A lil R & R: Passion

I love to cook. Not just cook, but create. Combining ingredients in such a way that perhaps no one else has thought of or could duplicate, at least not exactly. It's art. Tasty art. Just being in the kitchen. My mind focuses only on the task at hand. I become fixated on the food. I am transported into a calm place in my mind. My sense are heightened... smelling the vegetables and herbs as they release their scent when being chopped and diced... hearing the sizzle and pop from the pans... feeling the heat rise up engulfing my arms, then face and whole being, filling me with the energy of creating something beautiful, a feast for the eyes as much as for the mouth... nourishment for the soul as much as for the body... It is a transcendental food-utopia.

Escaping to this paradise is not something I have the luxury of doing most nights. For about the past year I have been on high alert. Not knowing whether we needed to run to the hospital for an emergency, the constant stress & depression of the whole disease, and the "terrorist toddlers" who spring into action right around the time I need to make dinner, is not conducive to cooking to say the least. It has boiled down our dinners to either fast food, take-out, pizza, throw-it-in-the-oven or microwave, instant, prepackaged, I shouldn't be eating this, thrown on a plate, or something slapped together, meal in minutes.

It wasn't until very recently I began to use my stove again, much to the delight of Big Daddy R's tummy. Back in the day (i.e. before kids), I used to spend hours in the kitchen whipping up gourmet meals from cook books and studying DVR'd episodes of Food Network shows so I could duplicate the techniques. I never really duplicated a meal. I always changed something, made it my own, a little bit different, made it better. I experimented, never measured, and tried all sorts of new foods. Foods I once hated, never tried, or that once harbored fear (mushrooms, onions, greens, beans), I found to be delectable and have now become staples in my fridge and cupboards. I discovered a love of guacamole, fresh avocados, making my own salsa and huge pots of chili. I would dream about food and cooking. I would not by any means call myself a chef, or foodie (I cringe at the word), but I have a passion for it, for sure.

Tonight I made a delicious meal, if I do say so myself. But it's not just me that enjoyed it, the little Rs ate it and Big Daddy R too. I know I have a separate tab for "recipes of the week" and such, but I thought tonight's meal was special. Not that any of the ingredients are particularly special or gourmet. It's just that I was able to spend the entire time in the kitchen, uninterrupted, cooking a complete meal, and then serving it to my family who happily ate it, together as a family. This is rare. Maybe not the eating part, but the cooking part indeed. And if you have toddlers who love to graze, you know how difficult it can be to eat together. I was even able to photo-documented the whole thing. So here goes!

THE MEAL

Pan Seared Kielbasa

Sauteed Pierogi & Onions

Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Garlic, & Onions in a Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

It sounds fancy, but it's not. It's really quite simple too. As a side note, I usually add a can of cannellini beans to the chard & tomato mixture (just before the tomatoes), but my can opener broke last week and I have yet to replace it. Still tasty, just less protein.

The pictures are pretty self explanatory...