Kitchen Ritual and a fave new recipe

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. ~

Harriet Van Horne

Our kitchen is my favorite room in the house partially because it is the only room that we had completely renovated and truly made our own but largely because of all the memories it has so gracefully housed. Although it is a small space, I love that it is cozy and welcoming and just feels like us. This glorious little room has been the work space for two Thanksgiving dinners now where the kitchen overflowed with people chopping and stirring where lots of bumping into each other occurred and many excuse me's and oh how does this taste? ensued. Where mimosas were sipped, wet hands were wiped on aprons and the meal slowly grew. Man..I just love the holidays. Our sweet little kitchen has also housed many impromptu gatherings where too much wine is consumed, laughter abounds and the space eventually turns into our own private dance floor.

And on a really good day the kitchen is left looking just like this...

Where the counter tops glisten, the candle flickers and the toaster makes it way into its little hiding spot because lord knows that toasters on kitchen counter tops although practical.. are not too pretty.

It's in this space where I choose to hunker down each evening and begin my newfound cooking ritual. Candles are lit and the room is infused with the smell of Voluspa's Santiago Huckleberry. Music is turned up..preferably a little Buble or Ingrid Michaelson. Chilled wine is poured into my favorite stemless glass and my little ruffly apron is tied around my waist. Oh my glorious apron. I am so in love with it. If a little ruffly apron doesn't get you cooking I don't know what will.

Apron Found here.

I chop and stir and take in the smells and sometimes even take musical breaks where I sing into my wooden spoon. Yes..this is true..but only my little doggy is there to judge me. :) It's truly therapeutic and one of my favorite parts of the day.

And since you so graciously just read all of my my ramblings and because I can't seem to stop beginning a sentence with and...

Here is a new favorite recipe. I found this one in Country Living magazine. The hubby loved it.

A little hint: I added more lemon juice than the recipe called for. I though it could use more. Oh and yes..those are stains on the recipe from when I made it the other day. I simply scanned in my stained and crinkled recipe that I tore from my magazine. :)