I love it that OW whines and clearly your H hates it! Ha ha ha!
I have to say that the cooking thing has me a bit baffled. I suppose I was one of the lucky ones who got it in the genes or learned through osmosis when I was still at home, because I really didn't learn to cook until CJ and I got married...but I seemed to take to it right away.
Was your Mom a good cook? Mine was and even though I helped out only rarely (she was too much of a perfectionist then) I must have picked up a lot without realizing it.
One thing that helped a LOT is that CJ isn't fussy, he NEVER complained about anything I cooked, and got miffed when I would make negative comments about my own cooking.
In this respect you remind me of my friend H, who's husbands main love language appears to be FOOD...the man is always hungry, but won't lift a finger to feed himself!
As if that's not bad enough, he's spit food onto the floor and walked away when things don't taste right for him.
This has obviously erroded H's desire to cook! Heck I was worried about the salad I brought out there the other night...me! A primo chef!
I have to agree with the earlier poster who suggested simple recipes (on line or in the cheap aisle of any book store). Forget the gourmet meals with 10 ingredients you've never heard of and hours of preparation.
Here's one that you cannot go wrong with: Shiny's double baked potatoes
Ingredients:
4 nice large baker potatoes 6 strips of extra-crisp bacon for crumbling (we do this one when we have bacon left over from breakfast) 1 cup (or more) grated cheddar cheese (we use the old sharp stuff) Butter (about a tablespoon) Non fat butter milk (you can use sour cream or regular milk too...it's just to mash the potatoes and make it creamy). green onion or chives (one or two green onions will do...I tend to use only the green part) Paprika
I poke a few holes with a fork and then nuke the potatoes on high for 4 min...spin them around and give them 4 more minutes. Then into the toaster oven (or regular oven) at 400. Bake until a fork goes easily through...about 30-50 min depending on the size of the taters. (it's fine if the skins are a bit resistant...nice chew!...but the potatoe inside must be sooooft)
Grab each potato with an oven mit and cut in half lengthwise.
Scoop out the potato with a spoon into a bowl. try to get as much potato out as you can without poking through the skin...even then you can patch it up with the filling.
Set the skins on a baking pan.
Sprinkle a little cheese into each skin.
In the bowl...mash it up good (must be done when the potatoes are hot so the cheese will melt)..add the cheese and continue mashing
Then mix in the milk/buttermilk/sour cream...it's probably about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
Add the bacon and onion/chives stirring them in with a fork. Add little salt and pepper to taste (meaning pinch a bit and taste it!)...
Spoon the filling back into the potato skins, sprinkle the tops with paprika (it's more for the colour than the taste and not essential).
At this point...you can store these puppies away for a later dinner...
and when ready just place your oven rack to the spot above middle (not the top spot), and turn on the broiler.
In my oven the tops starts to brown in about 5 minutes. I set the microwave timer so I don't forget them in there!
If you've done these much earlier and refrigerated them, I'd suggest nuking them a bit, or warming them in the oven for 10 min or so at 350 before broiling.
These potatoes are to DIE FOR...we eat them with just a side of fresh sauteed mushrooms in honey garlic sauce.
WooHoo Shiny..thanks for the recipe. I love potatoes and could eat them every night. I like to take crisp crowns or cottage fries (store bought) bake them for the alloted time, turn off the over and leave them in for an extra half hour and I have the crunchiest OreIda's I love them!
This was right after we were married, I made the mistake of trying to broil stew meat yikes! H took one bite, the meat was on his fork and took his fork and tossed the meat back over his shoulder onto the stove and said he wasn't eating it! So I have a history of failed attempts at cooking and to be honest, it isn't my most favorite thing to do...but nevertheless I am going to become a cook, a short order cook, but a cook!
I'm soliciting ideas. Our seven year anniversary is next Monday and I'm hoping the seven year itch has passed.. but anyone have any ideas on what I should do for our anniversary if anything? At this point I'm totally clueless so any and all suggestions are welcome.
I have some great recipes to share with you as well. Just have to round them up. Does your H like casseroles? (They are called hot dishes up here you know!)
I am glad to hear that your weekend went well. I haven't seen mention if you stuck a card in your H's stuff though - or a goody bag? Did you?
So for your anniversary, rather than stress out over cooking a meal for him, why don't you call your favorite restuarant and order out? You'd be amazed that even places that you don't think do that - will. Then pack it up, along with a blanket, some wine, candles, and other romantic goodies, and take it out on the boat for a romantic dinner cruise. Of course, you will have to ask someone to watch your S4 for you.
Just an idea - I'm sure you will do just fine. I would suggest that you request that your H not make plans for Monday and tell him you want to spend your special night together - alone! Tell him he only needs to bring himself (and the boat)
totite
"Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative..."
Thanks for the idea, Pam also gave me kind of the same suggestion. I'm thinking and trying things on so to speak, to see what I feel comfortable doing/not doing.
Yesterday was a no contact day from H, he wouldn't answer his cell. S left a vm for him in the morning, I left a vm for H in the afternoon, H didn't come home right after work so ASSumed he will be no show. I must admit I was having some obsessive thoughts, due to PMS mainly I do know that, had to really fight my mind and get myself to the place of peace, which I did. Yeah me!
Went grocery shopping, took S4 to swim lessons, came home and played ball with S for awhile and came in the house. Right about then H showed up, looking tired and he was not in a sociable mood at all. He didn't speak to me a whole lot, he spent some time looking at his fishing maps and then took a shower with S and they went to bed.
So where he was or what was up I have no clue, but he did call this morning on my cell, I just handed it to S4 as I was getting ready to go to work.
I AM getting really good at letting go and focussing on me, my life and S4. I've been spending sooo much of my mental energy on H when these other areas need just as much attention as my R with H. Especially my S4, I am trying to interact with S4 differently as he does know how to "play me" and I need to let him know who the boss really is...ME. Ask S and he'll tell you different or his actions definitely say different..S4 and me ARE headed for a showdown at some point!
Cathy, Just checking in to see how you are doing! Looks like we are all into recipes! I love casseroles! When my first D was coming, I made a bunch and froze them. then all I had to do was throw them into the oven! Although that was nice, my H got sick of casseroles! Oops! So I do one once in a while! I have one whole book on casseroles!
I'm like a few others here, no one wants to be a chef everyday. There are some great recipes out there that are simple and delicious!
I love Totite's idea for your annviersary celebration!!!
Quote: Right about then H showed up, looking tired and he was not in a sociable mood at all.
This was H last night as well! He asked that we go for a walk though....so perhaps he just wanted some quiet time....same for your H perhaps?
Quote: I've been spending sooo much of my mental energy on H when these other areas need just as much attention as my R with H. Especially my S4, I am trying to interact with S4 differently as he does know how to "play me" and I need to let him know who the boss really is...ME.
Same here! I'm exhausted from all the mental energy I spend on H.
Dd and all the kids at music class were WILD last night. I don't know what got into them...all of them! At one point I looked right at dd, pointed to her to sit right next to me. She thought about it for a second and then walked over and sat next to me. At the car she said, "Mommy, did you notice that how good I was and how patient I was?" I said yes and praised her for it. She is SOOOO cute!!
My little guys says that to me too "I was good momma wasn't I" or "i'll be good momma" and then I'll say he was good and he'll says "see I told you" Without S I don't know what I'd be doing.
Well H was in angry man mode when I got home from work last night! Like he hasn't been in quite awhile I did my best to not overreaact as he was being utterly and completely ridiculous about things..in a loud voice. At one point I said "why are you trying to pick a fight with me, I didn't even do anything" and then went about my business and H went outside to play with S. H then ran to the bank, thankfully.
When he returned he was in a completely different mood, upbeat actually. SS20 came over and we all went out to eat, H even dressed nice, khaki shorts and a polo.
Had a nice evening after that, H went to bed early, just ups and goes to bed. I used to think it was just me, but I bet he did this to W#1 and W#2 and it's just H.
H is leaving tomorrow for the weekend to go fishing, S20 is going along. So I just have one more night to get through with H, his mood has been very withdrawn, moody the last few days and then last night..Wow!
I am taking off work tomorrow to go shopping with my sister, Saturday I'm golfing with a friend and will maybe try to see a movie later in the afternoon and then spend the rest of the time with S4.
It just occured to me today that H will have been home seven full months on Aug 2, which is also our 7 month wedding anniversary..so I wonder what the other seven is, if I'm thinking correctly isn't there something about the three sevens???
yikes! H took one bite, the meat was on his fork and took his fork and tossed the meat back over his shoulder onto the stove and said he wasn't eating it! So I have a history of failed attempts at cooking and to be honest, it isn't my most favorite thing to do...but nevertheless I am going to become a cook, a short order cook, but a cook!
but anyone have any ideas on what I should do for our anniversary if anything? 
At this point I'm totally clueless so any and all suggestions are welcome.
I said yes and praised her for it. She is SOOOO cute!!
Without S I don't know what I'd be doing.