Bountiful...

When I was grocery shopping today, I had about 18 things bouncing around in my head... I wanted to blog about all of them... and hey, it's "my" blog, so I'll do it if I want to! ;)

First I thought about how we are SO lucky to live in this day and age where we can just go to the store and buy whatever we want. It's all there. We certainly take it for granted. No worrying about killing a dear and trying to figure out how to keep it from spoiling over a long winter with no refrigeration or Tupperware. No eating crazy roots or mealworms because there's nothing else available. And yeah, let the farmers do all the work. I don't know HOW they did it in the 1700s!! 

Okay, so I have food on the brain today, big time. My friend Gillian has inspired me to work on a Meal Plan. Sounds easy enough right? Ha! (How's YOURS coming along, by the way Gillian??!!) So I got out my recipe books and started searching. John has also challenged me to try a NEW recipe, at least once a week. Again, sounds easy enough. Well... it's not. 

There are a lot of great influences in my life when it comes to food, and for that I'm very lucky. My mom is #1. She taught me how to make Julia Childs' hollandaise sauce when I was 8. She grows a lot of her own food and makes it look easy. She makes the meanest fried okra in Texas and she puts a huge hot meal on the plate every night, come hell or high water. She's AMAZING, and all of this without ever really looking at a recipe! Her fridge is always bursting at the seams and OH, she's even SKINNY too and still looks AMAZING in a bathing suit! 

Then there's Anne, my sister in law, who is THE healthiest person I know and is ALWAYS prepared. She's been great helping me learn how to eat SUPER healthy, feel good about it and not feel like I'm being deprived. I love it! Thank you Anne! You're SUCH a good motivator and cheerleader! 

And don't forget my friend, Renee, who puts Martha to shame! She can impress the pants off you with her amazing spreads. She impresses me with the little things, like putting a real vanilla bean in her sugar bowl or bringing you homemade hot chocolate and marshmallows on a cold day. And her crab and corn chowder is TO DIE FOR. She's SUCH a GREAT entertainer too! I ALWAYS look forward to an invitation to dinner at her house. 

So anyway, I went to the store, ALL inspired and excited, with a VERY long grocery list in hand. An hour and 15 minutes later, I arrived at the front ready to check out. I had so many groceries I had to buy MORE reusable canvas bags (THANKS to another friend, HEIDI, for getting me started on THAT!!). So okay, get home and start unloading. Then laughing. 

Um, WHERE am I supposed to put all of this?? WOW. This picture was taken AFTER I'd already put up the eggs, milk, bread, cereal, meat, yogurt, cheese... all that stuff!!! 

Gosh, are you still with me? I told you I had a whole lotta nothing to say today! 

Anyway, I'm excited about my meal plan. I have four meals ALL planned out, with all the ingredients IN the fridge and pantry. And two of them are BRAND NEW! FUN. :) And yummy. If these new recipes are winners, I'll be sure to share!!

Thank you all who have inspired me one way or another!!! I love you all!