The Good Stuff
I grew up not knowing how to cook really. I always ate out at a Taco Bell equivalent or my favorite Chinese fast food restaurant. Or I ate frozen dinners. Then I went to college. My food intake consisted of lots of Ramen, canned soup, spaghetti, and meals at the dorm cafeteria- which I thought was really good food.
Now I have been a stay at home mom for 9 years and I have tasted homemade food from scratch. I have cooked food from scratch. I have decided that hands down, home made food is the good stuff. I am a slave to cooking now. Oh sure, it takes tons more time, but we can do it together as a family and I enjoy that time spent with my kids. Here are some examples of stuff that I can never eat pre-prepared or processed or in a can ever again:
- Bread- I have tasted home made bread, I have made homemade bread- and it isn’t that hard, and I can NEVER go back to the cheap $1 variety at the store. If I need a loaf of bread and don’t have time to make, I can only buy the $4 loaf at QFC (the fancy grocery store around here) if I hope to ever have it get eaten. The cheap stuff earns complaints and no one will eat it. I might as well burn a dollar rather than buy cheap bread. Plus the smell of fresh baked bread is the best smell ever.
- Refried Beans- I found a recipe for these in a small little booklet I got from WIC way back when we were newly married poor college students with a surprise baby (we love you Isaac- you were a happy surprise) and no real income. I don’t think I ever made any of the bean recipes until 5 years later because I had heard beans were hard to make. Not so my friends. They are easy. They just take a lot of time. Or a pressure cooker. I have no pressure cooker, but I do have time. And I do know now that homemade refried beans have less fat, taste DELICIOUS and are worth every minute of the prep time. I know they are good because Isaac is so picky and HE LOVES THEM. That is saying something. Can I ever eat beans from a can again? NO WAY. PERIOD.
- Granola- thanks to Bri, bless your heart-but I shall have to hurt you for this, my taste buds for store bought granola are ruined. I eat granola with yogurt just about everyday for breakfast and I had noticed that definitely some brands are much better than others. I had settled on a brand that was a little more spendy, but I could pronounce all the ingredients easily, and I loved it… until Bri gave me a sample of her home made granola. She ruined me. It was so dang good I can never buy a box of the stuff again.
So what am I doing with my free time today? I am a slave to my oven as it toasts the granola. And does it smell good? You bet. It may be cheaper to make it than to buy it, I am not sure yet, but I know that even if is is more expensive, I can never eat store bought again.
Oh the smell is heavenly. I am such a slave to my nose and taste buds.
Posted by Ily on October 12, 2009
Comments
Jennifer Wise October 12, 2009 at 2:07 p.m.
I heard the smell of bread baking helps sell a house, so best of luck!! And I've had your homemade bread and it's awesome!! :) You should post the granola recipe, too!
Helen October 14, 2009 at 7:41 p.m.
I agree with Jennifer, please post the granola recipe!
Ily October 15, 2009 at 9:26 p.m.
Granola toasting may help our house sell too...
Mindy H. October 12, 2009 at 1:35 p.m.
I will just have to pull out my old WIC recipes too and try homemade refried beans. Never have. I do love granola and bread homemade too but it sure does take a long time, but worth it when its all done. Hope your house sells soon! I know how hard it is to keep a clean house when you're trying to show it.