Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Gifts From the Heart

Our second holiday of 2016 is right around the corner, and the bottles of wine, champagne and sparkling juice are walking off the store shelves at a quick pace. Hearts, red candy bags, cupids, chocolates and perfume sales are not far behind in the race.

These are the norm in gift choices, but what about setting aside the "choice" gifts and giving a gift from the heart? One of my loves is cooking. A nice dinner and good conversation beats a box of chocolates for me any day. Cooking doesn't require a finesse of a chef when it is from the heart. I remember when I was growing up as a little girl, how those dishes that Mama called "thrown together" were some of the best meals to me. Why? Because of the love put into it. It was not just about getting kudos on her culinary skills, but it was about the point of her cooking - that she would do whatever she had to do to make sure we were fed, full, and nourished.

These types of meals are the ones that win hearts even on a holiday like Valentine's Day. Cook something that shows your significant other that you love them enough to give them your best. Put in a dash of understanding, a sprinkle of patience, a cup of hugs, fourth-cup of thank yous, a half cup of chivalry, a cup of laughter, and a cup of love. You will be surprised at how your meal turns out when you think on these things while you're cooking that special Valentine's Day meal.

So, don't stress about having the "perfect" meal of steak, potato, salad and fancy-schmancy dessert. Just put some plain ole love in what you cook, for it's the best gift that comes from the best place - your heart.

(Look out for next week's blog post on an easy-peasy Valentine's Day recipe)

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