Ok…admit it.  Just for a minute you thought I was talking about Rachel Ray!  Actually I got a note today from a distributor today that made me smile and realize Homemade Gourmet has stories like this all over the country.  I thought I would share it with you and see if you have similar stories to share!  So here’s Rachel! 

Hi, Tami—

I wanted to share with you what a Homemade Gourmet day I’ve had!

It’s a chilly, rainy day here, so we started it with a fresh, warm loaf of Homemade Gourmet Banana Bread. (It’s now 8:15 PM and there’s one thin slice left…)

My team member, Aleen Edge, came over today to go over details for an exposure event we’re doing together. She stayed for lunch. We had just been looking at the new Four-Salad Sampler and the Backyard Burger Bundle, so I said, “How about some chicken salad? Let’s whip up one of these new ones!” We made the Tropical Chicken Salad, and I had everything I needed for it in the fridge. (We cheated a little—you’re supposed to let the dressing chill in the fridge for an hour, but we used it right away.) It was yummy. I’m sure it will be even better tomorrow. 

 After lunch, I got a call from a potential new distributor and from a new customer. The customer wanted 3 Fajita Rubs. When I told her they were going away, she said, “Better make that 10!” So the day just kept getting better. 

 When my husband got home, he asked what was for dinner. I had intended to pull a meal from the freezer and put it in the slow cooker this morning, but I forgot. So I had to “punt.” I looked in the fridge. There was a container of leftover taco meat, but I didn’t have the other fixings for tacos. Then I saw a tube of refrigerated dinner rolls and a bag of shredded cheddar cheese. And I had dinner. I vaguely remembered seeing a recipe once where you flatten the dinner rolls, put them in muffin tins, and fill them with meat. So that’s what I did with the taco meat, and I topped them with cheese. While they baked, I prepared veggies and fresh fruit, and in 15 minutes, we had a great dinner. 

 During dinner, Sam, my 5-year-old son, said, “Mama, you make really good dinners. They’re the best in the world.” Calista, my 8-year-old daughter, chimed in, “Your dinners are the best in the galaxy!”

You might be thinking, “Well, that’s sweet.” But here’s what makes it all great: Four years ago, I wouldn’t have had a meal in my freezer to pull out and pop in the slow cooker. (In fact, four years ago, I only used my slow cooker in the winter to make chili.) Four years ago, I would have looked at the pantry when my husband came home from work and felt like a complete failure because I didn’t have any idea what to make. Four years ago, defeated, I would have suggested we order a pizza or go out. Four years ago, I could follow a recipe if presented with one, but I never would have looked in my refrigerator, picked out a couple of unrelated items, and created a meal out of them in 15 minutes. Four years ago, I would have been stressed and dinner wouldn’t have been fun for anyone. 

 Today, Homemade Gourmet helped me feed my family great food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Today, Homemade Gourmet helped me make an income. And most important, today, Homemade Gourmet gave my family a relaxed and confident mom. 

God bless you, Tami! 

 Rachel Hoyer