Do any of you bake and cook when you're stressed? I've been up since three and have made

[cynupstateny]

12 loaves of assorted bread, oatmeal raisin cookies, baked beans and golubki. My family thinks I'm weird...I mean unique...but I'm sure I"m not the only one who does this.

 

[zuri]

Gee, no, Cyn! more ...

When stressed, worried or anxious (which is often, LOL!) I lose all interest in food and cooking!!

It has happened a few times recently that stuff during the day upset me. But, goody lil wife that I am, I always cook dinner at night. Every night that I was upset or stressed the food was a near disaster!! I've pointed it out to husband ... Needless to say, he wants me stress free at night, because he loves his dinner, ROFL!!!

 

[vicki-in-tucson]

Oh yes, I've often done that.

It's very therapeutic to take ingredients and make them into a cohesive whole. My husband always enjoys my manic baking phases. smileys/wink.gif

 

[desertjean]

If dh finds goodies first thing in the a.m., it's "What did your mom say this time?" smileys/smile.gif

 

[randi]

I'm with Zuri on this one but I have to add, it depends on what is stressing me. every now and

then, I find a cooking project to be calming but most of the time, if I try to cook, it's just a disaster.

have you ever noticed that if you are stressed or angry and you knead bread, the yeast doesn't like your energy and it won't rise properly? I can't be the only the to experience this?

 

[randi]

PS Cyndy, when is your bake sale? LOL - I hope your less stressed today smileys/smile.gif

 

[cynupstateny]

Much calmer, thanks, and I ALWAYS do bread when I'm stressed and it always comes out

beautiful. Wonder why?

 

[randi]

go figure. I guess life loves a mystery '-)) FYI - my son and DIL arrive late tomorrow night

and I'm in expecting mother overdrive today :-0 I'm getting everything done that needs to be done except cooking. tomorrow I'll be relaxing into it and can prep-cook with eager anticipation and no fear of disasters '-)))

 

[steve2-in-la]

I do it. I'm afraid it has something to do with "regaining control". Sigh. My 2 cents worth.

 

[rvb]

that may be so randi, but kneading dough remains the best way to...

get your hands clean after working on your car's engine.

 

[randi]

so true Rick, so true...... LOL

 

[rvb]

some dh's are definitely worth keeping.

 

[joe]

Absolutely. Pounding bread dough is the best stress reducer I know.

 

[denice]

Chop, chop, chopping is very theraputic for me!

 

[desertjean]

He's a definite keeper smileys/smile.gif

 

[dawn_mo]

I agree. I didn't really think about it, but there is a calmness that comes around me when I am

cooking. It is like another world. After reading this string, I am going to have to start kneading bread. I think I knead it.

 

[randi]

I'm amending my response. I discovered that it depends on the source of the stress.

yesterday I was stressed and it was enviornmental. with son and DIL arriving late tonight I needed to get the house cleaned up so it looks like responsible adults live here. when it's an "outside" source, then the thought of cooking stresses me even more.

once everything was together and I was in the kitchen and joyfully making dinner I realized it soothed me. then I had to think about my response yesterday. if I'm internally stressed, then cooking just takes me to a place of peace. I also realized that it's not stress that yeast reacts to, it's anger it doesn't like. making bread is transcendant when I'm stressed.

and that's my final answer smileys/smile.gif

 

[rvb]

when i'm stressed, i go out for sushi.

 

[gecko]

Depending on where the stress comes from I either...

go crazy making things or I just eat everything in sight.