http://www.bakersfieldlife.com/home/Blog/Chris/21398 Those that know me will tell you that I have tried every diet known to man. It’s not that I am horribly overweight, but as many Americans I would like to drop a few pounds. Yes, I have a gym membership that I pay on every month and never use. Yes, I have the right fruits and vegetables at home that I don’t eat. And yes, I have a drawer full of matabo-this and matabo-that, none that have worked. I know what I need to do and it all comes down to self-discipline.     That is why this latest food issue has been such a problem for me. See, I work very closely with the Dining Divas. Wherever they go, I go (someone has to pay for their meal, right?)  This month, we did things a bit different. The Divas actually cooked, and boy can they cook. I had just started my 1800-calorie diet and I went to Tracy’s house for the meal. The warm aroma of crab and Mac and cheese met me at the door. I know this was the first day of another failed attempt to diet.     A few clicks up on the homepage of Bakersfield Life will lead you to all the recipes from that night. I am confident that you are going to enjoy all of these.     Next, we met with local chefs that cook gourmet for a living. Just looking at the pictures of their creations will add on the pounds.     We went to restaurants that have outdoor dining areas and enjoyed lunch and that didn’t help either. What a time to diet.     We did find a great new trend that is helping families get back to the dinner table. Our family story this issue will show you how to make seven dinners for your family in two hours. This is an exciting story. Get this, you can take your family to these businesses and make your dinners, take them home, freeze them and cook them when you are ready. The best part is they are delicious.     I hope you enjoy our food issue; we worked hard to bring you great recipes, information and photos. It is truly one of the issues that we enjoyed pulling together.     Don’t forget to let us know what you think. You can e-mail me direct at cthompson@bakersfield.com.       Chris Thompson Managing Editor Bakersfield Life magazine “Bakersfield’s Premier City Magazine” 661-395-7492 cthompson@bakersfield.com Those that know me will tell you that I have tried every diet known to man. It’s not that I am horribly overweight, but as many Americans I would like to drop a few pounds. Yes, I have a gym membership that I pay on every month and never use. Yes, I have the right fruits and vegetables at home that I don’t eat. And yes, I have a drawer full of matabo-this and matabo-that, none that have worked. I know what I need to do and it all comes down to self-discipline.     That is why this latest food issue has been such a problem for me. See, I work very closely with the Dining Divas. Wherever they go, I go (someone has to pay for their meal, right?)  This month, we did things a bit different. The Divas actually cooked, and boy can they cook. I had just started my 1800-calorie diet and I went to Tracy’s house for the meal. The warm aroma of crab and Mac and cheese met me at the door. I know this was the first day of another failed attempt to diet.     A few clicks up on the homepage of Bakersfield Life will lead you to all the recipes from that night. I am confident that you are going to enjoy all of these.     Next, we met with local chefs that cook gourmet for a living. Just looking at the pictures of their creations will add on the pounds.     We went to restaurants that have outdoor dining areas and enjoyed lunch and that didn’t help either. What a time to diet.     We did find a great new trend that is helping families get back to the dinner table. Our family story this issue will show you how to make seven dinners for your family in two hours. This is an exciting story. Get this, you can take your family to these businesses and make your dinners, take them home, freeze them and cook them when you are ready. The best part is they are delicious.     I hope you enjoy our food issue; we worked hard to bring you great recipes, information and photos. It is truly one of the issues that we enjoyed pulling together.     Don’t forget to let us know what you think. You can e-mail me direct at cthompson@bakersfield.com.       Chris Thompson Managing Editor Bakersfield Life magazine “Bakersfield’s Premier City Magazine” 661-395-7492 cthompson@bakersfield.com en-us