Get this in your head. Cooking is an inspired action; cook and you will be inspired to cook
more. Emerson wrote “The law of nature is; do the thing and you shall have the power.” Good
cooking is a powerful action.

Taking the time to prepare good nourishing meals is as nourishing as the food itself. There is
something very soothing about chopping, sautéing, tossing and mixing. Ingredients coming
together creating enticing aromas. All good things take time. Pace yourself as the cooking process
takes place; Life is still going on, intermingle your other activities as the scent of food fills the air. Life happens as good food cooks.

Think ahead. In other words plan ahead. Knowing the next day’s meals is not rocket
science. Breakfast and lunch should always be fairly easy. Dinner should take some time, but put
aside time for that; for what needs to be prepared and for the time it will take for it to cook. When you do your shopping, think ahead for the week. Make sure you have your ingredients on hand to
make the dish so that you won’t have to stop at the market on your way home or make a special
trip. And if you don’t have something, try and improvise.

There are ways to save time. Prepare certain dishes ahead of time. Use one day a week,
possibly after shopping, to cook two or three main courses. Slow cook a roast; make a pasta
dish and put it in the frig to bake later in the week. Simmer a broth for an afternoon to get the
best flavor. During the week utilize your crock pot. When you walk in your house at the end of
the day you will be filled with the aroma of dinner ready. And you will be thankful.

As a child I was told to wait for something many, many times. As a mother I told my son ‘Wait’ it
seems like every day for nearly everything until he turned 18. Actually, I have taken that four
letter word quite personally and dreaded the time I heard ‘wait’ until I finally got what I wanted. As I have gotten older I have found a sweetness in getting what I want after waiting and daydreaming about it. Like when I was a child and I finally got that pretty piece of chocolate, I ould take small bites and save a piece for later. Agonizing over getting it and then savoring every single bite like I’d never get it again. There was something wonderful about waiting and savoring. Anticipation is part of the process of life. If you want good food, it takes time to grow and prepare. When you savor the taste you won’t forget it.