Baked Spaghetti

 

Taste Scale 10/10 😋

Cooking Breakdown

1.     This week I made a spaghetti casserole. This has been my easiest dish so far, and one of the best. I followed the recipe, but I added my own twist. I took inspiration from fideos, a Hispanic dish where thin noodles are fried in tomato sauce and different spices. After I baked the casserole, I found it wasn't very crunchy, rather the consistency was like regular, hot spaghetti. So, give a more casserole like consistency, I refried the bake in the pan, it little chunks, to have a crunchy flavor. In short, it ended up being delicious!

Prompt Responses

2.     I find that meal prepping allows only facilitates my sense of occupational well-being. Doble and Caron Smith (2008) identify seven occupational needs that are critical to occupational well-being. Often times I have a sense of accomplishment when I am cooking. I feel that I am well on my way towards mastery of a skill that I have wanted to become proficient in for a while. These blogs, allow me to reflect and post mini milestones about my achievements. Participation in meal preparation has been cohesive with my desire to further develop my identity as a functional, fully independent  student. By posting these blogs, I also receive affirmation from the comments posted each week. Everyone has been very supportive and complimentary which is helpful to have motivation to continue. Overall, I have really enjoyed cooking. Its become something I look forward to, because I am able to put on music or listen to book and check out for an hour or two each weekend. The only times I find that my occupational well being fluctuating is when I have spent too long making a dish or if it doesn't turn out very well. 

3.     In the article by Hasselkus and Murray (2007), caregivers often have to adapt or take on new occupations in order to retain their own sense of identify, and/or their connection with the care receiver. Since the caregiver's occupational biography is disrupted, in order to maintain well being, occupational engagement in new activities is necessary.  New occupations allow for their identify to be reshaped to fit their life as it is now. Successfully engagement in new occupations allows for their occupational well-being to be restored.

References

Doble, S. E., & Caron Smith, J. (2008). Occupational well-being: Rethinking occupational therapy outcomes. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 75(3). 

Hasselkus, B. R., & Murray, B. J. (2007). Everyday occupation, well-being, and identity: The experience of caregivers in families with dementia. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61, 9–20.

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