Do Single Women Make Casseroles?

Wierd thought, I know...but seriously, do single women make casseroles?

It just crossed my mind this morning.

I never liked casseroles, or the making of them for that matter, until about two weeks ago.

Seriously, I don't know why I like them so much, now. I must be "nesting," my way into marriage...I've heard of women "nesting," before they have a baby, I'm not pregnant, but I am preparing for actual married life. And living it in the maentime. Part of that for me involves cooking. Now, let me make it abundantly clear that my future husband is a fantastic cook! I wouldn't be marrying him if he didn't know how to cook, and the fact that he's so good at it, is just wonderful! But, I like casseroles now. I don't like the brocoli thing (I only like brocolli two ways: broiled the way my man makes it, or raw), and I'm not into ODD ingreditens in my casseroles; but sqaush casseroles, or pasta bakes, or just things that are baked in the oven with a few ingredients, that I can prepare, bake off and eat on for DAYS....(and/or freeze as well) yeah, I'm all for that!

As much I love cooking, I don't care to do it 7 days a week, casseroles or pasta bakes are an easy way to make A LOT of food with a little effort that can last for days!!! :) The downside is if it comes out wrong, that's a lot of food, time and money down the drain (or rather, in the garbage!).

I've been creating lots of new recipies lately, and I'm normally not a recipe girl. I really don't like to measure things. I much prefer the "chop & drop," method, but I can appreciate the necessity of measuring at certain times.

Maybe this fall (it hasn't really started for Vegas and won't for at least another month) I'll finally get into baking--THAT would really be shocking to me!

I am totally confidant in my cooking skills, but my baking skills; I've always left that up to my grandmother because she's so damn good at it. That women can bake ANYTHING, and I must admit, I miss her freshly baked goodies pretty much all of the time! :)

Cooking is a source of comfort, solace and peace! It's a happy, creative hobby for me and I just enjoy it thoroughly! Sure, there are plenty of times I DON'T want to cook (and on those nights, Colin is more than happy/willing/able to whip up something yummy for us). But overall, I'm just enjoying cooking again!

For breakfast/brunch this morning, I made a big huge salad! I know,bI'm a wierd girl! Oh, but it was so darn good; red leaf lettuce (my favorite), corn, carrots, celery, zuchinni, freshly chopped parlsey, red onions, cannelini beans....oh just positively delicious! Since I don't normally drink anyway, and 11am is definately too early for a drink, I put my water in a wine glass and sipped while I chopped & dropped the ingredients for my salad! I even hand chopped the garlic this moring, which I RARELY do anymore. A microplane is the BEST tool for chopping/mincing/working with garlic, lemme tell ya! So wonderful! I also made my signature lemon vinegarette, with oregano, garlic and really good extra-virgin olive oil! Oh, worth standing in line for. And I feel SO much BETTER now! I was angry this morning, but after eating a BIG FRESH SALAD, I feel a hundred times better. I think diet has a ALOT to do with attitude/health/wealth/mental states...I really believe that a lack of fresh ingredients/food, lack of vitamins can and does often lead to depression. Think about it, our grandparents didn't have this kind of depression running rampant through their society, and we do. Perhaps is becasue they ate mostly all fresh food, made from scratch and we, as a society, pretty much eat packaged crap--chemically induced, preservative filled garbage! THAT can't possibly be good for our bodies or our minds/mental state.

I'm sure part of the reason I felt better after I ate the salad is that I enjoyed the process of making it, but fresh veggies with great salad dressing works wonders, this I know for sure!

I really have to thank my mother for imbeddnig such wonderful eating habbits into me from such a very young age. I really believe that spending part of my childhood in a 1,500 sq. ft. garden had a lot to do wtih my love affair of fresh ingredients; veggies, fruits and so on!

I was lisetning to the TV and hearnig about how obesity is an epidemic in this country (DUH!), and I think it's because people were never taught HOW to eat propperly in the first place! I think most people can eat anything, you just can't eat ALL of everything, even I can't do that.

I get frustrated with my diet sometimes because it is a bit restricted, not because of weight loss or calories, but because certain foods do NOT agree with my already messed-up digestive system, so I have to be choosy about what I eat--always have been, always will be. Perhaps that's more of a blessing than a curse because I'm accutely aware of what I put into my body! I have to be. But, honestly, if people would learn PORTION control and what REAL FERSH FOOD tastes like, I can gaurantee you, this county wouldn't be as fat as it is!

Also, HEALTHY FOODS are SO FREAKIN' EXPENSIVE! I don't splurge on a lot in my life; I don't get my nails or hair done, I don't get facials or massages, and I RARELY buy new clothes; but I EAT HEALTHY!

To me, eating healthy is a necessity, not a luxary; perhaps if people made their DIETS (and I don't mean lack of food or calorie counting) a priority or necessity, this country, again, wouldn't be as heavy as it is. I'm not saying dieting is easy, I've had to diet before (about three years ago I was not allowed to have butter, soda or onions--pure hell for me). It sucks and it's hard. Diets don't work because you can't keep them up. It's a LIFESTYLE change, that I totally believe. My point is, if HEALTHY FOOD WERE CHEAPER, this country wouldn't be so fat.

Everyone is so incredibly strained, financially speaking, today that people don't have the option of AFFORDING HEALTHY FOOD. It's so damn expensive. Think about it, a 99c cheeseburger or a $5 salad.....I'm not a math whiz, but think about it, financially speaking, even I'd take the cheeseburger! But the sad thing is that saving a few dollars NOW...ordering the 99c burger instead of the $5 salad, it may save you money TODAY...but it will NOT save you money TOMROROW, or in the yeras to come! The affects of that cheeseburger, or multiple ones, are horrendous; not just in terms of weight gain but in overall health. Sure, it's completely yummy, I agree, but overall, in the long run, my mother was right; ANYTHING IN MODERATION IS FINE, ANYTHING IN EXCESS WILL KILL YOU! Simple as that. Even too much salad isn't such a good thing, and then it's what you put IN and ON the salad that also become important. I think everything in life has good and bad points to it; including food.

My food downfalls are fries, doughnuts and candy. I can have myself a pretty serious sweet tooth when I want to. I have to fight the urge to not eat more sugar than I already do! But it's important to me. It's all about BALANCING and PRIORITIZING.

It's not about NOT eating, it's about eating the right things at the time and ENJOYING what you eat.

I think you have to enjoy food. If you don't want to eat that cookie, or it doesn't taste good, than don't eat it. It's not rocket science.

Everything is about convienance now, quick, easy, fast....well, you know what, there's something to be said for food that's made low & slow. There's a time and place for quick and easy meals, and a time and place for "food of love," meals.

Anyway, I've gotten WAY off topic, as usual, but I really do wonder if single women make casseroles. The next one I want to try is a zuchinni one, then a potato one, I love potatoes!

I enjoy eating, that's pretty evident, but I also don't let it over consume my life. I don't obsess about it, I watch what I eat for the good of my overall health, but I don't blugeon myself if/when I have some extra sweets or treats.

Life is too short to not enjoy it!

Thank you Lord for the love of fresh food, the delicious salad this morning (I know, no one else eats salad for breakfast), my friends, family and even that damn homework that doesn't seem to be dimishing. LOL! But, please, can I breathe better now, please, could you make that happen, that's all I'm askin' right now; the ability to breathe easily, without conflict or medicine, and honestly, I don't think that's too much to ask! Please bless all of my family & friends and keep all our numerous blessings coming, thanks for everything, Lord!

In Light N' Love,

-Sarah Liz :)