It is a gloomy rainy day here in the Low Country. They expect it to be this way for the rest of the weekend. I remember that when I was a child these were my favorite days to pull out a coloring book, and start my next masterpiece.
I guess things haven't changed a whole lot. The main difference now is that instead of a coloring book it is a cookbook, and rather than crayons and markers, it is measuring cups and spatulas. Rainy days now make me want to bake. Honestly, baking is not one of my strong points. It does not allow me the creative freedom that other sorts of recipes do. Precision is not one of my strong points. But still a batch of lunchroom rolls sure does sound good on a day like today.
Dinner tonight will be plain and simple. A big pot of chicken and dumplings. They warm your tummy and your soul in such an amazing way. For those of you who are newer friends, you may not know that I was raised by my Great Grandparents. Chicken and Dumplings always make me feel close to my Nanny again. She could stand over the stove and cook dumplings for the whole mess of us. One batch would finish, everyone would get a serving, and she would be back at the pot adding more dumplings. I know I have seen her make as many as 4 batches in the same pot. The chicken was just kind of an afterthought sitting on the side for you to pick at if you wanted to. Though I make my dumplings a little different than she did (I actually put the chicken into the stew), the love that goes into them is the same.
I think that the love we put into our food is truly what makes it exceptional. When I cook, I sincerely care about how that food is going to make the person eating it feel. You should know that if I cook for you, it is because I care about you. Sick friends get homemade chicken noodle soup, sad friends get chocolate cake. Really good friends get all kinds of recipes to test. That is just how I was raised.
What does a homesick friend whose children keep getting left behind on the bus get???? WAH!!! And what does it say about me that my blog is also named after food? And that I have a yummy trimmed roast marinated in Soyaki Sauce in the crock-pot that we're going to have with coconut rice and grilled asparagus for dinner. Wait...I'll be needing that homesick dinner tomorrow, ok?
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for the second trimester where I can fall back in love with food again. Your post today almost made me believe I will soon!
ReplyDeleteChicken and dumplings always remind me of my mama making them when I was little, I think that makes them all that much more soul warming and comforting on gloomy days like these!
ReplyDeleteShoofly Mama, hang in there. Remember, Charleston is not too long of a drive away.
ReplyDeleteBecks, try eating honey and cinnamon in the mornings. They are both blood sugar stabilizers and will help with the morning sickness. Second trimester will be here before you know it.
MMmmmmmmm. Chicken and dumplings......LOVE them! They bring good memories for me too. You have now flung a craving on me and I'm gonna have to make me some dumplin's!
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