29 Sep What Have Your Favorite Authors Been Cooking During COVID?
When the pandemic hit this spring, families dusted their cookbooks and gathered in the kitchen to cook some delish recipes. Good News! asked some of your favorite authors what they were busy cooking!
Richard Cowdrey
Illustrator and author of the famous Fiona the Hippo picture books. His latest book, Fiona, It’s Bedtime.
“My wife and I live out in the country and grow lots of veggies and fruits,” said Richard Cowdrey. “We had a bumper crop of strawberries, blueberries, and red raspberries this spring/summer, so we have had lots of muffins, pies, breads!”
Sadie Robertson Huff
Author of Live, and many other best sellers, and actress known from the Duck Dynasty TV reality series.
“Christian and I have made it a goal to cook one night a week during this season as a “date night in,” said Sadie Robertson Huff. “Recently, our favorite dish we made was a seared tuna bowl with brown rice, onions, and avocado! We’ve also been making lots of acai bowls with fresh fruit.”
Candace Cameron Bure
New York Times bestselling author, producer, and actress. She is well known for her role as D.J. Tanner on the iconic family sitcoms Full House and Fuller House. She is also the author of children’s book Candace Center Stage.
“Since March, my family and I have been cooking almost all of our meals at home together,” said Cameron Bure. “It has given us the opportunity to spend intentional time with each-other around the dinner table. On top of that, I LOVE to garden. We have gotten creative and tried new recipes using the tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and herbs that are homegrown in my backyard! Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore; it can be a fun way to fuel your body while also spending time with those you love.”
Linsey Davis
Award winning journalist and author of One Big Heart .
“The pandemic has had us all learning new talents and by giving us more concentrated time at home, culinary creativity is likely soaring to new heights. That’s not to say our attempts are always followed up with the reward of delicious aromas and the wafting scent of success, but every once in a while I’ve managed an edible dish,” said Linsley.“ Now that I’m typically preparing three meals a day at home, breakfast has become a big focus. I have perfected French toast on challah bread with a dash of brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla added to my egg and milk batter. And I’ve found that adding almond extract to waffle mix just ratchets it over the top!”
Brian Kennelly
Author of several teen books. His latest The Island of Two Trees.
Brian has been doing the cooking recently since his wife, a medical doctor, has been extra busy lately. He’s been gaining points in the kitchen making some amazing peanut butter and honey sandwiches for him and the kids as well as grilled cheese sandwiches.
“My kids do say I make the best grilled cheese though,” Brian said. “The trick is sprinkling both cheddar and provolone shredded cheese and letting them melt together. Those jokers who slap a slice of American cheese on theirs are amateurs.”
Angelique Ruhi-Lopez
Co-author of The Infertility Companion for Catholics which is available for adults.
“My family knows that I am not a big fan of cooking but that I do it anyway because I want to provide healthy, tasty meals for them,” said Ruhi-Lopez. “During this pandemic, I have definitely had to make my peace with cooking-a lot! With 6 kids eating 3 meals a day at home, plus, snacks sprinkled in between, we have learned to be creative!”
Angelique has cooked old favorites and experimented with new recipes. She started a project of collecting favorite family recipes, and placing them in sheet protectors unto a binder. During the quarantine when she became tired of cooking, she recruited her four oldest, ranging from 11 to 13 years, to cook every day for the whole month and her 7-year-old as the sous-chef!
“That worked out really nicely as it gave them the chance to plan and make a meal for the family and gave them ownership over the meal,” said Ruhi-Lopez.
Leslea Wahl
Author of Teen and YA mysteries. Her recent book is eXtreme Blindside the sequel to The Perfect Blindside.
“Now that it’s nice out my son has started pitching in and grilling. We sit out with him and put on some music,” Wahl said. “While it was an odd and uncertain time (during quarantine), it was also nice to have so much family time. We prepared food together and enjoyed quite a few game nights. Those times are what I will remember when I look back at our 2020 quarantine.”
Lin Oliver
Children’s book author and film producer. Her latest book Alien Superstar, co-authored with actor, Henry Winkler, is available now. The sequel Alien Superstar Book 2 Lights, Camera, Danger! will be out this October.
Lin planted a raised bed garden and has been cooking and baking away.
“I have been cooking all kinds of things, but my favorite is Banana Bread,” said Oliver. “I am a fast and sloppy baker, so I call my recipe Slap Dash Banana Bread. It makes delicious banana loaf and helps me find a place for those brown bananas that grow old in my fruit bowl.”
Lin shared her Slap-Dash Banana Bread Recipe with Good News! Book Fair:
Ingredients:
- 3 old brownish bananas
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs slightly beaten
- 1 stick of softened butter (I cheat and use a microwave to soften)
- 1 ½ cups of flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp vanilla (or more!)
Directions:
- Preheat over to 350. Flour and butter a loaf pan.
- In a bowl, mush up bananas with a fork, then combine with softened butter.
- Add the two beaten eggs and sugar.
- Mix up into a jolly mess.
- Add the flour (I don’t sift it, but you’re supposed to.)
- Add the salt, baking soda, and vanilla.
- Then add another dash of vanilla. It’s delish.
- Stir until lumpy and glistening.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Try not to eat it raw.
- Pop in oven. Take out in 55 minutes. Don’t let the sides burn.
Eat plain, or with butter or cream cheese.
P.S. You can add chocolate chips or walnuts too! Just don’t get the chocolate on the pages of your book as you read this fall!