Onions and Garlic

It's amazing how much can change over the course of a couple of years. I'll explain.

Two years ago I hated to cook. I hated the mess, I hated the clean-up and I wasn't very good at it. Well, I was passable, and certainly better at it than some people I could name. I wasn't as good as I am now.
Two years ago I could make a limited repertoire of dishes and I was hesitant to try new ingredients and flavors. However, budget dictated that I learn to make the things I love to eat because we couldn't really afford to go out for them all the time. So I started expanding.
I learned to make stir fry, braises, stews, roasts, curry, seafood, and steak. I learned to use all the different pans in my kitchen, and I learned the uses for all the many kitchen gadgets out there. (I still need some more of those. I'm addicted to kitchen stuff!)
Of course I'm still learning. There are things I'm afraid to do, like pastry. But I'm working on it. I made an absolutely incredible cake for my mom's birthday. It was outstanding. But I had ideas for how I could make it even better and I actually want to try! If I want something specific for dinner I find a recipe and go to work. I am not intimidated by my kitchen anymore.
So this morning when I went in there to prep chili for the crock pot and one of the first things I had to do was chop onion and garlic and then cook until fragrant, I not only felt comfortable, I felt happy. Onion and garlic cooking is one of my favorite smells. I enjoyed what I was doing and I am looking forward to eating it for dinner later after it has cooked for 7 hours and gotten even more delicious.
I love sharing what I'm cooking, and I love cooking for other people. I love watching cooking shows to get ideas and learn new techniques. I am slowly becoming a "foodie." But no matter how good I get and how fancy the food gets, I will always love the humble smell of onions and garlic cooking. It is the base on which all my other skills have been built. So many thanks to onion and garlic for all they have done for me and my family. You are forever appreciated!