Which (if any) of your recipes just "happened," and which required the most "evolution?" Share some process stories!

The mac and cheese just happened - that's where it all started. All the other recipes required LOTS of trial and error. There have been plenty of recipes I've tried on my family where they say "This is disgusting!" And that's the point - if it doesn't work for them, I move on to something that does. The recipes that made it into this book are fully tested and approved.

In the book it's easy to see your kids' and Jerry's comments about their faves...what about yours? Which recipes please your palate most?

The chocolate chip cookies. I hesitate to say this, but I often have them for breakfast-on-the-run, as I walk my daughter to her bus stop. They are full of oats, chickpeas, chocolate chips - and I add raisins and walnuts too! I have also just developed a chocolate cake with tomato juice and blueberries. As you can see, I am partial to dessert. Oh, and I absolutely love the whole-wheat pasta with turkey meatballs.

You have three young children, help me! There are nights when my Mama exhaustion is at an apex and I want to get a meal that will be well-received (read: that Ben will eat) to the table as quickly and easily as possible. Which of your recipes is your "ace in the hole" for those chaotic evenings?

The key to almost all of my recipes is having your purees ready and waiting in your fridge or freezer. I make them in big batches on Sunday nights. Then, it's just a matter of stirring them into whatever I'm cooking during the week: spinach or broccoli or butternut squash to spaghetti made with jarred sauce or cauliflower to mac and cheese. Green eggs (with spinach puree) at my house are always a huge hit and only about 5 minutes to make.