Monday, February 9, 2009

It's doesn't get any better than...

when you're picking your child up from the bus and, for the umpty-millionth time, you have to come up with something for dinner and your mind is blank. In fact, the mere thought of having to find something for dinner makes me lose my appetite. And then, you have this conversation...

Me: "Hey Jack, I have to swing by the grocery store on the way home. I have no ideas for dinner so why don't we have whatever YOU want. What do you feel like having?"

Jack: "Hey Mom. I don't have any homework tonight. How about if I cook dinner?"

OMG! The seraphim and cherubim are singing in my ears -- Hallelujah! I'm pinching myself...OK, Susan, don't blow it...he just might cook dinner...

Jack: "But Mom, I have ideas that I want to try. If that's OK? I mean I really want to cook the whole dinner. What do you feel like eating?"

Me: "I'm not picky, big guy. I am so grateful that I wont' be cooking that you are free to set the menu yourself. After all, you're the chef."

Jack: "You sure you don't feel like anything?"

Me: "Nope. No way. You have a blank slate. I'm just over-the-moon excited that I'm not cooking!"

Jack: "OK, then. We're going to have three courses, OK? And, if it's OK, I'm going to use three different plates and serve them at three different times and..." And the conversation went on and on and the creative juices were flowin'!

Suddenly, a drudgery-trip to the grocery store had turned into a fun outing where I got to watch Jack who, having decided to cook dinner for the first time, had to evaluate and select all his ingredients. I was impressed! Two kinds of pasta (angel hair and mostaccioli!), shrimp AND scallops, he wanted asparagus but it didn't look good...some butter lettuce and asiago cheese....hmmmm. I didn't say a WORD about his selection other than to help him make quality selections. I was really trying not to mess this up...

After we got home, I helped unpack and then I got lost and let him alone. He only had one question..."Do you think Dad will mind helping with the dessert?" "Not at all." Check out what happened about an hour later when I was called to the dinner table...

Jack was just finishing plating our main course...


Note that he had placed the angel hair pasta in the center of the plate, then hand placed each of the pasta tubes around the edge of the angel hair like a volcano and then placed the scallops and shrimp in the center. Ladies and Gentelman, I was actually going to have an edible meal! Who would have thought?


After finishing his work, it was into the oven to wait until it was time to be served.



Don't worry the oven wasn't on...he was just using it as a staging area. Huh. I never had thought to do that either...."Mom and Dad, please have a seat. Did you wash your hands?" *giggle. I went and washed my hands and sat.

First course was a butter lettuce salad, with sliced olives and grated asiago cheese...you can tell by Jack's face that he was evaluating whether he liked it or not.


After that, he cleared the plates and brought the main course... I love this shot... Jack saying to Jim... "Here we have two kinds of pasta...angel hair and mostacola ! with sauteed scallops and shrimp drizzled with the chef's special sauce of olive oil, soy sauce and special spices..."


Note that he'd also gotten down the nice glassware to go with our special meal which was absolutely delicious -- in every way. As soon as we were done, it was time for dessert...POPCORN!


Cracks me up! I've never had popcorn for dessert in my life but this was my husband's special recipe that he makes on the stove with oil and butter and salt...but this time Jack had made it with supervision. yum.


I'm not usually one to eat dessert after dinner but you better believe I did this night... Here's how much I liked it...


And here's what you get when you tell your son that it was the most AWEsome, wonderfully-delicious meal that you've EVER eaten on this PLANET and that you're inCREDibly IMpressed with him!


Let's just say that I highly recommend that you let your child watch Top Chef on Wednesday nights and the Food Channel anytime he wants. Who said TV is so bad for kids??

It just doesn't get any better...

16 comments:

Simona said...

He is wonderful! He used some italian food...mmmm!
He can cooks as a Chef at home for neighbors...

Glad you like pansy block I am thinking to a little bag for me....

Diane said...

Wow, I'm impressed too. I'd have been happy if it'd been Kraft Dinner at that age! Look forward to great things to come. Hopefully now he has the cooking bug you'll enjoy many more good meals.

tirane93 said...

makes it all worthwhile, doesn't it. congratulations on being able to step back and let him fly on his own!

Marty52 said...

Ah... the first foray into the wonderful world of cooking... Congrats to both of you!! Don't let him slide back now... keep him interested! ;0)

Judy S. said...

I'm thinking you could get real used to this! You don't suppose he'd want to come west for a visit do you? Oh, and this could lead to all sorts of gift ideas..cook books, special gadgets..... Can you believe we found a cookbook called "Help, My Apartment Has a Kitchen!" He won't need that one!

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Let me tell you something Susan. When your boy has enough self confidence to cook a meal like that, you really know that you are on the right track! What a wonderful guy he is.

Jack...you made lots and lots of ladies smile today. Congratulations on a wonderful meal.

Elizabeth Braun said...

I think you have a future chef in your home!=) Half your luck, hun!=)

Anonymous said...

wonderful! he looks so proud of himself too.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderfull Son, Mine never cooked that fancy but he did do a few meals but he is off in the Navy now but he was at home for Christmas and his best friend came over and baked for us. He has done it several times as I always have things on hand and his Mom dosen't

Anonymous said...

“Some people like to paint pictures, or do gardening, or build a boat in the basement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music.”
Julia Child

Debra Dixon said...

Gosh, if only you had been wearing a dress when you were treated like a queen. . . .

Barbara C said...

What a clever boy! Hopefully he's hooked on cooking after all your positive reinforcement.

Camilla La Mer-Soul Art Dolls said...

Fantabulous! And Popcorn for dessert...What a sweet and talented son you have! Thanks for sharing your glorious feast with us...Camilla

verobirdie said...

What a clever and handsome boy you've got! Too bad he is too young for my daughters :-)
He should not worry, girls are going to like him. A guy cooking is so sexy :-)

Chris Daly said...

He's such a sweetheart. Don't you just love it when your little boy suddenly surprises you and becomes a man while you weren't looking?

Robin said...

Warms my heart, this do! Robin

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