Allen - Tastes Better from Scratch™ Cookbook: Easy Recipes for Everyday Life

Copyright 2022 by Lauren Allen, Tastes Better from Scratch, LLC All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted, reproduced,
transmitted, or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other
means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and
recording, or in any information retrieval system without the written permission of
Lauren Allen, Tastes Better from Scratch, LLC. For inquiries regarding permissions,
translations, foreign rights, audio rights, and any other forms of reproduction, please
contact the publisher at Tastesbetterfromscratch.com/contact Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to
infringe. eISBN: 978-0-578-36954-9 Food Photography by Lauren Allen and Nicole Leggio.
Lifestyle Photography by Erica and Jon Hayes and Val Dahlin.
Design by LeAnna Weller Smith, Weller Smith Design, LLC. First Edition Published by Lauren Allen, Tastes Better from Scratch, LLC.
www.tastesbetterfromscratch.com

Dedication: To my readers, who encouraged me to make this cookbook a reality.
Because of you, I get to cook, create, and share my love for cooking every day!

CONTENTS A FEW TIPS FOR CONFIDENCE IN
THE KITCHEN | 16 MUFFINS
AND BREADS Healthy Applesauce
Oat Muffins | 48

Chicken Salad Croissant
Sandwiches | 80 Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Teriyaki
Bowls | 123

CONTENTS SALADS
AND SIDES Mushroom Bacon Swiss
Salad | 179

Coconut Cake with Pineapple
Filling | 234 Salted Caramel Rice Krispies
Treats | 240

INTRODUCTION O n Saturday mornings when I was a child, my twin sister
and I were often the first little ones out of bed. With three
older brothers, we were the youngest in the family, and nothing
sounded more fun to us than digging through Moms recipe box to choose an
exciting breakfast to make all by ourselves.

The kitchen was always a fun and comfortable gathering place in our
home. My mom encouraged our help as she prepared food for our family,
hosted parties, or delivered food to people in need. I always wanted to be
involved, and she helped me learn and let me make mistakes. When I was
very young, she let me make simple things all by myself or devise cookie
creations with my sister and friends. We made big messes, we were loud, and
we had so much fun. When we were teenagers, my friends would gather in
Moms kitchen after school because it was a comfortable, fun space for us to
snack and hang out.

Thanks to my family, my love for cooking came easily, and so did my love
for trying new foods. I was blessed to travel many places with my parents,
and learn about different foods and cultures. My dads travel expertise
ignited a fire in me from a young age that made me want to try every kind of
exotic, interesting food. Over the years we had various neighbors and friends
that introduced us to more international foods, and we enjoyed making
things like spaetzle, spring rolls, and curries at home.
When I arrived at college, it was a bit of a wake-up call to learn that all
the great food I was used to didnt exist on campus. It was in the freshman
cafeteria brimming with unappetizing food that I came to truly appreciate
the value of eating well. Good food is essential for so many reasons, including
our physical and financial health and our social well-being.

Lifes simply too
short to eat mediocre food, no matter your budget! With this realization, I felt a pressing need to compile my favorite family
recipes and document the new recipes I was creating. I had decided to

INTRODUCTION major in journalism, so all of the things I was learningwriting, editing,
photography, new media designcame together to help me turn my
compilation into a food blog that quickly became my new favorite hobby.
I named the compilation Tastes Better from Scratch, which not only
summed up the type of food I had learned to make at home, but also was the
most frugal way to cook, making it a good fit for my tiny college budget! During a semester abroad in Madrid, Spain, I fine-tuned my Spanish and
learned even more about cooking from my host mother, the self-proclaimed
best cook in Spain. Not long after, as a newlywed, I was excited to finally
have my own private kitchen where I could hone my skills. Having grown up
surrounded by great cooks, I was surprised to learn that cooking intimidates
some people. I loved sharing recipes with friends and neighbors and offering
tips to help them have successful cooking experiences. My husband and I were able to spend some time living in Mexico, where
my happiest memories are of the times we spent with locals who taught
us about their food and culture.

I soaked up all I was learning and loved
experimenting in my own kitchen. As I shared recipes, I was surprised to see others finding and enjoying them,
and the blog began to grow like I
never expected. When I think about why people
continue to follow my website, I
think its the fact that I try to share
recipes that are fresh, fun, and
usually dont require a ton of effort or
prep. Theyre from-scratch gourmet
dishes, but without intimidating
ingredients or techniques. And