As my relationship grew with my now husband, I forewarned him one night that should we get married, I won't be one of those wives who cooks. I felt that spewing the verbal disclaimer early on was only fair. Me + cooking = never going to happen. For the reason noted in the first paragraph above - and because I'm an instant gratification person. When I'm hungry I need food pronto. I felt that it took waaaay to long to prepare and cook a meal. By the time you sat down to eat it, you just wanted to take a nap because of how daunting of a task it was to bring that one little meal to fruition! I certainly didn't lack gusto for eating food though. Just cooking it.
Mr. Wonderful was unphased. I was surprised there was no long drawn out discussion about the avoidance between yours truly and the kitchen. There was no questioning me about why I wasn't even willing to try. He just said "ok" and that was that. I thought, "Wow. That went better than I thought it would". Was it really a non-issue? If so, would it stay that way? Because I was pretty resolute about rotating between fast food, take-out, and restaurant dining every night.
Then something changed.
A love for cooking started to evolve.
It shocked me. And everyone around me.
I started watching Rachel Ray one day. And because I'm a lover of Italian food, I subscribed to her magazine. Every month when they came in the mail, I flagged the recipes that looked delicious and dared myself to attempt to make them. One after the other, they all came out delicious. This wasn't rocket science after all. I started building a cook book library and also began picking up food magazines like Bon Appétit and Cooking Light and making some of the recipes inside.
I think a combination of things compelled me to begin cooking. I was curious if I would develop a love for it as so many other people have...and also because I started to feel convicted that when the time came for me to be a wife, that I wouldn't be making home cooked meals for my husband - and our children. I was raised in a family where both parents worked, and although my mom was certainly tired at the end of her long days, she cooked practically every night - weekends included {my dad cooked up meals every so often too}. I started to view cooking for my husband as another demonstration of my love. When this mindset set in, I wanted to give cooking a try all the more.
I cook usually 5 out of 7 days, and make breakfast most weekends. I also love to bake. I never would have thought this would be me! But I really do enjoy it. Who would have thought?! Certainly not me!
Last week while buying Ilah's beginner books, I spotted a little something for myself and mommy got a book of her own....
When I spied this recipe keeper - and looked inside - it was a must have. I have ripped pages from countless food magazines, flagged many recipes in my cookes books - and now I have a place to put them all.
Throughout the book is colorful, swoon worthy photos.... 
There are many recipes throughout the book...and pictures to go with each. I can't make something without seeing a picture. I need a visual. So I just love this..... 
Another thing that will come in so handy are these two pages of "substitute ingredients"and "equivalents"....
Tabs for easy finding....
Pages to write out your "special recipes" {these pages will be be filled with recipes handed down from my mom and recipes to our favorite meals that I make often}.....
Each tab has a pocket where you can place recipes that you've torn out of magazines {well, that's what I use the pockets for!}....
There's another pocket at the back of the book to place even more recipes.....
This Recipe Keeper only cost me.....
I also watch various shows on the Food Network to get ideas for new things to cook/bake up and then visit their site to obtain the recipes. I'm certainly no Martha Stewart. But I sure do love to wander through her site and add some of her recipes to my collection : )
0 comments:
Post a Comment