Sunday, November 14, 2010

Making Happiness


I was reading the Costco Magazine the other day (an embarrassing admission for sure). Ina Garten is on the front. Did you know that she is NOT a trained chef? NOT. I mean, no school, no nothin.

Her "original" career was as a nuclear energy policy analyst. Sounds thrilling, no? Basically, she just had a passion. She loved to COOK. I know that must seem like an absolutely insane idea, but she did. It wasn't about the food either, it was about the people.

Ina and I, me and Ina, we think alike. We really do. There is nothing that gives me quite as much satisfaction as re-creating a fabulous recipe to perfection. There is nothing that gives me more joy, than to see the expression on the face of someone who is enjoying it. I love to cook for people. It brings me joy. My favorite person to cook for is my father-in-law. Because he just goes absolutely bananas for anything I cook. He swears he is not going to eat another single, solitary thing, and then, I few minutes later, I will catch him slathering butter on yet ANOTHER roll, or grabbing just one more scone, or picking at the remnants of an amazing dinner. The only thing that brings me more joy is when I see my children choosing the right.

I have a passion. It is for cooking, and baking. I have a friend who told me that she has a total and complete passion for cooking, but hated baking. This, I couldn't understand. Her frustration is with the measuring and exactness that goes into baking, but I insisted that the joy she finds in "creating" with cooking, can be found in baking as well. Once you are comfortable with the basics of baking, you can "alter" your recipes and make them your very own, thus creating.

That is all it took. She just needed to know that she could create when she bakes, and you absolutely can. There is not a recipe on my food blog that I thought up all on my own, but every recipe on there has been manipulated by me at some point. That is the beauty of cooking.

I wish people found more joy in cooking. I love providing my family with a meal that I know was made with REAL ingredients. My husband swears he would be fine with a can of beanie-weanies, but you know what? I, am not. Are my children always appreciative? Definitely NOT. Do my recipes always taste good? Not by a long shot, but I find joy in finding that ONE recipe that will stick with my family for years, that I will make 100 times and finally commit to memory.

I have found, that once you find a good recipe source, you will go back to that source again, and again.

Find it.

The internet has provided an unlimited source for recipes. Here are just a few of my favorite, sure fire recipe suppliers.



and of course you can always find my adaptations or just plain copying of their recipes here:

8 comments:

Jeanelle said...

Baking is what makes me the happiest. I love that my now adult nieces and nephews clamor for my 1-2-3 pudding every major holiday (basically that lush dessert.) I love having a baking day every December and hope I get snowed in again this winter so I have nothing to do but bake all day long.

The Grant Family said...

Have you tried:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/
Some dang good stuff on there!

I started with a love of baking and love cooking too....I'm probably better at the baking though :)

I LOVE to make people food that makes them happy. It makes me HAPPY! My mother does not understand at all. She hates to cook although I've come away with some favorite recipes from her. Cinnamon rolls & donuts and my sugar cookie recipe that everyone loves :)

calibosmom said...

I would much rather bake than cook but of course, we can't live on bread alone...

Taeya said...

We are so glad that you love to cook and bake...just wish that we lived closer ;)

Danika said...

If only my family could live sweets alone, I would bake all day and never cook!

PS - shhhh don't tell anyone but I read the Costco magazine too! :)

Anonymous said...

what's wrong with the costco magazine??? Baking is fun, cooking...i wish i had your passion. But even with passion, i am afraid i might be a lost cause. great post lindsey! maybe i'll make dinner tonight...

Lauren in GA said...

I enjoyed reading this. You described it perfectly...I get SO much joy out of someone liking (especially my family) my cooking.

jessica said...

Ditto to what Natalie said...maybe someday I will find the same joy in cooking as I do painting and tiling, but I doubt it.

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