On Tonight's Menu

Cooking is a favorite hobby of mine. Whether i've had the craziest day ever or have been trapped inside all weekend, I rarely tire of the opportunities to jump behind a stove and whip up something tasty. While I love cooking, i'm not very good at following recipes or creating my own-it's all this innate process for me-a pinch of this a touch of that, taste and adjust accordingly. I know what i've cooked and can replicate it, but rarely take the time to write it down.

Tonight, however, I made a meal that was so delicious that it made me second guess my disinclination to record my culinary escapades. And so begins a new project; I've decided that 1) i'm going to try my best to keep track of what i'm cooking over the next 9-12 months and 2) i'm going to try to turn it into a storybook-type cookbook, complete with photos and a bit of narration. I can't promise how long this will be, but it will involve complete meals-with pairings like drinks, appetizers, and on occasion desserts. I'll try to post entries on my blog as I go along. Let tonight's menu serve as a taster of what is to come, since I've yet to record ingredients for this one.

On the Menu
To drink: Pomegranate lemonade with mint
Light dinner: Three cheese and spinach stuffed ravioli in a lemon parmesan cream sauce; lemon-seasoned green beans topped with slivered almond/walnut blend

The slant of this project will be its straightforward on-the-go approach to gourmet that blends store-bought items, like fresh pasta or steam-in-the-bag veggies, with homemade accompaniments. Not every recipe will be simple, but my musings should provide a healthy and affordable approach to meal-making.