Cooking!

Well today I indulged in one of my passions. I LOVE to cook! I have been exploring the idea of cooking once a month and freezing meals.  I started with chili, which for some reason, I have never actually made. So weird, right? But once I got started with it I didnt stop I *sort of kind of * followed a recipe but not really. I learned today that I dont know how to cook pinto beans, I had beans on hand but not for cooking. I use them for crafting (another passion of mine that we get into later). So I did what any grown woman does, I called my mommy. She really didnt know how to quick cook them either so I went online and figured it out.

So I had my base, added ground beef, then started thinking about what else would be good in there. Salsa? sure why not? Tomato paste, yep thats good. A little of this, some more of that and there ya go. It sure smells good!

I figured since I was working on things I didnt know about or was not very good at I would try to tackle meatballs. I make awesome meatloaf but for some reason I make meat squares, not meat balls. But I found a recipe online (Thank you Alton Brown!) and it it actually worked!

And then, since you cant have chili without corn bread I made my all time favourite corn bread. Its a recipe from a little place called Maine Diner in Wells Maine. If you ever find yourself in Wells you have to eat here! Then go next door to the gift shop and buy the cookbook (another passion of mine for another day). Their recipe is by far the best corn bread I have ever had but I had to some adapting. Wells is probably at about 5 FT in Elevation, I'm at about 5300.  So what works for them doesnt always work for me. After a little tweaking adding a little more milk and a little more flour and cooking it a little longer it comes out amazing! The bread isnt as fluffy as it is close to the ocean, but its still the best!

So today was a learning experience for me. I conquered some long standing cooking fears and feel pretty good about it. 

New journeys and old

"So how are you doing on your New Years resolutions?" How many times do we hear that towards the end of January? Most of us greet that with a groan because, hey lets face it, the intention was there and motivation was strong just a few short weeks ago but that fades and the changes that didnt become a habit are swept under the rug.

I turn 40 this year. I really dont mind getting older I see each year as a gift from God so the number doesnt mean anything to me. What does bother me though is how *I* have become unimportant in my own view. How did that happen? I used to care about myself, my body, how I felt about things. Being a mother and a wife and all of the other roles I have assumed over the years have swallowed up who I was. Now that may sound selfish but that is far from my intent. One of my resolutions this year was to get into better shape, not only physically but spritually as well. I put a number on the physical part, 40 for 40 that was, and is, my goal. I am working towards that and I do believe I will get there.

The spiritual part is hard to put a number on though. I want to grow Spiritually, I want to feel closer to God. Then to borrow a much used statement, I want to find myself. I know that I cant find myself though without growing spiritually because one is dependent on the other. Its who I am.

So today I start my journey back to me.