My family life was super chaotic as a child. There were 3 of us, and we were all 2 years apart in age. There was a lot of sibling rivalry, and my parents just always seemed stressed out. Dad worked 6 days a week, and Mom worked part time, so she could manage our school schedules and be there to get us to and from school.
Needless to say, none of this went away with dinner time. You would think we’d want to sit down, and enjoy each other’s company come meal time. It was just as chaotic as everything else. Mom would be making dinner, Dad wouldn’t be home yet. But the 3 of us didn’t know when enough was enough. We’d be fighting or just doing ridiculous things that we shouldn’t be doing, and we were constantly getting yelled at.
We always cut into Mom’s time making dinner, and often it wouldn’t be quite ready by the time that dad arrived home. This made him angry, and he’d be yelling at everyone. We were to blame, but our Mom got a lot of the blame as well. This made for tense and unenjoyable meals.
This carried over into my adult life. The idea of preparing and cooking a meal was daunting, because it just reminded me of those hectic days as a child, where no one seemed to really like the food, or each other. I stuck to takeout, prepared meals, and dining out. Not the healthiest of options, but probably from a mental standpoint, it was the right decision for me.
I started gaining a little more weight than I would have liked to, and I was spending an exorbitant amount of money on food. I wasn’t quite worried yet, but I had to slow it down or it was going to get out of control. One of my best friends loved to cook, so I made plans to meet up with her to see if I could pick her brain.
She suggested I dive right in, and get a Cuisinart food processor. She actually thought her Mom had an extra that she’d been looking to give away, since she just bought an upgraded model. She brought it over, and showed me the basics. We sat together and looked at some easier recipes to start with. Within a few hours, I was hooked.
I continued my research on my own, and started experimenting for the heck of it. It was such a different experience than I remembered from being a child. If anything, it was therapeutic for me, which was definitely the opposite effect that it once had.
I use my Cuisinart food processor so much now, that I figured it might be wise to buy some parts to have on standby if the need ever came around. I went to visit KitchenWorksUSA and I realized I could buy the Cuisinart DLC-8 4-Piece Tritan Bowl Kit Part which would make it easier to switch between making different things.
Now once a week, I bring a large meal over to my Mom, to express my appreciation for her patience after what we put her through, and still having healthy meals on the table. But also to just make things a little easier for her, since back then I did no such thing. It’s the least I can do for her.
I’m so thankful that I spoke with my friend about exploring the world of cooking, and I’m grateful to her mother for giving me her hand me down Cuisinart food processor. I think I might have avoided cooking for myself forever if none of this happened. I’m much healthier, mentally and physically, because of the care that I’m putting into my meals.
