Creating comfort is a theme that the Genesis Women’s Shelter, the publishers of this cookbook, is used to. Genesis prides itself on providing the women and children it aids with a home-cooked meal, as well as counseling and sanctuary. In fact, all the proceeds from this cookbook will allow the shelter to continue to help women and children of domestic violence as it has for twenty years.
Lined with ribbed pages and designed in a warm yellow color scheme, Creating Comfort does an excellent job of translating that nurturing feel to print. The introduction insures the reader that all recipes are time-tested family favorites, and the wide margins provide space for comments or a quick anecdote about the recipe’s origin, making the reader feel as though she is sitting at her host’s kitchen table.
The first five sections of Creating Comfort are divided by course. The sixth, “Gatherings,” pulls out dishes ideal for picnics, potlucks, brunch, Sunday dinner, and Latino-themed parties and includes a section on food that is easy for kids to make. The last section is dedicated to recipes from local chefs and celebrities who have helped or been associated with Genesis, including Maya Angelou and Laura Bush.
Expect many well-loved classic dishes and not too many creative surprises. Some recipes that are sure to comfort your soul as well as your taste buds include:
Mom’s Oatmeal “Everything” Cookies
Sunday Night Fireside Soup
Farmer’s Market Cobbler
Hot Chicken Salad Casserole
Hockaday Corn Bread Muffins
Banana Slush Punch
