I NEED this burger. Not even kidding. That sounds so delicious, I bet it's as delicious as Santa Cruz's chocolate covered bacon. I need to take a trip to Portland just to get one of these burgers, FOR SURE.

So Ile de France Cheese might send me some free cheese to review on this blog if you all want to hear about it. I say, anyone who wants me to review some food, especially CHEESE, you send it right over and I'll review it, heh. I had a choice of Camembert, Goat Cheese or Brie. I personally love Brie so I chose that. I'm sure it will be delicious because 1. it's Brie 2. they have a recipe called Prosciutto Wrapped Brie Bites.

And what could POSSIBLY be better than Prosciutto Wrapped Brie Bites???

I had leftover Mulligatawney Soup for lunch today and now I just want a nice nap. I better go make some coffee before I fall asleep at work...

You all are being very helpful and enthusiastic with the food and cooking comments. I know, I know, it's much more interesting than four years of hearing about Dante and Homer and various obscure 16th century playwrights. Looks like things are going to start getting interesting again, eh?

One thing I haven't mentioned, that Kate reminded me of, is that Scott is an excellent cook and cooks ALL meals when I am in Aptos. In fact, it had been about two years since I had cooked him a meal, in the middle of my stressed out and don't know how to deal with it stressed out mess of four years, haha. So he was shocked at how good the New Years Eve dinner was, and really appreciated it. In fact, he tried to duplicate my soup recipe this weekend, haha. He even made it better by adding sausage to it.

So anyway, I just wanted to make sure Scott got his props, because he's been a very helpful, supportive boyfriend who really loves to cook and create recipes. He would be the Last person to sit and wait for me to cook dinner - actually I couldn't keep him out of the kitchen and stop him from stirring the soup when I was cooking, haha. I think cooking together is going to open a whole new time of fun for us.

The lost art

I don't know when I stopped liking to cook. Last week, after I made the first soup from my new cookbook, I had really relaxed, nice, cozy feelings. It had taken some work to make that soup: there was chopping and sauteing and boiling and cutting and much watching of the pot. But I had fun making it and just felt so great after.

And the next day, when I had a craving for cookies and none of my kids felt like making some for me (ungrateful buggers, haha) I decided... why not? And again, I had a good time baking.

I tried to remember the last time I actually made cookies myself, and the last time I remember for sure was Christmas 1988. Before I had kids. I tried to remember if I ever enjoyed cooking dinner (because in the last four years it's been whatever was the fastest thing I could throw together and toss in the oven, I had NO desire to get into any complicated recipe), and I remembered back when I was first married I had cookbooks that I loved and would ALWAYS try new recipes. In fact, I received the "365 ways to cook chicken" book as a shower gift, and by the time we got divorced my husband had declared he would never eat chicken again. Heh.

So I tried to figure out what happened, because obviously it wasn't just school that did it; I couldn't remember really being happy in the kitchen since the very early years of my marriage. And this is what I realized:

After those first two years of marriage I was in charge of taking care of two kids who were both babies, all by myself. ALL by myself. I remember actually holding Spike over my shoulder with one arm while I tried to cook dinner with my other arm. No, the husband would not even hold the baby while I cooked dinner. Later on, when they were old enough to walk, it became more difficult to cook because they wanted to help, and I was never skilled in that kind of patience. Later, when the husband left (hurray!) there was no food to cook. And finally, when the kids were old enough to leave me alone in the kitchen and I should have been able to cook some great meals, I went back to school. Thus began our four year association with the cereal box, heh.

But now here I am, no school to worry about, no little kids running underfoot trying to burn themselves or me, and a kitchen full of food. I can finally get in there, alone, pull out ingredients I need, and have time to make something delicious.

I finally GET it, when I hear women talking about how they love to cook. I haven't felt that love in 18 years because it was either a chore or an impossibility (cooking with a baby in one arm, can you BELIEVE THAT???), or there was no food to cook or zero time to cook it. Dinner has been a stress inducer for 18 years. Now it's finally a time for me to take for myself, to put some love into the food and make something really good and nutritious for my family. In fact, I think that's why last night's soup didn't turn out so well - I was furious with my son while I was cooking it. There wasn't a lot of love put into that soup.

Today Spike is going to the store to pick up ingredients for more cookies, and then we're making a beef/chili soup tonight. I saved the beef soup for a day he didn't have to work, so he can eat it fresh. It's topped with tortilla chips and monterey jack. And then we'll have cookies for dessert.

Maybe later we'll move on to pies or even a turkey. Maybe. Maybe even for Easter I'll try some tamales. Who knows. But it's a new love for me, and a welcome one. I wish I could have been that cookie-making mom when the kids were little, but I did okay with what I had, and they're certainly enjoying themselves now.

Okay everyone, I need your help, advice and ideas.

I am really doing well on my diet. But...

I need help with breakfast.
I need ideas for store-bought ready-to-eat items, items I can make at home, and easy to carry with me items. So any ideas you have will help.

Right now my options are oatmeal when I'm at home, and a Luna Bar/Power Bar/something like that for the mornings I have school.

My tummy just doesn't want food when I first get up, but if I don't have something within a couple hours then my tummy starts getting crabby and the diet is easier blown at lunch.

I have a freezer stocked with Lean Cuisines right now, which have pretty much saved the diet as they give me something quick and easy that I don't have to give any thought to when I don't have a dinner or lunch planned. So there's no reason to blow the diet. But mornings are difficult. I like oatmeal, but not every single day for days on end.

I see all kinds of diet dinners and lunches in the store, but nothing for breakfast. Am I blind? Are they there and I just don't see them?

So tell me, please. What are good low calorie or diet brand foods for breakfast?
Keeping in mind that I am up early and off to school by 7am.

I'm hungry. I just realized. Yeah, it's 10:43pm right now. But I gotta find something. Be right back.

Go read a book why don't you?

I just saw something called a "Valomilk" on the cooking channel, and the TV show says they are pretty famous and common in the mid-west. I have never heard of this Valomilk, and have never seen one before.

But I want one now.

I was just wondering if any of you have ever heard of this candy? Or actually had one? Does it truly "run down your chin"? Is it really vanilla-y? Mmmmmm, someone send me one, please.

I am in New Hire Orientation today, yes, even though I've been here for two months now, but anyway, you know what that HAS to mean if you're working at this company - Yes, Catered Lunch.

I am having a very good turkey and salami and swiss sandwich on wheat with honey mustard, and lots of pasta salad, and bottled water, and I am NOT having any of the luscious chocolate desserts they have out on the table.

I just wanted to tell ya'll that.

Again, Thank You God for the cool weather you've sent us today, even the rain you sent this morning. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.

Next subject: Itsy reminded me the other day of FitDay.com which is a really great site in tracking your diet/exercise program and has always helped me in the past. So I started it a couple days ago and it's already helping me.

For instance, Day 1 I consumed over 2500 calories. I've told you how well they feed us here at my job, right? There you go. And when you don't keep track, they really add up. And I know from the non-fit of my clothes that I've gained much weight just in the six weeks I've worked here.

So the next day, more aware of what I put in my mouth, I only consumed about 1700. That's quite a difference. Even with four pieces of pizza for dinner, I still cut out 700 calories.

Go me! I'll be back in shape for JournalCon now!

This has caffeine. Oh Yes it does. I need to get to bed. I am wide awake.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO delicous though.

From Mocksie's blog, the BBC's list of 50 foods to eat before you die. Bold the ones you have eaten:

1. Fresh fish
2. Lobster
3. Steak
4. Thai food
5. Chinese food
6. Ice cream
7. Pizza
8. Crab
9. Curry
10. Prawns
11. Moreton Bay Bugs
12. Clam chowder
13. Barbecues
14. Pancakes
15. Pasta
16. Mussels
17. Cheesecake
18. Lamb
19. Cream tea
20. Alligator
21. Oysters
22. Kangaroo
23. Chocolate
24. Sandwiches
25. Greek food
26. Burgers
27. Mexican food
28. Squid
29. American diner breakfast
30. Salmon
31. Venison
32. Guinea pig
33. Shark
34. Sushi
35. Paella
36. Barramundi
37. Reindeer
38. Kebab
39. Scallops
40. Australian meat pie
41. Mango
42. Durian fruit
43. Octopus
44. Ribs
45. Roast beef
46. Tapas
47. Jerk chicken/pork
48. Haggis
49. Caviar
50. Cornish pastry

I have one question: Who eats reindeer and/or guinea pigs???

Trader Joe's, my favorite grocery store in the whole entire world.

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What diet?
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That frappucchino wasn't enough I guess
Mmmmm... Vanilla-Marshmallow-Chocolate....
By the way, my diet was supposed to start today
So I ate a donut. And a brownie. And some ice cream...

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