Cooking – My New Therapy

Cooking is my new therapy, and I figured this out one "not so good day". The "not so good day" left me overwhelmed and confused. I felt defeated and all used up, but when I got home I started cooking and things slowly began to change. Now for those who know me this may be a surprise. I have displayed a moderate joy of cooking in my life, but not to the extent of being calmed by it. That "not so good day" I cooked until my problems went away. My new favorite cooking is freezer cooking, which I learned from Tricia over at Once A Month Mom. (A blog I follow of course. Click on the link and see for yourself. http://www.onceamonthmom.com/) Tricia makes everything so easy, and now by using her method (modified to fit my family's needs) we always have something available to eat. We eat out less and we eat far less in portion size. I try to cook one freezer meal a week. My first week on the freezer program I cooked quite a few meals to stockpile the freezer, but now I am just replenishing. My favorite Once A Month freezer meal is Baked Ziti, but I add meat to mine, ground turkey of course. I generally have all of the ingredients at home, and I just whip it up and toss it in the freezer for a later date. Another great Once A Month freezer meal is Apple Streusel Muffins. My daughter loves them, and I can just thaw one out the night before, zap it in the microwave for a few seconds while I am putting her in the car seat, and drop it in her bag for breakfast at school. Very easy, and she loves the ability to have a breakfast cupcake.

With therapy comes equipment, and my new favorite piece of cooking equipment is the slow cooker with the removable, washable dish on the inside that my Mother- In-Law graciously passed on to me. I have become a chicken master with my slow cooker, and I even cooked chicken on the bone. Crazy I know. I even touched the bone. Absolutely amazing.

A special shout out to my Sister-In-Law for passing on the peach cobbler recipe from Thanksgiving, which is now her brother's number one potluck request. Also, thank you to my other Sister-In-Law for showing me around the kitchen when I used to practically live at her house. We were there so much that something good must have rubbed off on me.

I know I may have a problem when a trip to Bed Bath and Beyond is the absolute highlight of my day.  My honey took me there yesterday and I got to get a new OXO measuring cup, new kitchen tongs (the kind with the thing you push in at the top to make it stay closed - two of them), a silicone cupcake pan, and a citrus zester.  I was so excited...presents...for me...the new chef!

Let me know what you think. Leave a comment. What is your favorite recipe? Do you do any freezer cooking?