I couldn’t wait to point out my coworkers the brand new cookbook that arrived within the mail a number of weeks in the past.
“Look what I obtained!” I mentioned whereas waving my copy of “Shaq’s Household Fashion” within the air.
All of them had the identical, sort of pleasantly shocked response to basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal’s new cookbook.
“He cooks?”
“Let me see it.”
We flipped via the pages collectively and admired the beautiful meals photographs and recipes from greatest buttermilk fried rooster thighs to Oreo cookie brownie sundae.
Sure, the cookbook is full of recipes I’d prefer to attempt, however there’s far more to the e book.
Shaq tells tales about his historical past with meals all through the 232-page e book. A lot of it’s a tribute to his mama, who stored Shaq and his household fed.
“Regardless that we didn’t have a lot, we at all times had good meals,” he writes within the introduction. He calls his mama a “stretcher” as a result of she knew how you can “make loads from a bit.”
Just a few years in the past, Shaq determined to discover ways to cook dinner. He mentioned he discovered from some all-stars, together with his mama, Lucille O’Neal; his private chef, Alex Conart; and his govt chef companions, Matt Silverman and Matt Piekarski. The “Matts” touch upon most recipes with suggestions or concepts.
Shaq mentioned he discovered to cook dinner by attempting easy recipes from his childhood and following instructions.
It’s a lot of these simple, no-fuss recipes that you just’ll discover on this cookbook. Recipes that his mama made, together with meatloaf and banana pudding, are sprinkled all through the e book.
The recipes are accompanied by a bit commentary from Shaq, together with some humor. On this case, the humor is on the expense of one other basketball icon. He says smack ramen rooster Alfredo is very easy, “even Charles Barkley might do it.”
It’s enjoyable to learn Shaq’s many references to his favourite meals, together with boneless rooster thighs, pancakes and Frosted Flakes. His favourite cereal seems in a couple of of the recipes. Shaq additionally references his line of kitchen home equipment and his rooster restaurant.
I actually loved studying this cookbook. I’ve marked a number of recipes to try to have made the slow-cooker Southern mac ’n’ cheese. Shaq says within the cookbook that it’s his mother’s recipe and one in all his favourite issues to eat.
“She referred to as it ‘Li’l Shaq’s Simple Mac,’ and after I was a child, she made it for me after each sport,” he wrote.
We loved it. I do like my baked recipe higher, however it’s a great fast and simple possibility.
I believe this e book would make a fantastic reward for a basketball fan or anybody who’d like simple and engaging recipes akin to Southern-style turkey chili with cheddar cornbread waffles, conventional beef stew with bitter cream dumplings or Frosted Flake Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Lisa Boykin Batts has been writing a weekly meals column since 2001. Her column contains recipes she and her household get pleasure from.
Sluggish-Cooker Southern Mac ’n’ Cheese
1 pound elbow pasta
1 pound Velveeta, reduce into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups entire milk
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly floor black pepper
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Evenly coat the insert of a 6-quart cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Within the ready insert, mix the pasta, Velveeta, entire milk, evaporated milk, butter, salt and pepper and blend effectively to include. Cowl the gradual cooker and switch the warmth to excessive. Cook dinner, coated, for two hours, stirring each half-hour or so. High the pasta with the cheddar. Exchange the duvet and cook dinner for 20 minutes.
Serve the mac instantly.
— “Shaq’s Household Fashion”
