I have been SO busy with handling my Dad's business that it has taken a toll on me. A stress reliever for me has always been to cook. Whether it be smoking, grilling, baking.....anything really to keep my mind off of whatever stress life has thrown my way.
Ever since I first found out about his health declining back late last summer, I have been doing more and more cooking. It started with baking cookies and a myriad of desserts and has lead to making ice cream and then pasta and now back to pizza, with ribs, butts and briskets thrown in along the way.
Yesterday I made up a big pot of marinara and about 15 meatballs as well as about a pound and a half of Bucatini pasta. I froze the pasta last night on a pan and took the meatballs (once cooked) and added them to the marinara and let them have a sleepover in the fridge. I also made a batch of dough to proof on the counter for 18 hours.
Today I made it a mostly "ME" day. I didn't schedule any work for myself and put Dad's business on hold for a bit and took my wife to see the new Avengers movie. We had Tacos for lunch afterward and then came home and spent a few hours handling things, making calls, etc.
When that was done, I fired up the new Ooni Koda for its maiden voyage and cooked a couple of pies as an appetizer. When that was done, I took most of the meatballs and some sauce and froze them, I kept 4 meatballs out with some marinara and got the pasta pot ready and dropped in the Bucatini and warmed up everything in a big pan and served "Family Style" in a big bowl.
It is most likely the most carbs I've eaten in a LONG time but you know what? I don't care. It made me happy and right now, I need all of the happy I can get
