Life in a Box

Yesterday, I made my first, homemade, without a recipe cake. Since moving to Egypt, I've learned to be a bit more resourceful in the kitchen.

Instead of stirring pancake mix and water, I mix flour, baking powder, eggs, milk, and some water.
Instead of mixing a box of pudding mix with milk, I mix flour, eggs, milk, and whatever else enhances the flavor.

I can buy just about anything conveniently packaged with "Just add Water" bodly printed across the top. And if I'm lucky, I save 50% with my Safeway card! Pancakes, bread, pudding, cake, cookies, waffles, crusts, etc. The list goes on. Everything comes in a box!

Sometimes, I feel like I'm strolling down the aisle of life looking for the "pre-packaged-just-add-water" boxes of education, entertainment, family, friends, church, (God?).... Life isn't ever handed to us in a box. I can't make a good custard out of cake mix, or pancakes out of cookie dough, or pudding out of pancake mix; yet, all of these require the same basic ingredients!

I'm not sure where I'm going with this.....I was just thinking and typing...and eating a piece of cake made at home and without a recipe! Recipes are good for obvious reasons....but improvising is like living in a foreign country -- eventually you feel more at home, but only if you get out and get to know where you're living! Improvising is becoming easier.....and tastier!