Sunday, March 2, 2014

Crying and Cooking

Meal preparation is one of the rougher times around the home. Kapaun wants to be held. Damaris wants to be held. I want to be held. I usually have to let him cry while I am flitting around the kitchen. I don't like it, but I have to prepare food for ten people so I must.  I don't think I've ever blogged about food.  Which is crazy pants because:

1.  John loves food.  We talk off and on all day and a majority of our conversations are about food and what we should try to concoct. 
2.   I love food.  Since I was young, I've dreamed about being a chef.  I wanted to major in culinary arts in college, but wasn't aware of any options at the time.  If I could do it all over, I would major in culinary arts specializing in pastries and study at a French cooking school abroad.  Dreamy, huh?
4.   Seventy-five percent of my day is about food.  After breakfast, it is breakfast again. Then snack, then Did I get a snack? Off to lunch we go.  Then a snack.  Then the Main Event.
 5.   I spend a lot of time planning, preparing, and cooking our meals.  Like way too dingle dong long.  I am 12 years into marriage and I still think I have to prepare a feast each night.

So, why do I never post about my food adventures.
BECAUSE, I can't take food pictures to save my life.  I will have the most beautiful creation and it will look like play dough in the picture.  I don't know what I am doing wrong so I passed on that game for so long.  I cook a wide variety of ethnic foods, but sadly the pictures never turn out.  I hope to share more of our favorites as baking and cooking are truly my love language.  I love preparing a feast and watching people enjoy it.
So, how does all this relate to crying?  This particular day I decided to make Johnny his favorite French Onion Soup.  Our other children are able to tune out Kapaun's crying, but not Lillie.  She can't stand him crying so she will always hold him and perch him on the counter while I'm cooking and preparing each night's meal.  I adore watching him watch me.
The Meal We Enjoyed Last Night
by Lindsay Boever
(I felt like this was a book title)
Kale Salad
The best salad in the world.  
I've misplaced the recipe from last night, but once I find it I will share it.
I almost ate the whole large salad bowl.


The drawing room is in eye shot of the kitchen.  Lillie left the counter to go color.  I thought this picture was timeless.  He sat so contently on her lap while she drew.
Well, I guess he sometimes wrinkled the papers.
Then, he would look outside.

My favorite picture of fat cheeks.
Oh yes, coloring.  I am learning so much especially with my foot on the table.

13 comments:

  1. I have the same problem with food photos. They inevitably look awful, despite the actual food being gorgeous AND delicious.

    If I could go back in time, and no FOR SURE that I would meet and marry my husband by the time I finished school, I would definitely have double majored in home economics and culinary arts (focus on baking, because of course!). I'm with you. Accounting has served some purpose in our marriage, and it supported us through N's grad school, but the other majors would be way more useful now.

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  2. What sweet photos of big sister and baby brother drawing/observing. : )
    It seems making supper just brings out the sadness in all little ones. My youngest went through a stage where he just had to grab my legs and cry the whole time I was making supper. It certainly makes it much less fun to cook!
    Wow, what a meal!! Certainly a feast. I would be very interested in that kale salad recipe as I've heard so many good things about the nutritional value of kale, but have never really liked the taste of it.
    I think you would be an amazing chef!! You certainly seem to have a passion for it. I actually did go to culinary school before I got married/had kids, though not in quite the dreamy way you describe. : ) It has served me well in our home though I sometimes wonder if I would be able to contribute to our family in a more financial way if I had majored in something else. Probably not at this stage in our life as I barely have time to shower let alone work part time or from home!
    Please write more about food! I'm curious if you plan meals ahead of time and how you budget for large family cooking.

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    Replies
    1. I love cooking and baking too. Recently (as of the new year) I have began going to the more gluten-free/non-processed food approach. Yes, if you ever do find that kale recipe please please share. We have had kale a few times and enjoyed it. I enjoy trying new recipes and just experimenting in the kitchen. I have a cooking blog: justasmidgenoflove.blogspot.com
      I love watching your kids "grow." (I have a tab on my blog with a link to your site.) My boys are 3 and 5. How do you do with picky eaters? My boys are not overly picky but there are those few things they don't eat However they do LOVE their steamed broccoli.

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  3. I was inwardly saying, "Me, too!" to every statement you made. The only one that is different at my house is that our Main Event is lunch on weekdays because my husband is an evening shift worker. So it's breakfast, no you can't have a snack yet, the Main Event, snack, light dinner, probably more snacks...I love food a lot. I sometimes dream of being a food blogger but it would not work because a) I don't have a good camera and I know my food photos would stink even if I did and b) I never measure anything and trying to do so in order to help someone else duplicate the recipe would cramp my style. And give my twins more time to cry while I cooked.

    My 5 year old daughter's favorite food is French Onion Soup. Every time onions go on sale at Aldi it is on our menu. She gets so excited.

    Do you ever wear your babies while you cook? I hate letting them cry and I try to wear them but I don't find it easy. It's so distracting and it slows me down a lot. I read some blogs where the woman seems to happily be able to prepare a meal with a baby on her, but I can't seem to make it work for me.

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  4. I'm so with you about the French cooking school! <3 I lived in mainland France for 3 years (I moved out only 2 months ago) and I'm sure you'd have loved it there!

    Food is amazing: quality, flavour, variety, choice of produce... the love the French have for cooking and enjoying is beautiful to see. Even thought I didn't attend any cooking school, I learnt so much from them just by seeing the respect and care they have for food. Maybe you can make your dream come true in the future!

    Love,

    Adrienne

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  5. The last photo! Oh my goodness. Yes. And I too love food but man oh man, with just my ONE baby I have a hard time preparing the simplest of meals. You must share more feast-making tips!

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  6. I just told Kelly yesterday that I wish I could bake for a living. I love to bake but eating all of it has its hazards.

    Do your kids eat that soup? Is it really onion-y? I love to cook/bake but it's frustrating because nobody likes anything except very plain food. They compliment me the most when they get to eat plain pasta noodles "these noodles are so good mom!" - literally plain, no olive oil or butter or cheese.

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  7. I was just thinking the other day that I would love to know how you do meals and meal prep. There are only three kiddos in the house but with the oldest only being 4, the youngest being sick, and all of them rowdy boys, I really struggle with meals (plus having another babe on the way). I'm so bad at food pictures, too!

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  8. I LOVE, LOVE cooking, too. I've recently started grinding my own wheat and I bake all our bread products as well. My husband and I are both total foodies - it's so much fun to cook for someone who appreciates it!! I would love the kale salad recipe, if you have a chance to post it.

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  9. I love the cute pictures, we have a little 7 month old and he has a similar look! :)

    I love your blog and I have been reading it for awhile! I was friends with your cousin Em (Black) in college!

    I would also love to hear more about the meal planning and budgeting. And also how you plan out housekeeping.

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  10. Love, love, love seeing/hearing about food on your blog! I always get inspiration here & now I can get food tips too. Thank you SO MUCH. Oh, and do post/link to every recipe. I studied Archaeology/Anthropology in college but now my cooking and baking is one of my favourite things :-)

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  11. May I have your kale salad recipe? : )

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