Life away from Mommy

My move to NY was my first official, on-my-own, out-of-the-nest, living experience. Now that I am on my own, activities such as, eating cookies before dinner, staying out later than my bedtime, and burping during dinner are commonplace. I realized that these activities were not nearly as sweet as they were anticipated to be, but the defiance and outright rebellion to previous rules was refreshing and liberating. I felt like Kevin McCalister in Home Alone when his parents left him behind.

Of course life alone isn't all "velvet pajamas," I quickly encountered the dilemma of obtaining food. It was quite a different experience then walking up to the pantry and deciding which food was to suit my liking and cravings the best. Before if there was a food absent from the pantry or refrigerator I would simply tell my Mother and magically it would appear in the next few days. Now I have to go to the grocery store, pick out what I can afford and what can go in the microwave, make a purchase, and carry it home. I then have to cook it. So my first semester I ate Easymac, cereal, and an occasional microwaveable meal, which was as good as rubber with artificial cardboard flavoring.

I spent a month at home for christmas. There I partook of such goodness as, ham, salmon, tilapia, steak, potatoes (quite an exemplary vegetable), name brand cereals, and Cafe Rio. Upon my return I realized that my microwave habits were to be eliminated, for I am destined to learn how to cook. I realize that it isn't easy cooking for one person, but neither is downing microwavable macaroni and cheese three times a day. Yes, I have started. So far I have cooked a special egg dish (scrambled eggs), a special Italian dish (spaghetti with store-bought sauce) and pasta-roni (which I call pasta-roony) I did all that in a week! I know, I know, don't you worry, I have found time to study. My new mission is to raise my education one degree and raise my oven a couple hundred degrees... Anyways before I start dropping anymore lame puns which I will later regret, I better go...besides I have some stuffed peppers and a crown roast in the oven that need my attention!

P.S. thank you Natalie for the cookbook.