Numbers 15,3

Numbers 15-3

An offering made by fire for a sweet savor unto the Lord.  

In 2006 I found myself alone a relationship. I was in blew up (and it was my fault). In my first apartment after the blowup, I realized I could not cook. It was getting expensive eating out every day. Then I discovered the food network. I will admit I had a MAD CRUSH on Nigella Lawson. I started watching “good eats,” and I learned how to boil eggs successfully without having them fall apart on me, how to have the shells melt away with a perfectly smooth surface.  I learned how to make spaghetti sauce from scratch. I had never bought Ragu except when I was in a mad hurry.

I always keep the ingredients on hand for homemade spaghetti sauce just in case I must whip up something at the last minute.  Next, I learned how to make homemade alfredo sauce. Now, this sauce was used as my closer on a couple of dates and has never failed. This recipe is not suitable for the vascular system with butter heavy cream parmesan cheese and garlic being the primary ingredients. I experimented with chicken, shrimp, and pork as secondary ingredients. I was finding that my confidence was growing over time, and I was able to make dishes that were incrementally more complex. Bringing a pot of bouillabaisse to a church potluck was just plain fun. The word was getting out first with the congregation, then to a few notable persons of the opposite gender that wanted to see if I really could deliver in the kitchen.  I tackled chicken, and the failures were impressive. Thank goodness I was the one eating it, as it was not my finest hour.

I eventually got the hang of it and added chicken to my repertoire. Cooking Pork was easy for me. The most fun I had was experimenting with pork ribs.  I stole (I mean adapted) a recipe from the show “good eats” Who love’s your baby backs I adopted the recipe as my go-to BBQ staple. They are known to my family as Papi’s ribs. For the longest time, I hesitated with steak so many times I messed it up having it much too rare or too well done I was looking for a balance, and in time I found that balance, but it took a lot of trial and error. I tried my hand at baking, I won’t say my peach cobbler was in the same universe as my Grandmothers, but my family enjoyed it immensely now my apple pie was off the hook. I enjoy cooking for my family, and they seem to like it as well now the things that I struggle with is cooking rice. I suck at it.

However, there are technological crutches that will cover a multitude of sins.  The latest addition to my kitchen arsenal is a pellet smoker I enjoy that mechanical marvel every time. I have been away from my family since April. I have retired from civil service and now are approaching a new career in the private sector. New adventures new possibilities. I heard about the wonders of curry, and I cannot wait to dip my spatula in the unique flavors and experiences that await. About Numbers 15,3 every time I pass a mom and pop BBQ spot, and I smell the aromas coming from that smoker I think of that verse every time.