Monday, March 12, 2012

I'm Back...

We've had several major attacks of life, over the last few years, between illness and family obligations, and the blog just fell by the wayside.

Cooking, however, did not. If anything, I am more convinced than ever of the value of the Inhabited Kitchen. With everything going on, it was vital that we could count on a good meal - nourishing,  revitalizing (and affordable...)

We spent time with The Parents, helping them prepare their house for sale, and then move. Within a short time, I was cooking, so that everyone else could concentrate on the work they were doing, and then sit down to a delicious, relaxing meal. (And, eventually, I emptied the pantry.)

And I have been dealing with chronic illness. Debilitating, rather than dangerous... but, even so, most days we've eaten home cooked food. Often I was able to cook. Other times, we ate premade meals from the freezer, or Himself could put something together from the assortment of prepared ingredients I now keep on hand. It meant a lot to me that I still could make that contribution - and, also, that I could still  control what I ate. No wondering about an ingredient, no concern that my food was not the best for my poor body, but confidence that I was still providing us both with the best nourishment possible.

So, more and more, I want to be sure others have the same options. I find that people are often intimidated by cooking, afraid that one needs a full range of equipment, or massive amounts of time to cook. There is so much Cooking Mystique - and it feels easier to just go out, or pop something from a package into the microwave. But I started cooking for myself in a college dorm... with one saucepan, one frying pan, and one oven safe soup pot. This can be done.

And few other activities are so rewarding.