Back in the Kitchen

I am taking back my kitchen. I started by reclaiming the grocery shopping. He took it away from me. Just a little bit at a time until there was no more trips to the grocery store for me. I know some people would be glad to not have to go to the grocery store but I love it. I enjoy finding new food, comparing pries and nutrition. I love the hunt for a bargain and the joy of finding the perfect ingredient or my favorite product on sale. It helps make me me.

So I told him that I wanted to shop for groceries again. He uttered a meaningless protest and I just took it back. It was a thrill to be back in the store shopping cart in hand. I slowly went up and down all the aisles and placed my desires into the cart. I admit I went a bit overboard the first time. It was like asking a child to go into a toy store and only get one toy. Mom I want more!!!

So then I started buying ingredients for cooking again. Since he was buying all the food it has been mostly boxed meals. Just the things he knows how to cook. I stopped cooking. I shouldn't have but I did. How many times can you cook Rice-A-Roni before you never want to see it again? I loved to cook. It was another of my great pleasures.

I love to experiment with flavors and adjust recipes to make them mine. I love to try new foods and welcome change to my palette. My husband however would be happy eating tuna casserole and sloppy joes for the rest of his life. He hates trying new foods and will find all sorts of ways to avoid it.

So I started buying ingredients to make a cheesy tomato soup. It may use some canned soup as ingredients but there are other things I add to it to make it less canned and more Mommyfied. Once I make it and taste it, I am going to try to make it from scratch. My son was with me when I was shopping and I told him about the soup I wanted to make. He instantly asked me to make Cream of Mushroom soup.

So I looked for some recipes and I went out to buy the ingredients. I also found an inexpensive enameled cast iron dutch oven and bought it too. It was perfect to make soup in. I found the perfect recipe, I purchased the ingredients and made the soup.

The family went out to play golf, not something I enjoy and I was all alone. I went into my kitchen and got ready to cook. I tied my apron on and assembled all the ingredients and kitchen tools I would need. I was myself again. I diced and chopped, added and stirred. The pot bubbled and the aroma was intoxicating. Magick was in the air, and I added it into the pot. The soup was finished just before they walked into the door.

It tasted wonderful, full of life and love. Of course my son who can be as picky as my husband saw the chopped parsley in it and decided before he even tasted it that it was "Icky". I didn't take offense, even if I did make it for him. The rest of the family loved it.

I saved some for my brother and froze some for another day. I was alive again in the kitchen and intend on keeping it that way. No more will I be removed from doing things I love. Progress is being made and I can sense an improvement. Since I have taken back the kitchen there have been few, maybe not any arguments. Can it last?