I got a call from my youngest sister late last week that gave me the nudge to finish up a project that I have been procrastinating about for months. Kel said that she was giving her copy of “my cookbook” to a young guy who works with her. She wanted to put in an order for another copy.
It all started back in 2001 when my daughter, Writer Princess, was moving into her first apartment. For the first time in her life, she could no longer rely on Mom and Dad or the college food plan to feed her. She asked me for some simple recipes.
What started as a few recipes ended up as a small cookbook, entitled “College Cooking: A Survival Manual.” Subtitle: “A beginners guide to fending for yourself in the kitchen and living off of what you cook!”
It’s not really a cookbook. The recipes are all pretty simple. It really is intended to be a “start-up manual” for someone faced with cooking for themselves for the first time. It included some simple instructions, lists of necessary kitchen utensils, basic food stuffs you should always have on hand, etc. There are also some recipes, mostly such basics as baked chicken, spaghetti, chili, meatloaf, saute’d fish, and so on. .
It ran around 25 pages (8.5 x 11). I printed an initial dozen copies and have gone back and printed around 25 or so additional ones over the years. I have been meaning to print another run, but I wanted to update it first. Hence, the procrastination.
Well, today Mrs. Poolman had to work a Sunday shift, so I had the day on my own. I spent several hours this afternoon adding some recipes, including several that are included in this blog.
Chicken Enchiladas
I’ll get it proofed this week and send it off for its fourth printing…of about a dozen copies.
Another Beautiful Day in Paradise! 
The best kind of cook books are just like the one you’ve put together… recipes from home and things that are familiar. It’s a great way for a young adult to start learning proficiency in the kitchen. That’s how I learned! Mom passed on some of the long-time simple favorites.
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