Baking Lessons

When I think of myself as a cook, I think bbq meat, awesome stir fry’s and yummy pasta’s, not an awesome desert. I can get by with baking, but where I really excel is having fun with different savory dishes in the kitchen, sauces, oils and spices oh my! This month I have had a lot more free time then I normally do and have become addicted to Pinterest, so while viewing all the deliciousness that everyone pins, I decided to explore the world of baking a little bit more. 

Delicious Home Made Artisan Bread!

One thing you have to know about me is that I’m not a very  patient person, this could be why baking and I have never hit it off… you rush baking and usually end up with disaster. This year instead of making New Years Resolutions I made goals or a state of mind that I wanted to have entering this crazy year, one was to be patient.

Since I’ve been exploring the realm of baking, my patients has been tested and rewarded. I have successfully made delicious artisan bread, monkey squares, cinnamon sugar pull a part bread and this week has a whole new world of possibilities waiting for me. I’m thinking lemon squares; maybe a different type of bread and seeing as it’s my sister’s birthday this week, who knows what else I will create!

One thing January has been teaching me (other than I’m not a Tylenol fan and I miss you Advil!) is that if you slow down and look around there is a lesson or room for growth in every moment. If I rush the recipe it will fail, just as if you rush certain life moments you’ll miss the sparkle in them. There is something therapeutic about spending a day with great company or alone, getting your hands dirty baking!

So maybe it won’t be baking for you, but try and find something that tests and teaches patience. Because I’m sure that is something that most of us could use a lot more of. Slow down, take a step back and enjoy the moment (or the fresh bread you just made).

Life fly’s by in a flash, so hit the pause button and just relax!

Lotsa Love,

Natasha

For the love of food

With so many amazing options in the world of food, what's not to love?

I may not be able to paint or draw but put me in a kitchen and watch me go. I even love grocery shopping, the whole time I'm imagining all the things I will create. My husband laughs at me because I'll come home excited wanting to show him all my finds and his response is "I don't care babe, I know it's going to be great." I guess not everyone is as excited by groceries as me.

My husband claims I am the pickiest eater that will eat almost anything. My take on it is that I know what I like, I will try something new, but once I've tried something a few times I'm not going to keep eating what I don't like when there's so many things I do. He laughs at my rules like I don't like BBQ sauce except for on BBQ chicken and I have issues with sweet things that aren't desert. Lol I chalk it up to I like what I like and I don't what I don't.

Oils, spices and sauces oh my. I love getting in the kitchen with something new and trying it out. Cooking, puttering around in the kitchen is something I look forward to in my day.

Entertaining is also a big part of my love for cooking. I get to express myself through my cooking and watch how others interpret it.

I am very happy to have things like cooking and writing in my life. Everyone should have creative outlets to express themselves with. Be it art, design, music or sharing my love for food; expression is a great outlet and way to grow and learn.

What is your creative outlet, how do you express yourself? You may not even recognize what your doing as creative or a form of expression but if you look close enough you will see it. Nurture your creative side, have fun with it, try something new and allow yourself to be free in your art. Because the more free we are with ourselves the better we can open up and share with others.

Lotsa Love,
Tasha