I'm not a foodie...I just play one on the Internet

I don't even play one on the Internet. I just like food a lot. Therefore, I think it's time to to talk about this favorite subject. But before we get too deep into this post, let me be clear. I don't consider myself a "foodie". Well, I do. But not in the way people use the term "foodie". There are several definitions of "foodie" in the Interweb. Some definitions are simple and straight to the point. Then there are the humorous definitions. Whenever I think "foodie", I think of definition #2 on that last link.

If I were to visualize the spectrum of people on the "foodie" scale, it would look something like this:

Level 1 - "Eat to Survive": People who eat to satisfy simple human needs. Note - I didn't say eat to "live" cause this ain't living people, it's existing. It's consuming vast amounts of inexpensive, processed and fast foods. For some, their means only allow this. Although I feel that people can eat fresh food that is good for them while on a budget, this post is not about that.

Level 11 - "Foodie": People who regularly execute recipes from Bon Appetite that contain 87 ingredients that can only be purchased at Whole Foods. Ingredients that will be used once. So unless you are going to make this recipe to serve 25 people, or will make it 20 times in the next month, those ingredients will never be used again. It's ok to venture into the extreme "foodie" realm from time to time and it's ok to have the super-sized value meal from your favorite fast food joint. But if your kitchen looks like a Sur la Table catalog and all you do is buy from farmers markets and turn your nose up and some good old comfort food, then you unfortunately, are a d-bag. Don't be a d-bag. We can't be friends.

I think of myself in the 7-9 range. There are processed foods in my pantry. Gasp. But my go-to foods spoil quickly so running to the grocery store for fresh foods twice a week is the norm.

This brings me to my most recent cooking baking cooking a sweet dish adventure. I don't consider myself a baker -- I'd make a good contestant on Top Chef, since the bulk of contestants can't bake. ANYWAYS. It's not really that big of an adventure. I just followed a recipe. But I can follow a recipe like a CHAMP!

So I'm on one of my "I-need-to-find-new-recipes-that-are-healthy-and-wholesome-or-I-will-go-crazy" jags. It's no secret that I troll Pinterest for inspiration. A beautifully composed picture of dish as basic as baked lemon chicken will reel me in every time. This Blueberry Baked Oatmeal is no exception. I love oatmeal and have been trying to find different ways to enjoy that don't include dumping it from a paper pouch or packaging five different ingredients to shlep to the office for my morning brekky. "Make it Sunday Monday night and have breakfast all through the week." Right on...I'm all over that. And this was the result.

Isn't that gorgeous?

Excuse me while I go fan myself. It's that good--not too sweet, not too thick or too thin---it was just right...commented Goldie Locks. I had my official taste-tester sample the end product and I received an approving nod. There are no fancy ingredients -- no steel cut oats or locally-sourced, organic blueberries picked-by-former-convicted-felons-trying-to-get-a-second-chance-at-a-better life (they were frozen--the blueberries--not the felons). In fact, the syrup I used has a lot of sugar in it. Gasp! Ok, I went overboard. I really should have used a reduced sugar syrup.

I'm no "foodie". I get really excited over good food. That makes me a food enthusiast.