Bon Apetit

I’ve rediscovered cooking.  For awhile, between classes and sports practices, I felt accomplished to get a frozen pizza in the oven for my kids.  I went to the grocery store this weekend and bought meat, and vegetables, and pasta- no frozen pizzas, hot pockets, or TV dinners.

It doesn’t take a lot more effort to brown some ground beef or chop some veggies or put some pork chops in the oven.  It takes a little more care and patience and planning (all things I tend to run short on) but the results are worth it.  My 6-year-old like my pork chops so much this week, he said he wanted me to serve it at his birthday party.  We decided kids his age would probably enjoy a “make your own pizza” activity better.

I’ve missed the creativity aspect of cooking, as well as the melding together of flavors, and the incredible smells and tastes that rival the frozen pizza or the peanut butter sandwich any day.  It also feels better to put something healthy in front of my kids, knowing exactly what is going into their bodies. 

Growing up, my mom cooked fabulous meals almost every night.  She still does!  Even when our schedules were crazy, and part of the family was eating at 9:00 at night, we could count on a homemade hot meal- from beef stroganoff, chicken divan, tuna biscuit casserole… my mouth waters just thinking about it.

Well, I’m no Julia Child, and I doubt my children will have as fond memories of dinner time as I do, but I’m willing to try.  Who knows?  Maybe it will be good for my waistline as well!