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Feeling like you are 'back' is a wonderful thing.  The past weekend was jam-packed and I loved it, except for the fact that I could barely get out of bed Monday morning from being tired.   

Saturday started a bit late due to my Mom spending the night with us Friday night as she was en route to my sisters place.  After spending the morning grocery shopping, walking the dogs and squeezing in a six mile run, it was time to hit the road for a family holiday get together.  When we got home around 10 PM, I had to get started on my tasks for the big cooking day on Sunday.  I didn't have it in me to do a bunch of chopping so I mixed together the bread dough and called it a night. 

Sunday morning started with a 13 mile run.  This has been my longest run in well over a month and it was absolutely wonderful.  I wanted to do around 13 but wasn't completely sure about the old left foot and figured I'd start out with 8 and see how it felt.  In my normal fashion, about 8 miles in is when I started feeling really good and in the groove.  I arrived home on a complete runner's high and ready to tackle a bunch of cooking.  It also had me feeling like I'm back.  The past few weeks as I've eased back into running I have been slow, really, really slow.  I finally feel like I'm getting back to where I was.   

The once a month cooking thing is no joke.  I started at 10 AM and went non-stop until 6 PM.  I even skipped one recipe (bacon mac 'n cheese) because I was just plain exhausted by the end but completed almost the full November whole foods menu.  I had mixers, blenders and pretty much every pot in the house in full rotation all day long.  There was stuff going in slow cookers, the oven, multiple burners on the stove top, every chopping board and knife I could find.  It was crazy...but I think worth it. 

Here's what a freezer looks like after you do this kind of thing.  I can't cram one more single thing in there (sorry for the terrible picture - our kitchen island makes it difficult to get a freezer picture).  

 The results:
-3 loaves artisan bread (very good - already tried it)
-2 blueberry breakfast bakes (very good - one already gone)
-2 containers butternut squash soup (good - tested it for seasoning)
-2 containers chicken parmesan (having for dinner tonight)
-2 containers tahoe bake (basically a strata)
-2 containers burlattas (basically burritos - filling very good, I had extra and ate for lunch yesterday.  I wussed out and used store bought tortillas, didn't have it in me to make my own).
-2 containers pumpkin risotto (not real great but edible)
-2 containers beef bourguignan (don't know, didn't taste)
-1 large recipe worth of french dip sandwiches mixture that I just need to dump in the slow cooker one day
-2 packs of lemon poppyseed pancakes (husband approved - indicated they were very good).
-1 large pan of cranberry chicken and sweet potatoes (don't know yet - frozen in raw form)
-2 very large tomato basil paninis (fresh was good, one is gone already - I really don't think this is going to freeze well, but will see).