Here are my rules:

1) Make sure there is at least one item in every meal that I know the kids will eat. Usually this is bread or noodles, but there has to be something for the babies – or I make them something of their own. My kids aren’t going to eat spicy garlic chicken from the Chinese take out place, so if we get that for the grown ups, I make them fish sticks or something. They’re too little to require that they eat the family meal – especially if it’s spicy.

2) Have at least two things that grew in each meal – fruits or veggies in the most natural state possible. Spinach salad – good. Creamed spinach – not as good. Sliced apples – good. Apple pie – not as good.

3) If someone has a preference, I will make a reasonable accommodation to it. For example, my dad doesn’t like sweet potatoes, and it’s really no big deal to throw a baking potato in next to the sweet potatoes, so I’ll do that for him. However, if we’re having quiche and he prefers steak, he knows where the nearest restaurant is and is welcome to get carry out.

4) If someone doesn’t like what I’ve made for dinner, they can have a PB&J. I will not make them their own meal, but I will make them PB&J if they try everything and honestly don’t like it.

5) If someone is sick, they get whatever they can keep down, or whatever sounds good, usually soup or toast or tea.

When I try something new, I’ll ask, “Is this a keeper?” In other words, “Is this something you would be happy to see on the table again, or would you prefer that I do something else with the pork chops next time?” I expect and appreciate honest answers – after all, I don’t want to spend hours making a meal that no one enjoys. And asking for polite, reasonable, constructive criticism is a way to prevent “eeeewwwws..” If my kids grow up knowing they’ll have a chance to give their opinions politely, I hope I can avoid the “eeewwws.”

I’ll let you know how that works out.

But danged if I don’t make a mean cheesecake, given all the tools.
.

I call all my experiments “Kitchen Miracles” and find that I get lucky more often as I get older.

Yesterday, I put this stew meat on to simmer with onion. I wasn’t sure what I would do with it, but I knew that I needed to doctor it for a while.

I put my daughter on the task, actually.

Her idea of “between low and medium” was between “medium-low and medium” and not the lower side of “medium-low” like I would have chosen.

It didn’t take long before I asked my son, “What do I smell?” and we found the meat, dry, and quite browned. The onion I had her add was literally mushed and almost black!

I turned it down and poured another carton of beef stock on top, hoping that I didn’t lose it, financially.

I was able to turn it around and there were big raves about the final stew.. despite the few tears that might have fallen into the pot along the way… it could have been really bad.

I was lucky that my nose found it before the smoke alarm alerted me to the issue.