People sometimes ask about our cooking process. I would call it an evolving partnership. Ben thinks of a meal he loves, or he looks through his cookbooks, and usually comes up with something that is not practical to make together. Sometimes, it is too complicated, and requires techniques he certainly doesn’t have, and I can’t…
Category: Life With Ben
Coq Au Vin
We have been making this French dish for years, and though it sounds a little like “Cocoa Van” when we say it, there isn’t any cocoa involved, just delicious chicken in a red wine sauce. This week’s batch was particularly delicious, and we got to eat it with Charlie, who was here painting. Ben kept…
Give a Man a Fish…
…and he eats for a day; show him how to glaze a whole salmon fillet, and serve it with a dill mustard sauce, and he eats very well for a day! This week’s Ben’s Day Wednesday meal was mustard dill salmon with crushed rosemary potatoes, and a side of Grandma’s applesauce from the freezer. The…
Tapas Tuesday!
Years ago, my sister-in-law gave me a tapas cookbook, which explains that tapas, small dishes served in Spain, are snacks to be enjoyed sociably before a meal, but we decided to do it up last night with a whole meal of tapas. For the week leading up to our “Tapas Tuesday,” we planned what dishes…
Fajitas and Corn Salad – A Meal Forged in Mayo
We started this week’s cooking adventure with high, serene hopes that we had not bitten off more than we could chew. Who could know that the simple act of spooning a cup of mayo into a mason jar would nearly bring down the operation? Now, you might be wondering what a cup of mayo is…
Hey, Digger Man!
We live in an old house, so now that the world is back to work, we have several home maintenance projects underway. Charlie is painting, Mark is working on the roof and gutters, and Plumbing Masters is replacing the air conditioner. Ben is maintaining his traditional role of watching everyone work. In Ben’s mind, he…
Weekend Treat – New China Royal
Ben never chooses Chinese food when left to his own devices. Mind you, he gobbles it up in a flash, but he would always go with a burger and fries, if given the chance. Today, however, we discovered a game changer.
The Most Ben’s Day of Wednesdays!
Ben reports that he had a great 20th birthday. He had been planning this day for ages, and he wasn’t disappointed. I consider this a major feat under social distancing constraints! Ben’s day included a special breakfast, a bike ride, lunch from McDonald’s, conversations with two former babysitter friends, gifts from family and friends, and…
Lazy Days of Summer
Every Day: Communicate Work Help Move Relax These are the five “rules” I posted on the fridge in March, in hopes that we could have a little balance in our lives and avoid driving each other crazy in lock down. Recently, I reminded Ben of the daily goals. He chose to see it as a…
Hot Dogs – Can we be frank?
Hot dogs have always been a favorite of Ben’s, as the following two stories illustrate. The first is a cautionary tale, so skip a few paragraphs if you have a weak stomach. When Ben was about eight, he had just started playing Little League Challenger Baseball, and we were at a team picnic held in…