I didn’t grow up in the kitchen. In fact, I couldn’t even tell you how my momma makes her specialties (you know, those southern classics – gravy and biscuits, beans and cornbread…). Looking back, I don’t know that I even realized I *could* be involved.
Fast forward to my late 20’s, first baby in tow, and the nagging feeling of *I bet I can make that*.
But how? I hadn’t made much more than (randomly) stuffed mushrooms, some pasta with butter and parm, and baked the traditional Friday frozen pizza.
The funny thing is how much fumbling came next. So, so many ruined meals – undercooked and raw in the middle, overcooked and too chewy for anything shy of canine’s teeth to manage, or burnt just enough to give in and order takeout instead…
What I’m getting at is it felt like A LOT. Trying to balance meal planning with spontaneity, enough variety to satisfy everyone, and just plain ol’ life with a tiny babe while learning a new life skill was just plain nutty.
BUT… I kept at it! I’m always up for a good challenge! I learned what we liked to eat, didn’t mind to be a little imperfect, shortcuts that could an entire meal (hello to boursin cheese or caramelized onions!), and skills to elevate a meal.
Then, once I learn what my family actually likes to eat, I worked at those things. You know the simple things – scrambled eggs and toast, roast chicken and veggies, lasagna with (frozen) garlic bread. It didn’t need to be difficult or overwhelming to be super tasty!
Skip forward to now. Here we are, raising five kids while running a business and farm, and I’ve found an absolutely whimsical sanctuary in cooking and baking. It’s absolute bliss, I tell you! There are lots of tasks that I find mundane and straight-up boring, but tinkering in the kitchen will never be!
Here’s hope for you – get in that kitchen and make a mess. Ponder and create and be resourceful. It’s always fun to be on a journey! It won’t always be pretty (with freshly chopped herbs on top) and most definitely will make a mess (but where’s the fun in a clean kitchen anyways??). But do it anyway!
Here’s to a crumby kitchen adventure,
mindy
