H o s p i t a l i t y

After almost a year of marriage I have discovered two certain arts that I never thought that an introvert like me would ever have, but they certainly go hand in hand. Cooking and hospitality. Growing up I hated cooking. I never had the time and patience for it and well...I didn't really have the best of instructors either. However, after I got married, I knew I was going to get over my despair of cooking or else my husband and I were going to starve.

I started with simple recipes such as pasta (primarily tortellini in pesto sauce, a favorite) and simple chicken meals with some form of rice-a-roni. I had gotten several cookbooks at my bridal shower and my mom gave me her collection of Quick Cooking magazines. I started paging through them and found recipes that were simple and basic enough for me to understand. One of my first cooking ventures had me putting vanilla flavored Greek yogurt in a chicken stroganoff, but afterwards I got better.

Overtime, I began to enjoy the cooking process and started printing recipes offline. I ended printing so many I eventually created my own cookbook.

I've been absolutely amazed at how much I've learned to love cooking and baking. I'm not at the point where I'm cooking the full Thanksgiving meal, but I've definitely come a long way. Here are some of my favorite recipes. The pictures are from my cookbook:

While I haven't put anything into the Tea catagory, I have managed to host two successful tea parties. One for Valentine's Day and a Spring one last week. They were so much fun, and I loved all the planning and baking that went into them. If you've never hosted a tea party, I highly suggest it. It doesn't have to be grand or entirely by the rules, it's the fun and friendship that makes it worthwhile.

Thankfully it says Afternoon tea and not High tea!!

For clarification, Afternoon tea is the elegant grand tea with the finger foods and teacups.

High tea was the servant's teatime that was served with a hearty meal of soup and vegetables. 

If you're having a tea party, for the love of all that's holy, please get those tea events correct.

While my party set ups haven't been near that elegant, they give good inspiration!

Between learning how to cook and bake and hosting tea parties, I have found an unexpected love for hospitality. An art form that has been dying out for years. I've found so much happiness and enjoyment in opening up my home and cooking for others. Hospitality is a beautiful gift that can never be overrated and overlooked.