Nicki Sizemore - The Food Processor Family Cookbook: 120 Recipes for Fast Meals Made From Scratch

Copyright 2016 by Nicki Sizemore

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Interior photography Caroline Kaye .

ISBN: Print 978-1-942411-94-9 | eBook 978-1-942411-95-6

To Ella and Juniper
my adorable and opinionated little eaters

To James
for always eating everything

The box grater, in my opinion, is quite possibly the most imperfect tool in the kitchen. Its unstable, it doesnt help me do anything fast, and Ive lost a fair bit of knuckle to it. Im all about cooking foods from scratch, which often requires more prep work than opening a bag, can, or jar, but if my only option were to buy preshredded, bagged (and processed) cheese or use that box grater, I might just be tempted by the bag.

Thank goodness for my food processor! She (yes, its a she) is a tough gal who can break down a pound of cheeseor carrots or walnutsin seconds. In the time it would take me to dice half an onion, she finely chops the entire vegetable base for my Bolognese. As a recipe developer and food stylist, cooking is part of my vocation. But when it comes to getting dinner on the table for my family every night, I take any shortcut I can get.

My cooking philosophy can be summed up in seven words: Start from scratch, but keep it simple. There are many gadgets and appliances you can buy for the kitchen, but if you want to cook nutritious, wholesome food for your family, the food processor is the only one you need. Its the tool I turn to more often than any other, whether for prepping the ingredients for tonights pasta, mixing up granola bars for my five-year-old, pureing baby food for my nine-month-old, or making my husbands favorite marinated chicken wings. I make my grandmas famous banana bread and even my Thanksgiving pumpkin pie in the processor, too. She isnt the most attractive appliance in the kitchen (Im looking at you, Mrs. Stand Mixer, with your shiny chrome base), but the processor gets the job done beautifully.

Just because its a simple machine doesnt mean it can only make simple food. In these pages, I will show you how to make vibrant, creative, and nutritious meals that should be family favorites for years to come. What youll see here are time-saving, money-saving, from-scratch recipes (with the help of pantry staples) that appeal to eaters of all stripesfrom picky kids (got one), to vegetarians and vegans, to folks with food allergies or restrictions (I cant eat gluten), not to mention food lovers looking for delicious meals.

Think of your food processor as your sturdy little friend: Always there for you in a pinch, and always willing to help with the grunt workincluding shredding that cheese.

Part One

From Scratch Fast

Let me introduce you to Betty, my friend, my food processor. I couldnt survive without Betty. Lets face it, we live busy lives. We dont always have hoursor even one hourto spend cooking. Its no wonder processed foods have taken over our pantries and plates. But this has been at a cost, compromising both nutrition and flavor. Its time to get back into the kitchen, and we need all the help we can get. The food processor is just the friend to turn to. It can cut back prep time and streamline recipes for quicker, more efficient, and more delicious results.