Plum Upside Down Cake

Some months back, the Food Network did the Kid’s Baking Championship, which was adorable and hilarious. Watching ten year olds in long aprons whipping meringue and crème bruleeing is my idea of entertainment, and inspiration to get Conner in the kitchen sooner rather than later. I’d love a little pint sized sous chef. Adorable. Around Christmastime they did the Holiday Baking Championship, which was also fantastic, gingerbread and festive cookies galore. Then a few weeks ago, they launched the Spring Baking Championship. I’ve been watching regularly, even forgoing my religious Sunday night Bravo watch parties for it, which is a big deal.

One of these past weeks, there was an “upside down cake” challenge, where the eight or so competitors had to do their best spins on the fruit on the bottom classic. Before this episode, I had literally never even heard of anything other than a pineapple upside down cake. Black grandmas all over the country make it with canned pineapple and maraschino cherries, with a typically light and kind of spongy cake, with just the right amount of density to hold up to the fruit without becoming soggy. But on this episode, I witnessed not only the classic pineapple version, but also peach, blueberry, strawberry, and a whole variety of other upside down cakes. I was immediately inspired to make my own. I hit the supermarket in search of perfectly ripe peaches, but spotted plums instead. Boom.

Freezer Ready Turkey Burgers

It’s the end of a super long week. I’m driving home with a screaming baby in the backseat, and all I can think about is putting him to bed and spending the evening soaking in a hot bath while browsing Pinterest. Phone rings. It’s boyfriend. “Ryan, what’s for dinner? There’s nothing to eat here.” This is honestly one of the most annoying things anyone can say to you at the end of a long day, especially when you know there’s a refrigerator and pantry full of food. But instead of copping an attitude and launching a verbal attack, you’re cool, calm, and collected, because you’re prepared. Your freezer is stocked.

I learned the importance of freezer ready food when I was a new mom working fifty-hour weeks. No one at the office cared that it was after five and I had a new baby or a hungry family waiting for me at home. It was disheartening, but it made me a better, more prepared mommy and cook. On the weekends, I’d prep things for the week ahead, chop onions, gather ingredients, marinate, and season, so putting dinner together at the end of a long day would be simple as possible.

Best Baked Meatballs

Growing up, we often had spaghetti, but never spaghetti and meatballs. Meat sauce was the go to option. Of course a meat sauce is classically delicious and simple, but as a very food focused kid, I always yearned for meatballs. Our play kitchen’s plastic spaghetti came with three plastic meatballs. The families on Friday night sitcoms had spaghetti and meatballs. I was slightly annoyed by my childhood lack of meatballs, but not enough so to risk demanding them of my hardworking mother. I accepted our meat sauces and moved on.

As a college student in Washington, D.C., I had the chance to have tons of awesome professional experiences, and with them, work events. Drinks were always served, and of course, in the spirit of young professionalism, I would politely decline- but of course, always indulged in the food. The first real spaghetti and meatballs I ever had were served at one of these events. When I spotted the servers coming around with plates piled high with pasta and meatballs, I fought my best to hide my excitement, continuing to idly chat with coworkers and clients, while underneath the table, my feet were tapping in anticipation.