Learning to cook all over again...

That's what it feels like living with my in-laws.  They make some pretty awesome food, like pancit, steaks and lumpia.  When we moved in to live with them I said I would like to take over some of the cooking.  Breakfast is still my hubs job, several times a week he makes eggs, hashbrowns and pancakes.  Every morning he has my coffee brewing, sometimes even poured, for me when I get up.  Lunch is usually leftovers or fast food if my brother-in-law is buying.  Dinner.  Ah, dinner, that's where my trouble is....

Kris' dad often makes dinner all weekend.  The weekdays it's usually just if he gets home early.  Some nights it's salmon, pancit or rice and ribs.  This is where I come in.  I make a bigger variety of meals, things my mom taught me.  Potato soup, taco soup, pasta dishes, casseroles, sweet and sour meatballs, stuffed peppers etc.  The other night I made pasta for dinner.  I was all proud it was my first meal and it was done just as Kris' parents were home.  Perfect.  I dished some up for myself, and started to eat at the table.  I realized I was the only one eating.  Why?  Because they were waiting for rice.  Then they made fried rice and warmed up leftover ribs too.  All the pasta was eaten before the night was up, but Kris had to explain to me not to take it personally, they just have to have rice too and often eat more than just one thing.  I just wasn't used to it and worried it was my food!

I understand that now.  They did enjoy my dinner once they got to eating it so I felt better.  Then tonight for Jeff's {my brother in law} 30th birthday he wanted spaghetti with meatballs.  Simple enough right?  Wrong.  I started making dinner and Jeff said "do you have ground hamburger in the sauce?"  I said "no, you wanted meatballs" he then said "well that's how mom always does it, meat in the sauce and meatballs."  I promptly looked at him and said "well I'm not your mom!".  I felt bad afterwards.  He said it was still good and it really didn't matter.  I just felt bad that I didn't know how he wanted it.  In my defense though I made him a really yummy devil's food cake with cream cheese frosting which is gone already.

Next up was portion size.  I stupidly made only 1lb of pasta - whoops!  I forgot that I was feeding 2 almost 30 year old boys men, plus 3 more adults.  We managed tonight, but there weren't any leftovers for lunch tomorrow.  Not a big deal, but I just didn't really think much about it. 

I have some other recipes set for later this week and I have learned my lesson!  Have rice made and double the batch.  I think I can manage that.  It's just soo strange to me to feel like I'm learning to cook for people all over again.  I'm so used to just me and Kris and not an entire family to feed.  At least they enjoy my food.  I'm happy about that.  It's nice having people appreciate your work.