In pursuit of a hot lunch

Some how it happens, you become what you least expect in life- the last thing- the thing you never actually considered. Some how I have become responsible for feeding three other people in my life. Granted I have happily baked sweets since I was a kid, but putting a meal together has always been beyond me. I married the guy who cooked for me on our first date. It was the kids who finally pushed me into the kitchen- they couldn't wait until 10 p.m. to eat dinner. I have a couple of cooking rules that I live by. One, I never cook any thing I don't like to eat. Two, I must like to eat whatever I cook. This way I am both willing to persevere at figuring out how to cook something & make it better, plus I am at least willing to eat it if no one else is. Then again, being married to a leftover guy this is only a problem for my children.

Being in Japan, my husband happily ate ramen on a daily basis for lunch. Eventually, his beloved ramen shop relocated to Yokohama which eventually lead to me sending him to work with an obento. An obento being some version of leftovers and miso soup for his lunch. I have to credit him for his willingness to eat cold food everyday, but he said it was all ok as long as I sent hot miso soup in his thermos. A friend caught wind of this cold obento and gave him an insulated obento that keeps the food hot. Now the problem is I have gotten myself into cooking lunch and dinner everyday! And lunch must be cooked early to get out the door on time, but now he has a hot lunch. I am still eating grilled cheese sandwiches by the way when I want a hot lunch or a slice of cinnamon toast!

Some how it happens, you become what you least expect in life- the last thing- the thing you never actually considered. Some how I have become responsible for feeding three other people in my life. Granted I have happily baked sweets since I was a kid, but putting a meal together has always been beyond me. I married the guy who cooked for me on our first date. It was the kids who finally pushed me into the kitchen- they couldn't wait until 10 p.m. to eat dinner. I have a couple of cooking rules that I live by. One, I never cook any thing I don't like to eat. Two, I must like to eat whatever I cook. This way I am both willing to persevere at figuring out how to cook something & make it better, plus I am at least willing to eat it if no one else is. Then again, being married to a leftover guy this is only a problem for my children.

Being in Japan, my husband happily ate ramen on a daily basis for lunch. Eventually, his beloved ramen shop relocated to Yokohama which eventually lead to me sending him to work with an obento. An obento being some version of leftovers and miso soup for his lunch. I have to credit him for his willingness to eat cold food everyday, but he said it was all ok as long as I sent hot miso soup in his thermos. A friend caught wind of this cold obento and gave him an insulated obento that keeps the food hot. Now the problem is I have gotten myself into cooking lunch and dinner everyday! And lunch must be cooked early to get out the door on time, but now he has a hot lunch. I am still eating grilled cheese sandwiches by the way when I want a hot lunch or a slice of cinnamon toast!