Three Cozy Recipes to Carry Us into Spring & Book Tour
What I eat at the end of winter and stories from my cookbook tour
Hi everyone,
Hope you’re having a great week! I’ve been on the road for the past two weeks for my book tour. We kicked things off in New York on pub day with Alison Roman, then my mom and I traveled to DC, Charlotte, Chicago, Seattle, and San Francisco.
Today I’m sharing three cozy recipes I love to make at the end of winter (I can’t believe spring is just one week away!) along with a few more stories from the book tour.
If you haven’t yet, you can pick up Maxi’s Kitchen at your local bookstore or order online:
As always, thank you for your support. It’s been such a surreal and exciting experience finally getting to share my book with you all 🤍
Book Tour & Three Cozy Recipes to Carry Us into Spring
On our way from Charlotte to Chicago, our first flight was canceled because of weather, so we were scrambling to find another route. We managed to book a connection through Detroit that was supposed to get us there on time. We were already on the plane in Detroit, just about to take off, when Chicago had another ground stop. Long story short, we were delayed again and didn’t make it to the event until 9pm!
But it was so sweet that so many people stayed, even though the event was supposed to start at 7pm. My aunt, her friends, and my cousin were also there, which made it extra special.
With all these flights, my mom has been reading my cookbook on the planes. She went through it page by page, reading all the stories behind each recipe. It was such a nice reminder that cookbooks are meant to be read, not just cooked from.
It’s been so fulfilling to meet people in real life. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has taken time out of their busy schedules to come see my mom and me. I’ve especially loved getting to chat with each person. So many people have shared sweet stories about how my recipes have helped them through different phases of life. One woman told me she recently separated and has been learning to nourish herself by cooking my recipes. Another person drove 2.5 hours to Charlotte just to come support me. He’s been watching my videos and cooking my recipes for years. I almost cried when he told me!
I’ve also loved meeting all the mothers and daughters who have come to events together. One girl even FaceTimed her mom with me so I could say hello! She told me they often send my recipes back and forth and make the same dishes.
It’s been really fun to hear which recipes have made it into people’s dinner rotations, because it’s different for everyone. Often it’s a recipe I shared years ago. It makes me glad that I cook such a range of cuisines, because hopefully there’s something for everyone, no matter your tastes.
Meeting so many of you in person has brought new excitement to my work. Even though I’m a bit tired from being on the road, the events have left me feeling really energized. For me, the most important part of the tour is making time to speak with everyone who comes by, even if it’s just for a few minutes. I can’t tell you how appreciative I am to those of you who have traveled from near and far. You’ve made this tour so fun and special.
As I’ve been traveling around the country, I can see how spring is starting to peek through, but it’s still pretty chilly in most places. So I wanted to share these three cozy recipes I love to make this time of year as we transition from winter to spring.
Coconut Lemongrass Chicken with Bok Choy
This dish is so fantastic and surprisingly easy to make. It’s beautifully balanced and packed with flavor. First you marinate chicken with seasonings and lemongrass, which gives it a lovely citrusy aroma. (I can usually find lemongrass at a regular grocery store.) Then you make a coconut broth with shallots, chili for a bit of heat, and a splash of fish sauce. The result is creamy, tangy, and incredibly comforting. I recommend serving it over freshly cooked jasmine rice to soak up all that broth.
You can find the recipe here.
Chicken Parm Meatballs
If you love chicken Parm and meatballs, this one’s for you. It’s basically a fusion of the two. The meatballs are made with a combination of ground chicken and chicken sausage for extra flavor, and then topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan. It’s a super comforting meal that still feels light enough for a weeknight.
You can find the recipe here.
Grandpa’s Korean Fried Rice
Everyone loves fried rice, and this is the way my Korean grandpa used to make his. It has bacon, napa cabbage, onion, and carrot, plus gochujang, a fermented Korean chili paste that gives the rice a delicious sweet and spicy flavor. Topped with a fried egg, it’s deeply savory and so satisfying. If you have leftover rice, it comes together in about 20 minutes.
You can find the recipe here.
Wishing you a wonderful, relaxing weekend!
Love,
Maxine