contentment is a stomach full of tasty food

As most of you well know, my life revolves around food. Buying food, finding recipes for food, cooking food and most importantly, eating food. I do indeed find great enjoyment of a meal well-cooked or a delicious meal digesting in my not-skinny belly. It doesn't bother me at all to spend hours creating one meal.

Over the weekend, my sister picked up a new book for me about herbs and the book also includes some recipes that feature herbs. While leafing though the book I was intrigued by a recipe for rosemary bread. Intrigued enough that I had to try it basically right that minute. Now, I have not made bread too many times and the results haven't been that good but I know that it's something you have to practice and mess up a few times before you really get the hang of it. Still not sure if I have got the hang of it but luckily, this recipe is tasty enough to make up for my lack of knowledge. Nice, crusty outside. Soft in the middle and with plenty of taste besides. I ate about half a loaf in one sitting and that's along with a steaming bowl of potato and leek soup. Homemade of course :-) This success in the kitchen spurs me into attempting to make more breads in the future. It's not something that I'll do every day but perhaps once a week.

I really delight in the idea that I am eating something that I know exactly what the ingredients are. I have no idea what many of the ingredients are in the prepared foods that fill the supermarket and I'm pretty sure that even science majors would have a tough time knowing them all. So many weird chemicals and preservatives all designed to make you believe that you're eating beef when actually, you're eating leftover chicken bits. I'd much rather take the time to make something from scratch than eat that crap.

Of course, eating fresh is a bit more expensive than eating boxed foods. Meal planning will be more difficult now that I've imposed a $50 a week budget for myself. This includes everything and I know that it will be difficult. I get my allowance every Friday. It's Tuesday and I have $4.37 to last me 2.5 more days. Do you think that I can make it and continue to limit myself in this way? Opinions would be much appreciated.