Introduction

Kitchens are a wonderful place for making memories. My mother was much happier wielding a needle or a paint brush rather than a spatula, but I still recall coming in after school to the odor of bread baking in the oven. And I have a very vivid picture of Mina Love's kitchen with a big slice of home-cured ham sizzling in the skillet. Like many of our neighbors, Mina was of Pennsylvania Dutch stock, and firmly believed that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I'm not sure this applies today, but I've seldom met a man or woman who did not respond to a well-prepared meal. So, for me, cooking is truly a labor of love, and the time I spend in the kitchen is often the best part of my day. My wish for you is that these recipes will make your time in the kitchen a little easier and a lot more fun.

Most of my recipes are very simple. I'm a big believer in starting with fresh foods.

In Pennsylvania, Mother would send us to the garden after school to pick the vegetables for supper. You can't get much fresher than that. I also believe in menu planning and shopping lists, but having grown up miles from the nearest grocery store and having lived 19 months in Cleveland (a union town where all stores closed promptly at 6 p.m.) with only one car, I also believe that some of your best meals can come from what's on hand if you just have the courage to try. Know what combinations of herbs and spices you like and go from there.

A windowsill herb garden is nice and you'll have a hard time using my recipes without some wine in the house. I can't see buying anything that is not drinkable so choose a red and a white table wine that appeal to your taste buds. My standbys are Gallo Hearty Burgundy and Martini and Rossi Extra Dry Vermouth.

One more hint and it is really as much about relationships as cooking. My mother-in-law was one of the greatest cooks I've ever known. I realized early on that I could never match her roast beef or her fabulous turkey stuffing. And why should I try? After all, I married her "Schottzerle" her treasure. I did not want to take away her status as queen of the kitchen. Visits to her house always brought forth the most perfectly sliced rare roast beef and my family was generous with their praise.

Mama is gone now and I still can't match her roast beef or her turkey stuffing but I do not want her recipes to be lost, so I will begin this cookbook with recipes from Mama's kitchen along with some from other relatives and friends which are so good that I just stand in awe. Make that sit in awe -eating of course.