...until it smells right.

Here are a few items I could add to each recipe post, so I'll just put them here and you may refer to them as needed.

• I make up words--verbs, descriptors, you name it. I'm neither a professional nor a purist; I'm just fortunate enough to have the skills I need to create the recipes I see/taste in my head. Translating what I do into words isn't exactly intuitive always. If you can't tell what the schnikes I'm talking about, you're probably not alone! Ask me and I'll try to clarify. Also, I often adapt several recipes into one and I'll give credit where it's due.
  
• Keep things as green as possible. I'm not going to list that every ingredient be locally grown, organic, free range, pesticide and hormone free, etc., but this can certainly be implied. These modes are healthier (for all considered) and cumulatively can make a difference in this world we share. Keep it real. Do what you can; something is better than nothing.
  
• "Or so." Mentally add this after each ingredient amount. Again, translating what looks right or smells right (my primary methodology) into words and amounts is a challenge! These dishes are more a process than a static event. Yesterday I needed this much basil, today I need more. Or so.
• Enjoy. Seriously. Food is sustenance, certainly; it's also an opportunity for time to yourself while you make it and time for others while you share it. Dare I say 'balance'? Make it your personal koan, your meditation, your creative outlet if you need one. Enjoy the process. Cooking with others--friends, lovers, your mother and grandmother, children, whomever--can be a bonding experience too. Not overrated. Consciously setting aside a little time to prepare something "real" sends a positive message to yourself and those you feed.
  

I'll also start trying to add pictures here and there. How food looks is (almost) as big a deal to me as how it tastes and the health quotient. If it doesn't look good or taste good, who's going to eat it, right?! Also, these dishes tend to score pretty well on the kid-friendly meter which is a large consideration in my kitchen.

Okay, that's enough of what my son E would call the "lip flapping." Less flapping, more cooking!