My Non-Chef Tendencies

As most of my friends know, I am a self proclaimed non-chef, basically a disaster waiting to happen when it comes to being in the kitchen. I was okay with that up until I started dating Josh two years ago, and now all I can think about is how terrible I am at cooking, and how Josh could possibly be eating plain rice, and peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches for the rest of his life. Like I said, I was okay with that, and still, I'd be fine with it today, if I didn't have someone else to think about. I'm not really one of those people that gets excited about food. Yes, I love good food, and yes, I like to have long dinners with good conversation, but I don't have that excitement in my voice when I eat a grilled onion. I don't proclaim, "This is the best onion I have ever tasted." Like my husband does.... I just like it, enjoy it, but if I could, in place of eating, I would take a pill to have all the meal, and nourishment I need. I'm just not that into food.

As of recently, though, because Josh likes food so much, and is so excited about it, I have taken an interest in Food Network. This is something that I would have never thought possible. No, I still can't stand watching Rachel Ray, Josh used to make me watch in the mornings when he came back from PT while we were in Germany. The three of us, Will, Danae, and I would sit with blank faces at the screen, while Josh happily watched as he ate his cereal. He would say, "Now look at this Alyssa, that is how you chop garlic. You hit it with the flat part of the knife first....." That is about the point where I zoned and silently confided in my toast (because at the time, I couldn't have milk) that I would never abandon it's comforting plain taste for the more exciting foods that included doing things such as making a rue, and all that other jargon I still know nothing about.

Something changed within those few months in Germany. Maybe it was the Europeans, I don't know. I felt this desire to know about food, and how to prepare it, but still, I didn't want to do the work. Naturally I'm not a person that likes to do things I don't do all that well. I'm not absolutely terrible, I'm just really unsure of myself. Like in most things... I just need to have the confidence, even if I do make a mistake. I'm more of a person who is so afraid to make a mistake, I end up abandoning the thought of doing it all together. I've always had this need to be perfect, and it rings so true when it comes to being in the kitchen.

So with all the responsibilities of being a wife, comes the the responsibility of learning how to cook. Josh and I have been married for 5 months, and Monday was the first day that I took a stab at the escapade of cooking all by myself. I picked something simple, that I hoped was simple, out of one of the cooking magazines I have. it happened to be one Kim gave me. So like I said, I took a stab at it, and it turned out great. Monday night we had Creamy Spinach Ravioli. Tuesday night we had Stir Fry (which is one thing I do know how to make), and tonight, I had hopes of making Greek Style Steak with kalamata olives and feta cheese (something that we've already tried), but Josh had other plans. Guess what we ended up having tonight because we couldn't agree on anything? Digornio Pizza.... Blah. I had one piece. I couldn't make myself eat any more. So tomorrow night we will have Greek Steak, I hope it turns out well. Here's a picture of our yummy Creamy Spinach Ravioli!

Have a wonderful Wednesday night!

Alyssa