I'm not into cooking. It's like laundry. I don't mind doing it, but it's not my first choice of something to do. It's just another necessary part of everyday life. I know some people, like my brother-in-law, find it relaxing. Others find it creative. And some cook so they can eat well. That would be my son, Theo.
Theo approaches cooking like almost everything else he does. He studies it and has learned to cook beyond the skills I taught him. He understands spice blends and flavor combos better than I do, and he can tell you the science behind cooking techniques. That's why I'm so happy that we have recently started having a weekly cooking session together. We meet on one of his days off and do a large batch of something we split to have for the next few days. While Ward and I enjoy having a fridge stocked with ready-made meals, the best part is spending time with Theo. It actually makes me look forward to spending time in the kitchen. 😀
Below are a few of the things we've done so far. Sometimes, I remembered to take a picture, but sometimes not.
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| Today, we made cabbage roll soup. Theo's pot had more hot pepper in it than mine did. |
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| Last week, it was chicken enchilada casserole. |
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| This was the second time we made chili. |
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| This day, we had teraki salmon. All of the sides had a Chinese flavor palette. That was Theo's doing. He thinks about those kinds of things more than I do. |
Cooking with Theo first started when we were discussing chili recipes and decided to make it together to nail down a recipe. It just kind of evolved from there, but I'm so happy it did.
Until next time...
Jamie (jannghi.blogspot.com):
ReplyDeleteI like to try different recipes and there are some oI have done many times. But lately I just don't have the energy to do them now, even though I have times when I'd like to do one of them!
When I'm tired, cooking is the last thing I want to do. That results in take-out more than I would like.
DeleteI love that you cook with your son. That is so special!!! My son is a good cook, too, and cooks for his family all of the time. Also, I love your backsplash tiles - they are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I had a hard time deciding on backsplash tiles, but am pleased with what we ended up with. We have white cabinets, so they add some interest.
DeleteThat sounds like such a wonderful activity! You get to spend time together, making some delicious meals to share. Who does the grocery shopping? Or do you do that together, too?
ReplyDeleteWe have no formal arrangement for the grocery shopping. Sometimes, we use whatever one of us already has, sometimes one or the other of us gets some or all of the ingredients. We try to plan ahead of time, so we can work the shopping into our regular errands. And we send texts to each other when we're shopping asking if we can get something for the other.
DeleteSounds reasonable to me. :)
DeleteMy mother grew up as a foster child in the 30s-40s and thus was never really taught how to cook. She passed that on to me. I love to bake but I hate to cook.
ReplyDeleteDonna: Click for my 2025 A-Z Blog
My mother taught me how to cook, and I learned a lot of good basics for both cooking and baking from her. However, the food I had growing up was not very spicy. Our main savory seasoning came from salt and onions. My son is introducing me to whole new spice palette.
Deleteboth my mother and brother are excellent in the kitchen, but me, i could set water on fire. you'd think that i could manage premade frozen food, but even the microwave hates me.
ReplyDeleteMicrowaves can be tricky, especially the timing. It’s so easy to overcook something. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to feed yourself even if you don’t cook. 👩🍳
DeleteWhat a wonderful way to spend time with your son. It can be hard for moms and sons to find common ground when it comes to hanging out together.
ReplyDeleteBesides the spending time with Theo, the regular cooking has us planning better and eating out less. Definitely a win-win situation.
DeleteThat sounds like fun. Useful too. Doing anything with someone is meaningful I think.
ReplyDeleteSpending time with people you like is very meaningful.
DeleteIt sounds like your son is a good cooking teacher. I would need a patient teacher like that.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day.
We learn from each other, but he brings more to the table than I do. (Pun intended.)
DeleteWhat fun to cook with your son! All the photos look like delicious meals,, and colorful too,, which is important to me.. My oldest does some cooking, his specialties being granola, and white chili. He often cooks with his daughter, too, while his wife isn't really into cooking. She does do some, however, and makes sure their diet is always healthy.
ReplyDeleteI like to cook, but my main goal is that we eat well. I have learned a lot since I retired, especially about knowing what flavors go well together, and even making a sweet and sour sauce just by guessing what tastes were in it.
From what I read, you cook a lot and it all sounds good to me. It's nice that your son cooks with his daughter. Good bonding time and I'm sure she's learning a lot.
DeleteThe chicken enchilada casseroles look delicious!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great way to spend time together and avoid too much takeout.
I love to cook, but we still seem to get takeout more often than we should, usually when time gets away from me.