Rekindling the {dinnertime love}

It happened to me. Somewhere along the road of life, between needy children and picky palettes I stopped cooking. Well not really, we still gathered every evening at the dinner table. Food was served, conversations had. The meals could be summed up with the phrase that my oldest uttered upon approaching the table..."Why do we have to have something so simple again?" Trader Joes made convenience foods seem healthy. Picking up our favorite Thai made busy evenings progress with ease.

The sad part for me was that I *use* to enjoy, or rather love cooking. I would scan magazine and cookbooks coming up with the latest trend I was going to cook. I would happily invite family and friends over for holidays and everyday meals.

So one day, I decide I was ready for something better. I committed to making dinner EVERY NIGHT for one whole month. Making dinners that involved only ingredients, from scratch, made with love. No more jars of marinara, bags of salad, or frozen prepared dinners. I took requests. I tried new recipes. I welcomed extra hands in the kitchen. I baked, grilled, sauteed, pureed, and probably gained an extra five pounds. The 30 days has ended, and I have a couple of minor burns to prove the success. A reminder that dinner after having 3 kids is still possible, and challenges are good for me. So what should I try next? I'm ready for suggestions!

To see the WHOLE 30 days (plus more!) of what EVERDAY FAMILY ate click here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32914088@N02/sets/72157626113193927/