Julia and JaNae

I L-O-V-E the movie Julie and Julia with Meryl Streep.  After watching it the first time I fell in love with Julia Child. This classy lady really knew how to enjoy cooking - just look at how much fun there is to be had in the kitchen:

 I have been trying to cook more but to be honest, we eat alot of Fruit Loops and Apple Jacks when we don't have the kids.  I'm ashamed to admit this but yes, it's true.

Why can't there be more hours in a day for cooking and working out?  I keep saying to myself, "Next January our classes will be two years old and won't require as much fine-tuning and you'll both have your evenings back again." Problem with this logic: next year is 11 months away.  This just isn't gonna work.

I was doing really good about cooking a couple nights a week but have relapsed.  When we visited Canby a few weeks ago Lacie gave me her Taste of Home magazine that she was done reading.  So many good recipes I want to try in it.  I just want to feel victorious in the kitchen, is that too much to ask?

Tonight I went to a cooking class at the Kennewick 7th Day church where I met the cutest lady - she was a real-life Julia - minus the french cooking style - minus the french accent - but adorable and vegetarian. 

Here she is in action:

I ate and watched her prepare Vegan and Vegetarian meatballs.  Which reminded me I haven't had Mom's "Meatloaf" in FOREVER!  I am gonna bust out that recipe soon.  We don't have the girls this weekend and Shane is a much better sport about taste-testing food than they are.  She also made Baba Ghanouj that was yummy with toasted pita bread chips.

Here's the recipe:
1 medium eggplant
1/4 c. tahini - I had no idea what this was - it's sesame paste!
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
3 cloves fresh, minced garlic
1 tsp salt

Prick the eggplant in several places with fork.  Bake at 350 for 1.5 hrs (who has the time for that - OR boil in salted water for 20 mins without skins). Place in food processor with all the ingredients and process until smooth.
Serve with toasted pita bread brushed with a little olive oil. 

I feel like my relapse is going into remission.  I found a renewed energy for trying to learn to cook!

Next thing you know, Shane and I will be sending out Valentine's Day cards like this one from Julia and her hubby, Paul!