The Return of Creativity

 Thoughts of dinner hounded me all day.  I needed to cook, wanted to try my hand at a risotto, but lacked a crucial ingredient.  Not wanting to drag my quarrelling children to a store, I fussed and picked over what to make for dinner.  Eventually, I came up with an idea and then, sullenly began to chop and peel my vegetables.  I didn't want to cook.

 But as I peeled, scooped and chopped, a strange thing happened.  First, my idea modified itself, becoming instead of a bacon and root vegetable combo(somehow...I hadn't quite figured that part out), I reheated leftover meatloaf and roasted parsnips, carrots, onions and butternut squash with butter, salt and pepper.  I had an idea for salad, but before I could get there, my daughter peeled a shallot and then decided to pursue an experiment of her own.  The simple dinner was delicious though my fickle boys had to be bribed to eat the veggies with the meatloaf they had previously shunned.

 But even better than this simple delicious supper, my creativity returned.  As I prepared, recipes both old and new popped into my head,  begging to be tried. Which to make first? I cannot decide between borscht, stuffed squash, fried cabbage and bacon(amazing, but must be eaten at the first sitting as the leftovers are gross), parsnip and carrot soup, beet and pear salad, the list continues.  Suddenly the contents of my fridge have ceased to be boring.  Now they beg to be made into soups, stews, savoury dishes.  I'm thankful for a yummy supper and a full fridge, but I'm even more thankful for the return of my cooking creativity.