A Pioneer Woman disciple

My early adult years found me to be an acceptable cook, especially if it was a familiar recipe. Now my dicing was atrocious to watch and it wasn't really a dice at all, but things looked and tasted fine. With the conception of Rasmussen #3 something strange and awful began to happen. We had just bought and moved into our first home. I was crazy sick with constant "morning sickness" and suddenly we had a spacious house for me to chase our two young daughters around. I was surprised at how tired and undone I was becoming. The chaos contaminated my cooking as well. Suddenly, dinners were a consistant disappointment. Whether it was a tired, distracted mind that added double the salt, or just oblivious missing steps such as "grill chicken," my dinners were becoming a bust, one after another.

This drought of taste-bud happiness continued after beloved daughter #3 was born. With no sign of reprieve, my cooking confidence was becoming seriously weakened. But, before it was dashed to pieces, I hit a healthy phase. A phase of such gusto and passion that I took every recipe and had to try to tweak it to be a clean and healthy as possible. Since I wasn't educated on food science these dinners were also... gross. Blech!

Blessed child #4 was conceived, born, and running around and now I didn't cook at all. A few times I month I'd make something impossible to destroy like spaghetti or quesadillas. Otherwise, it was all Papa Murphy's pizza, cereal, grilled cheese, grilled chicken, or some type of sauce I bought to pour over chicken and rice. Lame. My domestic sense of pride was crushed! I'm a member of the Relief Society at church. We're an organization of women who provide service to your see around us. When the sign up would come to me to make a meal for a family in need I asked then what their favorite kinds of Papa Murphy's were. I couldn't try to cook something with a success rate of spaghetti and grilled cheese.

Then something miraculous and wonderful happened! My sister-in-law had long mentioned "the Pioneer Woman" to me, several times. All I knew was she used A LOT of butter so she couldn't possibly have my kind of recipes. But the planets aligned when my 12 year old daughter said, "Mom, you really should watch the Pioneer Woman. You'd like her." So, I found her show on television and have cooked nothing else since Christmas!

Ree Drummond is one of the most approachable, charming ladies I've ever seen. I think it was her laid back manner, easy giggle, and just being herself that helped me connect with her and think, for just a second, I could cook dinner for my family again.

So for the last 45+ days I've made her recipes every day! And we are so happy!! I've learned providing a good dinner is a big part of nurturing my family. It's very comforting and provides a sense of security. I've even been happy while I do all the dishes!

So let me pose a question. How important can one person be? How much can one person change the world? One darling country girl who shares what she loves has changed my world! I haven't consistently created dinner for years! I used to make at least 2-3 trips to the grocery store each week. They were spent with flushed cheeks rushing through the isles somewhat franticly and distractedly searching the shelves for acceptable items. NOW, I go once a week with a beautiful list and menu and it's faster and peaceful, and at the end our taste buds are happy and our hearts are grateful!

Lessons learned?
Number 1, let your light shine! Be you and share what you love! That light will illuminate the way for others to be blessed!

Number 2, there is always hope to better ourselves and to create new skills, renewed edible confidence, and a sweet feeling accomplishment.

Number 3, there is happiness in finding ways to be a better nurturing human being! I think we could all use a little more nurturing in our lives! And more Pioneer Woman!

I've been thinking about the thank you note I need to mail her.