Family Faves: Five Recipes I'm Wearing Out Right Now

I didn't learn to make edible food until about three months into marriage. I was 29. Before that, I ate a lot of Kraft macaroni and cheese, cereal and Wheat Thins. Matt told me I pretty much ate like a fifth grader when he met me. Sad and also true.

Fast forward 8 years and I'm slowly coming into my own in the the kitchen. I still burn bread beautifully and sometimes the exciting new recipes I try turn out to be The Worst and I may or may not serve hot dogs almost once a week. BUT, I'm also having some success here and there, which makes being in the kitchen 45 percent of my life less of a chore and more of a, dare I say, joy?

This blog doesn't have any delusions about growing up to become a food blog, but, there are a few recipes that I keep coming back to lately that I thought I'd share with you:

Giada de Laurentiis's Marinara Sauce: A friend of mine introduced me to this recipe for marinara when she brought her family over to share supper with ours on the deck one evening last fall. The men grilled chicken on skewers and we had a big bowl of pasta and crusty bread, which was life-changing when dipped in the warm marinara. This recipe is super easy and totally kid-friendly. Bonus: It's a great way to sneak vegetables onto your kids' (and your own) plate. Win Win.

Steamy Kitchen's No Knead Bread: This bread is easier than it should be. All you need are a few basic ingredients, a big pot, and some good butter. Yum.

Lisa Leake's Pumpkin Muffins: This recipe is from Lisa Leake's 100 Days of Real Food cookbook, which is semi-changing my life right now. I make a big batch at the beginning of the week and serve them up for the kiddos' breakfast every morning along with a side of bacon and apple slices. Note: I use whole wheat flour rather than the spelt flour, mainly because I'm not sure where to even buy spelt flour in my small town.

Jami Nato's DIY Tacos: If you're looking for a basic meal that your kids (and your husband) will want to hug you for, this might be it. All it requires is good ground beef, some spices, tortillas and toppings. Perfect week-night meal.

The Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: Obviously, you need a dessert recipe because what's the point of living if there isn't a little dessert after dinner? These are simple and yummy and decidedly not fat-free, so, pace yourself. (I speak from experience.)

OK, I realize three out of five on my list of recipes are baked goods. Vegetables and I are in a complicated relationship right now, but I think we're working things out. In other words, I'm trying to introduce a few more vegetables into our rotation before we all come down with scurvy (insert scared face emoticon). Just kidding. Sort of.

How about you? Do you have family favorites that you keep coming back to?