Oh, yeah - and I love to cook

Thanks to God we lost no one in our family to Covid-19, but we spent time praying for loved ones who became ill, sending letters and care packages - and spending a lot of time with our kids!

(Our son and his grandpa on one of our COVID fishing trips.)

I acquired more cookbooks since March of 2020 then I had in the previous 23 years of my marriage - and I like to read them like beloved novels, anxious for the next scene.

Along with the books, there was that British baking competition and lots of blog research for inspiration -

The results?

• Hot cross buns at Easter
• Turnip greens perfection
• Bread baking losses and wins
• Homemade pizza & pie crusts
• Experiments in hamburgers
• A Wellington triumph  in beef 
• Tikka, street, and veggie tacos
• So, so many quiches
• Pimento-cheese rediscovery
• Restaurant worthy-soups
• Vietnamese  jellied eggs
• Likeable Brussel sprouts
• Mastery of crumb structure

By about April of 2020, I learned the value of school breakfast and lunch service - because these people still wanted to be fed three times a day, no matter who was doing the cooking!

- I grill my fresh corn slathered in herbs & spices along with the butter

- I cover my grits in pimento cheese and pico de gallo and serve with chips

- I stuff my biscuit batter with peppered bacon and Grueyre  and garlic

- but I am still chasing down that lightness in Momma's cornbread I've never seen repeated.

When I was a teacher, a colleague  who had the advantage of age and experience assured me that when I'd been cooking for a few years, I'd be able to throw together a tasty meal with whatever I found in my kitchen.

Barbara, I think I'm finally there -