Real Recipes from Real People

When we moved house (two years ago now – yikes! – where does the time go!) I culled my collection of recipe books to the ones that I actually use.

I ended up with less than a dozen, and I noticed that they all had something in common.

They contained recipes from REAL REOPLE.

Some of these cookbooks are handwritten, like the one my old school friend gave me when I got married.

I’ve always said the mark of a good recipe is the splatters all over the page … LOL.

Others were produced as a fundraiser for church or school and some have even lost their covers, they’ve been so well loved.

The only “real” recipe books that made the cut were the “4 Ingredients” ones.

There wasn’t a slick glossy cookery book, or celebrity chef, to be seen!

I think there are a couple of reasons I like real recipes from real people – they are “tried and true”. Chances are I’ve already enjoyed a particular dish, so I already know what it’s meant to look and taste like!

Even if I haven’t, I know it’s survived the author’s taste test and is something an “ordinary” person can and does make. The ingredients are ones I likely already have in my fridge or pantry, and usually don’t require slaving over a hot stove for hours.

So when long-time Middle Aged Mama reader (and Footprints before that!), and fellow blogger Jillian Ross of Feed My Family, asked if I would review her newly released recipe book, I couldn’t say YES fast enough!

“Mothers’ & Others’: Recipes from the Heart” started out life as a very special gift for Jillian’s wedding 26 years ago. Compiled by her mum, it not only contained their own family favourites but also recipes from her mother-in-law and other friends and family.

Since then, it has been edited for the weddings of several other loved ones. (As Jillian’s own daughter has recently flown the nest, I can’t help wondering if that had something to do with the timing of the release of the 2020 edition of “Mothers’ & Others'”! 😉 )

What really stands out in this updated collection of recipes is that Jillian also provides tips so home cooks can easily adapt each one to cater for a range of different dietary requirements eg gluten free, dairy free, egg free. Jillian spent years refining these variations when her son, and later her husband, were diagnosed with food intolerances, and now she is making them available for others to enjoy.

So far I’ve only made one recipe from the book and it was a definite winner: potato bake.

While I love potato bake, I rarely make it as my recipe is full of cream so I tend to save it for special occasions like Christmas. Jillian’s recipe however is just as yummy using 50ml milk or water instead! The topping was a new addition for me, I had 3 end pieces of bread I wanted to use up and in hindsight this was too much, but trust me, it all still got eaten 😉 . Next time I want to experiment with maybe grating the bread, and adding some chopped ham or bacon.

The recipes are easy to follow, and there are also photos of several of the dishes to whet your appetite. Next up I want to try the Roast Vegetable Couscous (with a toned-down version of the dressing, not a fan of spicy food!) and the Chocolate Marshmallow Dainty, which I’d never heard of before but looks and sounds seriously good!

Of course these days many cooks prefer to use a tablet or phone to follow a recipe, so “Mothers’ & Others'” is available as both a printed version and an e-book. To obtain a copy, head to Jillian’s blog: https://feedmyfamilyblog.com/product/mothers-and-others-recipes-from-the-heart-2/.

Do you prefer to use your mobile or tablet in the kitchen, or are you an old-fashioned cookbook fan like me?!