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Recipe for a Good Mood
I've known for a while now that cooking can help move my mood from ill to chill. I wrote this playful piece in response to a prompt for a writing class.
Recipe for a Good Mood
To begin, gather your ingredients, which should be readily found on-hand any given day in your kitchen (wait, maybe that's just me):
Several sources of stress (any variety will do)
A large slab of short temper, trimmed of all visible patience
3-4 sarcastic remarks
A few dashes of irritation
2 fat eye rolls
A pinch of sanity, preferably hanging by a thread
Select a song that you loved when you were 20 and turn up the volume to 10. With a sharp knife, cut problems down to size by creating a uniform dice or julienne. This mise en place will help you move more easily through the preparation to arrive at the final result.
Uncork a bottle of wine, and pour yourself a glass as you preheat the oven. Practice letting go of your steam as the oven comes to temp.
Deconstruct stress, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it transforms into blessings. Count them as you go. For example, piles of laundry = plenty of clothes to wear; deadlines = a well-paid livelihood; a messy playroom = creative kids. For stubborn sources of stress, add more wine.
Gather children, husband, and/or dog and request a hug. Repeat as necessary until your internal temperature reaches desired reading.
Continue mixing music, wine, and happy thoughts until you find something to laugh at. Laugh vigorously, adding tears to taste.
Use perspective to select a platter, garnish with gratitude, and finish with a sprinkle of grace.
Bon appetit!
Oh, I adore to cook. It makes me feel so mindless in a worthwhile way.
- Truman Capote
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