tat2whttrsh aka Lambchop's Mom
Member Since:
Aug. 2006
Cooking Level:
Expert
Cooking Interests:
Baking, Grilling & BBQ, Frying, Stir Frying, Slow Cooking, Asian, Mexican, Indian, Italian, Southern, Low Carb, Healthy, Vegetarian, Dessert, Kids, Quick & Easy
Hobbies:
Gardening, Hiking/Camping, Biking, Walking, Reading Books, Music, Charity Work
I'm a stay at home mother of two. I've been with my husband for almost
eight years. I'm content with my life. With the money crunch squeezing
the economy right now, I'll be re-entering the work force. I'm doing
what I can now to cook as much as I can before I start back. With two
young boys and a husband who works a lot of the time, I work at not
only to keep them satiated, but for a stress relief as well. Since having
kids, I've gotten out of shape and never lost my baby weight. Now,
I'm learning to cook a little lighter. I remain positive that I'll
eventually return to the weight I was when I met my husband....though
the sugar monster inside threatens to take me down. EDITED: I have recently started cooking healthier again, incorporating fresh organic fruits and vegetables into well-rounded meals. I'm down a pants size already and hope to eventually get down to my pre-baby weight.
My favorite things to cook
I've gotten pretty good at tweaking recipes to make them my own.
Almost everything I cook gets raves from the testers. I really enjoy
baking the most, especially quick breads and cookies. I used to be terrified of baking homemade breads and pies, but I've branched out
and now am confident when working with yeast AND pastry. For the most part.
I am the only woman in a house teeming with testosterone PLUS my husband
is a hard working, blue-collar man......feeding them does have it's challenges. A lot of the recipes I use here I try to adapt to use half
vegetables when I can and plug in the rare deals I find at my local
factory-seconds, about-to-be-expired store. In these times, you have to
do what you can to scrimp and save, ESPECIALLY when you've got three
boys to feed. And any strays they might bring home. ;) My next accomplishment is to turn my favorite cookbooks, White Trash cookbooks,
into healthier versions. I love those books to pieces.
My favorite family cooking traditions
Thanksgiving '06, I attempted my first Thanksgiving. My husband even participated in the action. He and I both agreed it was our best ever, that it was made better by our cooking it together.
When I was growing up, my dad and my grandmother were big influences on how I cook now. I was raised on welfare for part of my childhood so
I was taught to stretch meals when you could and cook as healthy
as you could even if you were broke. My grandmother taught me the importance to cook with your heart as well as your mind. She also showed
me that if you can grow it, most of the time you can eat it.
I hope to teach my sons the same lessons. I'd like them to be
confident in the kitchen so they don't waste a lot of money on food
they could make themselves.
My cooking triumphs
Cooking my first pie AND turkey. I was nervous at first, but now that
I've done it and succeeded, I feel that there's nothing I can't
try in the kitchen. Cooking the pie was a huge deal because I had the
mindset that mine could never be as good as Grandma's.
My cooking tragedies
Most deep fried cooking baffles me. I've gotten fried chicken down,
but everything else comes out either burned or really grease-laden.
I'm determined to learn and I'll keep at it until I get it right.
I've learned over the years that it's most important to not only keep
an open mind when cooking but a sense of humor. Without those, you'll
never fully enjoy the experiance of cooking.
Want to contact me with questions? Email me @tat2whttrsh@gmail.com.