I am so incredibly fortunate for all the enthusiasm, guidance, and support I have received as I worked tirelessly to make this book happen.
First and foremost, my family. Special thanks to my brother Chris for learning to cook alongside me and for still challenging me to cook-offs. To my mother and father, Lori and Bobby, for raising us kids to love real food, and to my “Nonni” Lillian for teaching all of us to appreciate the beauty of a family recipe. To my husband, Zack, for tolerating my work ethic, growing with me, and inspiring me to create (no matter how badly I trash the kitchen). To my spectacular daughters, Madeline and Charlotte, for making me smile every day and for (almost) always being willing to try new things.
A special thank-you to Dalyn Miller and Holly Schmidt from Holland Publishing for sparking the fire for First Bites, and to the amazing editorial team at Perigee and the Penguin Group, particularly Jeanette Shaw, who provided much-needed guidance for a newbie cookbook author.
I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for my graduate school education, the faculty at Teachers College, Columbia University, including Joan Gussow, who taught me to value where food comes from, and Lora Sporny, who introduced me to the important facets of feeding children, and the brilliant work of Ellyn Satter.
There are also countless colleagues and friends that helped make this book possible.
Amazing fellow RDs Toby Amidor, Jenna Bell, and Kyle Shadix, who fostered my love of culinary nutrition from the very beginning. To Devan Alusik for always being up to a recipe challenge, and to my local farmer Lexi Gazy for providing the freshest ingredients. To Andie and Ilisa for being the outlets for my overtired and stressed-out rants. To a team of amazing neighborhood moms for their encouragement and conversation, and to Jess and Jenny for their willingness to get their hands dirty testing recipes. I am forever grateful and look forward to watching our children grow together.