The Three R's…Reading, Recipes, and Romance

Many years ago, when my husband and I were first married, I cooked and made practically everything from scratch. I did this for several reasons:

1. It was cheaper.
2. That’s how my momma taught me.
3. We didn’t have all the prepared things then that we do today.
4. It just plain tasted better!

I’ll always remember one of the first meals I made in our new, little abode–Cornish hens (inexpensive then) with homemade dressing, complete with candlelight (compliments of a dollar store I’m sure), and mini chocolate pies for dessert.

You would have thought I’d handed my sweetie the moon!

“Dear, where’d you learn to cook like this?!” he exclaimed, his eyes as round as saucers and his appreciation evident. 

His words and his demeanor made me glow inside.

“It’s a gift,” I said happily.

Sometimes, I would pour over my old cookbooks and create new menus from week to week.  Occasionally, I’d post the menus on the fridge, or often, I’d just surprise my husband with some new creation. He was always complimentary about everything I made, and as we grew in our marriage, he would gently (but always politely) convey his favorite meals and recipes.

I’m sure I had a couple of flops. Hubby was kind about that, too. Truly. Though, to this day, I’ll never understand how he stomached things like tuna casserole (at least one night a week–after all, it WAS cheap) and a watery, underbaked egg casserole that took awhile to perfect.

You know, when you’re young and in love, eating beans and hot dogs on Corelle can almost seem like you’re putting on the Ritz. Ordinary fare becomes tantalizing to the palate. Colorful tapered candles can even add a little pizzaz (not to mention romance) to an otherwise dull table. I learned things like that early–all without the benefit of the cooking shows that grace our televisions now on a daily basis.

Besides studying cookbooks and trying new recipes, I’ve always been a voracious reader. Mysteries, biographies, some suspense, poetry, history, literary works, and of course, Christian fiction and faith-based romance are favorite reads. (It should go without saying, but it’s imperative to read the genre you write in.) Part of honing one’s craft includes not only studying the mechanics of your preferred area, but reading (and enjoying it!) as well!

Reading relaxes. It teaches. It inspires. It drives us to want more, do more, be more.

Reading is a pleasant diversion from the humdrum of monotony, but it is also an exercise of the mind. We find ourselves creating our own scenarios when we read about the predicaments of favorite characters. We want to change circumstances when outcomes fall short of our expectations. In other words, we increase our own potential as we read the words of others!

It saddens me when I hear children (and even adults) proudly proclaim, “Oh, I CAN’T stand reading!”) How tragic that these individuals will never know the joy of a good book! Not to mention, the rewards that come from the art of reading.

In today’s tight economy, a little creativity and a tiny bit of drive can take you a long way. And a special meal, a great book, and some quiet time with your beloved kick-starts the evening nicely.

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What’s your recipe for romance?