30 Days of Truth~Day 11: Something I Get Complimented On The Most

First here is a bit of a disclaimer: This is my blog. I find it easier to open up when I write, and I am very candid and to the point. Sometimes what I say is positive, sometimes it’s not. Sometimes  people may agree with me, sometimes they won’t. This 30 day challenge is all about raw honesty and self-examination. It is about being real with your feelings. It is not to cause drama, it is not to point fingers, it is not to do anything other than be real with myself as I complete this 30 day journey. I will not sugar coat things, and I will not deny myself the ability to express my feelings freely just because some of them may not be all rainbows and butterflies. I am a firm believer that if you feel something, LET yourself feel it. Get it out. Learn to heal. Right or wrong, feelings are just that: Feelings. And there is no personal growth if they are not dealt with or expressed. I am not doing this challenge to bash anyone or hurt anyone’s feelings. As a matter of fact, I am choosing to not go into specific names or relationships where applicable, because I do not want to create drama. But this is MY blog. It is my outlet to express myself  in any way I choose to. Life is not always happy or glamorous. I won’t lie to my readers or myself and say it is on here just to placate anyone or present things a way that they’re not. If I am having a great day, you will know it. If I am having a bad day, you’ll know that, too. This challenge has not been an easy one to take on, but I see more benefit to MYSELF in doing it than in not doing it. If you want me to keep things real, keep reading. If you cannot respect my right to talk about my own feelings and my life in a raw and honest manner, no one is forcing you to stay and read. That’s the wonderful thing about the internet. One click and you can go somewhere else, and anything you don’t like will be lost in cyberspace. Out of sight, out of mind. Now on to today’s challenge….

Well, I don’t really get too many compliments. I usually don’t know how to take them! But one thing I ALWAYS get major compliments on is my cooking. Except for recently when someone on a rant said I obviously cannot be too good at cooking because I am willing to use instant mashed potatoes (which I use because I prefer them to “real” potatoes and always have, and so does the rest of my family. Not to mention they ARE actually REAL  potatoes and can be doctored up quite nicely. Plus, as a busy mom, there is nothing wrong with short-cuts and time-savers here and there…Although I can make the real deal very well, too)  and because I use frozen vegetables.(Which are actually flash frozen at their peak and much healthier than canned, and fresh isn’t always doable cause things aren’t always in season, and they don’t keep nearly as long. Frozen is actually one of the healthiest ways to buy your veggies!)

I love cooking. I grew up in a household where no one could cook unless it was out of a box. And even then, a lot of the time it wasn’t edible. I mean, my mom made me grilled cheese before and left the wrappers on the cheese! So I kind of had to teach myself to cook if I wanted to survive and not die of food poisoning,lol. I like making all different types of food, and aside from my evil, not good enough instant mashed potatoes, I prefer to make everything from scratch. Oh, aside from my inferior frozen veggies….I don’t have a garden to make them from scratch, so obviously I couldn’t possibly make anything decent with those, lmao.  I find cooking therapeutic. It relaxes me, and I love being able to experiment in the kitchen and find ways to put my own twist on a dish. I have a very picky husband, and I like the challenge of being able to adapt a recipe he normally wouldn’t touch, such as ANYTHING with a tomato based sauce, or  anything with veggies. I have been successful in making chili he not only ate (which he says has only happened one other time in his life when he was a kid in Illinois) but went back for seconds on. I have also found ways to get him to eat spaghetti. Rather than use a traditional red sauce in the dish, I make Cincinnati Chili, which really isn’t a chili at all, if you ask me, and is traditionally served over pasta with a nice helping of cheddar cheese on top. But I must mention, I cannot make my cheese from scratch, either….(Sorry, I am amusing myself here.)  Maybe I should invest in a cow and start making my own dairy products,lol.  Anyway, I always get major compliments on my food. I have had friends say my house is their favorite restaurant, and my husband is convinced I could open my own someday. These days it’s so easy to go for prepared meals or recipes off the side of a box, or even fast food every day. It seems the art of cooking is one that many people just don’t enjoy. Usually due to busy careers or lack of time, which is understandable. But it is something I really enjoy and take pride in. And I know I am decent at it. 1 billion satisfied customers don’t lie,lol…Sorry, I just had to. 🙂