I’m Back In The Kitchen…

Now, I will admit, I’ll never be confused with Ina Garten, Julia Child, or Martha Stewart…in fact, I’m not a fan of any of them!  But I don’t mind cooking.  I’m not a creative cook, and I will say in my 34 years of marriage, the meals were the same basic things, perhaps with a few twists…chicken fixed ten different ways, meatloaf, pot roast, pasta in an assortment of ways, pork chops prepared two or three different ways, pork tenderloin, etc…

I made the meals look different by changing up the side dishes, but I never really strayed. On special occasions, we’d have steak on the grill.  Bottom line, variety in the kitchen was not necessarily my strong suit. 

With that being said, I didn’t mind cooking but I was NOT a baker.  Desserts and sweet treats were reserved for store bakeries or the ice cream isle.  I have a couple of items that I will prepare but even to this day, I am not the baker in the group.

Now I know those of you who work fulltime can relate to this…it’s hard to work all day and come home to prepare a full meal for everyone, so we all have our shortcuts and the crockpot became one of mine.  I found many ways to prepare things in the morning so we would come home to a meal just about ready.  It became my go-to on those days when I worked and often it was my go-to for those days when chili or soup just sounded good! 

Fast forward to divorce 2018.  Cooking for one is not fun.  There’s the mess, there’s sitting at the table alone, and there is the quantity issue.  I just couldn’t do it.  I prepared things occasionally and ate on them for a week…or until I couldn’t take it anymore and it got tossed out. 

Then came the pandemic and I was pampered in Pittsburgh with Anthony’s amazing meals.  Once I was back in Cincinnati, I was focused on my move and trying to clear things out, not bring more food in.  So, I dined on frozen veggies, tuna salad, soups (so many soups) and pastas with veggies, meats, broth, sauce, whatever I had. 

Today, I am in Louisville and finally cooking again!  YAY for me…hopefully YAY for the family too!!  For the past couple of years, my brother and his partner have prepared and dined with Mom and Dad at least four nights a week and usually more.  They would order out once a week, sometimes twice, but normally ate with each other. 

Enter Lisa…the newest member of their dinner club!  I asked them to let me cook some things, giving me the opportunity and giving them a break.  And so it began!  Since arriving, I have served up several meals.  I have gone through my recipe book (yes, I still have one!) and chosen recipes that have been missing for awhile.  It’s a treat for me to cook for a group again and I think they are enjoying getting some different meals. 

They have been simple, but tasty and everyone is most complimentary, which is nice to hear.  I am planning ahead and looking forward to continuing to try some of my newer recipes as well.

I know lots of you have been cooking more during the shutdown time.  Many have found new things to prepare, some have found new restaurants to support, and some have found mail order meals.  Whatever you’ve done to get you through this pandemic, I hope you are enjoying the meal times. Feel free to share any tasty recipes you may have come across!

Sitting at the table with my Mom and Dad is by far the biggest blessing.  Having Joey and Steve is a bonus! It’s been a long time since I have had a dinner time routine and honestly, I forgot how nice it is to converse.  Our lives are not overly exciting these days but we can always find something to talk about, even if it is about our next dinner selection!