Testification of Domestic(UH-FAY)tion

Now say that ten times fast.

When I was in college (or should I say, the year I partied before hitting the books), I didn't eat so well.  The Burger Supreme across the street from my apartment took its 23-lb. toll on my body, as well as my lack of, well, domesticity.  Not that my mom didn't teach me everything she knew - and she runs a tight ship, as Dallas says - but I had a hard time retaining it all.  So I'd like to thank my roommates (and long-lost friends) Courtney and Shena for giving me my first REAL lessons in cooking.  Don't be shocked, Mom.

I think I had learned-dependence (is that what it's called??) on Courtney for my meals for a little while.  We had a system: I would buy the blueberry muffin mix, and if she made it for me, I would let her have one.  Hee hee, that makes me laugh out loud!  And I think that runs in the family because David talked me into making him some no-bake cookies for him while I was in Georgia.  But I made him get out all of the ingredients and the recipe.  That just about put him over the top!  ha ha ha  Then a few roommates later, which actually happened to be a couple of YEARS later, Shena taught me how to brown ground beef!  Now I KNOW I did this at home plenty of times, but I just kind of forgot, you know?  Don't you forget things some times?  I forget things a LOT of times.  Just ask Dallas - I lose my keys multiple times a day.

I remember cooking for my dad one time when my mom was out of town.  I thought I was making the BEST meal.  I don't remember everything on my little 14-year-old menu, but I remember I DID make a few boxes of macaroni in one pot (the noodles were stuck together in a solid mass, so you had to cut through it to get a portion), and I made this kind of breaded onion casserole that was just drenched in butter.  My dad was really nice about it and cleaned his plate.  But he didn't have seconds.  So I asked my mom about it later, and she told me that he had a little bit of a hard time getting through it.  But I never would've known otherwise.  What a dad!!

So I'm getting to a point.  I don't know if you're seeing a theme evolving here, but I think that food for the body and nurturing to the soul are an absolute art that take time to master.  I could never cook like my mom or nurture like my mom because I absolutely did not have the practice or the experience in life.  And I'm not saying that I do now, but I hope I am getting there!

Don't you love sitting down to a well-prepared meal made by someone you love and eating it with the ones you love?  (Am I the only one here?)  That's why food always tastes better when you haven't prepared it yourself, maybe?  Because your mommy made it, and she loves you best?  Nourishment to the body and soul; there's nothing like home cooking!  (And a few select restaurants, too.  But see, that's in small print.) 

So here we are in Virginia Beach, and the grocery stores are OVERPRICED and have LAME BREAD.  Like the 60-calorie a slice variety that taste less filling than a marshmallow.  

I decided to make some homemade wheat bread.  MMMmmmmmm.  But I needed some yeast.  Can't make bread without yeast.  Do you know how much yeast COSTS here???  I spent $6.99 on 12 ounces of yeast!!  Compare that to the 3 to 4 dollars I used to spend at Costco in Utah on like 3 LBS!  It's ridiculous.  But not too ridiculous for the HOMEMADE LOVE I was going to make.  

And I made it.  Four loaves of delicious yumminess and homemade strawberry jam to go with it.  I have to do what I can to make this apartment feel (and smell, and taste) like home.

Now enough of the yapping.  Here are some pictures of food and love:

Baby Dade enjoying my special strawberry dessert I concocted.  Maybe I'll include the recipe.  (Plain old strawberry shortcake will not cut it now, I'm afraid.  This stuff is GOOD.)

Layers of angel food cake from scratch, filled with fruit tart filling - does it get any better?

Yes, it does!  Add these strawberries on top!

My mom gets the best piece!  (I made it in her honor - strawberry desserts are her favorite.)

Raleigh partakes of the goodness.  This picture fascinates me.  If any of you can guess why, I will give you ten dollars.  I am not joking.  But I don't think you'll ever guess it right.  Maybe Rikki will; she knows my soul.

AND she nurtures me with her cooking!!  Can anyone say Homemade Manicotti???

Look!  My mom loves my cooking!!  This makes me oh-so-happy!  When she gets old and withered, I will cook for her.  And wipe her bum.  But only if she says it's okay.

Now here's a woman who knows how to nurture with her cooking.  Grandma La Rue sure made the girls feel special when we stayed with her and Grandpa Van for a few days last month.  She woke up and made us some "pancake animals."  The girls were immediately in love with her and her cooking!  Especially when she pulled out some candy to use for eyes and stuff.

Here's a fancy cat.  Pretty good, huh?

Now last (but DEFINITELY not least), here's a picture of my dad in Marie Callendar's doing his best Marie Callendar impression.