The image above illustrates a bit how I feel on some - many - evenings these days.
L. loves food and seems to enjoy what is put in front of him (even if he is always hungry again 20 minutes later, no matter what portion size of dinner he eats). I am having a bit of trouble with his present lack of input as to our meals and his persistent desire to eat in front of his computer screen whenever released from regularly scheduled family meal time. For me, breaking bread together is an important part of any family dynamic.
Cooking also used to be a much more communal entreprise but now, as a mother cooking for a teenager, I often feel that I am only in L.'s life as the live-in housekeeper (and would dearly love one of my own...) All this tends to make me feel sad (or inadequate) as a role model until I remember - just for the blink of an eye - how he is feeling. I seem to remember being a teenager myself once. But partially empathizing does not mean that I am enjoying my downgrade in household social status.
Still, I cook and L. eats and we both attempt to rise to the occasion so that 4-5 meals or so a week are eaten together. Hopefully that is not such a bad record and a constant manifestation of parental love that he will remember later in life. And implement in his own household, perhaps using some of the recipes from this very blog, remembering fondly that I cooked for him often - with love.
Sunday ["Proper" Family Meal]
Provençal Tomato Salad
Creamed Kale
Monday [New Recipe]
Grated Carrot Salad with Thai Fish Sauce Vinaigrette
Thai Beef with Basil
White Rice
Tuesday [Pasta but not this week]
Green Salad with Shallots and Mustard Vinaigrette
Wednesday ["Ethnic" Food]
Asian Cucumber Salad
Szechuan Pork Dan Dan Noodles with Minted Red Cabbage Pickle
Thursday [Soup and Homemade Bread]
Ribollita
No Knead Bread
Friday [Vegetarian]
OUT
Saturday ["Picnic" Dinner]
Frida Kahlo's Zucchini and Avocado Salad
Salmon Reuben