What’s better than lingering around a dinner table in good company and letting the dishes wait? Not much, in my opinion. I was raised in a family that ate meals around the dinner table and two parents who cooked. Growing up in a chaotic house with 5 kids who all had different interests, there was a lot of hustle and bustle. Maybe it was out of utility that we rarely ate out, but the dinner table at home was one of the few places we were able to catch up. In a large family you learn how to be creative and repurpose foods, nothing can be wasted! My Mom was green before being green was a thing and I so appreciate her teachings.
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I am also grateful that my parents were so encouraging and always chose the words, “we will find a way” instead of “no.” This philosophy enabled me to follow my passion for horses from a young age and lead me to my first job working in a restaurant at age 16. There were many restaurant jobs over the years and I always loved to hang out in the kitchen and ask the chefs why they were doing something or how they came up with a recipe. Though I am not a trained chef, I think I picked up lots of good advice. I love to take the time for a really impressive from scratch meal for a special occasion but thats just not realistic for day to day life. Young children and farm chores can take up a lot of time and I think shortcuts are fabulous!