Since leaving America in January 2009, I've hardly cooked. As any working parent knows, coming home from work and balancing kids so excited to see you they cry with trying to prepare a fresh, healthy dinner - in a span of about 30 minutes before everyone has a meltdown from hunger - is nye impossible. Hence my only two hard-and-fast requirements for our nannies over the years: competent child care and cooking dinner. For the umpteenth time, I admit, I'm spoiled.
As a result, in the last five years, I've gotten out of the habit of cooking. When you don't manage your own pantry, cooking becomes quite difficult because you don't have that mental list of what is in your pantry. You have an idea of what to cook and start at it, only to find that something that's a pantry staple for you is not necessarily for the person who is actually doing the majority of the cooking. And then cooking gets frustrating. To the point that Saturdays and Sundays are full of left overs to avoid the dissatisfaction of not knowing what is in the fridge and cupboard.
Tomorrow we're having a small cookout in Rock Creek Park for Ian's first birthday.* I really like eating fresh food, so Saturday afternoon was spent grocery shopping (to alleviate the pantry problem noted above) followed by cooking cupcakes, German potato salad, and black bean and corn salad. Wm was a big help with all the cooking while the other two were napping.
At the end, Wm said, "well this was a fun lazy Saturday." Hardly lazy, considering we visited two parks (by Beth's new house and by ours) and cooked up a storm ... but I have to admit, reminding myself that I do enjoy cooking did make for an enjoyable Saturday!
Now just to decide what kind of dressing to put on the black beans and corn. I'm thinking cumin will be involved, and some olive oil, and then what?
I'll also fess up: after two hours of being on my feet in the kitchen, we're headed to Austin Grill for our actual dinner tonight :)
*For those curious, no, I cannot believe Ian is almost one. This time last year, we had just enjoyed Beth & Andrew's wedding and were hanging out, waiting for the baby who everyone said was going to be a month early to appear (due date was 9/14-ish, so he obviously wasn't early, which made him seem very late!). Even Wm said today: "I can't believe our house is pretty much done with baby stuff now!"
As a result, in the last five years, I've gotten out of the habit of cooking. When you don't manage your own pantry, cooking becomes quite difficult because you don't have that mental list of what is in your pantry. You have an idea of what to cook and start at it, only to find that something that's a pantry staple for you is not necessarily for the person who is actually doing the majority of the cooking. And then cooking gets frustrating. To the point that Saturdays and Sundays are full of left overs to avoid the dissatisfaction of not knowing what is in the fridge and cupboard.
Tomorrow we're having a small cookout in Rock Creek Park for Ian's first birthday.* I really like eating fresh food, so Saturday afternoon was spent grocery shopping (to alleviate the pantry problem noted above) followed by cooking cupcakes, German potato salad, and black bean and corn salad. Wm was a big help with all the cooking while the other two were napping.
At the end, Wm said, "well this was a fun lazy Saturday." Hardly lazy, considering we visited two parks (by Beth's new house and by ours) and cooked up a storm ... but I have to admit, reminding myself that I do enjoy cooking did make for an enjoyable Saturday!
Now just to decide what kind of dressing to put on the black beans and corn. I'm thinking cumin will be involved, and some olive oil, and then what?
I'll also fess up: after two hours of being on my feet in the kitchen, we're headed to Austin Grill for our actual dinner tonight :)
*For those curious, no, I cannot believe Ian is almost one. This time last year, we had just enjoyed Beth & Andrew's wedding and were hanging out, waiting for the baby who everyone said was going to be a month early to appear (due date was 9/14-ish, so he obviously wasn't early, which made him seem very late!). Even Wm said today: "I can't believe our house is pretty much done with baby stuff now!"
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