Tell us about someone you met that you always wanted to meet.
Since I can’t think of a person I’ve met that I always wanted to meet, I’ll share a different kind of story, a story along the lines of our theme for this month: connection.
When it comes to cooking, I have a saying, “If I can read I can cook.” Though I can do it, I’m not exactly fond of it. Partly, because I’m so clunky in the kitchen and the process seems to take forever (especially since I insist on washing spoons after every stir).
Even though no one will ever use the word “chef” in front of my name (at least not with a straight face), I can definitely follow recipes. Every now and then, I can even come up with a decent meal on my own that scores big. But, make no mistake, cooking is truly a labor of love for me. Just sometimes more labor than love.
Breakfast? I have that covered. It’s dinner that always stumps me. Sunday, as we left church, we bounced around ideas for dinner. I’d thawed some boneless, thin sliced chicken breasts a couple of days earlier and needed to cook them. So I half-heartedly put the idea of chicken parmigiana on the table.
I’ve cooked chicken parmigiana once before, but it was years before my husband came along. And with the exception of breakfast, I still get nervous when I cook something new for him. I guess with just over two years in, maybe that’s to be expected. Anyway, I found the recipe I used the last time and decided to go for it.
He loved it!
He doesn’t believe it, but I can always tell when he really enjoys a meal. Likewise, I can also tell when a meal falls flat. But that evening, as we sat to eat together, it was clear that this one was a winner.
Later that evening, as I settled into bed I reflected on dinner. Feelings of accomplishment, pride and joy filled my heart. It was actually kind of weird. I realized how amazing it made me feel to step beyond my comfort zone to attempt to cook something that my husband may enjoy.
Like I said before, cooking is truly a labor of love. I’m not a natural at it by any means. But that one little meal allowed me to connect with him in a different way. To my surprise, the most significant accomplishment I made that day and the one that made me most proud was that simple meal I dared to cook and the rewarding fact that my husband enjoyed it.