Each weekend, I flip through various cookbooks to plan our weekly meals. I then (in a very type-A and meticulous fashion) write them on a dry erase memo board on our fridge. Somewhat lame, but mostly helpful, this food memo serves as a daily reminder of meals planned and gives the doctor something to look forward to after a hard day's work. Every now and then, he has been known to write something clever or humorous on my dry erase board. I enjoy that quite a bit!
Sunday morning (with meals planned and posted), Jeff asked me what we were having for dinner. I replied, "Chicken Pot Pie," knowing it is one of his favorites. I was not only caught off guard, but completely floored when he suggested that instead of pot pie, he make a new chili recipe.
You should know that my husband is good at many things. He enjoys setting goals for himself and accomplishing them. However, never before had he attempted to plan, shop for, and execute a meal in the kitchen, with the exception of flapjacks and boxed Kraft macaroni, which I must admit always tastes better than when I make it.
After our Sunday family nap (please Lord, may we always partake in such a luxury), he pulled out the mysterious, new chili recipe and we proceeded to make a grocery list. Then, with little lady in tow, he made his way to the grocery store. Keeping my phone handy for potential text messages, the little man and I busied ourselves with making valentines. Four text messages later (including one picture message confirming the type of white bean on his list), they returned.
He quickly got to work, asking only for a short tutorial on how to chop onions and to occasionally taste the simmering chili. I could not resist the opportunity to snap a few pictures as he labored, set, and reset the timer following the recipe word. for. word. I had to hand it to him, he picked a somewhat labor intensive recipe as his first, but leave it to a surgeon to go big or go home.
Skillfully assembling the spice blend.
Small space; smart solutions.
"What's daddy doing in the kitchen?"
"Mmm...it sure smells salty in here!"
Once the little man was down for the night, Jeff encouraged me to take a seat on the couch while he prepared our chili bowls complete with avocado and goat cheese garnishes. As satisfying as the chili was, in no way did it compare to the sweet satisfaction of watching my husband labor in love all afternoon.
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