My mother made sure that my brother, sister, and I knew how to cook before we left the nest. WE didn’t meal planning and how to prepare exotic dishes. Most of what we learned was to have no fear in preparing food. She also made sure we knew about the dangers of storing leftovers, which could led to your refrigerator becoming a laboratory for growing green hairy cultures. One of the best things she taught us was to clean as you prepared. Once the meal was placed on the table, there wasn’t that much to clean up.
Martha and I worked to ensure that our three would be in a similar position when they left home. It’s funny that the three of them while successful, are completely different.
Dan the oldest tends toward being a gourmet cook, with knowledge of spices and sauces. He turns out some marvelous creations. Julie our second has become the slam dunk queen. She can prepare a meal for twenty in a half an hour. Some are pretty darn good meals too. Stacey our youngest would probably be classified as ordinary. She turns out pretty much what would be considered everyday meals.
The good news is that I never have to worry about going hungry when I visit them.
