Welcome!

As a new Mom I have found the kitchen to be a wonderful and rewarding place, as well as a stressful and often dreaded place.  I love that victorous feeling of making a meal that just makes the whole house smell good, or one which is worthy of not just seconds, but thirds.  I love feeling like I accomplished something - esp. if that something is laced in chocolate, butter or fried goodness (let's be honest, those rank high).  However, as a budding cook that did not inherit the natural cooking gene of my mother, my time in the kitchen has had its trials and tribulations.  Prior to being an at-home mother over a year ago, I worked as a teacher and would get home about 5:30 pm and had lesson plans/papers to grade until bed time.  Dinners meant boxed meals or GASP fast food (I know, I am dissappionted too).  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed cooking but who wants to start a meal at 6 pm.  So, I reserved "real" cooking for the weekends.

So when I decided to be a stay-at-home Mom to my daughter, Samantha, I also decided that I was going to hone my cooking skills and use boxed dinners for emergencies only (well my emergencies can be a sick child or a bad headache - boxes still have their place in this household).  However, I want to be more health conscious and it was a nice way to save money for our family, now that we were minus one paycheck - Taco Bell adds up!  I also wanted to begin those family meals with my daughter that are such a part of my childhood memories. 

So I got to cooking....and cooking...and cooking...

I have to say I am thoroughly enjoying it, but I am still a work in progress.  I do not profess to be a chef or an expert.  I am just a southern girl that loves grits, biscuits, gravy and anything fried - though I try to tame the latter.  I love cooking comfort food (which doesn't always equate BAD FOR YOU - I promise)!  I just think that good food makes you feel good and a good meal pulls a family together. 

Every Sunday I sit down to plan the week of meals, make my grocery list and cut coupons.  Though after 14 months of being a Mama I find that I needed fresh recipes and new ideas.  So I thought, what better resource than other MAMAS!  So, this thought is what brought me here - to "Mama's Recipe Swap."

I want to provide a site where not chefs or experts exchange meals, but Mamas share the comfort food, the quick and easy and the budget friendly recipes that their family loves.  Where people can share the great stuff that they made and get some great ideas as well.  I'll share some of mine (those that are tride and true in my household) and some that have been passed down among my family - to you.  In turn, send me yours.  I will give you credit and would love to post a picture of your creation. 

As Mamas - whether you are a working Mom, a stay at home Mom or a single Mom - we all need to come together and celebrate all that we do - in the kitchen and out of it.  We need to share ideas and recipes so that we don't get sick of the kitchen, yet can get excited about it.  Providing a meal for your family is important and an act of faith and love.  So many of my memories throughout my life are tied to food and mealtime and if you think back, I bet yours are too.  So share those recipes and memories if you choose via the email box on the right hand side of this blog.

If you want to know a little bit more about me, check out my family blog at http://www.dknewbrough.blogspot.com/.  God Bless!