Sun Dried Tomatoes

How do I forget from time to time how wonderful sun dried tomatoes are in ... everything! Today I made meatballs and I am sitting her anticipating the aroma from the oven once the heat starts baking them. Trying to save my back, I used the small food processor to chop the onions (red and yellow), peppers (red, yellow & orange), and aforementioned tomatoes before adding them to the ground sausage and beef. I added in Bragg's seasonings, some mushroom mix (dried mushrooms, sage, red pepper, salt) and lots of fresh ground pepper. I already know they will be delicious.

I've been adding veggies to my meatballs regularly for a couple of years now, loving how juicy and flavorful they become. I was leaning into an Italian flavour profile, so I am thinking roasted tomatoes for my vegetable with dinner. And I'll make fresh garlic dressing for my salad. It's nice to know dinner will be wonderful, full of real food, and satisfying to boot.

Speaking of food, I have been thinking about the Easter menu - the same every year of my life - and I am tempted to change out the ham for a pork shoulder. I need to decide before leaving work tomorrow as the plan is to shop on the way home.  I'm sure I have written many times before on the richness of the perfect Easter bite; ham, coleslaw, and brown bread. Rhiannon is going to make the brown bread as it has become astronomically expensive to order online. I think she is also baking savory rolls with cheese and sage - or was it basil -for our brunch. So yes, I may eat some bread tomorrow. May, not will, and therein lies the problem. I need to draw Bright Lines around Holidays.

So yes, holidays continue to be about food. No, that is wrong. Let us just say that food maintains it's historical place in our holidays. It's fun to have something special to share, and remember those who once shared it with you. I can remember my Grandmothers puttering around in their respective kitchens; Mommer baking pies and Grandmother baking beans. I think of my Mother scoring and adding cloves to a ham, and baking potatoes - au gratin? scalloped? - and wrapping the brown bread in foil to heat in the oven.

So yes, holiday food, and no apologies. But my portions will be different, and there will be no gorging until I feel like passing out. Even the slip ups I have endured this week have not been about stuffing myself, but rather about taming the shrew. It may be the normal amount of stress the whole world is experiencing right now with the Covid-19 Pandemic, and sheltering in place. Or it may be the new Yerba Matte tea I am drinking in the morning that is waking me up at night and propelling me towards the kitchen where I am once again searching about for...something.

It's a little disconcerting. But I know it can take years to come to grips with this addiction, to teach myself about trust and endurance. So I am not beating myself up, and that is new after a lifetime of self recrimination. I can and will work past this. I can and will be kind to myself.

Ahhhhh yes...the wafting of wonderful aromas from the kitchen has just found my bedroom; I had almost forgotten.