Enchiladas

 

My wife has been the main cook over the years for the kids and while that remains the case I am at least taking some turns now. And by that I am talking about meals from virtually scratch. Of course I can stick a pizza in the oven, put a ready meal in the microwave or make fish fingers, beans and chips. I do my share there as well as breakfasts and lunches. I've not though tended to make something rather than cook it or reheat it. Partly that is because the kids all eat different things but it's more the case I have always been hopeless in that regard going right back to some glorious disasters in home economics at high school. My wife on the other hand will occasionally serve up spaghetti bolognaise, sausage casserole, homemade soup or something.

To be honest I'm not in favour of giving kids a virtual menu at dinner time. I grew up with one meal for all and if you didn't like it you still tried to eat it or went hungry. Beef olives were a particular dislike- the texture was not my favourite. I remember mixing my turnip with mash and peas to hide the taste of the former. Things like that. Me, my 2 siblings and my parents all ate the same thing at the same time at a table. Not the case today.

Making one meal for all is do rare it virtually never happens but tonight I managed to feed three quarters if the virtually the same thing. I've made my wife Enchiladas a few times, the youngest girl once and neither of the other two. Tonight I had hoped to make them for all but as the boy doesn't like them he had hot dogs. And while I fed the other three I had to make quorn ones for my vegetarian wife as opposed to chicken for the girls and had to do one without tomatoes as youngest girl doesn't like them. Not straight forward in a small kitchen with not much work surface but I got there in the end. They seemed to enjoy them. 

I love Mexican food despite not liking peppers but that is the benefit of making your own. Strangely though I virtually never cook things for myself any more. I used to but for reasons unknown when I make things up I tend to lose my appetite. Even when that is food I love. So really I have to eat early before I cook for others. It never used to be the case but it is now. I do actually enjoy cooking though. Nothing complicated, just the simple stuff.