Cooking and sharing great meals are a part of our family DNA. When our two sons were young, my husband came up with the bright idea that we should hold formal dinners every Sunday night with just our family in the dining room with china, crystal and multi-course dinners. I would plan each one carefully, meticulously ticking off pages in Food & Wine magazine, excited to make all the various new recipes.
Gathering around the candlelit dining room table, our conversations with our children were always enlightening. While they learned to behave and converse as grown ups, the memories we created were even more special. I’d get to experiment with new food cuisines, combinations and techniques. As our youngest son, Zach said, they were exposed to “my ever improving skills but the one thing he knew about my food and why it tasted so good was that it was always cooked with LOVE.”
I just learned an Italian saying that is so true. It says, “You always cook thinking about someone, otherwise you are just making food.”
Our boys have grown up to amazing cooks themselves, love to entertain and always eat healthy meals with a green vegetable. Our oldest remembers me saying, “It’s not a proper meal unless you have a green vegetable!” They have carried forward our love of healthy eating and living, bringing joy to others through food. More importantly, they are becoming successful in life.
So open up a MARY’s secret ingredients box and turn on the stove. You’ll easily turn dinnertime into an extraordinary meal on a regular basis as we help you complete the food part. Gather all your friends and family around the table to make some memories you’ll cherish. And remember, good cooks never lack friends!
