The other day while sitting in the park after school, I spoke with a friend about how I don’t really enjoy cooking unless it’s for enjoyment. (Is that strange to say?) I went on a tangent of sorts, counting how many times I actually cooked…one. No, two days. Okay, if you count Sunday’s, three. In that moment, I realized two things: I wasn’t giving myself credit for how often I cook. And two, there are a good chunk of days in the week when I find cooking worth it and joyful. Soon after the conversation, I I thought about the other days of the week when the kiddos are fed by other caregivers. Home cooked meals, albeit simple, remain on rotation. And my exceptional (if I may add) grocery shopping is partly to thank. 

When we arrived home from the park, we noticed that it wasn’t even six and the sun was already setting. I lit candles and a box of groceries from Eataly arrived. Dinner, made easy. It was a special treat in general, but given my recent conversation, it became even more of a sign of what I love about food. Soon after, when I moved the lit candle to the center of the table, poured a glass of wine, and got all of those fall dinner feelings that I often get this time of year.