The next night, I was cooking some onions and garlic in olive oil. It smelled so good. Just as with the salt and pepper the day before, I had an overwhelming “this is going to be so delicious” feeling that got me excited to be cooking.

I need to make sure I enjoy those moments, because that makes cooking fun.

Another huge list of the various things I’ve been making. I’m trying to be more organized these days, so we’ll see. I’m trying to not repeat anything each month, but I’ve failed at that a few times.

• Penne Ponza
• Frozen pizza
• Chicken nuggets
• French Toast
• Spaghetti with Italian sausage
• Pasta in sage brown butter sauce
• Cream of Tomato Soup with cheddar shortbread
• Chicken in a mesclun and chive salad with maple apple dressing
• Rustic Root Vegetable Soup
• Meatloaf
• Fettuccine Alfredo with a pasta base (this did not work at all!)
• Quesadillas with guacamole
• Pork tenderloin with mustard, horseradish, and currant jam sauce and roasted vegetables
• Wintery Day Soup (from Soup Day book)
• Macaroni and cheese (for Raisin with babysitter)
• Green eggs (chives and parsley) and ham
• Roast chicken with lemons and rosemary, rolls, salad, baked vegetables
• Cheese sandwiches
• Frozen pizza
• Pork chops and potatoes
• Braised teriyaki chicken with risotto
• Arancini and chicken nuggets
• Pumpkin soup with leftover rolls
• Chicken burgers, chips, and carrots
• Macaroni and cheese and leftovers

I’m making weekly eating lists for my shopping lists. Hopefully, I’ll keep improving at trying new things! Next time I head to the library, I’m getting a cookbook to read.

Last night, I was making a same-old recipe once more (arancini and chicken nuggets, if you must know). But as I was chopping the chicken and seasoning it, I smelled the overwhelming smell of the salt and pepper. I took a deep breath. It smelled so good in the kitchen. Right at that moment, I fell in love once again with cooking, just knowing that that raw chicken would, in the course of a very short time, be delicious chicken nuggets (yes, I think mine are particularly delicious).

I’ve been wanting to give new life to this blog for a long time. I don’t know that I”ll ever have time to dedicate to it as I had originally intended, but I’ll keep checking in every now and then.

Thereby, I hereby rename this blog “Salt and Pepper.” I was inspired by that whiff of salt and pepper. I can’t think of a single thing I could cook without salt (I’m sure there are things, but, really, it’s so important!). I’ve heard people say that they “just add it later” or what not to make sure they don’t ingest too much sodium. But I cannot eat food — it’s just so BLAH — if it doesn’t have proper seasonings. I added “pepper” to the blog name because, well, I just love a pretty pepper mill filled with multi-colored peppercorns. And pepper is pretty important to making things taste nice too.

Salt and pepper are also the basics. Some recipes just say “add seasonings.” Have a slice of tomato and add salt and pepper and you have a yummy snack. Saute a pork chop with salt and pepper and you have an entree for dinner.

This blog, then, is about adding seasoning to my cooking life. I want to remember to cook a variety of foods.  (My goal, though I fail, is to not repeat anything each month).  I want to try new recipes and foods (again, I should try something new every month, actually every week, but lets start small). I want to remember the basics of cooking, like the difference a bit of salt can make to pumpkin soup. I want to make cooking and eating fun for my son, who already likes to pretend to cook.

Most importantly, I want to make sure that for the next 50 years of cooking every night, I don’t lose my mind!

Although I won’t have time to post a lot, maybe once or twice a month I will appear to say, “I cooked THIS this month.” Or I’ll try a new recipe and, if possible, give you a link to it.

What ingredient(s) do you feel you couldn’t live without?