Our first year of marriage I rarely cooked and if I did cook it was often the same thing over and over again. I blamed a lot of it on me going to school in Moses Lake (we lived in Othello at the time) and then working at the gymnastics center and not getting home until 10-10:30 at night. So how could I cook right? Well, even after Beck was born it did not get much better. I tried every once in a while, but at most maybe once or twice a week there was an actual prepared thought out meal on the table. The rest of the nights it was frozen pizza, a Costco lasagna, or cold sandwiches. As Beck got older I tried to cook a little more. And even after Paisley was born a little bit more. And especially after my friend Bethany started being an awesome cook, or maybe I just never noticed it before, I was able to call her and ask what "lemon zest" was or if I could substitute cheddar for mozzarella in a lasagna because, well, I didn't have any mozzarella and dinner was in like 20 minutes! My sister, Jakobi, taught me about "color" on a plate for my kids to eat better. I never really thought about, I'd plop down chicken nuggets and a vegetable here and there and call it lunch. But she says to me on a visit there once, "aren't u gonna put any color on their plates?" so now I bought the plates that have little sections in them and I put a whole variety of foods and "colors" on their plates. If there's only like 2 things say, yogurt and chicken, Beck is like, "where's all my food?!?" so I must say that I have improved leaps and bounds in what my kids eat, but I still struggle with dinner. I have made many improvements this last 6 months or so. What can I say? I crave the domesticness of it! I have tried many new recipes, granted it has 6 ingredients or less, many of which have stuck to our menu and made it into the rotation. I have started serving dinner earlier, I used to wait until Stephen got home, 7 or 8, sometimes 9, but now I serve it at 6 and I find that Stephen comes home earlier. I can proudly say I am up to 4 meals a week, with a frozen pizza thrown in there and left overs for the other meals. But not this week, sadly, this week was a strep throat week for Korbi, so it was a fend for yourself, peanut butter and jelly kind of week. So the hard part about all this change and trying to be the "dinner is on at 6!" kind of gal is that they don't eat your food. :( it's a wrestle with the kids to try the new baked chicken and ranch recipe, even if it is smothered in cheese... "Take a polite bite" is my new rule, and kids don't leave the table til they've tried it. And poor Stephen is running in the door at 5:50, to make it too a church meeting at 6:00, so he grabs a small slice of chicken off the kids plate, and let's all admit it together; reheated up food is NOT as good as it was right when it came out of the oven! So he's eating his for lunch tomorrow or 3 days from now on left overs night. So seriously? What do all these recipes and nights of torture get me? What I tell ya?!? For one day having piece of mind that you did everything you could to provide a nice family dinner where you pretended to think you all would talk about your day after giving thanks to our Father in Heaven for supplying this food? I guess. I guess I'll take it. That and my cute little recipe box! Heck ya!
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8 comments:
it is so hard to get cambree to eat dinner. i don't even know why. she pretty much refuses. it drives me crazy. so now if she doesn't eat it for dinner she eats it for breakfast the next morning. and if she won't eat it for breakfast she has it for lunch. and she doesn't get anything else all day until that silly plate of dinner is gone. so far it is working. she gobbled her dinner up so fast last night...we'll see if it keeps on working, because i am sick of her not eating things that I KNOW she likes. silly kids.
We are so opposite. Haha. I love baking and cooking dinner and not so much with the craftiness.
I think we need to swap recipes more! That chicken was easy right!? I am at least thankful that my cooking brings the kids to the table to fold their arms if nothing else!
I can relate completely on the gradual shift into the domestic dinner-making sphere! Don't get discouraged though! You can do it!
That was funny!!! heck yeah.
Hey - I have an idea - if you want to add color to the kids' plate then give them Sour Patch Kids or M&M's - can't get more colorful than that - and I bet they would eat them. Haven't tried this recipe yet but I think it sounds good/fun. Maybe I'll try it for superbowl Sunday. Lots of variety
http://www.kitchendaily.com/recipe/quick-cheddar-cheese-fondue-150409
Thought there would be lots more recipes posted on the comment page. I always cook something easy and quick since Terry doesn't get home until 8:30 or so.
Too Funny. Same boat over here. I despise cooking. We fed the missionaries Breakfast for dinner last night. They thought it was funny but didnt seem to mind. About once a week we have pancakes for dinner because there so easy. I have one extremely picky eater so whatever I cook usually has to be modified anyway makeing it even more of a chore. But like you and many other moms, I suffer through the cooking so we can all sit at the table together and have a prayer. It makes it all worth it when McCoy says, "And thank you for our food." (Even if he doesnt eat it) :D
Boy do I like your stories since you ae about the only one to write such interesting happenings. I havent even had time lately to read my blog I guess the truth is I havent taken the time to read my blogs when I am home I fall in my chair and cover with a blanket and rest. What a poor excuse. The kids are doing really good on their writing and drawing. At least at church they have to sit still and try to do their best at their handwork Life is busy here at this house nothing constructive just I am slow and it takes me so long to get anything done that it never looks like I do anything but sit in my chair.
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