NomNomNamaste!

I have another love besides Yoga. It's no secret, Yoga and I are polyamorous. October (today!!!) is about the time that this second obsession really ignites. You can probably guess the (second) recipient of my devotion just by looking at me. FOOD!

The weather is cooling down, and being in my kitchen is comfortable again. Halloween marks the beginning of festival (eating) season for me. Between parties, holidays, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day, and my birthday I do not run out of reasons to cook or projects that interest me.

I don't just love to cook; I love to cook for other people. I love to see the expression on their faces when they take the first bite. I love to share the uniqueness of the ingredients and the fun I had preparing them. This weekend is my first teacher training weekend since May, and we students were asked to bring a (single) dish for potluck. I brought three dishes and a container of blueberries, and I made a double recipe of the cake I brought to leave at home for Ben.

I made a roasted tomato soup (pictured at the top of this entry) from this Heidi Swanson recipe. Heidi is like my Julia Childs. One day there will be a "Julie and Julia" sequel called "Amanda and Heidi" (without all the silly drama). Her website and books are my main sources for ideas. I also made this "unfussy" apple cake, but subbed some gluten-free flour for the whole wheat.

My third dish is this broccoli slaw from SmittenKitchen.com. I like Smitten Kitchen for indulgent, down-to-earth comfort food. There are also some healthier recipes, but the ingredients are never too outrageous. And the photography is amazing.

I recently attending a meeting for my bicycle club, Mobilians on Bikes. They were trying to organize a progressive dinner/potluck ride. They had asked me to volunteer to organize the people who would bring food. After some thought, I instead volunteered to make the entire dinner for up to 30 people. Ben laughed, nay, Ben guffawed. Not because I am not capable of cooking a decent and even gourmet meal for 30 people, but because I truly would be happier cooking than managing, no matter how ridiculous the scale. Others were skeptical of my abilities, but I am excited to have the opportunity to prove myself.

Stay tuned for reactions from teacher training!