Wednesday, June 24, 2009

fancy / treat


solo post - L
I'm a spoiled rotten mother. I have a daughter that has dinner on the table when I get home, that cleans out the dishwasher, cleans out the refrigerator and keeps her room clean. Many times I come home to fresh baked goodies – like these raspberry crumb muffins.
Several years ago we started a tradition of having my parents over one night a week for dinner. Many times Taylor would be the one to cook. When she was younger, 11 yrs. old, she decided those night would be real special – "welcome to the Pepper Cafe" she would say (Pepper was her first cat) and would give them a hand drawn menu for them to choose from (options for beverage or dressing, etc). Generally there was a theme ie. seafood, mexican, etc. The best part of it was she dressed up for these dinner nights, and I don't mean just cleaned up – she dressed according to the theme. Her seafood one was one of the best. She wore goggles and flip flops to serve dinner in. This is making me laugh out loud now as I'm writing this, thinking back on those creative years. (I would love to show you a photo but I know how embarrassed she would be if I did that – she'll probably be upset with me for mentioned this much.) She even had the waitress apron and note pad and pencil to take their orders. Anyway, it was a treat for my parents and she cooked some really nice meals - always something new and different.
These days she uses Everyday with Rachel Ray's $10 spot recipes and does the shopping but she no longer takes orders on a pad. And even though she no longer dresses up special for the occasion she does present the dish looking as if it came from a fancy restaurant. And it taste even better.
I tell you it's a treat, and I'm one lucky mom.

Last night she cooked Salmon Cobb Burgers . It was one of her simpler meals but she had cleaned the entire house and did the shopping that day as well. Can't beat coming home to a clean house AND dinner on the table.

12 comments:

gkgirl said...

wow.

do you loan her out...

heh...
kidding...
kind of...
:O)

Anonymous said...

How amazing is that. I love the theme idea complete with appropriate "fancy dress" as they'd say here.

You are one lucky mom!

e.o.w. said...

Well, you must be one amazing mother to receive such love in return...

Woman in a Window said...

Yes, you are lucky.

I LOVE to think of her in the funny get-up serving up the seafood. What a creative one she's always been.

Gayle said...

She is one sweet daughter! You must be very proud of her! I love her creativity to have dressed according the the special meals she cooked for your parents!

Anonymous said...

how lovely. you've raised her well.

i hope my daughter does all those things for me when she is grown up :)

Unseen India Tours said...

Really Lucky Mom and have a sweet daughter!!Unseen Rajasthan

d smith kaich jones said...

Uh oh. I am seeing this from the other way round, from a daughter's point of view. Never mind that I am a grown woman - I am feeling quite guilty right now about all the not cooking I do. Heck, I don't evn own a stove! LOL! Hmmmm. . . maybe all the flowers I've bought over the years count. More this coming weekend!

:) Debi

ELK said...

so sweet ...the memories and costumes...i know your parents remember it fondly as well...and a clean house...wow good job L!!

SE'LAH... said...

as time goes by, i admire more and more the love between you and your daughter.

robin bird said...

what a wonderful story, filled with memories of your girl. i so relate to the delight you take in looking back on her life and all the ways in which she made life her very own experience. sweet, sweet.

Relyn Lawson said...

Oh, you have raised one wonderful daughter. When you feel like passing out advice, I'm ready to take notes.

footnote

The photos on the left are taken by me, Leslye, the mother. The photos on the right are taken by my daughter, Taylor – unless otherwise noted. Comments are always welcome. thanks
If you care to visit, I, Leslye, have another blog - AutumnSun where I ramble around different paths and pleasures of my own.