Getting my (cooking) groove back

The biggest difference between 2009 and 2008 for me so far is that for some reason, I am starting to enjoy cooking again. For about a year and a half now I have barely entertained the notion of actually turning my stove on or stocking my fridge with anything other than milk or water or restaurant leftovers. Earlier this week I decided to defrost a rockfish fillet that had been sitting in my freezer for several months without really thinking about how I was going to cook it. On my way home I stopped by Whole Foods and seeing all the colorful vegetables, fresh fish and meat, I was reminded of my recent visit to Barcelona, where the food is so simple yet so freaking delicious. I thought about what makes Spanish cuisine so delicious - fresh ingredients, simple but perfect seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, tomato) and lots of olive oil. And suddenly I decided I was going to make a creamy seafood stew - something between a creamy tomato bisque (one of my more recent food obsessions) and a cioppino. I thought about the flavors I wanted and threw random items into my cart - smoked oysters, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, heavy cream. Came home, started the pot with a glug of olive oil and garlic, added other ingredients in varying orders and 15 minutes later had a delicious, thick, satisfying creamy seafood soup which I poured over whole wheat fettuccini pasta. Mmm, finally something other than raw tofu or cold cereal to fill my stomach (which is what I eat when I am eating alone at home). But more importantly, I realized....cooking was so much fun!! Why haven't I enjoyed it at all all this time? I predict that 2009 will be filled with lots of dinner parties and home-made meals. I may even turn my oven on and attempt baking again (something I have loathed loathed loathed ever since I turned my hobby into a job and it no longer became fun).