So part of my aforementioned plan includes moving forward on a long-standing goal I've had, which has often gotten sidetracked by my (also aforementioned) struggle with food/body image. And that goal is to learn to cook. I don't mean how to boil water or make toast (both skills I excel at, thank you), I'm talking learning how to cook a meal. A meal where upon first taste your eyes roll back into your head, your jaw tingles, you might let a slight moan escape your lips, and perhaps...perhaps... you shed one, tiny, perfect tear.
Alright, that might not all be necessary, but the truth is that I love food and I love to cook, but the end product is hit-or-miss with me, often because I've struggled with whether the food was "okay" to ea or "good for me." The motivation to cook is also sometimes hampered by the eating solo thing - why make a big meal that I'm going to end up having to eat at every meal for the next 7 days. But, aha! this plan gets to items #4 & #5 on my list below. Learning to cook may require that I invite my cute friends over to share in the tasty goodness AND it just may happen that I will lure a handsome man to my table through the much celebrated path from stomach to heart.
I have several cookbooks in my kitchen and a few years back got into the habit of marking the fact that I'd tried the recipe by writing the month/date next to the recipe. It's been an unofficial goal to eventually try every recipe from every cookbook I own. This is a large task. But I've decided in the spirit of "starting somewhere" that I would try it with one of the cookbooks I own. It's one of the smaller cookbooks I own so the task is less daunting.
And I've already made 2 recipes!
:: Susan Spungen's "Rigatoni with Squash and Carmelized Onions" from Recipes
- Okay that's penne, but I my whole foods didn't have Rigatoni - weird. THis was absurdly good. This made my eyes roll back. This meal was a home run.
:: Marc Meyer and Peter Meehan's "Baked Banana French Toast" from Brunch
Okay, I did NOT take this photo. Mostly because I forgot to take one of mine and also b/c mine looked nothing like this. It never browned and was a little dry, but maple syrup helps.
2 recipes down, 113 to go!
I was inspired to really start experimenting with cooking through the local eating contest I held this summer, but also from my friend Jess - who once told me that she never cooked the same thing twice. Now maybe I don't totally remember that statement correctly, BUT STILL she knows what she's doing and has just recently returned to blogging herself. About food, life, living in Vermont and hopefully on occasion there will be some pics of her dog, Moose, to be shared. Visit her here: Bringing The Heat
Bon Apetit!
