The 50's Are Back!

That is right, the 50's are back!  I say that because this last week, I feel like a mom from the 50's (minus the pearls, skirt, and high heels).  I have decided to cook most everything from scratch.  This, my friends is huge.  I have always had this fear, or mind block when it comes to cooking.  Yes, I can do the basics and a little bit more, but that is all.  Not now.  I can do anything!

My first attempt didn't turn out, but did I give up?  NO!  I was making homemade Wheat Cheese Crackers.  I made them and then realized I had the wrong type of flour.  Oh well.  Try, try, again.  I ended up making a different type of cheese crackers and they tasted really good.  My husband and oldest daughter liked them more than Cheese It's.  Yea, that is success!

The next day I made bread.  Now, I say this casually, but this was no casual occurrence.  I have a fear of breads, rolls, bread sticks.  If it has yeast in it, I fear it.  I have made a few attempts in my married life at some of these items and they always turn out hard and taste like flour.  So I pretty much told myself, I was just not born to cook domestic foods.  Well, I was wrong.  My big problem with cooking is trying to use ingredients that are similar, but not the same.  So when a bread recipe called for bread flour, I used all purpose, thinking it should work because it says it is ALL purpose.  Well, it doesn't.  So I went out and bought the right ingredients.  What a novel idea. 

And as for the yeast, I tested the water on my wrist (like I would a babies bottle) to make sure it wasn't too hot, nor too cold.  When I put the yeast in it didn't do anything.  I thought maybe I didn't have it warm enough, but when I put my finger in, it seemed fine.  So then I gently stirred and something happened.  It came alive! 

By the way, I must mention that my children love to cook with me.  My little guy, who is now 20 months, grunts to be put on the counter, then points to the cupboard where my mixer is, because he wants to help cook.  I love that.  Totally makes me feel like a good mom.

But back at the yeast, when I said it was alive, my girls were so excited.  They couldn't believe it was alive and they were afraid we were going to kill it.  Aren't they sweet.  And tonight at the store, when I put some pasta and flour in the cart they asked if they were alive too?  Gotta love the mind of children.

Well, short story made very long.  I made white bread and it was really good.  I had to let it rise forever, but I was patient and let it do what it needed to do.  My 2nd daughter just loves the homemade bread.  We are almost through it already.  I guess I get to make more soon.

I then went on to make a more complicated waffle, then decided today I wanted to make more waffles to freeze.  It is so nice to have things like that on hand.  So I made a huge stack of wheat waffles and they were really easy and yummy!  We used up most of our syrup, so instead of buying more at the store tonight, I bought maple flavoring to make my own.  My mom used to make syrup when we were little.  I remember thinking it was because we were poor and that might have been the case, but it might have been because she wanted something a little nicer for her family.  I am excited to see how it turns out.

Part of the reason I am cooking up a storm, is to get my family away from everything in a box, to healthy, and quite enjoyable foods.  Also, another reason is, the more I read about food companies the more I realize they do not hold the same values I do.  In fact, some are so far from my values I do not want to support them anymore.  So I have now liberated myself and became self sufficient and sustaining in my ability to cook for my family.  I still have a long way to go, but in one week I have made huge progress.

There have been many benefits to doing this.  One of the 1st and most obvious was that it lifted my spirits.  I was in a major slump almost a depression and knew I had to get out somehow, but didn't know how.  One day I saw a post by a friend of all the good foods she makes and I had this feeling I wanted to be more domestic.  That was really what I felt I wanted.  So I decided to be more domestic and I was so happy.

Another reward, is how much fun, quality time I now have with my kids.  They love to climb up on the counter and cook with me.  One of my favorite things is when the girls grab an egg and put it behind them, then they say "Squawk"  and pull the egg out, like they were hens laying eggs.  I can't help but smile at that.  I feel I am teaching them an important skill as I go and that right there is so good to me.

Then the last reward is the wonderful food and hopefully healthier bodies that come form this.  Even though I started out saying the 50's are back, they really aren't.  This is just the knew me.  I am not looking back any more, I am looking forward.  I know this is something that the Lord has wanted me to learn and embrace and I am happy to finally say, I have.