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.

The Pioneer Woman

Mel's Kitchen Cafe

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

Favorite Family Food