While we know posts have been few and far between recently, we really love this blog, and searching through the archive for ALL-TIME FAVORITES (an impossible task) reminded me of why I'm personally so happy we have it. Looking through posts reminded me of some of my happiest memories with my sisters, as well as some of harder times we've faced together and the therapy that cooking provided. I also found myself (as our Mum would say) LOL-ing over the signature Parady cornball humor that is sprinkled throughout all of our posts. I remembered how K was so excited over her IMMERSION BLENDER that she demanded we caps-lock those words in all recipes, found this joke from Sarah that went sadly un-appreciated and laughed over my own early cooking college days.
Cooking is (clearly) a big deal to our family, and whether we are calling each other on the phone for a recipe reminder and throwing in a quick life update on the way or spending hours together baking way too many pies for a big holiday dinner, it keeps us close in moments big and small. This blog allows us to record that, along with being a virtual recipe box, so thank you for reading and allowing us to share our delicious memories with you.
Starting with the oldest sister first, here are my two favorite recipes by Sarah:
TOMATO SOUP YES MORE TOMATO SOUP
I would be remiss if I were to not choose a soup recipe from Sarah, and as the title of this recipe states, tomato soup recipes are her particular favorite. There are 47 soup recipes on this blog, and once when I wanted to make one for a sick roommate I called Sarah directly because I was too overwhelmed to choose. This is the one she directed me to and it certainly lived up to the caps-locked hype. I would declare it her favorite but fall is on its way and I would not be shocked if another tomato soup recipe appeared along with it. Making it reminds me of many such phone calls over the years to my sisters, who always have the right food answers.
Watermelon Feta Quinoa Salad
An alternate title for this blog could be "soupsandpieandquinoa.blogspot.com". While our tastes and preferences vary drastically, there are also strong similarities between the three of us, one being that our cooking/eating alternates between very healthy and very indulgent. We call it a "balanced" diet - a favorite lunch order for all three of us is sweet potato fries + salad. Here's a recipe that came out of a suggestion I made on an email thread where we all challenged each other to come up with something we all three would eat (initially Sarah said she hates watermelon, then she ended up being the one to post it, so ha!) and came to fruition during a summer cookout at Sarah's home. Triple-Parady-approved!
By Kate:
Maple Custard Cream Pie
Choosing a pie from Kate was essentially mandatory for me, as our joint love of pie has been a dominating theme on this blog and also in many happy memories together during our years in Phoenix. We are the sisters who once made 5 Thanksgiving pies for only 10 people. However, I will admit that there was a time where I *gasp* didn't have a deep love of pie. This was the pie that changed that, so of course it came from K. It's still a long-time favorite of mine, particularly for Christmas morning.
Roasted Corn and Tomato Risotto
Risottos are a specialty of K's, and they are partially responsible for me starting to eat vegetables a few years ago while I was still listed as the "finicky carnivore" in our blog description. Big sisters are excellent for tucking foods you are skeptical of into creamy, cheesy, flavorful rice so that eventually you will eat them on their own. I chose this one because we are just at the tail end of abundant corn and tomatoes, but you can't go wrong with any of the risottos she's shared.
By me:
Costan Rican Casado and Guanabana Batidos
As the youngest sister on this blog, my culinary skills are always lagging just a tad behind the others (and some of my more embarrassing cooking moments have been archived here). It's a point of pride and amusement for me, then, that I wrote our TWO MOST VIEWED POSTS of all time. Muahahaha. This is the second most-viewed, but I am actually proud of rather than embarrassed by this one. Going abroad was the best thing for my development as a cook, because I became the de facto cook for my roommates and was challenged by unusual ingredients. Upon return, I took it upon myself to recreate my favorite meal from Costa Rica, and the result is this post that has apparently become some sort of "expert" recipe for others who miss the light, fresh meals found there.
Bonus favorite by Mum:
French Onion Cream of Mushroom Soup
I couldn't resist including a guest post from our Mom in my list of favorite-ever posts. While I myself have never made this soup (the picky eater in me still can't stomach mushrooms), K captured our family perfectly in writing this post. I remember reading it and laughing so hard I fell off my bed and startled my roommate two rooms away. It deserved to be on here.
Look forward to hearing from K and S soon, and maybe take some time to glance through our archives yourself. Happy bloggiversary to us!
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