Meet Elizabeth of Guilty Kitchen
Meet Elizabeth. She has an adorable 2-year-old son and a baby on the way and is the cook and blogger behind Guilty Kitchen. Today's In the Kitchen With feature takes us inside her kitchen.
Elizabeth's family
Tell us about your family.
My husband and I have been married for three years now and have one son, who is 2. We are expecting our second (a surprise) in mid-June.
Cooking style
Tell us about your blog. How would you describe your cooking style?
I've been cooking since I can remember, and my style is always evolving. Guilty Kitchen focuses on the passions I came to love after leaving home. We try to eat mostly local, seasonal food and my recipes reflect that. I also have a super-soft spot for sweet stuff, so that balances out all the healthy stuff.
The kitchen
Can we see your kitchen?
We currently live in a rental house located about a two-minute walk from a wonderful lake. We are set out in the woods with very few neighbors, so one of my favourite things is looking out the windows as I cook. Our kitchen is part of the "Great Room," which includes the living room and dining room and has large vaulted ceilings. There's a large island where I spend 99 percent of my time. From there I can watch my son playing, or catch up on the news, or even check Twitter as I cook.
Inspiration
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration in the simple ingredients I use in my food. I keep a calendar of what's in season and look to it often to decide what we should have that week. I plan all our meals in advance (one week) and grocery shop just once a week to keep cost down. My favorite time is summer when everything is in season and fresh and ripe and you can smell it a mile away, that inspires me.
Indulgences
What is your one indulgence?
Frosting and/or freshly whipped cream. Seriously, do not bring it near me, or I will eat it all.
Family traditions
What traditions do you and your family have with respect to food?
The only real "ritual" or "tradition" we have with food is around holidays. We always had ice cream cake for birthdays and better than sex cake or hazelnut torte for Christmas. We always had the same dinner on those holidays as well: roast turkey (sometimes goose) with pork sausage stuffing, steamed broccoli and cauliflower with my Mom's delectable cheese sauce, baked yams, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, never fail. I have a couple of recipes from my mom but only what I could remember, nothing written down. Now, our only tradition is that I make a cake for everyone's birthday.
Cooking for the family
How has your cooking changed since you had your son?
I've definitely become more aware of where my food comes from and how it's produced. I educated myself beforehand too, but not nearly to the extent to which I have now. It's very important to me that my son grows up with a healthy respect for food.
Favorite ingredients
What are some ingredients/food items that you could never, ever live without?
Even though I'm all about seasonal/local food, I cannot live without lemons, limes, avocados, and garlic. These items are always in my house.
Best dishes
What do you make better than anyone else?
My husband says: Caesar salad, roasted chicken, lasagna, my "Idle Hand Bars," and chocolate cake.
Favorite sites
What are your favorite food blogs or websites?
Food blogs I read regularly are: Under the High Chair, The Pioneer Woman, Gourmet Fury, Smitten Kitchen, and Joy the Baker. I actually don't read other food blogs that often as I am super-busy with my family! Websites I regularly check out besides Facebook and email are mostly news sites. I am so boring!
