Crystal Lake native releases cookbook of quick and easy family recipes that require a food processor

Impossible. Wishful thinking. Unattainable. Forget about it. These are common reactions when people consider the possibility of preparing a fresh, wholesome dinner from scratch on a busy weeknight.

Food writer, stylist and culinary instructor Nicki Sizemore is not convinced.

“As a cook, my focus and goal is to get meals made from scratch, on the table, within an hour any night of the week,” said Sizemore, a Crystal Lake native.

Her secret weapons? The food processor.

Sizemore has released her first cookbook, “The Food Processor Family Cookbook,” which highlights the versatility of the kitchen tool. She is also the author of the blog “From Scratch Fast.” Both publications focus on meals that can be prepared using fresh ingredients in under an hour.

“Doing a food processor cookbook resonated with me,” Sizemore said. “It can be used as a personal sous chef. There are so many ways to use this appliance to expedite your time in the kitchen.”

The Prairie Ridge High School graduate, whose parents, Steve and Sharon Hagge, still live in Crystal Lake, resides in Cold Spring, New York, with her husband, James, and their daughters, Juniper and Ella. She admits her family members are her most reliable recipe testers.

Sizemore initially pursued a career in PR and Marketing after college, but in 2005, she decided to leave her corporate job to attend what is now the International Culinary Center in New York City. Sizemore admitted she was concerned at the time that her family might think she was a little crazy, as the food culture was not what it is today.

“I definitely got the weird eye from my parents when I told them my plan,” Sizemore said. “But that was my passion, and I’m so grateful that I now love what I do. My family was still very supportive.”

After culinary school, Sizemore began teaching cooking classes and eventually moved into food styling as her career path began to take shape.

“It all happened gradually,” Sizemore said. “It’s kind of how life works. I got a lot of work from other work. I’ve gotten to this really great place.”

Sizemore said that after having children, she realized how challenging it can be to consistently prepare nutritious, wholesome meals for her family and sought out ways to make it more manageable.

“I’ve always been passionate about farm-to-table eating,” Sizemore said. “As my life got busier, I realized what a huge challenge this can be for people. Cooking from scratch can take all day. I wanted to make meals from fresh ingredients that are naturally nutritious and that bring my family together. I want to get us back into the kitchen and away from these things that pull us out of it. At my house, it’s our favorite part of the day.”

Sizemore emphasized that fresh ingredients are the foundation of her recipes. “The Food Processor Family Cookbook” covers a wide range of dishes, including sauces, entrées and even baby food. It features family favorites such as chicken and peach kabobs with peanut dipping sauce, Tuscan grilled skirt steak, Sriracha chicken wings and a blueberry almond galette.

“You would be surprised as to what you can actually do with a food processor,” Sizemore said. “You can grate a pound of cheese in seconds, make sauces, really awesome granola and batters for muffins and breads. I adapted my grandmother’s banana bread for the food processor. You save so much prep time, and you don’t dirty all those bowls, which means less clean up.”

Sizemore believes the secret to healthy eating is as straightforward as removing processed foods from our diets and relying on wholesome, scratch-made meals.

Sizemore plans to introduce new topics on her blog and is currently developing a YouTube channel that will provide simple tips and quick recipes. She recently launched a class with Craftsy that utilizes the Vitamix blender, another tool she says helps optimize time in the kitchen.

In a world that often prioritizes fast and easy over clean and healthy, Sizemore believes the effort is worthwhile.

“Five ingredient recipes can be a great thing as long as it’s five good ingredients,” Sizemore said. “I like a lot of flavor and color, so I want to give my recipes a lot of flavor and color. I don’t like boring food. Good food takes time and commitment. It’s all about planning ahead. My recipes include planning and storage tips. The payoffs are huge as far as our bodies and our relationships with our families and the environment. It brings my family together, and the food just tastes better. At the end of the day isn’t that what it should be all about?”