Friday, July 9, 2010

Need a cook?

I have a food blog I really like to read. It is full of great recipes with excellent commentary and pictures. But here's the thing, if I read about it, I want to make it. And if I make it, I need to eat it. And if I eat it, well, you all know how that goes.

Summer is my time to catch up on things; like chores, books, recipes, and myself. I always reaffirm my commitment to being healthy and work out every day. I enjoy working out and I don't mind eating healthy, except that I really love to cook. And when I read the Cookie Crumbles blog (and a few others I've stumbled upon) it just puts more and more temptation in front of me.
So I was reading this morning about the woman who writes the blog. She is probably about my age, she has no kids, she works part time, she cooks every day, and she blogs beautifully. I was really hoping it would say something like, "she is a professional chef staying home to raise her kids and blogging on the side, while her husband makes loads of money" - this would make me feel better for several reasons.
1. She's a professional chef - so she has every right to make gorgeous food.
2. She has a family to whom she can feed this food
3. She has a wealthy husband who can support the purchase of every ingredient.

If that were the case, it would make it okay for her to be making beautiful food and blogging about it, and it would be ok if I did not.

But that is not the case.
So then I think to myself, just make something!
I start opening recipes - 20 tabs open on my browser.
I start skimming through them, looking for just the one.
Here is a sampling of what I have opened:Are you seeing the problem here?
Are you putting 2 and 2 together?
I have a bit of a sweet issue, and that's not the biggest issue.

And the worst part, aside from the Croque Madame (that delicious ham and cheese sandwich smothered in cheese sauce topped with a fried egg) my husband will not eat any of it.
I could put a bowl of cookie dough, or a plate of brownies on the counter and he could walk by it for hours, meanwhile I would pick at it with a fork until it was half gone and then determine I was going to eat the whole thing anyway so I might as well get it over with in one sitting and consume the entire plate.

I could choose some great vegetable medley or salad - but he doesn't eat those either.
I can usually get away with some 'new' recipe once a week, and if it's good he'll eat it for dinner - but not the leftovers.
(He does love bread, so I can bust out several loaves a week and know they will be consumed)
If I lived with my dad, the problem would be solved. Not only would he happily eat any old thing I created (as long as it isn't spicy), he would also eat all the leftovers.
But then there would still be the issue of the calorie count, and the budget.

So what is the point of all this ranting? (Andre has me worried about actually having a point to my writing) I want to cook something grand; I have no occasion and no need; I have weeded 1/3 of an acre; I have broken the lawn mower; I have worked out; I do not have the budget (money or calories); so I will just write about it and hopefully feel better - I don't, but it's taken some time from my day and now I can go find some other chore to keep me busy.
(BTW- Don't get me started on the subject of cake blogs!)