My Daughters, The Cooks

My girls are learning their way around a kitchen.  I didn't have Lorene and still don't have Lynette have regular kitchen duties, but they both have been willing and able to learn how to read a recipe, and a box, and to make a few simple things, like eggs and grilled cheese sandwiches. Even my SON, could do things like that. It helps  that I'm the kind of mom that doesn't care to jump up every time my kids want something. They have legs, and a brain, and if they are hungry between meal times, they can do something about it themselves. 

So, when they want to make supper, I'm all for it 

Lasagna

Its' more about watching these girls working happily together, than what is for supper. This was simply not the case when they were younger.  It was partly the 4 year age difference and partly because they have such widely different interests. They enjoy each other so much more now, and it is lovely to watch.

I'm not the best cook in the world, but I am able to keep my family from starving.  I'm really an ordinary sort of cook that makes ordinary comfort foods. I like to make things from scratch. It's the way my mother cooked.  I don't remember her teaching us lots of things in the kitchen.  I remember doing a lot of dishes. My sister and I fought so much while doing supper dishes, that we were on our own, a week on, a week off.  We were supposed to sweep the floor and wipe off the stove as part of those duties, but it didn't often get done.  When the dishes were done, we wanted to be OUT OF THERE!!   I know I was baking early since I was in  4-H, When I took Home Ec. In Jr. High, part of our Home Ec. grade was to cook at home.  I learned a lot about cooking made a bunch of different things for mom that particular quarter to get my grade, and then went right back to my "only cooking when I was made to" status.  The older I got the more I helped. I was in charge of the potatoes and gravy for Sunday dinner.  I made jello and cookies and pies.  I helped with the canning in the summer.  I baked mostly for 4-H, but I baked for mom, too. Sometimes I even helped with supper.  In those days we didn't have anything electronic to shut ourselves off from the rest of the family.  We were all together in the three main rooms of "downstairs".  So, I had plenty of opportunity to watch Mom cook, and that helped when it was time for me to be cooking for a husband and family.

It was still hard work though.

I remember early in our marriage a very dear, older friend told me that roast, mashed potatoes and gravy was the easiest meal to make.  I didn't believe her.  I struggled to have all the parts of the meal ready together and on time.  

It wasn't until 15 years later, as I was making roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, buns, and jello, (for about the 20th time that year), that is really is the easiest meal to make.  It's easy because I've done it so often I don't have to think anymore.  I just cook.  

You know, I'm hungry just thinking about it.