I used to think I was quite a good cook, I tried all sorts of dishes and learned how to cook pretty early. I think I made my first full dinner meal at about 13 years old (Roast Chicken, Mash, Carrots, Peas, Gravy etc) and was baking from 7/8 years old as well as cooked breakfasts etc.
From about 15 years old I was expected to make dinner at least one night a week. So I knew what I was doing... I was adventurous and tried all sorts of things.
Then I met Richard. I carried on cooking and remember planning interesting things to make for him, Chicken and Broccoli pie (I even made the pastry myself), Bobotie, Lasagne, Spaghetti with freshly made tomato sauce and herbs, elaborate veggie bakes, fresh Fish etc.
Richard would eat pretty much anything I offered, he is pretty easy to please. He'll eat anything except Cucumber, Olives, Asparagus and Avo... He does not insist on a cooked meal, or meat everyday or anything. So that's easy. But the trouble is he doesn't really care about food. To him it's just fuel, so whether I give him a toasted cheese sandwich or a meal I spent 3 hours preparing the reaction is the same. He just eats it and goes on with his life... He does get a bit more excited about steak and chunks of meat and chilli though, but otherwise if he is hungry he eats (anything), and if he isn't he won't eat anything.
It all went kind of ok until I got pregnant and felt so sick and lost interest in cooking. I remember one night going to all the effort of making creamy mash and savory mince to make cottage pie. I presented it for dinner and after eating it I was jokingly asked if it was 'Toppers & Smash' (instant just add water stuff!)?!!!
That was it, the next week he got Topper & Smash (and did agree that mine had tasted better) - and from then on I just didn't try so hard.
Then Quinn was born and didn't give me a chance to cook, and I just did less and less and dinner seemed less and less important to me, to the point that toast or cereal became a valid dinner option for me. On the flip side in the past 5 years or so Richard has become more and more adventurous and creative in the kitchen.He is quite good actually. So he does his share of the cooking now too.
Also from when I lost 12kg just before getting pregnant with Quinn I stopped focusing on food and would only think about it when hungry. I stopping planning around food and baking etc, rather focusing on exercise and keeping occupied when not hungry etc.
So the end result is that years later I still cook/eat to live, rather than live to eat and often dinner only gets thought of at about 8pm after coming in from a run or something. I don't think we eat too badly, but we do eat simply. No slaving over pots for hours, and most of our food is cooked on the stove-top or microwave, the oven isn't used much at all.
Tiny does help with cooking some basic stuff which is great and everyone LOVES her cooking. She makes great mash, rice, veg, chicken (roast or casserole), mince, soup etc. So I do sometimes get her to make part, or all, of a meal and then I do the last bits when I get home. YUM!
Anyway I have now discovered that my family won't eat some of what I make. Why I don't know!? Whether it is good or not they just don't seem that interested in my food. During the holidays I even told them I am not going to cook anymore - Tiny can do it all. I told Tiny too when she came back and she laughed, and said her daughter has the same problem, her children won't eat her food, only Tiny's! ;)
I made a lovely Thai-style noodle stir fry a week or 2 ago. Suddenly no one was hungry. I was quite offended because I thought I did a damn good job. Admittedly my little sweet-hearted peace-keeper Griffin ate some and said it was delicious, and then Richard had some the next day and did come to tell me it tasted like it had come from a Thai restaurant (YES!)... but the fact remains I make it - they don't seem that excited.
Anyhoo last night I popped into Woolworths and got some 'Pillow Pasta' (Butternut and Sage Panzotti), brown mushrooms, and Tomato and Ricotto Sauce and steamed veg (brocolli, butternut and courgettes).
So I whip it up and everyone is all excited, the table gets set, help is freely offered and everyone is all happy and excited.
We ate it up with gusto - it really is delicious! - and BOTH my children declare that they LOVE it and would have that
any day, even above an offer of Mac Donalds! (Gosh high praise indeed! :) ) They slurp and savour every morsel of it, even eating every broccoli floret. Telling me how yummy and delicious it is, and thanking me for this amazing meal!
Isn't it ironic that my family only loves my cooking, when it is actually made by woolworths!?
Hurumph!
And the funny part, I married a guy called Richard. Geddit?
