a knock on your door and find a random blondish chick standing on your porch (around dinner time…or whenever), it might just be me… :D