Good Old Homecooking

Since living with Strider I've been cooking a lot more. At home I don't go for a full meal all the time, usually just a salad or sandwich, or breakfast for dinner. It just seems a big mess to make, to cook a full meal for one person every day. But I still love cooking- moreso now that I don't have a boss or steward telling me what has to be used up, or how things have to be sliced for a certain presentation.

On the way here we stopped at a BK lounge. It was the first time I'd had fast food in years. And it was okay, because I was ravenous, but fast food is gross after you've become accustomed to cooking for yourself. It was mega-fatty and salty. I could almost taste the chemicals. When I make a burger, it's worcestershire and meat, that's all. God knows what they put in there. And iceberg lettuce? Yuk. The tomatoes were pale and papery. Only the onions had real flavor, and then not so much. The grease coated my mouth. Disgusting.

There are 3 things I will buy pre-made. Pizza (too much work and mess for one person), Chinese food (ditto) and fish n chips (I don't even own a deep-fryer). Everything else I can make better, cheaper and healthier myself. I can use good, healthy ingredients, better than what any restaurant can afford to use. And when I make a full meal, there are leftovers, handy for lunches, or to freeze for future meals.

The coop in my hometown (and I expect near most people) sells herbs and spices in the Bulk Department. For pennies I have every seasoning known to man, and can afford to use them liberally. This opens up a variety of cuisines- Indian, Korean, Morrocan, Meditteranean, Scandinavian, Eastern European, African, South American-to experiment with and investigate. The internet is full of recipe sites. I was delighted the first time I got online some 10 years ago and found site after site of international cooking ideas.

One blog I follow is written by a guy named Havard, about his quest for a healthier life. He has recipes and even how to make your own kefir in his blogposts. And he inspired me to write this post today:
http://courageousmind.blogspot.com/2011/10/reclaim-your-food.html

When I throw a get-together (usually July 4th and sometime in the holiday season) it's all about the food. There are dishes that have become expected and customary, like Q-Bossy and Swedish meatballs, and then supplemented by seasonally-appropriate foods. I'm already thinking about what to make for this year's holiday open house. We've been through a lot this year. So lots of comfort foods, I'm thinking. Mac n cheese, mashed potatoes, maybe chicken soup, or maybe a veggie puree` soup... carrots, onions and pumpkin. It's still a couple of months- and states- away, but it's always good to have something simmering on my back burner.