Refreshing salad, perfect during hot summers. Best part is that it is so easy to make!

Fave Memory : We traveled to Tuscany in the summer of 2013. During our stay at a rural villa, we celebrated my youngest son's first birthday. My oldest son and I took a cooking class with the owner of the villa. Together, we chopped vegetables, browned beef, and simmered a rich Tuscan ragu sauce with red wine. As the flavors of the simmering sauce wafted up from the stove, our host cracked fresh eggs from her own hens to work into piles of super soft 00 flour. The dough stuck to our fingers as we formed nests of fresh tagliatelle noodles and assembled little pillows of spinach ravioli. We ate our family feast al fresco under the warm Italian sunshine, celebrating our youngest, devouring the rich tomato sauce with hints of sweet carrot and savory celery, twirling and slurping tender al dente noodles, and sipping incredible local red wine. As we neared the end of this amazing meal, our host appeared bearing an enormous homemade cheesecake slathered with strawberry jam. She wanted to contribute to our family celebration, so she baked this cheesecake before even meeting us. That day, we not only made our own Tuscan feast, but we also made a friend. Claudia, we will remember you always!

Fave Memory
A pretty cheesy interpretation of one of many favorite food memories from childhood (and adulthood).

"Fave Memory"
My dog sits right under my baby boy's high chair and watches for falling food like a hawk. One time she emerged from under the table with mac and cheese noodles stuck all over her head which made my kids die with laughter. It's one of those sweet memories I'll never forget! This recipe is for the busy mom or dad who wants less time spent cooking and a bit more quality time with their kids some evenings. It's a fool proof dinner that your kids are sure to love and you will love the quick prep time!

When my sister and I were growing up, my mom was the primary chef in the house but my dad liked to create spur-of-the-moment snacks and meals whenever the opportunity would arise. One of my favorite good memories comes from when my dad was home with us kids while my mom was out for the afternoon and we asked for pizza (delivery pizza was such a special treat for us back in the early 80s) and he did one better and made us pizza toasts from what we had on hand in the house (sandwich bread, spaghetti sauce, ground beef, and American cheese singles). They were tasty and made with so much love. I am especially warmed by this memory since my father recently passed away. He was such a playful and inventive man who was always game to make his daughters happy with the resources he had on hand.

Fave Food Memory: As kids we lived close enough to school that my sisters and I could walk home for lunch. My Dad would come home from work and make us grilled cheese sandwiches (and watch the Flinstones :). I would always save the biggest piece for last!

As I was thinking about what I could illustrate for the Fave Memory challenge, one thing kept spilling out onto the sketchbook. My brainstorming was full of things my husband and I have cooked together with our family in the past thirteen years. I decided to play a little bit of a Newlywed Game with Josh, and I texted him to ask what some of his favorite things were to cook together.

Tacos were almost top of the list for both of us so I ran with it! The best part of cooking with my husband is when we crank up the music, and we hang out in the kitchen working together. It's super relaxed, and his wonky work schedule means it's not something that happens all the time so it's pretty special to me. I let him lead, and I answer him with lots of "yes chef!" as he asks for this onion to get chopped or that lettuce to get washed while he cooks up the hamburger meat. And when all the ingredients are ready, taco night feels like a party in our house. We put all the ingredients in small bowls on the table, and our kids have a blast building their perfect tacos!

FAVE MEMORY
My mom made these many times when I was growing up. It was and is a favorite food of mine. Toasting the buttered bread in a skillet results in soft toast. Although there were 7 kids, we were not all eating at the same time because of our age differences. Still, Mom must have stood at the stove a very long time when we were hungry for a toasted tomato sandwich. One was never enough!

Fave Memory - Macaroni Casserole, the one dinner dish I remember my Dad making growing up. Quick & simple, and of course - cooked in that lovely green and white pyrex dish from the 70's. I decided to lean into the olive color that dominates my memory of this dish. Home decor has come along way since my childhood!

Favourite Food Memory: When my sister and I were little, we were allowed to choose a special dinner on our birthdays. Every single year we asked for the same thing: Mum's cheese fondue! Buttery, garlicky goodness (and a mountain of cheese!). It might seem a strange choice for a child but we absolutely loved it. The first person to loose their dipped item in the gloop was widely ridiculed, and the whole performance was wrapped up with a fight over the crispy bit burned onto the pan. My favourite fondue vessel has to be either crusty baguette or broccoli (honestly, it's soo good). This is my mum's original recipe, which took a while to find because my sister had stolen the book! So clearly this is still a much cherished (and hoarded) family recipe. Thanks Mum!

By the Berkshire Food Project in North Adams, MA.

Macaroni and Cheese, for about a hundred people! I am a college student enrolled in a design course that is working with our local free lunch service; They provided recipes for us to illustrate. Every day of the week, the Berkshire Food Project's team of volunteers serves lunch to several dozen community members (at least): Hence the large quantities of ingredients in this Macaroni & Cheese recipe!
I illustrated by hand with pen & ink and watercolor pencils. Thanks for looking!

Our go-to recipe for roasted asparagus with watercolor illustration by me and hand lettering by my mom Shelley. This is a fun and fresh weeknight side dish that's totally customizable: you can change up the toppings any way you like!

A delicious indulgent macaroni cheese recipe, that is quick and easy to prepare, with no weighing or measuring. A family favourite that’s ready in a flash with very little effort.