culinary arts

Since moving here just over a year and a half ago my kitchen skills have at least quadrupled.  I am what I like to refer to as a 'lazy girl'.  I have always depended on convenience items to get dinner on the table.  I think most of us do, with the exception of those out there that have a real love and talent for cooking.  But for me I'm great at following a recipe but not so great at being inventive or making things my own.  So when I moved here I had to make some changes.

I buy all fresh meat, vegetables and fruit at a local market.  As far as for food items that we would want, Walmart only sells snacky stuff, a few ingredients and most of the dry goods I use but I think the only convenience type thing I can buy there is spaghetti sauce.  I was buying bread but it was sweetened and just didn't taste right.  Luckily they do sell condiments so that makes cooking a little bit easier but no condensed soups, or frozen anything...well ok, they do sell frozen chicken feet.  Basically chicken feet in a tub of ice.  And they had frozen whole chickens.  Whole=head, feet and insides.  And also thanks to wonderful friends and family (church and blood) we have a stash of some seasoning packets like Ranch, Onion soup and pasta sauces.

Now I have learned to make things like sour cream, sauces for casseroles, bread (with the help of a bread machine), a variety of soups, some of the best granola ever and some other things I can't think of right now.  Today I tried my hand at making baby food.  Seriously, not hard at all.  I've been making apple sauce and it's just like doing that with other fruits and vegetables.  I may have done it in the States if I had known how easy it was.  I say may, remember I'm a lazy girl.  And once baby food is no longer needed I might even try my hand at making my own spaghetti and marinara sauce.  We'll see.  For now I'm just not sure I can add anything additional.

I never thought I would enjoy anything more than baking--let's face it, the best part of baking is the end result.  But really I have begun to enjoy my time in the kitchen.  Got any great recipes?  Pass them on!