Love Muffin

Someone once told me that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I've generally found this to be true, though I have cooked for boyfriends in years past who couldn't care less and not cooked for men who thought I was fantastic regardless. Food may not be the answer to all relationship problems or be a sure thing to get the ring, but it never hurts to add some yummy munchies into the mix. Who can resist a homemade dinner or delectible dessert?

One of my favorite things about Rhett is that we cook together. He's technically more of a cook while I'm more of a baker, but being in the kitchen with Rhett is a lot of fun either way. Rhett isn't afriad to improvize and take chances, and he has taught me a great deal about how to get around a kitchen.

I should say here, in all fairness, that both of my grandmothers are excellent cooks and their influence on my cooking habits shouldn't be overlooked. When I recently needed advice on fudge pies, the first person I called was Gran. She searched her cookbooks and found a simple starter recipe that put me on the road to becoming a professional at making fudge pies. Once I had the recipe down pat, I started substituting ingredients and playing around. That journey has been downright delicious and has ended, for now at least, in a pretty darn good dark chocolate fudge pie.

But I digress. While family members taught me the basics, Rhett has taught me not to be afraid to branch out a little. I once had about 5 amazing dinners I could make, and now I have the confidence and know-how to cook about anything. Last night I made a Barefoot Contessa tomato soup for the first time and changed things around to make it my own- the end result was scrumptious!

This Valentines morning, the girls and I woke up to this:



Happy Valentines Day to me- Dad was making breakfast! This is a big deal for Rhett, because asking him to get up early is like asking him to have his teeth pulled. But breakfast at B's Valentine Cafe? What a way to start the day.

What was the cafe serving, you ask?

At one kiss per item, the girls and I could eat like queens. Our oldest chose 4, 5, and 7 with hot chocolate to drink (topped with a dollop of pink cool whip). Our youngest chose number 8, and Mom noshed on basically what everyone else didn't eat, as most Moms do. And, typical of me, I'm still nibbling- on a leftover love muffin right this second. Do I have to pay for that?

Maybe it's not so much the food a loved one prepares that goes straight to your heart, but I think it's the selfless act of cooking that warms the soul. Making something from scratch to nourish and delight another person is really a cool thing- a priviledge, almost. It's nearly impossible to cook for someone else without putting love in it. And how lovely is that?

Happy Valentine's Day!