What's for Supper?
"What's for supper?" my children ask me. At 7:00 in the morning. As they are munching their breakfasts.
Okay, #1, why are you asking me about something that won't happen for another 12 hours?, and #2, and this is really more to the point, Didn't I just make supper last night? Like, oh my gosh, 12 hours ago?!?!? It's like we're on some kind of repetitive cycle here.
I don't mind cooking. In fact, I usually look forward to trying out a new dish. My coworkers and I are often exchanging recipes, so don't think I have this spotless kitchen because I never cook.* But I do grow weary** planning so many meals each week. It's Sunday afternoon, I'm thinking that a nap might be in order, and then I realize that tomorrow, Monday, I must needs to do a big shop. But what to shop for? I need a list! And how can one write out a proper list if there is no plan? And, so, a plan must be made. What's for supper? WHAT'S FOR SUPPER, INDEED?
So, guess who came to my rescue this summer? You'll never guess, so I'm just going to tell you.
The Boy Scouts! Yes! Quite!
Now, you know the laments I've lamented over the Boy Scouts; I could write my own Scout Handbook of Lamentations. But last May the Scout Master suggested that the boys start cooking over the summer, "Even if it's just scrambled eggs and a fruit cup. But let them plan it, shop for it, make it." Umm, so, I'm not really looking for scrambled eggs for supper - that's what Husband I will eat when the boys have flown the nest, but with a few tweaks, I'm completely inspired!
Friday night, I'm chilling with an English 75 cocktail when I tell the boys, "Hey, something new. This week, you are each going to cook a meal. So, start looking through cookbooks or magazines. Write down what we need to buy on this grocery list."*** To their credit, they both nodded and started thumbing. And that became our summer - Boom! Power of Habit!
So, you see, this isn't merely a photo of a crock pot. This is a photo of supper cooked by my son, not me. Who's asking, "What's for supper?" NOW???
If your kids have never cooked, start them off with a small task - chop this, stir that. When my boys would complain about the veggie side dish, I assigned them to choose the next veggie recipe and help make it. It wasn't a punishment, like my mom's old stepwitch who used to yell, "If you don't like it, then you cook it next time!" No, no, heavens no. What I'm saying is that it's good to be involved, whether you're grown up or small. And when you have some input, you're more likely to eat, or at least to try.
Okay, that's as preachy as I'm going to get.
So, here's my Weekly Menu:
Monday: I cook
Tuesday: Son cooks
Wednesday: Church cooks - I'm not saying I joined my church because of Miss Sherry's fried catfish, but that was certainly on the Pro List
Thursday: I cook
Friday: cocktails and charcuterie - no one wants to cook on a Friday night
Saturday: I just really want to go to a restaurant. And the kitchen is still so clean from not cooking Friday, let 's not spoil it. This isn't NEVER, it's just 2 days, for crying out loud
Sunday: Husband grills something
*I once scrapbooked with a lady who never cooked. Because she didn't want to get her kitchen messy.
**Women, they do get weary, wearing that same old shabby dress and being interrogated about foodstuffs.
***My friend, Melissa, has the best method for grocery lists, and I've totally adopted it. Divide your paper into quadrants with a Heading for each quadrant: Produce, Aisle, Meat, Dairy, and that's how you write down your recipe needs. It'll keep you from circling back to Produce!
