The Planners

A fond childhood food memory is....I have two. Easter breakfast at my Great-Grandma's house in Chicago. It was a big Polish feast that included sausages, horseradish and colored hard-boiled eggs - hand-dyed with onion skins and beets. We sat at this big old table that my dad and grandfather "fixed" each year after our meal.The other is Thanksgiving morning. My mom always has, and still does host Thanksgiving dinner. Waking up to the smell of a turkey roasting....I STILL miss it!

My go-to meal for each season....In summer I love to marinate and grill meats, so it's the brown-sugar bourbon marinated flank steak. For the fall, I want something warm and the steakhouse chili has become a favorite. Winter seems to last forever and the meal I crave the most, my husband makes - chicken paprikash, an updated version of a classic Hungarian dish. By spring I am so tired of cooking heavy foods, so I turn to either a quiche Lorraine or a grilled chicken caesar salad that can be made indoors or out on the grill.

I wish I could make/eat.....My daughter is allergic to tree nuts so I don't make traditional pesto for the family. It is one of my favorite pasta and sandwich toppers. I was able to find a tomato pesto that is a satisfying substitute.

Food I dislike the most is....Carrots in every form! Oddly, I do love brussels sprouts.

My guilty indulgence is....a chocolate croissant. I haven't had one in years, but if I could indulge in one everyday I would.

If I could only have 4 foods forever they would be....Fresh baked french bread, cantaloupe, shrimp and probably dark chocolate. I think most of the food groups were represented!

I want to learn to make....Pasta from scratch. Even though my grandma is 100% Italian, I never learned from her.

My meal planning philosophy is....When we had children, my husband and I decided that feeding them what we were eating was the best way to make them good eaters, or at least ones that try new foods. As I plan my weekly meals, I do keep some of their likes and dislikes in mind, but I try to expand their palates and give ALL of us new flavors to experience. Some are more successful than others and I am always surprised by the meals that become the new favorites.