Tangled Thoughts

I don’t cook, or bake.  I fumble around in the kitchen with a list of ingredients I think will go together, and sometimes get a lucky break.  Up until recently my “Menu” in the kitchen was really limited to a few basic things: Tacos, pizza, and maybe scrambled eggs.  When we were little Amanda and I had what we referred to as “Duties.”  One week one would have “Kitchen duty” and the other would have “Animal duty.”  Kitchen duty meant that you were responsible for dinner and the dishes.  Animal duty meant you were responsible for the pets.  Animal duty was always coveted.  In hindsight we had it really pretty good – we would grumble and complain before showing a slab of meat into the oven and opening a can of vegetables.  Mom pretty much bought us anything we wanted to encourage us in the kitchen.

But dishes?  Dishes were always put off as long as possible – if you were lucky you could get out of doing dishes all week – thus making the other person start their “Kitchen duty” out with a kitchen full of dirty dishes.  That person would usually refuse to do dishes because they were from the OTHER persons week.

All that is to say – that a few years ago, Amanda and I came up with a deal – I would do the animals, she would do the kitchen.  And we would help each other out.  It was a happy compromise, and one that worked well.  She could cook and bake like the pros, and I didn’t mind shoveling chicken manure.  That should tell you everything you need to know about my cooking skills – they are zip.

But then…a funny thing happened.  Amanda got married and…moved.  A million and one miles away.  And she no longer could fulfill “Kitchen duty.”  And there I stood.  In an empty kitchen.  With things I know nothing about.  I don’t remember the first thing I cooked, although I am pretty sure it was tacos.  But I have learned that no one wants to eat tacos every night for the rest of their lives.  I mean, I might.  But no one else would!  And so I attempted to do the unthinkable.

Im not saying I know how to cook or bake.  But I do know my way through a recipe, and am happy to announce I cook more than tacos.  Usually.

The crazy thing about cooking is how important it is.  Just a few months ago while dad was working on his “High blood pressure” I was REALLY pushed to the limit.  No salt.  Low carbs.  Low fat.  Healthy choices.  And while a lot of that was one him – a lot of it was on what he ate for dinner.  Which meant we ate a lot of salads.

Of course we all like a “Good” meal now and then.  And beside the usual taco and pizza standards, I try to keep things interesting.  Which isn’t hard to do – me in the kitchen always ends up interesting.  It might not be what I was going for, but there is usually something edible.

Today I am thankful for food (well, who isn’t?) and the recipes that help me reach my goals of making something half way decent to eat.

Here are a few of my favorites, not good for you, but oh so yummy, only eat once a month, recipes:

Chicken pot-pie with cream cheese and chive biscuits – This also works for a pot pie filling.

Oreo cheesecake cookies – Hands down, the best cookies.  Ever.  Unless you ask Amanda, she didnt have very good luck with them.

Spinach artichoke pasta – Oh so yummy!  We had ours as a side dish with pork.

Broccoli cheese and potato soup – Soooo good especially on cold nights!

I also have a few that have been edited and attempted by me here: Whats Cookin’

Enjoy!

Are you handy in the kitchen?  If you could eat ONE thing (and not have to worry about nutrition, etc) what would it be?  And whats your favorite recipe?