Random House Publishing Group
Search
Expand Mobile Menu
At the Kitchen Sink
Read an Excerpt

At the Kitchen Sink

Recipes to Fill Your Table, Words to Fill Your Heart; A Cookbook

About the Book

A cookbook serving up real-life nourishment from the creator and television personality of Dish It Girl.

“This book is full of practical, no-fuss recipes that anyone can pull off, but still pack a punch in flavor.”—Kevin Jonas

Have you ever stood over the kitchen sink and asked God to help you make it through the day? The water is running, and you’re taking a deep breath, gripping the counter in front of you as you summon the strength to make it to bedtime. Or maybe you’re over the kitchen sink loading the dishwasher after a Sunday dinner full of friends, family, laughter, and joy.

This is a cookbook for each part of that journey, with inspiration and a helping hand—no matter what your kitchen sink looks like. Dina invites you into her busy kitchen giving you a peek into her family life, passing on her family favorites in the hopes they become yours as you feel the joy of everyone digging into Chicken Marsala with a Pancetta Cream Sauce. To know the way your heart warms as your niece begs you to make a batch of the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. Cheering alongside you as you experience the triumph swelling up when you turn rotisserie chicken into mouth-watering enchiladas. Or taking a quick “Mom Minute” with a Peanut Butter Marshmallow Stuffed Date in hand as you read through devotionals that draw from her own experiences as a mother, entrepreneur, and women of faith.

Dina wants to help your heart to become just as full as your table during everyday moments such as:
• Morning Person (Wake-Up Call)
• Ahead of the Game (for Pre-Prepped Dinners)
• Carpool Nights (for Weeknight Grab and Go)
• Pantry Picks (for Something from Nothing)
• The Sit-Down (to Impress Without the Stress)

Whether you’re scraping by on a busy weeknight, planning a big meal for a celebratory gathering, or reminding yourself to eat in the middle of a busy afternoon, At the Kitchen Sink will remind you that there is marvelous in your mundane, and there is purpose in your prayers at the kitchen sink.
Read more
Close

Praise for At the Kitchen Sink

“This book is a treasure, a true gift for body and soul. Dina has this vulnerable voice that gently touches our heart all the while her recipes nourishing our bellies. She speaks from her heart, and it jumps off the page as if she’s right here reading aloud. The recipes are simple and approachable but absolutely not ordinary. This book will give you hope and give you some fabulous inspiration for tasty meals you may not have tried. Above all else, Dina’s beautiful relationship with Jesus is my favorite part about this book. At the Kitchen Sink is a must for every home.”—Danielle Kartes, author of Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy

“Splattered with vanilla extract and smeared with pureed pumpkin, this book quickly became such a treasure. But more than just recipes filling my belly, Dina’s real devotionals filled my spirit with so much hope, encouragement, and life to the FULL. Never have I read or seen anything like it—sure to bless anyone who picks it up (especially for those who try the Banana Coffee Whip)!”—Heidi Lee Anderson, author of P.S. It’s Gonna Be Good

“At the Kitchen Sink is so much more than a cookbook—it’s an invitation to discover God’s faithfulness in the everyday moments we so often overlook. Dina’s recipes and devotionals meet you right where you are, offering both nourishment for your table and encouragement for your soul. This book will remind you that even at the kitchen sink, God is at work, transforming the mundane into purposeful moments.”—Rebecca George, author of Do the Thing and You're Not Too Late and host of the Radical Radiance podcast

“Dina’s book is filled with recipes that have become family favorites. Now I don’t have to call her every other day for her dressing recipe. It is a joy to see my sister share not only her kitchen but her heart with so many through this book. It will not doubt give others confidence in the kitchen as she has for me many times. While the devotionals will leave them feeling encouraged and reassured that their efforts with their own friends and family are of the utmost value.”—Danielle Jonas

“Family time is so important, especially in the midst of such a busy life. When you are at home you want to be surrounded by those you love sharing moments, most likely over a good meal. My sister-in-law’s cookbook captures this same spirit. Her book is full of practical, no-fuss recipes that anyone can pull off, but still pack a punch in flavor. I would know since I have taste tested quite a few. If you want to make meals that feel like home and don’t require a lot of effort, this book’s got you covered.”—Kevin Jonas
Read more
Close
Close
Excerpt

At the Kitchen Sink

Introduction

Have you ever stood over the kitchen sink and asked God to help you make it through the day? The water is running, and you take a deep breath, gripping the counter in front of you as you summon the strength to make it to bedtime. Maybe you’re hiding tears from the ones you love the most because you do not want to worry them. Or maybe you’re washing baby bottles, delirious from two months of almost no sleep, wondering what happened to your life.

But then these moments give way to the countless times when you’re in the opposite scenario. You’re over the kitchen sink loading the dishwasher after a busy Sunday dinner. Your children’s cousins, dressed up in princess outfits, are running around the kitchen island. Your dad sits on the couch laughing at them while your mother and sister carry on a lively conversation in the dining room. You smile to yourself and think about how a moment such as this, in your home, is what you prayed for: a home full of a lovable chaos, with you and your family carrying on family traditions and building a life full of memories, much as your parents did.

In both of these scenarios, I have stood at the kitchen sink and learned that each tear shed brings us that much closer to our next triumph. God hasn’t promised us a journey without valleys, but we can let him carry us through the hard moments of life, rejoicing with him through the wilderness as well as in the promised land.

It isn’t always easy, but it is always purposeful. God has entrusted the people in your care to you specifically. He has called you to such a time as this, and I am confident that he will equip you and give you a strength you didn’t know you could have.

This is a cookbook, with inspiration and a helping hand, for each part of that journey—no matter what your kitchen sink looks like. Many of the recipes come from my childhood, growing up in a large Italian American family that gathered every week for Sunday dinners. When my grandmother passed away, her jewelry or knickknacks didn’t interest me. Instead, I asked for her apron, saved a piece of vintage Pyrex from the discard pile, and begged for her handwritten recipes, not only because I wanted to cook from them but because I knew she’d held the pen to form the words. When I’m cooking, her kitchen is the one I go back to in the corners of my mind, and many of the recipes in this book are ones she and my mother served for years.

Life is different than it was back then. As a working mom who’s raising a family and navigating a schedule full of extracurricular activities, I have switched up my kitchen philosophy, making room for recipes that allow for the kitchen table to transfer to the back seat of an SUV and repurposing a rotisserie chicken in ways that make me feel like a genius. Whether you’re scraping by on a busy weeknight, planning a big meal for a celebratory gathering, or reminding yourself to eat in the middle of a busy afternoon, my hope is to help you nourish your family and community—and your spirit along the way.

Each chapter also contains devotions to remind you of God’s presence. I want to do so much more than build your cooking skills—I want to support you in your everyday life and work. I want to remind you that God sees your heart and your obedience and that your faithful efforts do not go unnoticed in his kingdom. Read these devotions in a season when your kitchen sink is the quietest place in your house and when you’re drowning in the monotony of the mundane.

Overall, this book aims to become not just another cookbook on your shelf but a part of your family. Like a photo album on the coffee table, I hope it will inspire you to create traditions and family rhythms. Those who are no longer here are never truly gone. The home we foster and the faith that sustains us will become the legacy we leave behind, and that legacy will keep our families coming back to the table for years to come. God has entrusted your family to you for a divine reason. He sees your faithfulness; it does not go unnoticed. There is something marvelous in your mundane, and there is purpose in your prayers at the kitchen sink.

This book is a love letter to my family. Let me encourage you to begin writing yours.

About the Author

Dina Deleasa-Gonsar
Dina Deleasa-Gonsar is the creator, writer, speaker, and television personality behind the popular food blog DishItGirl. She was named Best Home Cook by the Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family and has contributed her recipes and on-air talent to the Today show, The Good Dish, Guy’s Grocery Games on the Food Network, Inside Edition, GMA Online, Rachael Ray Online, and Real Simple, as well as countless other media outlets. She works with She Lives Fearless Women’s Ministry as a devotional writer, podcast co-host, and conference speaker. Dina currently lives in New Jersey with her husband, Brian, and daughter, Siena. More by Dina Deleasa-Gonsar
Decorative Carat

By clicking submit, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Random House's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and understand that Penguin Random House collects certain categories of personal information for the purposes listed in that policy, discloses, sells, or shares certain personal information and retains personal information in accordance with the policy. You can opt-out of the sale or sharing of personal information anytime.

Random House Publishing Group