Cooking

I'm not a professional cook. I know, that's a huge surprise to everyone.

I have a handful of staple meals that I make and other than that it's rare for me to go out of my comfort zone and try a new recipe. It's just scary and I feel overwhelmed and lost. But some cooking bug must have bitten me recently because I am determined to build my small menu and go out of my comfort zone. Guess the big city does that to you.

My awesome Aunt Cathy gave me the recipe book, Deceptively Delicious.

It gives you recipes that include pureed vegetables so they are healthy, but you can't taste the vegetables. So it's for those picky eaters out there who refuse to eat vegetables. Since I have 2 of those people in my home (I should probably include myself since I'm not that great at eating vegetables either) I decided this book was written for me.

I chose a recipe, went to the store, came home and pureed me some carrots and bell peppers (not sure why I pureed the peppers since Brian likes them and doesn't need me to hide them in his food) and made chili. I liked it, Brian thought it was bland. But he eats spicy food everyday so I think his taste buds fell off and he needs a pound of seasoning to taste anything.

I'm not bitter or anything.

I should've warned him that I really branched out (don't laugh, I know chili isn't hard, but people, I steamed and pureed vegetables for this!!!) and needed lots of support and kudos so that I stay motivated to keep trying and cooking.

The next day I decided to try mozzarella sticks and went to the store for one ingredient I was missing. I ended up not making them because Brian came home grumpy and not hungry. I thought it was best to save my new cooking for when he was in a good mood and could muster up the effort to lie and tell me how good my cooking was.

For the record, once he finished up something for work he was all better and in a good mood. We all have our moments so I can't blame him for being stressed.

Anyway, I had an aha moment through all of this. It's not that I don't like cooking and don't enjoy branching out and trying something new. The reason I don't cook lots of different things is because I HATE GROCERY SHOPPING.

Seriously, hate it.

I don't like getting in the car and driving to the store, getting out a squirmy toddler, keeping said toddler happy in the shopping cart while I try and find ingredients I don't use often therefore I don't know where the heck they are in this huge Winco! Sheesh.

It's exhausting just thinking about it.

But I am determined. I am going to suck it up. We live 5 minutes away from a Winco which is way better than the 25 minute drive I use to have to make. Plus, there is a Sonic right across the parking lot from Winco so I can get a cherry limeade!! Silver lining people, silver lining.

Plus, one of these times I have to have every ingredient the recipe calls for right?

And just a warning, cauliflower puree is stinky. Our whole house smelled like sour milk, it was gross. Or maybe Bria spilled milk somewhere, who knows.

I just finished roasting sweet potatoes and am getting ready to puree them and make some pancakes for tomorrow morning. Wish me luck that I don't have to run to the store again, and that Bria likes the pancakes!