Hello 2013!

And hello to my food blog, which I very much miss writing in regularly.   Hello to you too, if you’ve popped in for a visit or to find an old recipe.

As I write this, I have a pot of beans simmering away on the stove.  A combination of Navy Beans and Kidney Beans, they’re simmering with a bit of bacon fat, bay leaf and salt and pepper.  And they smell fabulous.  Later today, those beans will be combined with some fresh Polish sausage, home canned tomatoes, seasonings, carrot and onion, maybe a bit of red bell pepper, and I expect to have a delicious Sausage and White Bean Stew for dinner.

It feels good to cook.  It feels great to walk into the kitchen in the morning and have all day to dwell on the dinner hour, to rummage through the freezer and pantry and create something delicious and nourishing.  I’ve long thought that I was in a horrible funk of just not wanting to cook.  It turns out, it wasn’t a lack of desire, it was a lack of time, and I’m not sure what to do to remedy that.

We are on the last day of a two week break which we’ve been lovingly calling our Winter Hibernation.  Oh my gosh, I cannot express how wonderful two weeks of nothing has been.   We drastically culled our schedule these two weeks in order to really enjoy the holidays and family, and we more than succeeded.  It’s been blissful and very, very relaxing.  And as I mentioned, I’ve really been enjoying cooking again. Real cooking, not having to plan ahead for what I can prepare in the short amount of time I have between schooling the kids and heading out the door for the evening.  Not having to plan a meal that will re-heat nicely in a microwave.  Not having to plan for it to be ready late in the evening when we return from our evening away from home- when we eat only because we’re hungry and not because we want to enjoy the taste of the food.

And the simplest tastes have been like manna from heaven for us.  Part of that is probably because Andy is laid off for the winter, and there is no extra money for treats and whatnot.  We didn’t even make cookies and candies this year for Christmas.  The kids each chose one favorite cookie, and we made those, along with iced sugar cookies and that was it.  You know what, it may have seemed sparse written out, but it sure looked like an abundance on the cookie plate, and we enjoyed every one.  I bought a pomegranate to go with our Christmas Eve meals… we never enjoyed a pomegranate like that one.  Every kernel was enjoyed with relish.  The homemade pierogi I made the day after Christmas was a real treasure- especially for Andy, who enjoyed the taste of his heritage very much.  (Alas, the kids are still not fans.)

We also were given an abundance of cheese a few days before Christmas.  Those grilled cheese sandwiches have never been more appreciated, or the homemade mac and cheese that evening.   The kids have discovered that they really like the flavor of chipotle thanks to those cheeses, as one is a Chipotle Gouda which we’ve really been enjoying every way we can.  When family stopped by and left us with a pineapple, some red pears and some Gala apples, we treasured that fruit and ate every bite with relish.  A gift of homemade white chocolate dipped pretzels was never so delicious, as we nibbled them with glee and wondered why we don’t think to eat them more than once a year.

It’s just been a great time to reconnect, to take a step back and really appreciate the moments that seem so fleeting these days.  Boy, have they been some great moments!

I have great expectations for 2013.  I am hoping to keep this joy of cooking rolling and get the creative juices flowing again.  I am making no resolutions this year, no lists of things to accomplish, no food goals.  To be honest, if we can keep ourselves happy and healthy, that’s enough for me.  But I do want to cook more, and then I want to find those pockets of time to share what’s been cooking, because when I discover a treasure, everyone should know about it.  Like the cinnamon rolls we had Christmas morning.  For years I’ve made Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls, which are delicious, but I’ve always felt they were lacking something.  This year, on a whim I tried a different recipe, and I swear the angel choir was singing for us as we dove into that pan of rolls.  They were the cinnamon rolls of our dreams.  They need to be made again soon, because I need to share them here.

And so I look forward to the year ahead!  I am wishing all the best for you and yours, and I pray that this will be the year of great joy and happiness for all of my Tummy Treasure visitors.  Thanks for popping by, I hope to chat again soon!