Thursday

Sincerely 'Fro Me to You-Not Meant to Be A Cook



Hi, welcome to this week's edition of 'Sincerely 'Fro Me to You!  You can read about the guidelines here if you want to link up and grab the 'fro button.

I ran across this picture, taken around Christmas, of me at 'my desk' also known as, my kitchen counter.  That got me thinking about my use of my kitchen, in general.

And specifically about this fact:  Just because I love food, doesn't mean I enjoy preparing it.

I feel so much better about confessing that.

Some of my favorite memories involve the yummiest of dishes that I did not prepare.

Cooking does not come naturally to me.  I don't have auto measurements programmed into my brain. 

I do not watch cooking shows.  

I do not say "Bam" when I throw spices into my food.

I do not own an apron, although I think they are pretty.  (I'm sorry Apron Queen ,I hope we can still be friends).

I am not meant to be a cook.

Oh, I cook. Often.  But in an effort to be transparent, I would call it more of a heat and stir method.  

The word 'cook' is really a compliment and a stretch, at best.

If I had to recall a homemade recipe from memory, it would include a can of this and a frozen bag of that.

My specialty would be Texas Chili, which I make up with whatever I have on-hand, but is surprisingly spicy and tasty. But just the phrase my speciality in reference to my cooking, makes me cackle.  

Loudly.

But my chili makes people think I can cook.  And that's just fine with me.

I let my hubby cook whenever he wants to, which is usually when I say we're having grilled cheese.

Now, baking?  That's a different category entirely.  I somewhat enjoy baking because of the results if produces.  I love cakes and cookies and pies (I think that covers all the baking categories).

So, do my thighs.

Once, I bought a store-bought casserole and put it in my own casserole dish for a church function.  

Shame will do that to you, people.

I consider my microwave a dear friend.

I've burned myself so often that I keep a stick of butter nearby just for such instances.  Nothing like being prepared or serving that stick by mistake.  Oh, I kid, about serving it.

I was asked to contribute family recipes to our Family Reunion Cookbook.  I racked my brain for hours and every recipe I came up with involved a can good.  I sent them in.  This wasn't even embarrassing until I started packing for the Reunion.

We had just renovated our kitchen in the picture. The granite is black and tan speckled.  The cabinets are black with sanded edges to make it look aged.  The walls are a deep mustard color and the cafe curtains (one of my favorite parts) are barn red and mustard.  

You would think this color and renovation would inspire me.

Oh, and it does.  I do some of my best mundane blogging on that granite.

I'm a smart girl and I can read, like on a third grade level.  So it's not so much that I cannot cook, I'm just not meant to be one.

I'd like to thank Happy Mommy for inspiring me with this post after she tagged me with a cooking meme.  Check hers out here.  She's a real cook.

Now, it's your turn to share 'fro you to me!


47 comments:

Dawn @ simply transparent said...

Hence the gift I won, A man a can a PLAN?!

And I thought you found this for your man?!

Hey you can't have all the talent!


As usual great post, Diva ;0)

The Apron Queen said...

Girl. Send me an e-mail with your address & I'll mail you an apron! :D I'm serious. I have more than enough to go around. My email is jmlsdi3 at yahoo dot com.

Tammy said...

Well, I must confess I do actually have an apron. I cannot say that I have actually worn it though, but I do have one! ;-)

I really like to bake goodies more than cook meals.

Liza on Maui said...

I love cooking but cooking does not like me much. I stress out cooking and am a messy cook. Same thing with baking. I'm trying though :)

Fun!

Liza

Anonymous said...

This is my (our- my sister, Ginger included) first time to do a Sincerely Fro' Me To You.

We've combined our blogposts on each of our blogs. Hope it's okay that we've listed them both. We invite others to view both blogs.

This post is really not about us, but our little sister.

It's an emotional post for us. But the pics sure bring smiles! Bald kid....her head looked like that for a very long time.

Oh...she does have hair now...we'll have to post an updated pic on a later blog... ummm, sorry Jamie.

Joy said...

I don't do "cook" either (sounds like a drug, hmm?). I think I'd enjoy it more if my kitchen was renovated. Right now it's TINY and we don't even having flooring and... let's just say I could qualify for "Worst Kitchen Makeover".

LOVE your curtains!!!

The Fritz Facts said...

I am not much of a cooker either, but I try. Not lately...but I do try.

World's Greatest Mommy said...

See, I'm the same way. Give me a baking book, and I'll give you several dozen pounds on your hips and thighs. But cooking...I've got a handful of staples I can make well, and I just keep repeating them.

The summer is nice. My husband is a wanna be gourmet. If anything happens to him, we may have to hire a chef, and a nanny, and a gardener, and a pool boy, and a housekeeper.

I think I better go up his insurance policy.

Anonymous said...

P.S.
I have a recipe (recently blogged about it) that's yummy and easy...Mozzarella Pie. I do love to cook! Won't lie! HOWEVER, I sure don't hate easy! ;)

Also, thanks so much, Kristen, for your comment! It confirms to me that we did need to write it! Even if we don't always know the details of a situation, we can pray! Thank God the HOly Spirit does know! Thank you! And it was my hope that others would say a prayer for her.

I'm diggin' out other pics, though, for future "fros" ! ;)

Anonymous said...

I too make meals, but cook--not so much, though I do make a mean shortcake!

(I am on twitter now. I know be afraid, be very afraid)

j said...

Jeez Louise. We are so much alike right down to the whole Chili thing. I bake AWESOME cakes that everyone adores....from a boxed mix. I am rumored to be some sort of PRO cake baker...(psst, from a box, really).

Be blessed!

Jen

Anonymous said...

I love how your sweater matches the curtains haha

Mozi Esme said...

I can definitely relate to the non-cook thing. I hate coming up with meals, even the heat and stir kind. Baking is much more rewarding.

Crayl said...

I love aprons, I am glad to see Apron Queen is going to help you out.
Chili is cooking!
And um, no butter on burns okay? Just cool water.

Miche said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog-I hope the high chair/corner time out works for you too! It is so great to only have to threaten it now, and Little Dude straightens right up! Good Luck!

Unknown said...

I admit I love to cook, but its mostly because I LOVE to eat!

marky said...

I don't own an apron, I can't stand to cook, or bake. My kitchen serves many purposes, and most of those do not involve me preparing food!
We all have Celiac disease and it makes food preparation not so much fun in my mind.

Driftwood and Pumpkin said...

We are soul sisters. Well, kinda. I am not a cook! I hate to cook. All of my girlfriends think something is genetically wrong with me. But here is the winger...I hate to make too! *gasp*

I feel much better having admitted my shortcomings as a woman.

Suzie said...

I used to love cooking. I found it relaxing.NOw Its not at allre laxing and I hate it...no fun!

The Broad Squad said...

ROF!!! I am so glad I am NOT the only one that buys and puts things in a pan for church functions!!!

How bad do I cook?? WELL, I cant remember the last time I was asked to bring dinner to someone who was sick!

Anonymous said...

Grin, I've always preferred to bake too. Had to stop after we both gained 10 pounds our first year of marriage! But my kids deserve home baked goodies so I guess I'll have to work on that exercise thing...

BTW, swap out that butter for an aloe plant girl! Butter is BAD for burns. Just break off a bit of the aloe leaf and rub the goo on your burn (said from experience!)

Anonymous said...

I'm sure your food is very tasty...and besides, what's the point of modern conveniences (like microwaves) if no one uses them, LOL!

Ok, Where Was I? said...

I like the idea of cooking. Like sitting someplace quiet with a coffee drink and flipping through cookbooks to find something interesting. But in real life I'm more of the 'semi-homemade' variety cook. And stirring and warming counts, I think.

Anonymous said...

Your post helped my self-confidence. I am not a good cook either. And here's the really sad part, I don't even want to be a cook! I just know my kids will grow up and go to culinary arts school where they will cite their mother's lack of cooking as their great inspiration

Anonymous said...

Did you know your sweater matches your curtains? Does the rug match as well?

Bad, I know, couldn't resist.

Happy Mommy said...

Thank you! I have been so busy this week I haven't even checked in, I've missed you. Funny when you read someone everyday, it's like talking on the phone with an old friend. Have a great day!
Love the kitchen, it's beautiful and some of my favorite colors!

Anonymous said...

My laptop is also on my counter happily distracting me all day long!!

Ok, Where Was I? said...

I'm seriously the only person with the link problem. I right click the permalink, copy the link location, paste it here, and it never works. I'm an idiot b/c I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. And I tried to fix it by adding a new link, but that's breakin' the rules, so it doesn't appear. Anyway, just thought you'd like to know I'm a self-identified idiot.

Growin' with it said...

ohhhh i've seen that cooking meme going around and i cringe when i see it. thankful that i haven't been tagged cuz cooking and me are a on a "need to" relationship only!

Anonymous said...

Yes, as Rena said, this is our first time out there. Hope you and each of your readers are blessed as you read our posts and thank you so much for allowing us to be a part of your blog!

Now, on the cooking front, we are foodies who love the fact that you don't cook and are using your awesome granite countertops to inspire and encourage through your words.

Again, thank you.

Valarie Lea said...

I never thought of really thought of cooking and baking as different. I should though, I like to bake more than cook.

I don't get to cook alot, because we are never home. Then when I do cook, nobody is hungry. I think they are trying to tell me something. I don't know what, because I am a good cook, when I cook. :o)

TJ said...

I have tons of aprons, but no pics of me in them. That's because you would never be able to see me in my teeny tiny extremely messy kitchen!

Hopefully one of the kids will pick up the cooking duties? I keep hoping I can train mine to clean.

Gettysburg Mom said...

My Grandmother's highly regarded secret German Potato Salad recipe went something like "Buy two cans of German Potato Salad at the store. Put in seving dish." Everyone raved about it.

Darla said...

I hate my microwave, I think I need to come to your house for lessons, yes?

Robin said...

I'm with you on this one. I do not enjoy cooking. But I do have a really cute apron - a gift from my DH that I actually asked for BECAUSE IT WAS CUTE! I wore it last night when I fixed spaghetti - with sauce from a jar of course!

Anonymous said...

I don't necessarily enjoy my time in front of the stove either.

You should take the Apron Queen up on her offer. I just got one of her aprons and it just makes me feel cute while I'm cooking!

It's the first apron I've ever had!

MamaCta! said...

Ok, I have the same struggles w/ cooking lately, and top it off w/ a picky son and husband. That is kind of what my last post is about, if you want to check it out. Many of my readers have left me some great fool proof 5 ingredient or less recipes, that I hope I can successfully make. A little contest to go with it, too!

My post really isn't a flashback, but it definitely on the same subject that you wrote about today! I'll try to link up but I'm still pretty new at this....

Twice Blessed said...

Yeah!! So nice to feel included in the "cooking's not for me club". Cooking just doesn't come naturally for me. HM is a wonderful cook...she didn't learn from me! I could stand to learn a few things from her. I know that very soon I'll have to start cooking everyday for the twins..oh, and my husband of course. Like I always say - I KISS BETTER THAN I COOK!

Andrea said...

I find cooking exhausting. My husband finds it relaxing. I hate planning of meals and the standing there waiting. And I'm not that goog. I have to follow a receipe unlike my husband who will make something and say, hm I bet orange juice will taste good with this...are you kidding me? And of course it's great. I do that and it goes in the trash. So...I'm with ya' sister. Now I do make the best grilled cheese, but...

Julie said...

I'm with you on the cooking vs. baking thing. I'd rather bake because I'd rather eat what I've baked. I do not like the planning involved in cooking. Thanks for sharing that!
Julie

Cassandra said...

yes, your kitchen is darhlin.
but I beg to differ with you...
you do have the only culinary skill necessary for the survival of human kind...
and its not baking, my friend.
It is the making of sweet tea.
If you know how to cook...but have not sweet tea...what does it profit you? lol

Unknown said...

I'm no great cook either, but I LOVE to cook and sometimes I surprise even myself with how good things turn out.

I rarely bake though. I'm blessed with a family that doesn't really like anything sweet. A cake could last over a week in my house, as well as cookies, cheese cake, etc.

Marni's Organized Mess said...

I got your book yesterday and I've only got like 40 pages left! :D

THANK YOU.

Unknown said...

Just because you use some items from boxes or cans doesn't mean it isn't cooking! Sounds like you are a semi-homemade kind of gal - maybe you should get one of those cookbooks. You might surprise yourself!

And I only like cooking for the end result - I don't find the process itself enjoyable.

D... said...

I could have written this. I am "known" for my chili as well. And, I, too, laugh inside. My poor children will not, as adults, have comfort foods that their dear Mama used to cook for them. Such is their lot in life. ;)

Beachy Mimi said...

I did cook in my earlier life... not so much, now.

I've give you an award over at Beachy Mimi. Go grab it.

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to add a small note to say thank you for visiting my page and leaving your nice comment.

And yes, every need will be met!

Thank you so much!