Nov. 12th - "I'm Thankful for: "

      The fact that God gave me cooking and baking as hobbies / interests.
      Benson walked in to the living room last night, inquiring if we knew that (what is now) today is 'National Pizza Appreciation Day'. Brandon made some smarty comment about 'nice try but we're not ordering pizza'. Inside, I chuckled and smiled. Not at Brandon, but rather at what came to mind. Several times recently, our 'kids' have inquired when I was going to make my version of deep dish pizza again. Years ago, due to the expense involved in feeding four growing sons ordered-in pizza; combined with not really caring that much for any of the brands of frozen pizza's, I experimented with making home made pizza.
     The first few attempts, while not total successes, were no where near failures either :-). So I kept experimenting until I found a recipe and a method of making it that I felt comfortable with and we liked. For years, if we had pizza, it  was home made. Then a few years ago, we returned to ordering it. To have our 'kids' now requesting that I return to making it myself, I find very complimentary!!!
      [Brian, I would like to look into picking up three deep dish pizza pans.]
     My Grandma Darling was a really good cook! She took the simplest of ingredients and made them absolutely delectable!! And she did so on less than a shoe string budget! We visited our out of state relatives often in my youth, and I always looked forward to going to her house. While she wasn't a real demonstrative / lovey do-vie women, I always knew that she loved me! And I also always knew that the tantalizing aromas coming out of her kitchen, and the food that would then be served, would be oh so good! Her home raised chickens turned into either fried chicken or home made chicken and dumplings. Yum! Accompanied by her home grown green beans cooked (of course) with bacon. And her biscuits. And then there was her hand picked wild blackberry cobbler. Amongst other things. Oh my goodness!!! My mouth is now watering.
      I always wanted to be a good cook like she was. So to that end I strove. And I have enjoyed doing so!
      To have somebody come up to me and state that they heard I was doing the food for such and such and that to them that meant there was going to be good food there - WHAT a compliment!!
      Food is a basic need in our lives. But that does not mean that everybody is good at preparing it. Nor does it mean that even if they are pretty good at preparing it, that they enjoy the process of doing so. I enjoy cooking and baking. Especially the baking. And I am very thankful that I do!!!


The 2010 "I'm Thankful for: " Challenge   - if you don't know what this is, follow the lead on our side bar.