I had been in a cooking rut for a little while but things have turned a corner and now I’m jotting down ideas like crazy.

I’m not sure if it’s the change in weather (fall and winter being my favorite time of year) or if I just happened to have come across some inspiring recipes.  Probably a little bit of both.

I had the chance to spend a great deal of time in the kitchen earlier this week and was very thankful to have that moment. Cooking puts me at ease and is a big stress reliever.

I made a dish, the soup pictured above, and it took all day long.  It started off in the slow cooker and finished on the stove.  It was well worth it because it tasted fantastic.

Sometimes cooking a meal can take 30 minutes and sometimes it can take hours.  Either way you end up with something fantastic that you took the time to make.  It is always worth the effort.

Now my shopping lists are full and I’ve got new ideas to try out.  Very excited to get cooking again!

What has you inspired to get in the kitchen and make some delicious meals?