“Pamela Cooks” started as a way for me to have a central place to share my recipes with family and friends. People often asked for a copy of one of my recipes, so I thought this might be a great way to share them with everyone. It also ensures that our favorite recipes are around in the family for years to come, and not just in my head or in my cooking journals! These recipes are not what we eat everyday, but rather the special ones that are memorable and we make again and again for us or for guests, when we want something special. Believe me, there are many a day at home that we just have plain grilled meat and a vegetable!
I developed a love for cooking years ago, oddly when I had a very demanding job in healthcare administration. I loved my work, and worked far more than a typical 40-hour week. Because I am an over-achiever and highly driven, when I got home I found it hard to stop working. I would come home, eat, and get on my computer and work into the evening. I increasingly found it hard to calm down my “work-brain” when I got home. I have the most wonderful husband, who is a physician, and two incredible stepsons, who I felt like I was not able to give all of myself to when I came home from work. So I discovered that taking the time to create a great meal after work accomplished several things for me. It gave me time to pour a glass of wine, refocus my brain to something other than work, gave me some time to myself in the kitchen to unwind, and allowed me to create interesting and complex gourmet meals for my family to enjoy. The kids were introduced to many foods that they never would have been otherwise, and in doing so have developed an appreciation and knowledge of varieties of foods. I got a chance to unwind and remind myself that there are more important things than work. My husband got to enjoy great food and we got to take many food journeys together, trying new recipes, and planning menus for guests and family.
While I have since retired early from my healthcare administration role, I have continued with my love of cooking and creating meals for my family and for our friends. In these posts you will find recipes that bring together my childhood of growing up in New Brunswick, Canada, living in both middle and western Canada for a few years, and then living more than 20 years here in North Carolina, in the Southern United States. I have also been inspired by my bonus mother who is a fabulous cook, as well as various friends who have shared recipes with me, bringing their insights, experiences and backgrounds into my recipes. My hope is that my family and friends will make these recipes for years to come, and will enjoy life to the fullest!
All the best,
Pam