Kingsley - The dairy good cookbook : everyday comfort food from Americas dairy farm families

This book is dedicated to the nations nearly 47,000 dairy farm families who, from sunrise to sundown (and into the evening too) each and every day, care for their cows and the land to ensure we all enjoy nutrient-rich, tasty, versatile, and safe milk. Their commitment demonstrates the values, dedication, and legacy of Americas dairy farm families.

Its an honor and a privilege to share with you my passion and deep affection for Americas dairy farmers and those who bring dairy products from around the world to your table. When asked to contribute to this incredible cookbook, I said yesbefore they even finished asking the question!

After all, who better than this community of fine men and womenmy friends and mentorswho are rooted in tradition, with recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation to share how dairy products can be used to create satisfying and wonderful dishes.

This cookbook embodies the passion, energy, delicious foods, and the love of the great people who inspired and filled these pages. It makes all the sense in the world that these farmers share their secret (and not so secret) family recipes and a piece of the heart and soul of their farms and history. While most of us have heard of the farm-to-table movement, these amazing people live it every day!

Dairy farmers rise before dawn and work tirelessly to support their farms, their families, and their local communities without pomp or circumstance 365 days a year. I have seen it first-hand time and time again. They work hard, wear their passion on their sleeves, care deeply about their farmland and the animals they care for, and are committed to their communities and our nations youth.

Dairy farmers and dairy importers are the reason GENYOUth and the Fuel Up to Play 60 program exist today. They represent our greatest asset, giving so much more than dollars to nurture our nations youth. We developed many of our most valuable health strategies and our prevention platform for the countrys largest in-school health and wellness program, Fuel Up to Play 60 (now in 73,000 schools that impact thirty million kids every day), by learning from the work ethic, health and wellness investment, and DNA of the dairy farmers we call our collaborators and friends. Their commitment to sustainabilitythe land, animals, natural resources, and future generationsis a practice that we apply to our work each and every day.

I am humbled to present you with this fabulous collection of hearty, wholesome, and downright delicious recipes. In addition to getting time-tested dishes that up until now were shared only among close friends and family, your purchase of this cookbook helps support the GENYOUth Foundation to provide Fuel Up to Play 60 grants to schools and help millions of children get better access to healthful foods.

Youre helping students FUEL UP to become healthy, high-achieving adults. Change starts by believing in each other and in our commitment to our local communities and future generations. It will continue, thanks to Americas dairy farmers and importers and YOU.

Wishing you wonderful memories with family and friends cooking in the kitchen, eating at your dinner table, exploring our farms, and sharing these dairy farmer recipes from a wealth of treasured family secrets!

Alexis Glick serves as chief executive officer of the GENYOUth Foundation, which is on a mission to inspire and educate youth to improve their nutrition and increase physical activity. GENYOUth was founded through an unprecedented public-private partnership with the National Dairy Council (NDC) and the National Football League (NFL) and their commitment to childrens health and wellness. The flagship program, Fuel Up to Play 60, is the largest health and wellness program in schools across the country. GENYOUth is collaborating with students, schools, communities, business partners, and thought leaders to build a platform with the flexibility and energy to make a lasting difference in childrens lives.

According to my maternal grandmother, Freddie Mae (or Granny, as we called her), dairy runs in my familys veins. It was only her father who was a dairy farmer, but every time we had milk, buttermilk, ice milk (as opposed to ice cream), butter, cottage cheese, boiled custard, and all the other things a good Southern grandmother would supply her grandbabies, she would remind my cousins, my sister, and me, My daddy was a dairy farmer.

She was proud of that fact, so I grew up just as proud. The antique milk can that graced her carport became a symbol of her youth as well as mine. She and my mother would talk about drinking buttermilk as their dinner beverage of choice. I guess my sister and I werent so lucky.

I came to appreciate good butter and milk long before I attempted to cook my first dish. I dont think I ever had a cold piece of cornbread at my grandmothers house when I was growing up, because she would never make it until we were all on the right side of the door at her house for Sunday supper. There was something magical about watching a big pat of pale yellow, sweet goodness melt into the golden top and crevices of my grandmothers skillet cornbread. The creaminess of the butter was like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae.

As a chef, I carry many memories of eating at both my grandmothers homes, and those memories influence my cooking styleSouthern with a twist. In my new cookbook, Carlas Comfort Foods, I use a traditional smothered chicken recipe with milk gravy to show how you can use the same method and travel the globe right at your stovetop by swapping dairy and other spices. If you want to take your taste buds to Hungary, add sweet paprika instead of thyme, and sour cream instead of milk. If France is more your style, substitute white wine, Dijon mustard, tarragon, and heavy cream. Whether its milk, sour cream, or heavy cream in your sauce over chicken, at the end of the day I say its all smothered chicken.

I grew up with dairy being a fabric of my childhood, and later of my professional careerso I know comfort food. And who better to share a number of comfort food recipes that feature dairy than the people who know it bestAmericas dairy farmers and those who bring dairy from around the world to your dinner table every day.

Carla Hall, cohost of ABCs The Chew, first made her way into Americas heart as a finalist in season five of the award-winning Bravo show, Top Chef . Today, Carla continues to bring a passion to cooking, balancing her Southern traditions, classic French training, and holistic approach to food as an entertaining expert and owner and executive chef of Alchemy caterers in Washington, D.C. A native of Nashville, Carlas charm and experience make her a natural teacher. Dedicated to sharing her philosophy of how to cook with love, Carla has passed on her genuine love and joy for being in the kitchen by teaching at CulinAerie and LAcademie de Cuisine. Carla is a believer that, if youre not in a good mood, the only thing you should make is a reservation.