The Family Table

I am reading the best book.  Its a cookbook.  Crazy for me, the mom who only cooks so that my children can survive!  But lately, I've discovered the comfort, the tradition, the memories that meals create for my children.  Dinnertime is my favorite part of each day.  The other day, one of them mentioned it was time to get out our candy corn mugs for hot cider and then they talked about how we will make our "first snow" homemade hot chocolate.  They will remember that even though spaghetti Mondays became a necessity because we are always rushing to go to PSR, it is now something we all look forward to.  What would Christmas Eve be without chili and a birthday cake for Jesus?  Or Valentine Day's without our all red food dinner?

And that is why I love and identify with this book-

It is half biography, half cookbook.  It is full of simple, kid friendly, memory building recipes.  I'm a huge fan of the Romneys and the lovely family that they have raised.   Even if you're not in their political arena, you will love this book.   Ann is a funny story teller.  While writing about "pancake mornings", she says:

"Mitt took to the griddle with the same enthusiasm that my dad had.  I guess men think they're cooking or something- they take such pride in how many cakes they can fit on the hot surface, whether they are just the right shade of golden brown.  Somehow these small satisfactions seem to give them a disproportionate measure of self-esteem."

I laughed out loud.  Seriously, pancakes are a man's business.   She also outs her family's love of Fluff, which I think is hilarious since we always use fluff in the above mentioned hot chocolate.

Gather around your family table and start making those memories!