Why do I punish myself?!

You know sometimes out of the blue I get this idea to try something.... Might be a new recipe, or a new technique for cooking, but for whatever strange reason I decide to go on a little adventure of sorts. Like the other day... I decided I was going to make tamales. Yeah, I do this every couple of years and once I get into the big middle of it I ask myself "Why in the heck did I do this again?" Its one of those very long... very tedious and time consuming ordeals. It takes all day to make a couple dozen and really... by the time you are finished you don't even want to smell the things anymore. lol.  I swear out of 6 dozen, I've eaten 3 tamales. Seriously. And they were good don't get me wrong. I just kinda got my fill from the "experience" of making them.

So I'm not sure why... but I'm getting this hankering to make something new. Jam. I haven't ever in my life made jam. I've made jelly... maybe once. Its not something I know how to do, but I guess since its a dying art, I better learn how to do it. My grandmother is one of the best at making jelly, or canning anything really. She makes the best pickles I've ever tasted. They are something so different... so... her. But anyways, that is another discussion entirely. You gotta forgive me, I have Mommy ADHD... I get distracted by things like pickles sometimes.

So I was talking about jam.

You know that thick, gooey goodness that goes so great on a fresh baked biscuit? Yum... with fresh butter. HEAVEN! But I want something different... with a homemade taste, and a fresh feel. But where to find that perfect combination? I'll ask around. See what I can find, and probably head over to Pinterest...the love of my creative life to get some inspiration. Once I figure it out, I promise to fill you guys in on how well, or not well it turned out. I am after all, not the perfect chef, just one that likes to try new things and if it works, great, if not... eh... whatever. There's always cheesecake. Now THAT I can make like a pro! Until next time, make something sweet for your family!

Love always,
Jess

Cooking is a lot like love...

You know I've been cooking a really long time and still to this day I screw up a recipe once in a while. I spend all day working on it, cooking, baking or whatever and it turns out HORRIBLE! Sometimes its because of a bad recipe, or my lack of skill, but whatever it is something just doesn't go right. This is usually the end result I always get when I try to make bread. Yes I'll admit it, I'm not good at the bread thing. Can make a 15 layer coconut cake, cook a roast like a pro, but can I made bread??... NOPE. I always do something wrong. Too much flour, not enough butter, too much kneading not enough... ugh... It frustrates me to no end, especially when I watch my Mom pull out this beautiful and perfect loaf the next day. Seriously Mom quit showing off already!

I guess though that is why I love cooking. It is so forgiving. Its a process of love that just grows and changes as you experiment. So that bread recipe didn't work, but if you keep looking you will eventually find that one recipe that works for YOU. It might not work for me, or your sister, or mother, but it works for you. Its very much like finding your soul mate, except its with food. You find this recipe that works for you and you stick with it. Year after year you make the same one and it turns out great. You teach your children how to make those recipes and it goes on and on down the line. I have ways of cooking things that my grandmother taught me, and her grandmother taught her. So actually the exact way I make beans is the same way my great great grandmother was doing it many many years ago. That is the beautiful thing about cooking. It is as much a part of your history as anything else. I think that is pretty neat!

So you might wonder if I ever did find a bread recipe that I can use... Yes I did! Its one that you don't have to knead! lol It comes out great every time and it keeps really well in the refridgerator so you can make rolls every day for a week if you like!

Here's the site with the recipe cause you KNOW I didn't write this lol:
http://theitaliandishblog.com/imported-20090913150324/2010/2/26/amazing-artisan-bread-for-40-cents-a-loaf-no-kneading-no-fus.html