Hailey, Koda and I arrived safely yesterday at my folk’s place (David’s working). It’s always such a warm homecoming. Mom and dad rush outside to give hugs and help unload the car. Grandma Betty eagerly awaits her hug inside, which I do my best to rush to. The house looks beautiful and the tree has somehow accumulated a crazy amount of gifts, despite the fact we only buy for the kids and there are only two of them at the moment.
Somehow I always end up heading to the kitchen fairly quickly. Not because the 4 hour drive leaves me famished, but because there is always something good to eat. Mom whipped me up a tomato, avocado and bacon sandwich (tasted like summer!), which I promptly inhaled before turning to a more seasonally-appropriate snack.
I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. In fact, often times sweets don’t sit that well with me. However, these cookies are more like tasting a memory. With each nibble I conjure images of my mom’s loving hands rolling dough, of dripped icing on counter tops, of me sliding my fingers down the side of the abandoned icing bowl to make sure none goes to waste. A taste of childhood, if you will.
This year my mom made three kinds of cookies: chocolate chip cookies, gingerbread boys and cream cheese thumbprints. She’s not a big cookie eater herself but she knows those are my Grandma Betty’s, my brother’s and my favorite cookie respectively.
It made me start thinking about food and why I feel so passionately about cooking. It’s not something I always felt, nor something I’d consider myself an expert in. In fact, growing up mom cooked delicious meals nightly, but I never gave them much more conscious thought than that was what there was to eat for dinner. It was around 2008, when David and I got engaged, that I began focusing more in the kitchen. Looking back, I think I subconsciously saw that as the beginning of our family and channeled my mom and the warm memories and delicious meals that shaped more of my childhood than I gave credit to.
I really love cooking now. I like being able to choose quality ingredients that help influence the health of my loved ones. I like creating food that tastes delicious and warms the body and soul. I like the process of learning new techniques and dishes and knowing I still have so much more to learn. But overall, I think I like that food brings people together. Ever notice how everyone tends to congregate in the kitchen, despite the cozy fire in the living room? It’s where the wine is poured, the snacks are out for tasting and the memories are being made.
Each day I develop a stronger tie to the kitchen. I have thoughts of attending school to learn more about cooking delicious, wholesome meals, but for now, at a busy phase of life with a working husband, a busy toddler and a growing belly, I’m satisfied cooking in a style that works for us in this moment and nourishes our growing family.
That’s what draws me into the kitchen. Wholesome food, a chance to unwind and memories in the making. It’s a passion I nurture in hopes it will continue to grow. One book that I credit with pouring a little fuel on the fire is Cooked by Michael Pollan. I read it this year and loved his exploration of his own cooking journey. It inspired me to get into the kitchen and explore a bit more. Because of that, I want to give one of you a copy of the book, either hard copy or audio (I loved the audio so I could ‘read’ while driving a toddler around) and a dozen of my favorite, homemade cream cheese thumb print cookies.
To enter, simply leave a comment describing why you like to cook or what it means to you.
For an additional entry, you can tweet about the giveaway- “I want to win Cooked & cookies from @ahealthyslice http://ow.ly/rWU6d ” and leave a comment saying you shared.
Contest closes Monday, December 23, at 7am and I’ll announce the winner in that morning’s post. Sorry yall, US only.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Katie says
Have a great time at your parent’s house! What great memories.
I love cooking because I also love being able to cook real food that tastes good and nourishes my family. I enjoy trying new foods and recipes and even joined a CSA a few years ago to broaden my veggie repertoire. I also really enjoy the act of starting and finishing the complete “task” at one time- something that doesn’t happen with most of my tasks/projects these days with a toddler who wants mommy’s attention. 😉
Laura says
I love cooking to be able to know exactly what is in our food and be sure I’m feeding my family real, whole foods.
Brittney says
I cook for a lot of the same reasons you do- because it was instilled in me by my mom that it’s what families do. I also kind of think it’s like a hobby for me. I am interested in different kinds of foods and techniques, and I like knowing what is going in to the dishes I’m making.
katie says
I love preparing homemade meals for my husband and son. My husband is a natural in the kitchen but doesn’t cook often. I’m trying to learn more to impress him! lol!
Danica @ It's Progression says
My mom really didn’t cook a lot when we were growing up, so it was something that my brother, sister, and I kind of took care of and really bonded over. My grandmother and great-grandmother love to bake and I have great memories of baking in their kitchens with them. When I got my own place in college and eventually got married and moved into our new home, I was more excited than ever to not just cook to be healthier, but also to create stability (family dinners are important to us, even if it’s just the two of us right now!) and to provide comfort in our home. I can’t wait to have our own children to cook and eat with. You’re right – it’s really about the memories!
Danica @ It's Progression says
just shared on Twitter!
Danielle @ Long May You Run says
It looks like you’re having a wonderful time with family!!
I enjoy cooking mostly because I enjoy eating 😉 But also, I see it as a challenging to find and prepare healthy meals that are also vegetarian… since so many people believe it can’t be done.
Layne says
I love to provide healthy options for my family and cooking from fram to table is the best way to know whats really in the food and how it is prepared! Of course this isn’t always the case but knowledge is power!
I tweeted too!
Marjorie says
I love to cook because to me nothing makes a house feel more like home than seasoning it with the smell of a warm, home-cooked meal. I love to eat dinner together as a family, just like we did when I was growing up as a kid.
Since becoming a mom, it has gotten more challenging to get dinner on the table, but it is priority to me. I let a LOT of things slide – cleaning, crafts, decorating, my wardrobe – but by golly, I’m going to have a good meal for dinner each night!
I also like choosing healthy, high-quality ingredients that make me feel like I am really nurturing my family and giving them (and me!) the fuel they need to excel at life.
Paulina says
Gotta be honest, I don’t usually enjoy cooking. I’m not a confident cook and when I try to experiment and go off-recipe, it often turns out poorly. I have a handful of recipes that I can whip up from memory and I do enjoy making them for my family. I’m having lots of fun introducing cooking to my daughter, now that she can help stir or whatever. I think if I had more time to play and learn in the kitchen, rather than a deadline to get dinner on the table, I would enjoy it more. Baking on the other hand, I’m proud to say I am great at.
Nicole says
Hmmm I guess I just love the accomplishment of making and serving a delicious meal to my family …especially when it’s toddler approved!
Alex says
Cooking means my hour to zone out and relax…and feed my family with wholesome foods that replenish their bodies. and I love to EAT!!
Nicole H. says
I love knowing the ingredients I put into my food so I know it’s healthy. It’s also relaxing and it takes my mind of other things.
Lauren B. says
Although I “cooked” macaroni and cheese and pancakes in high school, I really began cooking in college. I was on my own and decided that I needed to learn how to make good, nutritious meals for myself. I remember my mom handing down some of her recipes and techniques, but I also scoured cookbooks. Later, as I got older and married, my husband taught me a lot of what he knew (he’s an excellent cook!) and I also kept the Food Network on 24-7. To me, cooking is about growing up, having a family of my own to make delicious meals for and love on in that way. Nothing gives me more pleasure than when my toddler scarfs down my lasagna and begs for seconds and thirds!
Lauren B. says
I just tweeted!
Mike @ Midwestern Bite says
I’m in! I’d love to check this out since I enjoyed The Omnivore’s Dilemma so much (I think we’ve “talked” about that book already – must read).
I suck at cooking. I have no skill and worse no creativity in the kitchen. I’m way too lazy about it when I try to help, which makes me feel bad because I think my family deserves more the very few times I work the stove. I’d really like that to change somehow.
If anyone has been by my little section of the Wife’s blog, I’m getting fanatical about our own healthy and sustainable food production – both in the garden and with our new chickens, plus plans for a whole lot more like a 3/4 acre orchard in the front yard (coming this spring/summer!). I love designing, growing, harvesting, and storing quality food systems. I just lose steam when it comes to cooking it I guess. Lucky for me Joanna is a wizard in that dept.
Mike @ Midwestern Bite says
Just did my first ever blog giveaway tweet entry.
christina says
you guys are so cute. i want to come over and cook. i cook bc i like feeding/nourishing people. and it always makes them smile!!
Becky@TheSavedRunner says
I like to cook because I like controlling what my husband and I eat. I know exactly what foods we going into our bodies, and I feel much better when I eat real food that I have cooked.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I love to cook because it relaxes me and allows me to express my creativity in a different way. I love sharing my food with family and seeing their reaction as well!
Maria says
I just got home for Christmas too and I swear, there’s not better feeling than pulling up in front of my mom’s house!
I may not cook often, but when I do (especially around the holidays), I enjoy it because it’s a challenge, brings family and friends together, and I love how some recipes have such great memories attached to them. For instance, on Christmas morning, is always the local butcher’s special pork sausages on homemade biscuits. Oh I can hardly wait 🙂
Jen says
I love to cook, because I love the ritual of it. but I don’t do much lately. Thankfully, my husband looooves to cook and is very good at it! I’d love to give him that book.
Amber P. says
Cooking ensures that I am providing my body with the best ingredients possible. I have a few food sensitivities, and cooking at home is one of the best ways for me to stay healthy!
Shelby says
I love cooking to nourish my family and friends and to watch them enjoy something I spent time making. I love being in the kitchen creating new tastes, in hopes of making someone’s new favorite dish!
Kassie says
I love cooking because it reminds me of my childhood spent in the kitchen with my parents learning our family favorites. I cannot wait to share it with my children when they are a bit older!
Parita @ myinnershakti says
Above all else, cooking is a way to stay in control of my family’s health! With so many things out of our control it’s nice to take advantage of one of the things that is!!
Jenn says
I like to cook for my family. Ideally, like you, to provide wholesome healthy meals. Unfortunately, I’m still not the best cook, but I’m working on it.
Tori L says
I love to cook because it means I get to control the ingredients and portions to make it delicious and nutritious for my family!
Ashley N. says
Growing up, my mom was never a fan of cooking so meals were usually whatever could be made the quickest. I never really thought about health in terms of food or cooking until college. I really have come to enjoy the process of choosing ingredients and seeing them come together as a meal to share.
Trixie says
I like to cook because there’s something therapeutic about it…plus, I love delicious food! It’s great to cook something and know where each of the ingredients came from.
Leah says
I am actually a Family and Consumer Science teacher, so I teach kids how to cook in middle school. To me, I feel as though I am teaching them the foundation for the rest of their life. 🙂
Jen W says
Just like you, my mom cooked us dinners most every night. Didn’t think much about it tell I got on my own and found myself wanting to do the same thing! I really enjoy cooking (well usually, I’m pregnant with #2 and don’t have any desire right now).
Jaima says
I love to cook. It is a stress reliever for me and I love that I get to be creative! I also love knowing what I’m feeding my family and sharing recipes from my childhood with them as well. I agree that food brings people together!
Emily S says
I, too, come from a family where my mom cooked 5-6x a week. I took it for granted – but what a great thing it was that we all sat down together for dinner. The only thing is, she basically did it all and I never really learned how to cook for myself til college. Now, I still don’t really love cooking, but I’ve enjoyed branching out – especially making veggies to my/our liking since that’s been an acquired taste for me!
Becki Walker says
I like to cook because I’m a control freak and like knowing what’s going into my food!
Jen says
Cooking is (usually) a form of relaxation for me. I love that something I enjoy doing can also be so beneficial for my family. I love trying new healthy recipes that we can enjoy together.
Kelsey says
I cook because I like being in control of my food and I bake because of the nostalgic memories 🙂
Vicky says
I feel very similarly to you about cooking. I also think that sometimes food can express emotions…you show love by nourishing the ones you love. Have a fabulous Christmas!
Alex @ The Really Ones says
How awful is this… I cook because we have to eat. I hope to change my perspective this coming year
Lexi says
I love to cook to bring my family together when I am home from college. It’s rare that I get to see them nowadays, so the moments we get to spend around the dinner table have become so valuable to me!
Maria says
I cook because it’s like running, you get out of it what you put into it. It’s a constant learning process, you will never run out new things to learn. It’s so satisfying to eat something you created.
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
I cook because it is incredibly relaxing for me and I LOVE sharing recipes with others :).
Meg says
I love this post! I cook because it’s healthier and more economical than eating out. I like having control over what ingredients I add and don’t add.
Now baking on the other hand…I bake for FUN!!
Stefanie says
I’m more of a baker than a cooker. I know baking tends to land on the less healthy end of the scale but cooking or baking I enjoy pouring love into the food. It’s the “secret ingredient” in everything I make and it makes me happy when my family and friends tells me how much they enjoy what I’ve made for them. It’s sharing a piece of myself with the people I care about by nourishing their body and soul.
Jen W. says
I enjoy cooking my meals & snacks as opposed to premade store bought ones. It’s nice to know what’s going into our bodies and having control over it.
Tara@pnwrunner says
I cook/bake because it makes me happy. It’s like I’m in my own world and in control of the results!
Tanya @ Vegan Faith says
Somedays I hate cooking…I’ll be honest. But I cook because it is healthier for my family and cheaper. We have been eating on the run for weeks now, and all I want is a home-cooked meal packed full of veggies! I am looking forward to a holiday week at home with no plans, just my little family of 3 and lots of homemade meals and treats. Alex and I love to cook together. Our favorite is opening a bottle of red wine, and sipping together as we cook in the kitchen. It’s more difficult these days with Eleanor, but we will occupy her in her high chair with an early dinner or snack and all 3 of us have fun in the kitchen. I love that I can share that with my family!
Kristen Lopez says
I cook so that my family can have homemade, healthy meals and we can work within out budget 🙂
But I bake because I LOVE it!
Shannon says
I love this post! And I love a warm holiday kitchen with traditional snacks and treats on their traditional serving plates and traditional dishes in the oven, and like you said, everyone gathered there together. I love cooking dishes and meals that have been prepared by my mom, who learned them from her mom, and cooking any dish by following a hand-written recipe on a yellowing card with splatters of previous years on the corners.
Danielle says
I love to watch my family enjoy meals i create. It’s such a wonderful reward. I also find that my time in the kitchen really helps me relieve stress and relax! Great post!
Mandi says
I have a 16 month old little boy that is the love of my life. I love to watch his face when he tries new foods. Either it says mommy I love this or…. Ummm not so much. Cooking and food also means we are sitting down at the table to enjoy each other’s company as a family even if it is only for a little while.
Sara says
For me, cooking is equated with empowerment – knowing not only what foods are good for me vs. not so good, but also what ingredients pair well together – and creating (mostly) delicious concoctions as a result. Cooking makes me more confident and unafraid to make (tiny, food-related) risks 🙂
Abby says
I love to cook (well, mostly I love to bake) because it’s one of the ways I can show how much I care for and love my family. Growing up, my parents always had a delicious homemade meal on the table for supper. My mom baked treats to give to our teachers for Christmas. My dad spent hours in the kitchen keeping an eye on a turkey in the oven. They both showed everyone so much love through their cooking. We knew they put a lot of time, effort and thought into what they cooked and I realize that more now than I used to when I was a kid. I want my kids to feel that love too. Although they may not realize it now, I know they’ll look back on meal times with a lot of fondness and love.
Jennifer Lopez says
Cooking has always been the love language of my family and where many memories with my family begin. I loved learning our family favorites from my mom as a teenager and now being able to cook them for my family. Additionally, I am a high school Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and I love finding healthier/home-made alternatives for the “crap” my students eat. Since teaching Nutrition classes, I have noticed my love and passion for cooking grow. I plan our food labs intentionally to expose my students to new foods, but also foods they would likely make at home. I just talked to one of my student’s parents tonight at the basketball game and she told me her son (a wrestler who has been in ISS more times then I thought possible) has made almost every recipe for their family after making in class. What joy it has been to pass on the love for cooking 🙂
Layla says
I love cooking healthy food for my family. I hope to create food memories and feelings of comfort for my daughter.
Natalie S says
I love cooking for my family because I always make wholesome, healthy meals that they would never make for themselves. I like to be able to help them lead healthier lives by providing them with nourishing foods.
Giselle@myhealthyhappyhome says
I love cooking! Especially baking. It reminds me of holidays spent in the kitchen with my mom and grandma making batches and batches of cookies to gift to others. Now that I have a family of my own I love that I am able to cook good wholesome meals for them.
Chantal says
I love to cook because I know I’m making good, healthy food for our family.
jodie says
I love creating a simple or complicated meal, all from wholesome foods. I love knowing I am honoring my body ad well as Mother Nature.
Theresa says
There is always more to learn. I love that!
Catherine OBrien says
I like knowing what I’m putting into my body. So many foods have ingredients that I can’t pronounce and I have no idea what those are doing to me. Cooking my own food gives me a sense of control (either real or imagined).
Liz says
I find cooking very relaxing and it takes my mind off things if I’m upset. It makes me feel good about myself and being inventive and creative is always a good thing.
Amy says
I love to cook because I am in recovery from an eating disorder, and it feels so good to actually make food that I am going to enjoy!
Lauren says
I cook because I like to know what’s in my food.
Ginger says
I love to cook because it’s such a relaxing experience for me to just be in the kitchen, making good food (when I have the time and am not rushed, that is). I also love being able to ensure that I’m eating good, quality food by making it myself.
Ann Paquette-Lukens says
I love to cook because that way I know what I’m putting in our bodies! I also like the connection that is made with the food being made from scratch. As my little ones get older I think I’ll enjoy teaching them and experimenting with them.
Anne says
I love making meals for my family to have together. Also, I love knowing what goes INTO our food…and also love how much cheaper (and usually tastier) it is to cook!
Liz says
I love to cook and bake as I find it very relaxing and rewarding.
Kimberly says
Cooking is my stress reliever – my “me” time, and I love it!!!!
Casey @ Salted Plates says
Cooking is my way of staying sane. I can calm myself down and decompress while I cook and the end result is tasty too
Joanna @ Midwestern Bite says
Okay, this isn’t a one per household kind of thing is it because my husband is possibly the only male commenter on here and he REALLY wants to win this?? Been bugging me to enter as well for days (yes, I’m a wait till the last minute kind of girl at times.)
I love to cook because I want my family to eat healthy things and I like trying new ingredients in new ways.
Lately I’ve been like you and really want my kids to have good family and holiday associations with some foods.
Joanna @ Midwestern Bite says
Yup, totally tweeted about this. Pretty sure my husband would have kicked me out of bed if I hadn’t gone all in for an extra entry 😉
Kim says
Sounds like a fun time you are having! I love to cook because I can control what I put into my meal and I love the sense of accomplishment I get out of it. Sort of like therapy after a long day.
Deb says
I cook so I know what my family is eating and where our food is from. My 21 month old recently started helping me bake and I’m loving it! I’ve been eyeing this book for awhile now, I’d love to win a copy!
Kate says
When I was young I cooked a lot with my grandma. Now that my grandma has passed, when I cook food that we used to cook together, it makes me think of her every time.
Kwan says
I cook to create memories with my loved news. Nothing is better than being in the kitchen together creating a meal for our family to enjoy!
Liz says
I love to cook and get creative. Very relaxing.
jessica z says
i love to cook because it saves me money, lets me show my creativity with food and helps me distress after a long day of teaching!
jessica z says
I shared! https://twitter.com/Jessicanjela/status/415339966135148544
Liz says
I love to cook as I find it rewarding and relaxing.