As a journalism major in college, research was the somewhat dreaded yet necessary component of writing a story, whether it came in the form of interviewing people or analyzing data. Writing came naturally though speaking to strangers did not. Fortunately, I got over my hesitation to approach people and now add conversational skills to those I learned in college. Research also is a large part of my current work, and I enjoy the knowledge and self-assurance associated with doing so.
The more fun kind of my life’s research, however, came in the form of recipe research when I was a stay-at-home mom. I am not an intuitive cook and I prefer to have a recipe in front of me—and follow it. I’ve gotten better at improvising, and a few recipes no longer call for a list of ingredients and instructions to follow, though I am most comfortable cooking that way.
Meatloaf may sound boring but its status improved when I discovered recipes that called for adding vegetables to the meat. Sneaking vegetables into a meat dish…ingenious, and yes, I will! Moms with small kids will agree. And so I discovered sauteing diced onion, celery, and carrot before mixing them into a seasoned meat mixture. My meatloaf is delicious (says every mom), I just wish it had a jazzier name and my son would drop his grudge against it. I still make it with the veggies, so, sandwiched between bread, does it count as a balanced meal?!
I also researched the best meatball recipes, as classic spaghetti and meatballs should be among every home cook’s standard selections. For some reason, the shape is key here and my son has no grudge against the round meat mixtures. As a toddler, he once walked through the kitchen and grabbed a cooked meatball off the plate and into his little hand, where it fit perfectly as he ran away with his to-go snack. Meatballs and meatloaf are very similar, though research revealed a now favorite recipe called meatballs nirvana. A little hot sauce and red pepper flakes are essential to gain that heavenly taste (setting aside half the recipe for a kid-friendly, no-heat version) and parmesan cheese is an added bonus.
Among other recipes I tried to find the most delicious ones were chicken piccata, chicken marsala, and various potato salads. I love potatoes and they are incredibly versatile. There also are many recipes for potato salad, though I learned what kind of potatoes are best (waxy, such as Yukon gold) and that adding vinegar to cooked and cooling potatoes adds a lot of flavor. l love celery’s crunch, though celery seed packs a flavor punch if celery isn’t your thing. I learned that steak needs to come to room temperature prior to cooking, and that you should use older eggs, and peel them immediately after cooling, when making them hard-boiled.
These days my recipe research often includes my son, who shares videos for smash burgers, chicken burritos, and Jolly Rancher-coated grapes. Cooking is fun, you know!
